Five Bold Predictions Ahead of the Dallas Cowboys - Chicago Bears Thursday Night Football Game

The Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys are both 6-6 heading into their Week 14 Thursday Night Football matchup. With two popular teams teams in the thick of the playoff hunt and needing a win, tonight's game should program sports talk shows all day on Friday. So what will everyone be talking about?

Win Or Lose, The Bears Are Missing the Playoffs
The Bears are 3rd in their division and a game out of the Wild Card. Including tonight's game against the Cowboys, they finish with the second-toughest strength of schedule. Next week they travel to Green Bay, the head back to Chicago for a visit from the Kansas City Chiefs before traveling to Minnesota to play the Vikings-- one of the teams they trail in both their division and the Wild Card race. So, the Bears are done.

Can You Trade Mitch Trubisky?
Trubisky's time as the Bears starting quarterback is coming to an end over the next year. The only question is whether the Bears can land a reasonable replacement that will allow them to give up on Trubisky after this season or if they'll go through another disappointing season before finally benching him next winter. Anyone seeking a gently used and irreparably damaged young quarterback? How about the Patriots?

Win or Lose, The Cowboys Are Making the Playoffs
The Cowboys control their destiny with a one-game lead over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East. They already won their first game against the Eagles this season, 37-10, and have a better in-conference record. They've finished worse than .500 just once in Jason Garrett's eight seasons as head coach. Even if they mess around, they'll win the NFC East for the third time in four seasons. It will be Garrett's fourth division title.

Jason Garrett Isn't Going Anywhere
Do you know the name of the last Dallas Cowboys coach to win four or more division titles? Tom Landry. Barry Switzer won three. Jimmy Johnson won two. Bill Parcells never won the NFC East. Jerry Jones should name Garrett the Cowboys coach for life and be done with it. Garrett will coach the Cowboys until he or Jones dies in office.

Dak Prescott Will Be Back in the MVP Conversation
The Chicago Bears have the 7th best defense by yardage and have given up the fourth-fewest points in the NFL this season. If Dak Prescott has a good game tonight, he could vault himself back into the MVP discussion. Obviously, he has no shot at winning because the Cowboys are backing into the playoffs, but he'll be in the discussion.

Dak leads the league in passing yards and is 3rd in touchdown passes and yards per attempt. With a strong showing tonight he'll fire back up the "Is Dak E-LEET?" debates and people will want Jerry Jones to give him a big new contract. Same for a loss, only it'll be about how Dak sucks and Jerry was right not to extend him. But conversations will be had regardless.