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Cowboys' loss ramifications

What the Cowboys' loss to Baltimore means.

For the Cowboys and their fans, their Saturday night loss to the Baltimore was devastating.

For the Eagles and their fans, it was not quite the reverse. It was a fine evening's entertainment, yes, but it doesn't change the reality: that the Eagles still need to win out to stay ahead of the Cowboys and keep their playoff hopes alive.

The Cowboys controlled their destiny until Saturday night -- no longer. They are like the Eagles now, reliant upon the kindness of strangers. But the Eagles-Cowboys imperative has not changed -- the winner has a chance if the strangers are kind and the losers do not.

The Cowboys must be devastated today. (And wasn't that a fun post-game ceremony closing Texas Stadium?) They also are injured in key spots. If you watched quarterback Tony Romo, you can tell his back is killing him. If you watched tight end Jason Witten, you wonder how he was even walking at the end. But here's the thing: if Atlanta or Tampa Bay loses today, they will have the same set of incentives that the Eagles have for the final game.

If the Eagles win out, they will be10-5-1 and the Cowboys will  be 9-7.

If the Cowboys win the last week, they will be 10-6 and the Eagles will be 9-5-1.

Provided the Eagles take care of the Redskins, it still comes down to Dallas.