Though the NFL’s playoff picture is rather unsettled as December begins, we can say this with confidence: a handful of contenders are going to lose to underdogs in these final weeks, and the teeth-grinding and hair-pulling and moaning is going to be something else.
It’s here, though, that we salute the Cowboys, who performed like contenders should on Thursday night in Chicago.
With a three-TD blitz in 13 minutes to begin the second half, the favored Cowboys sent the weak, wobbling, underdog Bears to the canvas, turning a 14-7 game into a 35-7 laugher. From there, the Cowboys (-3.5) coasted on in, securing a 41-28 victory and moving back into the NFC’s top wild-card spot.
However, some might say the Cowboys simply did what they were supposed to do in Chicago. And to be fair, a majority of December favorites do take care of their business.
Since 2004, December underdogs are 223-471 in regular-season play, per Spreadapedia.com. That’s just a 31.6 percent win rate, about three upsets in every 10 games and a little more than 20 underdog wins per December.
In the end, most December games go to form. Cowboys-Bears certainly did. But that is a testament to Dallas, which looked like a club with bigger and better things to do as it drained the drama out of Thursday night’s proceedings.
Yes, favorites usually win, but they don’t always assert. The Cowboys asserted themselves. That’s how it should be done in December.
Here’s how the NFL’s playoff seeding looks through Thursday night. The tiebreaking rules and standings were referenced:
THE BIG SIX
1. Arizona Cardinals (9-3, .750). NFC West leader. Earn first-round bye, home-field advantage. Win three-team tiebreaker for No. 1 seed on account of better NFC record (7-2) than Green Bay (6-3) and Philadelphia (5-2).
2. Green Bay Packers (9-3, .750). NFC North leader. Earn first-round bye. Win head-to-head tiebreaker with Philadelphia for No. 2 seed.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (9-3, .750). NFC East leader. Host Seahawks in wild-card round.
4. Atlanta Falcons (5-7, .417). NFC South leader. Host Cowboys in wild-card round. NFC South’s top-seeded team on basis of head-to-head win vs. New Orleans.
5. Dallas Cowboys (9-4, .692). Wild card No. 1.
6. Seattle Seahawks (8-4, .667). Wild card No. 2. Seeded ahead of Detroit on basis of better record in common games.
JUST MISSING
7. Detroit Lions (8-4, .667).
8. San Francisco 49ers (7-5, .583).
OTHER NFC SOUTH CONTENDERS
9. New Orleans Saints (5-7, .417).
13. Carolina Panthers (3-8-1, .292).
