Sometimes there’s just one team that has another’s number. The Dallas Cowboys are undefeated in 2016 against every other team on the schedule aside from the New York Giants, dropping Week 1 and Week 14 games to the NFC East rival.
Cowboys may face the Giants a 3rd time in the playoffs
The adage that it’s hard to beat a team three times hasn’t always been true.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Is it time to panic? No. Far from it.
The Cowboys already clinched a spot in the postseason in Week 13, and still own a two-game lead over any other team in the NFC, including the Giants. Clinching the No. 1 seed in the conference is guaranteed, as long as Dallas wins at least two of its last three games.
But the Giants are getting close to clinching, too, and it’s a very real possibility that the Cowboys will be forced to figure out New York in the postseason or be eliminated.
It wouldn’t be unprecedented for one team to be the sole hurdle an NFL juggernaut can’t cross. The 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars finished 14-2, but couldn’t beat the Tennessee Titans in either matchup during the regular season, and then lost the AFC Championship to the Titans, 33-14.
Since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, there have been 20 instances of a team winning two matchups and getting a chance to win a third:
| Year | Matchup | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 |
| 2009 | Cowboys vs. Eagles | DAL, 20-16 | DAL, 24-0 | DAL, 34-14 |
| 2008 | Steelers vs. Ravens | PIT, 23-20 | PIT, 13-9 | PIT, 23-14 |
| 2007 | Cowboys vs. Giants | DAL, 45-35 | DAL, 31-20 | NYG, 21-17 |
| 2004 | Packers vs. Vikings | GB, 34-31 | GB, 34-31 | MIN, 31-17 |
| 2004 | Rams vs. Seahawks | STL, 33-27 | STL, 23-12 | STL, 27-20 |
| 2002 | Steelers vs. Browns | PIT, 16-13 | PIT, 23-20 | PIT, 36-33 |
| 2000 | Giants vs. Eagles | NYG, 33-18 | NYG, 24-7 | NYG, 20-10 |
| 1999 | Titans vs. Jaguars | TEN, 20-19 | TEN, 41-14 | TEN, 33-14 |
| 1998 | Cowboys vs. Cardinals | DAL, 38-10 | DAL, 35-28 | AZ, 20-7 |
| 1997 | Patriots vs. Dolphins | NE, 27-24 | NE, 14-12 | NE, 17-3 |
| 1997 | Packers vs. Buccaneers | GB, 21-16 | GB, 17-6 | GB, 21-7 |
| 1994 | Steelers vs. Browns | PIT, 17-10 | PIT, 17-7 | PIT, 29-9 |
| 1994 | Vikings vs. Bears | MIN, 42-14 | MIN, 33-27 | CHI, 35-18 |
| 1993 | Raiders vs. Broncos | LA, 23-20 | LA, 33-30 | LA, 42-24 |
| 1992 | Chiefs vs. Chargers | KC, 24-10 | KC, 16-14 | SD, 17-0 |
| 1991 | Chiefs vs. Raiders | KC, 24-21 | KC, 27-21 | KC, 10-6 |
| 1989 | Oilers vs. Steelers | HOU, 27-0 | HOU, 23-16 | PIT, 26-23 |
| 1986 | Giants vs. Washington | NYG, 27-20 | NYG, 24-14 | NYG, 17-0 |
| 1983 | Seahawks vs. Raiders | SEA, 38-36 | SEA, 34-21 | LA, 30-14 |
| 1982 | Dolphins vs. Jets | MIA, 45-28 | MIA, 20-19 | MIA, 14-0 |
While there’s an adage in the NFL that “it’s hard to beat a team three times,” it hasn’t been a rule that holds true. In 20 opportunities since 1970, teams attempting to finish a trilogy sweep are 13-7.
That doesn’t bode well for the Cowboys’ chances at winning a third matchup. But don’t tell that to Ezekiel Elliott, who is confident Dallas could pull off the win in a third game:
But the Giants are confident, too, for obvious reasons. And they’re confident that a third matchup is on the way.
“We know we’re going to see them again,” Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon told Newsday. “We’re going to take it one game at a time, but that’s what it’s shaping up to be.”
As long as the Cowboys can find a win or two in the final weeks of the season, the Giants will at least have to face another team or two first before a third game with the Cowboys is possible. But Elliott, who finished with 107 rushing yards on 24 carries, insists it was just a stumble for the Dallas offense and that the Giants are the reason for the slip-up.
“Honestly, we beat ourselves,” Elliott said, via USA Today. “When we don’t beat ourselves, we are a different football team. We need to go out there and eliminate mistakes, execute, and we will be good. Just a little bit of poor execution we were beating ourselves. Now we can sit back and evaluate what’s going on so we can regroup and get ready to finish the season.”
Up next for the Cowboys is a chance to figure things out against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and get closer to officially locking up the NFC East. But as long as the Giants make the playoffs, too, the question will loom whether Dallas has what it takes to figure out the New York defense.
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