Playoffs are on the line for both teams as the loser will officially be eliminated from playoff contention. The simplest (though not the only) path to a Wild Card berth for either the Seahawks or Cowboys is: win remaining two games, Falcons lose remaining two games, and Lions lose at least one remaining game.

The Seahawks have made the playoffs in five straight seasons - the NFL's second longest active streak behind the Patriots. They have made the playoffs in six of the previous seven seasons in the Pete Carroll era and are in danger of missing playoffs for the first time since 2011. The Cowboys are seeking their first back-to-back playoff appearance since 2006-07.

Ezekiel Elliott returns this week after a six-game suspension. He still leads all NFL players in rushing yards per game (105.0), rushing touchdowns (22), and total touchdowns (25) since 2016. Only Eric Dickerson and Clinton Portis have averaged more rushing yards per game than Elliott in their first two NFL seasons.

No one should welcome Ezekiel Elliott back to the Cowboys more than Dak Prescott. When Elliott plays this season, Prescott's 97.9 passer rating is higher than Aaron Rodgers' (97.2). When Elliott does not play, Prescott's 76.6 passer rating is lower than Jay Cutler's (80.6).

The Cowboys have been a much-improved team in the last three weeks (all wins). In Weeks 10-12, the Cowboys had a point differential of -70 and 7.3 points per game. In Weeks 13-15 they improved that to a +47 point differential and 29.3 points per game. Dak Prescott went from a TD-INT ratio of 0-5 to 5-2.

The Seahawks have allowed a 100-yard rusher in back-to-back weeks and will face Ezekiel Elliott in Week 16. The Seahawks have never allowed a 100-yard rusher in 3 straight weeks in the Pete Carroll era.

Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott have accounted for a combined 60 touchdowns this season (Wilson 33, Prescott 27, both top 5 in NFL). They are two of four players to account for 20+ wins and 50+ touchdowns in first two seasons (Prescott, Wilson, Andrew Luck, Dan Marino).

The Seahawks have relied on Wilson at a historic pace this season: 81.9 percent of Seahawks' yards and 97.1 percent of Seahawks' offensive TDs, both the highest by any player in the Super Bowl era.

Wilson, with 521 rushing yards, is on pace to join Cam Newton, Donovan McNabb, Randall Cunningham and Bobby Douglass as the 5th quarterback since the merger to lead his team in rushing yards for a season.

In Week 15, the Seahawks suffered their worst loss of the Pete Carroll era. The last time the Seahawks lost a game by 30+ points under Carroll (Week 9, 2010), they rebounded with an 18-point victory the following week. The Seahawks are 23-5 after a loss (within the same season) since 2012.