Jerry Jones stood by QB Cooper Rush during the Cowboys' five-game losing streak, insisting he gave Dallas its best chance to win with Dak Prescott out for the remainder of the season because of a hamstring injury. So far, that trust has been validated.
Rush hasn't been spectacular by any means, but he's given the Cowboys just enough for wins over the Commanders and Giants to right the ship. Dallas held on for a 27-20 victory over New York on Thursday, the second consecutive game in which Rush didn't throw an interception.
At 5-7, the Cowboys aren't out of it just yet. Is a playoff run still possible even without Prescott?
Here's a look at where the Cowboys stand in the NFC playoff picture and how they can still make the playoffs.
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NFC wild-card standings
Standings through Cowboys' Nov. 28 win over Giants.
| Seed | Team | Record |
| WC1 | Vikings | 9-2 |
| WC2 | Packers | 9-3 |
| WC3 | Commanders | 7-5 |
| 8 | Cardinals | 6-5 |
| 9 | Buccaneers | 5-6 |
| 10 | Rams | 5-6 |
| 11 | 49ers | 5-6 |
| 12 | Cowboys | 5-7 |
| 13 | Saints | 4-7 |
| 14 | Bears | 4-8 |
| 15 | Panthers | 3-8 |
| 16 | Giants | 2-10 |
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The Cowboys are still alive at 5-7, and they jumped the Saints in the wild-card standings on Thursday to move into the NFC's No. 12 seed. Needless to say, that is still a safe distance from the No. 7 seed.
Dallas is two games out of a wild-card spot, trailing the Commanders team they beat in a thriller last Sunday. Reaching the playoffs isn't as simple as just catching the Commander, though. The Cowboys have four more teams between themselves and Washington: the Cardinals, Buccaneers, Rams, and 49ers.
Three of those teams are just a half-game ahead at 5-6, but the odds of Dallas outpacing all four of them even if Washington's slide continues are distant.
With a two-game deficit and five games remaining, though, the possibility is at least there, and the Cowboys will have something to play for when they host the Bengals in Week 14.
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NFC East standings
Standings through games on Nov. 28.
| Rank | Team | Record |
| 1 | Eagles | 9-2 |
| 2 | Commanders | 7-5 |
| 3 | Cowboys | 5-7 |
| 4 | Giants | 2-10 |
The Cowboys aren't eliminated from NFC East contention yet, but elimination scenarios aren't far off as the Eagles keep winning.
Dallas currently sits 4.5 games behind the Eagles, with five games remaining and six for Philadelphia. Even if the Cowboys extend their win streak, it would take a significant Eagles collapse just for Mike McCarthy's squad to have a chance in the division.
Cowboys remaining schedule
| Week | Date | Matchup | Time (ET) |
| 14 | Dec. 9 | vs. Bengals | 8:15 p.m. |
| 15 | Dec. 15 | at Panthers | 1 p.m. |
| 16 | Dec. 22 | vs. Buccaneers | 8:20 p.m. |
| 17 | Dec. 29 | at Eagles | 4:25 p.m. |
| 18 | Jan. 5 | vs. Commanders | TBD |
The Cowboys' next three games all come against sub-.500 teams, including two at home, though their offense could be in for serious tests against Joe Burrow in Week 14 and Baker Mayfield in Week 16.
Dallas finishes the season against NFC East rivals Philadelphia and Washington, with the season finale being especially important if the Cowboys can take of business in at least three of their previous four contests.
