Late this week, Dallas Cowboys superstar Micah Parsons made it clear he did not want any help from the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, even if it meant that his own team would be eliminated from playoff contention.
All he wanted was for the Eagles to lose. He was a little more vulgar in his description of the situation, but his point was emphatic — his hatred of the Eagles meant more to him than seeing the Cowboys’ slim playoff hopes improve.
Well, Parsons ended up getting his wish on Sunday and, by extension, saw his team’s playoff hopes officially get squashed.
Thanks to the Washington Commanders’ stunning come-from-behind win over the Eagles, the Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers were officially eliminated from playoff contention this season.
The Arizona Cardinals’ overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers also put an end to their playoff dreams as they were attempting to go from worst to first in the NFC West.
The Cowboys, 49ers and Cardinals join the Panthers, New York Giants, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints as the other NFC teams to officially be eliminated with two more weeks to play in the season.
A lot of those teams being done at this point were probably to be expected, given what they did a year ago and the preseason expectations surrounding their rosters entering the season. But the Cowboys and 49ers missing the playoffs are the two stunning developments this season.
Especially as it relates to San Francisco.
After playing in the Super Bowl in 2023 and being a regular in the NFC Championship Game the past few years under head coach Kyle Shanahan, they entered the 2024 season as one of the odds-on favorites to win it all this season. They had one of the league’s most talented rosters on paper and seemed built to contend for a championship.
But something just seemed off with the team from the very start of the season as they struggled out of the gate and were then hit by a seemingly never-ending barrage of injuries on offense that ravaged the running back and wide receiver rooms.
With the Detroit Lions, Eagles and Minnesota Vikings having already clinched spots, that leaves the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks and Commanders competing for four spots.
The Rams and Buccaneers are currently leading the NFC West and NFC South, respectively, with the Seahawks and Falcons lurking behind each of them.
All four of those teams are also in the wild-card mix, along with the Green Bay Packers and Commanders.
