John Matthews
WMAL.com
MINNEAPOLIS — (WMAL) It sure seems counter-intuitive to Burgundy-and-Gold lovers, but the Dallas Cowboys did the Redskins a major solid Thursday night, by holding on to knock off the Vikings, 17 – 15.
Yes, the Dallas win further solidified the Cowboys’ steel grip on the NFC East lead by extending their record to a gaudy 11 – 1, but it also dropped Minnesota’s record to 6 – 6, ensuring that the Vikings will not catch the Redskins (6-4-1) in the race for an NFC Wild Card spot – at least not this weekend.
With Washington three and a half games behind Dallas with five games left to play, there is virtually no chance the Redskins can win the NFC East crown, but as fate would have it, all four of the Cowboys’ remaining opponents are – for the moment – still alive for NFC playoff spots. At a minimum, wins by Dallas against any of those teams could potentially help Washington to stay alive in the playoff chase.
The Cowboys face the New York Giants a week from Sunday, followed by Tampa Bay, Detroit and Philadelphia.
Of course, the best thing the Redskins can do to ensure their place in the post-season is to keep winning, starting this Sunday in Phoenix when they play the Cardinals. Washington currently holds the final Wild Card position in the NFC, and therefore controls its own destiny. Win and they’re in.
But a little insurance never hurts.
How ’bout them Cowboys?
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