[Bette]

The Cowboys have done their part this week, beating Packers to gain the inside track on home-field advantage. But any of their other NFC goals will have to wait at least another week.
The Cowboys were hoping to clinch the NFC East division and move closer to a first-round bye, but didn't get the help they were looking for from Sunday's games.
Most important, the Cowboys (11-1) were not able to win the division with the second-place Giants (8-4) beating Chicago, 21-16, Sunday at Soldier Field. That kept New York three games behind the Cowboys with four games to play.
The only way for the Giants to claim the NFC East title is to win their remaining four games and hope the Cowboys lose their final four games
The Cowboys hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Giants, having swept the season series this year. They can win the division next week by defeating the Lions in Detroit, or if the Giants lose to the Eagles.
The Cowboys have not won the NFC East since 1998, when they finished a perfect 8-0 in the division. Since that season, they have only made the playoffs three other times. The Cowboys have already obtained that goal this year, clinching at least a playoff berth by beating Green Bay last Thursday, 37-27, to claim the top record in the NFC with four games remaining.
The Cowboys are the only team in the NFC, and just second the team in the NFL along with the Patriots, to have already clinched a spot in the playoffs.
This marks the first time since 1999 the Cowboys have made the playoffs in two consecutive years
But the best part for the Cowboys is they don't need help from anyone to accomplish both goals. All they need to do is what they've done all but once this year - win.
And if they can do that once more, they at least will be able to call themselves division champs for the first time in nine years.

DallasCowboys.com - News