The Cowboys look like one of the worst teams in the NFL right now.
Three weeks of the NFL season have flown by and much of what we thought has been validated. Of course there are things and realities that we did not anticipate, the NFL is the best reality show on television for a reason.
Among the things that have at the very least happened so far has been the Dallas Cowboys falling flat in certain areas. It can be argued that these things were predictable across the offseason and the proverbial chickens are coming home to roost.
Where do the Cowboys stack up across the rest of the league after their latest debacle? As always we have put together our power rankings of all 32 NFL teams and curated where outlets across the internet have Dallas ranked.
You can view last week’s power rankings right here.
1 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 1)
It remains their world until it isn’t anymore.
2 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 3)
I’m guilty of burying the Bills in the past. But my goodness do they look incredible.
3 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 9)
They host Buffalo on Sunday night! What a treat.
4 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 12)
Every year there is the weird team that we are surprised to see be dominant. Two years ago it was the Vikings. This year it is the Vikings!
5 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 15)
I’ll say now that I anticipate that they will beat Detroit on Monday night.
6 – Houston Texans (LW: 2)
There is no need to panic as of yet. But imagine if they lose to the Jaguars (they won’t).
7 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 4)
It turns out Christian McCaffrey was kind of important.
8 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 10)
It sucks to admit, but wow that was an impressive win last week.
9 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 5)
OF COURSE THEY LOST TO THE EAGLES IN DISAPPOINTING FASHION AFTER DESTROYING THE COWBOYS BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY DID.
10 – Detroit Lions (LW: 7)
I’m lower on the Lions than most and already picked the Seahawks to beat them on Monday. Prove me wrong.
11 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 6)
Losing so handily to the Broncos was a tough scene.
12 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 19)
Some of us have argued in the past that Aaron Rodgers’ greatness disallowed anyone from giving Mike McCarthy any kind of credit in Green Bay. The same is true with Matt LaFleur. What they are doing is so impressive.
13 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 16)
It is also worth not burying this team. What a fight last week.
14 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 14)
If Justin Herbert is banged up for a while things could get dark.
15 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 11)
I’ll take all of the Cardinals stock that anybody is willing to give up.
16 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 13)
Undefeated and that is impressive, but does anyone feel intimidated by this team? The defense is clearly outstanding, but that offense is going to limit them.
17 – Washington Commanders (LW: 22)
Jayden Daniels is officially a problem.
18 – New York Jets (LW: 24)
They appear to be getting it together.
19 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 8)
Sigh.
20 – Denver Broncos (LW: 29)
That was easily the best win in the Sean Payton era, right?
21 – New York Giants (LW: 31)
Malik Nabers has the potential to take over the league.
22 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 26)
They are so weirdly interesting. Rooting for Anthony Richardson to get it together overall.
23 – New England Patriots (LW: 17)
Yikes.
24 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 18)
I want to believe, but if not for one amazing drive this would be a winless team.
25 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 20)
The good times are fading fast.
26 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 21)
DEFCON 2.
27 – Chicago Bears (LW: 23)
The panic over Caleb Williams is obviously way too premature.
That being said, it is not great to see it so tough so early on.
28 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 32)
Shout out Andy Dalton!
29 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 30)
Nothing they do is creative. Arguably the most boring team in the NFL to watch.
30 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 25)
It is a tough situation here right now.
31 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 27)
The quarterback seems to be holding them back.
32 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 28)
Maybe Doug Pederson is way overrated!
NFL.com: 17 (LW: 11)
Here we go.
A disturbing formula has emerged over the past two games where the Cowboys can’t stop the run and can’t generate big plays offensively until they’re down big. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry often had a head of steam before any Cowboys could touch them in Sunday’s defeat, as the Ravens stayed ahead of the sticks most of the afternoon. Baltimore had one third-and-long situation all game prior to the end of the third quarter. When that happens, the Cowboys’ great pass rushers are neutralized. Running the ball on offense also has been a problem for Dallas, as the RB triumvirate hasn’t come close to combining for 100 ground yards in any of the three games so far. Dak Prescott was held down for three quarters before a furious rally that came up just short. Dallas isn’t completely down and out, but it’s feeling mighty shaky all of a sudden.
ESPN: 16 (LW: 14)
They also added a biggest issue on offense for each.
Biggest issue on offense: Running back by committee
Coach Mike McCarthy can harp on the lack of rushing attempts — just 49 by running backs in three games — but when Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott or Deuce Vaughn have carried the ball, it has not been good enough. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, the Cowboys have picked up minus-74 rushing yards over expectation through three games, which is third worst in the NFL behind Chicago and Miami. In addition to the lack of attempts, the Cowboys’ rushing game hasn’t established any rhythm. Put another way: Quarterback Lamar Jackson had 1 fewer yard Sunday than Dowdle has to lead the Cowboys this season (88). — Todd Archer
USA Today: 21 (LW: 18)
Down we go.
They’ve surrendered 72 points and nearly 900 yards the past two weeks. Perhaps the defense isn’t “all in”? Perhaps leaving Dallas, where the Cowboys have lost three in a row, will get them all out of their current rut.
Yahoo: 15 (LW: 6)
This is an average team to most people.
After two straight awful performances, the Cowboys have to move way back. Dallas won 12 games each of the past three seasons and then looked good in Week 1 at Cleveland. The more we see the Cowboys, the more it seems that season opener said more about the Browns.
CBS Sports: 16 (LW: 13)
See?
They have major defensive issues that put so much pressure on the offense. Maybe Mike Zimmer didn’t fix it after all.
The Athletic: 16 (LW: 13)
And again.
Brandon Aubrey made a 65-yard field goal, the second-longest in NFL history, in the first quarter and has hit 15 straight kicks from 50-plus yards. For the season, NFL kickers have hit 76.5 percent of their field goals from beyond 50 yards. Aubrey, though, couldn’t make up for a defense that has given up an NFL-worst 7.7 yards per play in the last two weeks.
Sports Illustrated: 22 (LW: 17)
This is the lowest ranking for the Cowboys of all outlets we curate.
Dak Prescott has talked a lot about stepping outside of the storm and I do wonder what his thoughts on the situation are. Sure, it looks like a disaster that the Cowboys are 1–2, but coming back against Baltimore on Sunday was impressive, especially when considering that the Ravens are a team theoretically built to stomp on your neck (even though they are, of late, on the fourth quarter struggle bus when playing with a lead). I don’t think we’re near disaster territory though, as I warned at the beginning of the season, Bill Belichick has begun his public analysis of the roster and you know who is listening.
Dallas Cowboys Movement Week To Week
Every week (per suggestions from you wonderful BTBers) we will update this graph to note how the Cowboys moved in power rankings according to each of the outlets that we curate.
