IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys have not won more than two consecutive games all season and yet they might have to win the remaining three games to reach the postseason.

The last time the Cowboys finished the season with a three-game win streak was 2009 and that pushed them not only into the playoffs but a postseason victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

With the Cowboys down a game in the standings to the Eagles for first in the NFC East, the need to win out has become a serious topic.

"There's no question we understand where we are and what the task is at hand," coach Jason Garrett said. "But really the task is the only way you win out is you win one ballgame first. So we're focused on playing our best football against Green Bay."

The Packers, like the Cowboys, are still in the hunt for a playoff berth, so Sunday's game at AT&T Stadium will have meaning for both teams.

However, the Cowboys are coming off a blowout loss to the Bears on Monday night and the short week to prepare for the Packers game could help this team move forward faster than normal.

"Well, again you’ve heard me say this a lot, the best players and teams in this league have the ability to focus on the task at hand and that’s coming off of a big victory," Garrett said. "You have to move on to the next challenge and certainly when you come off a loss like we had the other night you have to do that. It’s important for us, in this short week, to make the corrections from the other night and take some time [Wednesday] doing that with our players and then get focused on Green Bay and how we can do our best in our preparation to go play our best ballgame on Sunday."