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Cowboys keep hope alive with win, but Eagles can clinch NFC East on Sunday

By beating the Washington Redskins, 38-14, on Thursday Night Football, the Cowboys staved off elimination from the NFC East Division race, keeping the Eagles from clinching the division on their day off.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) escapes pressure from Washington linebacker Preston Smith (94) in the first half of the Cowboys win.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) escapes pressure from Washington linebacker Preston Smith (94) in the first half of the Cowboys win.Read moreMICHAEL AINSWORTH / AP

The Eagles could've won on Thursday without taking the field, but the Cowboys spoiled their plans.

By beating Washington, 38-14, on Thursday Night Football, the Cowboys staved off elimination from the NFC East race, keeping the Eagles from clinching the division on their day off.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Dallas and two straight games in which it failed to score a touchdown.

But an Eagles win this Sunday night against the Seahawks, or any Eagles win for the rest of the season, will result in the Birds' claiming the NFC East crown. Another Cowboys loss in the remainder of the season would do the same thing.

Doug Pederson said the team's season goals go far beyond the nearly wrapped-up division, though.

"Obviously it's one of our goals to win the NFC East, but the bigger message is you're still playing and fighting for home field," Pederson said. "You're fighting for that first-round bye if possible. I mean, there's a lot of things that you're still playing for, even though you've checked the box for your first goal. It's great, love it, but the Eagles have also won a bunch of NFC East titles here, too. We're proud of it. It's a tribute obviously to the players, but there's something bigger out there that we strive for."