Week 6 Rooting Guide: Who Cowboys fans need to cheer for besides Dallas

It can’t be that time of the year already, can it? In seasons past, the rooting guide has served as a second-half of the schedule assistant as the Dallas Cowboys search for a spot in the playoffs. While that’s certainly part of the plan for the 2021 season, a 4-1 record allows fans and members of the team to start expanding on their visions of future success.

Even wide receiver Amari Cooper admitted to it earlier in the week, the chemistry of this team should have them starting to center the idea that they are contenders for the biggest accolade of all, Super Bowl champions. It will take a lot of work to get there and each week that starts and finishes with one edict, win the game next on the calendar.

But outside of that, there’s always room for help. Dallas will more than likely stub their toe along the way, play down to the wrong opponent on the wrong day or simply face off against a team just as talented as they are. Going 16-1 is not something likely to happen for this club and in that vein, they’ll need other teams to lose a game here or there as well in order to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

With the addition of a seventh seed in each conference, there’s only one bye week now and everyone should know the data behind how that week of rest and the full home-field advantage that goes with it normally translates into a championship game appearance.

Dallas should want that, regardless of the franchise’s performances with the honor in the more recent past. Those teams have nothing to do with this team.

So each week, we’ll give a glimpse into the rest of the NFL schedule, to clear up any doubt about which teams need to lose to best help Dallas in their goal to achieve the top spot. Here’s a look at the Week 6 slate of action.

Interconference Games

As always, root for AFC teams to beat NFC teams. The following are easy rooting interests:

Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) @ Washington Football Team (2-3), Noon CT

Patrick Mahomes is struggling for the first time in years and the Washington secondary is a great place for him to get himself back in the right direction.

Arizona Cardinals (5-0) @ Cleveland Browns (3-2), 3:05 pm CT

This game could really help Dallas out as the Cardinals will likely be without Chandler Jones (COVID) and the Browns have one of the league’s best offenses. Would be great to watch if it didn’t happen the same time the Cowboys play.

Seattle Seahawks (2-3) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (2-3), 7:20 pm CT

Bet NBC execs cried real tears when Russell Wilson’s finger tendon was torn. Both teams look like top-10 pick candidates, but let’s not have Seattle lurking around down the stretch of the season once Wilson returns.

Thusday Night Football: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-3), 7:20 pm CT

The week’s schedule starts out with a bang and probably the most conflicted rooting interest of them all. For fans, it’s almost impossible to root for an NFC East rival in any situation. Were all of the favorites to win this week, Dallas would be sitting with a three-game lead in the division heading into the bye week.

One method of thinking is to ensure the division is won before turning attention to the conference, and for that, fans would take their accustomed role in rooting against Philly.

But Tampa Bay has the same 4-1 record as Dallas does, and the Cowboys’ one loss is to the Bucs, meaning they have the tiebreaker. The Cowboys have to finish ahead of Tampa. With Tom Brady nursing a sore thumb, this may be a perfect week to pick up that one-game advantage.

Root For the Eagles To Win

Just throw up afterwards.

Sunday: Los Angeles Rams (4-1) vs New York Giants (1-4), Noon CT

Rooting for a division rival again? Yikes, but true. The Rams are going to be in contention as long as Sean McVay has even a serviceable quarterback, so any loss that can be assigned to them helps Dallas out. Besides, the Giants are already three games behind with the Cowboys earning a head-to-head win in Week 5. It’s not likely they come roaring back into the division race and if they do, Dallas has much bigger problems. Cheer for them for a week, then resume to hating them at your convenience.

Root for the Giants to Win

Sunday: Minnesota Vikings (2-3) @ Carolina Panthers (3-2): Noon CT

The Panthers have been brought back to earth with back-to-back defeats at the hands of the NFC East, but should be getting their prime offensive weapon back in Christian McCaffrey this week. Meanwhile the Vikings’ losses have been close against really good teams, but they also had to sneak a win against the Lions last week.

Are they for real? The Vikes are Dallas’ next opponent after both teams emerge from the bye in Week 7. They follow that up with road games at Baltimore and the Chargers and a home date with the Packers. Things get easier for them from there, but this is a team that easily could have seven losses before Thanksgiving.

The Panthers schedule doesn’t get tough until Week 10 when they travel to Arizona and they finish against Tampa Bay in two of their last three games.

It’s probably better to sow doubt in their minds now.

Root for the Vikings to Win

Sunday: Green Bay Packers (4-1) vs Chicago Bears (3-2): Noon CT

Somehow the Chicago Bears have managed a 3-2 start to the season despite rolling out the Andy Dalton and rookie QB show and being led by Matt Nagy’s offense. When he turns play calling duties over, this is a much different Bears team, however.

It doesn’t matter. That’s Aaron Rodgers on the opposite sideline. It takes the most mitigating of circumstances to not need Rodgers’ team to lose. This isn’t that.

Root for the Bears to Win

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