The Dallas Cowboys came out of the bye week swinging, and the team was firing on all cylinders, which led to a dominant 33-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football.
With the win, the Cowboys officially entered the "in the hunt" category of the NFL Playoffs, with seven games remaining in the season.
But while the Cowboys are technically in the hunt, many are wondering what version of the team is the real one. When Dallas is clicking, the team looks like a real threat. Unfortunately, the lack of consistency has plagued the team throughout the year.
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Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report recently made the case for all 32 teams in the league, and the Cowboys have a compelling case for the postseason.
Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer, wearing a t-shirt honoring Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland,
Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer, wearing a t-shirt honoring Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, on the sideline against the Las Vegas Raiders / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
"They have contender talent, as we saw when a similar core won 12 games two years ago. And there's still plenty of room for a wild-card run from a team that still has just five losses," Gagnon writes.
Dallas took a step back in 2024 after a flurry of injuries plagued the team on both sides of the ball. Now that they returned to full strength in Week 11, we saw exactly what the team can do, and it was impressive.
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Unfortunately, the Cowboys have a difficult schedule in the coming weeks.
On Sunday afternoon, the Cowboys face the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. A few days later, the team faces the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day. Dallas then returns one week later with another primetime Thursday night outing when they face the high-flying Detroit Lions.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens reacts towards the stands after a game against the Las Vegas Raiders
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens reacts towards the stands after a game against the Las Vegas Raiders / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
It's a gauntlet that will tell us everything that we need to know about the team. Unfortunately, the odds don't seem to be in the Cowboys' favor.
As Gagnon writes: "Verdict: Pretender. Altogether, the Cowboys have won just 11 of their last 28 games."
MORE:Cowboys top-5 rated players from Week 11 dominated by defenders
A view of Dallas Cowboys players' helmets on the bench against the Washington Commanders at FedExField.
A view of Dallas Cowboys players' helmets on the bench against the Washington Commanders at FedExField. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
WEEK 12: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles | FOX | 4:25 p.m. ET
WEEK 13: Dallas Cowboys vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Thanksgiving) | CBS | 4:30 p.m. ET
WEEK 14: Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions (TNF) | Prime Video | 8:20 p.m. ET
WEEK 15: Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings (SNF) | NBC | 8:20 p.m. ET
WEEK 16: Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Chargers | FOX | 1:00 p.m. ET
WEEK 17: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders (Christmas) | Netflix | 1:00 p.m. ET
WEEK 18: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants | TBD Flex Game
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