Just three weeks ago, the Dallas Cowboys appeared to be dead and buried in the playoff hunt at 3-5-1, but fast forward three weeks, and Brian Schottenheimer's team has a pulse.
Wins over the Las Vegas Raiders, and then the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs in the span of a few days, as Dallas is now 6-5-1 and one of the hottest teams in football.
Now, am I ready to say the Cowboys are playoff-bound? Far from it, but there's no denying that Schottenheimer's team is playing its best football of the year at the exact time you want to be.
For ESPN, it has asked one question, which is quite the conversation starter.
Is it time to take the Cowboys seriously?
Some already are, but for me, yes, the wins over the Eagles and Chiefs were great, but now do and complete the hat-trick against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Win that, and the rest of the NFL won't have a choice but to take Dallas seriously.
Are Cowboys an NFC East chance?
As much as Dallas has a low chance of making the playoffs, when it comes to the NFC East, it is within striking distance.
Just one-and-a-half games back from the Eagles, who have lost two in a row and look a mess offensively, the Cowboys, if they keep winning and the Eagles, who still have the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills on the schedule, continue to stutter, then who knows?
But make no mistake about it, Dallas smells blood in the water, and with the Lions, the Cowboys' last "true" test on their schedule, if, and that's a big if, they can beat the Lions, the rest of the schedule opens up.
And a shot at the NFC East crown will remain well and truly alive.
More Cowboys news:
- Cowboys playoff picture: Updated chances for Dallas to make 2025 NFL postseason in Week 13
- NFC East standings: What Eagles' loss to Bears means for division race with Cowboys
- What Eagles' Week 13 loss to Bears means for Cowboys in NFC East
- Dallas Cowboys' updated playoff odds after Week 13 win over Kansas City Chiefs