'Keep The Blinders On!' Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy Message to Dallas Amid Playoff Picture Talk

"Keep The Blinders On!'' The Dallas Cowboys enter Week 18 with a host of playoff scenarios in play, but Mike McCarthy wants to remain focused on one thing - beating the Washington Commanders.

When the Dallas Cowboys narrowly beat the Detroit Lions 20-19 on Saturday night, the result was huge as it snapped a two-game losing streak and injected some confidence into the locker room.

But come Sunday night, the magnitude of what is now in front of Dallas was revealed. With the Philadelphia Eagles' capitulation against the Arizona Cardinals, the pathway to winning the NFC East, a home playoff game, and the No. 2 seed was revealed for the Cowboys.

All Dallas has to do is beat a 4-12 Washington Commanders team at FedEx Field in Week 18 and Dallas won't be on the road during the postseason for at least the first week.

That is quite the dangling carrot. ... but it requires a singular focus, said Dallas coach Mike McCarthy.

“I think we all clearly understand how hard it is to win a game each and every week," McCarthy said. "I think if there's ever a time in our season where we just got to really lock down and keep the blinders on because it's right in front of us and everything we've been doing is Washington.”

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Just a couple of weeks ago, the Eagles were sitting at 10-1 and seemingly had the No. 1 seed and the NFC East title in both hands, but football is unpredictable and Philadelphia now sits at 11-5 having lost four out of their last five games as the implosion will no doubt be music to the ears of Cowboy nation.

What that means for the Cowboys is a chance to be at home in the playoffs, which is a monumental thing, considering the road woes that have plagued McCarthy's team.

But that all means nothing if Dallas can't roll into FedEx Field and put the final nail in Washington's season. Let's not forget the Week 18 clash last year that ended in a 26-6 loss for Dallas as Dak Prescott and the offense could only muster 182 total yards, so it's anything but a foregone conclusion.

Will Cowboys as No. 2 Seed Silence Critics? McCarthy Reacts

Everything is laid out in a nice spread for the Cowboys - a win gets them the NFC East title, the No. 2 seed, and home field in the postseason for at least one game.

“Where we are, we put ourselves in position to win the division and the number two seed so that's a good place to be," McCarthy said.

We agree, Mike.

Now go handle business in the nation's capital. With blinders on.