The Dallas Cowboys and the playoffs don’t feel like a natural fit in the same sentence, as Mike McCarthy’s team currently appears far from a postseason contender.

With a 3-5 record, injuries sidelining Dak Prescott (headed to IR) and CeeDee Lamb (shoulder), along with sloppy play, poor discipline, and a three-game skid, the outlook for Dallas remains dim.

For the optimists, however, the NFC East still provides Dallas a slim playoff path, but based on their current form, it’s hard to argue they deserve it.

Still, McCarthy isn’t entertaining playoff discussions; his focus is solely on the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Our main goal is to beat Philadelphia—it’s a division game and a critical one,” McCarthy said. “When you focus on winning one game at a time, the rest usually takes care of itself. Division games are essential to reach the playoffs.”

“Honestly, it’s tough to get into the playoffs without winning division games, so that’s our priority.”

The Cowboys’ path to the playoffs was challenging even with a healthy Dak, but now with Cooper Rush and/or Trey Lance stepping in for at least a month, their postseason hopes are slim at best.

Though the season isn’t over, and Micah Parsons and possibly DaRon Bland aim to return against the Eagles, as long as hope remains, so does a chance.

But given the team’s recent performances, the odds of a turnaround—let alone a playoff berth—look exceedingly unlikely.