NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Chiefs gripping No. 1 tightly and the Jets won a game

Who would’ve thought that, in a game in which the Dallas Cowboys were without Ezekiel Elliott in addition to the laundry list of other injuries that they’ve been dealt throughout the season, that this team would submit one of their best performances of the year? Yet, that’s where we are and it puts the Cowboys in an interesting spot.

Tony Pollard had a big day in relief of Zeke, totaling 154 yards and two touchdowns in the game. CeeDee Lamb also had a big day while leading the team in receiving and putting an exclamation mark on the win with the Cowboys’ first kickoff return touchdown in over a decade. More importantly, the downtrodden defense forced four turnovers in their best game of the year.

After two straight wins, the Cowboys are somehow still alive in the NFC East race, trailing Washington by just one game in the standings. With two winnable games left on their schedule, it’s not out of the question for Dallas to wildly make it into the playoffs and host a game.

But really, that’s not what fans should want. The Andy Dalton-led Cowboys aren’t what anyone wants to see in the postseason. Moreover, this team would be better served with high-end draft capital rather than a playoff loss.