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IRVING, Texas - Cowboys owner Jerry Jones can't recall a regular-season game in years that's potentially more significant than Sunday's 3:15 p.m. (CT) finale against the Philadelphia Eagles.
A victory clinches a wild-card berth, and while daunting, a three-game road trip to the Super Bowl seems achievable in the parity-filled NFC. A loss means a Cowboys team (9-6) with championship aspirations would watch the playoffs at home.
But Jones reiterated Friday he has not considered making any coaching changes and gave full support to his staff - a strong indication that head coach Wade Phillips will return next season regardless of Sunday's outcome.
"The coaches are in place. I've said that. How can I be any clearer?" Jones said during the Cowboys' final practice of the week before traveling to Philadelphia. "We've got our coaches in place. We've got a lot of our personnel in place. That's absent competition, which you would expect to get from your draft.
"I just want to make the statement rather than answer questions, because your questions imply certain things that I don't want to imply. I'm saying that when I look at where we are coaching staff-wise and when I look at where we are personnel-wise, I see a team that is in place to compete for several years. And I'd like to go in that new stadium with a Super Bowl win."
The Cowboys indeed have signed most of their key players to long-term deals. And Phillips, despite speculation about his job security, is directing a Cowboys team on the verge of a third straight playoff berth - the first time that's happened since 1996.
Last season, Phillips' first in Dallas, the Cowboys won a franchise record-tying 13 games before losing to the eventual world champion Giants in the divisional round. This year the Cowboys have endured significant injuries across their roster, including quarterback Tony Romo's three-game absence with a fractured pinkie finger.
Jones grew somewhat defensive when pressed about Phillips' status if the Cowboys lose Sunday.
"Look, can you all not understand statements?" he said. "What is going on? The coaching staff is in place. The building is here. Do you want to ask the question, 'What if it blows down?'"
The Cowboys won't have to guess about their postseason chances if they win at Lincoln Financial Field. They'll clinch at least the sixth and final NFC seed, and possibly the fifth seed if Atlanta (10-5) loses its noon (CT) game against St. Louis.
Even as the fifth seed, they'd likely face road games throughout the NFC playoffs. But the 2005 Steelers and 2007 Giants proved that type of Super Bowl run is possible.
Phillips says he hasn't even considered what the future holds after the season. He did admit that a win Sunday would be an "important step" in the team's long-term direction.
"Ten wins and getting in the playoffs every year, sure," Phillips said. "It's not all we want, certainly. But this year isn't over, so we'll see."
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