With Sunday night's win over the Eagles, the Cowboys took the lead in the NFC East, but they will still need some help to avoid entering the playoffs as a wild-card team.
The 49ers are in control of the NFC playoff picture while the Eagles remain in control of the NFC East.
The team with the easiest scenario in the NFC is the 49ers: win, and they get a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. The 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles are all 10-3 at the top of the NFC, but the 49ers beat both the Cowboys and Eagles head-to-head. This is the first tiebreaker.
Based on the division record tiebreaker, the Eagles currently trail the Cowboys in the NFC East, but that will change if the Eagles win: Run the slate at 14-3 and the Eagles will be one NFC East win more than that Cowboys would come in to tie the division record, and the Eagles would win the division based on the conference record tiebreaker.
The Cowboys need help: Even if Dallas wins 14-3, Philadelphia will have to lose at least one game to avoid a wild card. And Dallas would have to lose at least one game to both Philadelphia and San Francisco for Dallas to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
It doesn't help the Cowboys that they have the toughest schedule for the rest of the season: They play in Buffalo, in Miami, at home against the Lions and then finish the season in Washington.
The Eagles' schedule is much simpler: Philadelphia plays at the Seahawks and then faces the Giants, Cardinals and Giants again.
The 49ers' schedule is in Arizona, home game against the Ravens, in Washington and home game against the Rams.
It should be a good playoff race in the NFC with three good teams fighting for the No. 1 seed.