The Eagles remain the Cowboys’ biggest rival in the division, so a Panthers win over Philly would be particularly helpful. Meanwhile, the Commanders’ struggles—currently at 1-3-1 with a potential coaching change looming—could further weaken their playoff hopes, especially if they lose to the undefeated 49ers, which would also prevent San Francisco from extending their lead in the NFC’s wild-card race.
Beyond the division, the Cowboys would prefer to see NFC teams outside their division struggle in Week 6, particularly the Chicago Bears (3-2) and Arizona Cardinals (2-3) against the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams, respectively. Both Chicago and Arizona are teams capable of surging late in the season, and a loss would keep them from climbing too high in the standings.
In the AFC, the Cowboys have a vested interest in the Denver Broncos losing to the Seattle Seahawks, as Seattle remains a top wild-card threat. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ recent upset over Dallas adds urgency to their Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, though the Cowboys’ 2027 fourth-round draft pick tied to Pittsburgh complicates their usual preference for AFC losses over NFC ones.
New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
New York Islanders
Toronto Maple Leafs
Buffalo Sabres
Tampa Bay Lightning
Seattle Kraken
New York Knicks
Toronto Raptors
Detroit Red Wings
Philadelphia Flyers
Florida Panthers
Vancouver Canucks
Minnesota Wild
St. Louis Blues
Los Angeles Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago Blackhawks
Winnipeg Jets
Nashville Predators
San Jose Sharks
Denver Broncos
Seattle Seahawks
Houston Rockets
Oklahoma City Thunder
Edmonton Oilers
Utah Mammoth
