Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons is a positive kind of guy, and following the team’s Thanksgiving win over the New York Giants, with a score of 27-20, Parsons put NFL fans and followers on notice and said the Cowboys shouldn’t be counted out as a playoff contender.

Parsons’ comments are hopeful and inspirational, and that’s certainly something Dallas welcomes right now, as the team deals with the loss of their franchise quarterback Dak Prescott for the season and a 5-7 record.

But, following Parsons’ comments, one NFL analyst went on record as disagreeing with Parsons and saying the Cowboys’ hopes for any postseason action were over.

ESPN Sports Analyst Stephen A. Smith Disses the Dallas Cowboys

Smith, who is known to be critical of the Cowboys, appeared on the ESPN show “First Take” on November 29. During his appearance, Smith was asked about Parsons’ comments about making the playoffs, and he replied that the Cowboys had “zero chance” of making it that far in the season.

“You’ve got seven losses on the season,” Smith said. “You’ve got about six teams ahead of you for the Wild Card spot, because you ain’t going to win the division. Obviously, you look at their schedule. Four of their last five games, you’ve got Cincinnati, you’ve got Philadelphia, you’ve got Washington and Tampa in four of your next five games, and Carolina. Just stop. I mean, I love Micah Parsons, but just stop it.”

Parsons’ original comments happened following the win over the Giants, in which he said in a postgame interview on Fox Sports, “To be honest, it’s really been why not us? Everybody counted us out.”

“It was just like, enough is enough,” he added. “We know who we got, we know what we can do here. And I believe in every one of these guys. I believe we are going to turn it around and make a run.”

Parsons also said that there’s “been a lot of trash-talk out there. Talking about, what difference can we make? Man, we still got some guys coming back… I’m telling you right now, we coming.” Now, one could say Smith is a small part of that trash talk.

Root for AFC Teams to Help Dallas

So, could the Cowboys make it to the playoffs? It’s possible.

In a December 1 feature for Blogging the Boys, NFL analyst and expert Jess Haynie notes that there are a few scenarios that could push the Cowboys to that Wild Card playoff game.

“Technically, Dallas can still win the NFC East if they win out and the Eagles lose out,” Haynie stated. However, that’s “ridiculous, but there’s certainly no harm in the AFC teams winning these games and helping our cause.”

Jaynie adds that having AFC teams winning “certainly doesn’t hurt Dallas,” which is why the Chargers‘ win over the Falcon on Sunday was good for the Cowboys. With that in mind. Cowboys fans should be rooting for AFC teams this weekend and going forward. The Cowboys’ next game is Monday, December 9, going up against the Bengals.