History says Cowboys still have hope to make the playoffs

The Cowboys, despite being 4-5, are only 1 ½ games out of first place in the NFC East. They play twice before the Giants get back on the field Nov. 25 against the Green Bay Packers.

If the Cowboys win both, and the Giants lose to the Packers, Dallas will be tied for the NFC East lead with a 6-5 record heading into December.

"I think the buzz is really coming along," Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter said Wednesday. "That Philly game, our defense really got a lot of turnovers. We were able to get a lot of pressure on the quarterback and kind of stir things up. And so, we just want to take that momentum we've got building and just put it into the next game and so on."

Since the current 12-team playoff format was instituted in 1990, 16 teams with losing records after nine games made the playoffs. The Broncos were 4-5 last season before clinching the AFC West with an 8-8 mark.

Here are the 16 teams to accomplish the feat:  

YEAR	TEAM	RECORD AFTER NINE GAMES	FINAL RECORD		ADVANCED TO
1990	Houston Oilers	4-5	9-7		Wild Card
1990	New Orleans	4-5	8-8		Wild Card
1992	San Diego	4-5	11-5		Divisional
1994	Detroit	4-5	9-7		Wild Card
1994	New England	3-6	10-6		Wild Card
1995	Detroit	3-6	10-6		Wild Card
1995	San Diego	4-5	9-7		Wild Card
1996	Jacksonville	3-6	9-7		AFC Championship
1997	Detroit	4-5	9-7		Wild Card
2001	Tampa Bay	4-5	9-7		Wild Card
2002	Cleveland	4-5	9-7		Wild Card
2002	NY Jets	4-5	9-7		Divisional
2003	Green Bay	4-5	10-6		Divisional
2008	San Diego	4-5	8-8		Divisional
2009	NY Jets	4-5	9-7		AFC Championship
2011	Denver	4-5	8-8		Divisional

 -- Charean Williams

Comments

[TheOne]

It's amazing what..one..win can do for a team. The Cowboys had lost four of their last five going into Philly. They beat Philly and all of a sudden the media is talking playoffs. And right on cue. The Cowboys are feeling the same way. This team just beat a Philly team that was in worse shape than they were going into that game. Get back to us when you guys can put together..like..three wins in a row. Jerry can keep his kool-aid for the time being. I'm not buying any talk of this team being a playoff contender. Not right now that is.