The latest batch of power rankings are not too kind to the Dallas Cowboys.
Another NFL week has come and gone and while it is starting to feel like we have an idea on who the serious players are across the league, much about what we wanted to know about the Dallas Cowboys remains a mystery.
Are they contending? Are they close? Are they trying? These are all fair questions. Dallas has reached their bye week with a .500 record to show for their work which is not as horrible as we all feel, but it sort of feels like dark clouds are on the horizon as winter approaches.
Perhaps an off week will lead to things cooling down a bit, but there is never off time relative to the league as a whole. We are here once again for the latest round of power rankings here at Blogging The Boys where we have put together a list ranking all 32 squads across the NFL. As always we have also curated where outlets across the internet have the Cowboys ranked.
You can view last week’s power rankings right here.
1 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 1)
Sorry about the Royals.
2 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 2)
It is wild to recall that they were 0-2. They look like a machine.
3 – Detroit Lions (LW: 6)
Speaking of! This team is full of deceptacons and no one can convince me otherwise. I admire greatly how petty they were and hellbent their team was on sending a message. That is elite stuff.
4 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 3)
It is going to be fun to watch them out of the bye.
5 – Houston Texans (LW: 4)
Detroit’s jump pushed them down a spot, but they are still a very good team.
6 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 7)
Adding Amari Cooper (they paid more to do so than the Browns did to originally acquire him from the Cowboys) is going to make them all sorts of fun.
7 – Washington Commanders (LW: 5)
It really does feel like their year in the NFC East. Look at Dan Quinn go. Even with a loss, their momentum is building.
8 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 10)
What a performance. Everything felt so lost when Jordan Love looked gone for the season. They are here and they are for real.
9 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 8)
They will play the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch before hosting the Cowboys next Sunday night. Gulp.
10 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 15)
It appears that this is a real thing and not just a project. Good for them. They have really turned the franchise around. The Tom Brady effect is real.
11 – Chicago Bears (LW: 13)
On the subject of “good for them” type of stuff, I have a soft spot for the Bears. It is great to see them thriving and with an actual franchise quarterback at the command of it all.
12 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 11)
The Thursday night win feels forever ago. They can be players in the NFC South, but the season is long and we need to see them make it through.
13 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 12)
I’m not ready to sell my Cardinals stock quite yet, but it would be nice if they could be the same team week to week.
14 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 14)
Their losses have been so close and interesting. It would also be foolish to count them out.
15 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 16)
One of the most frustrating parts about this Cowboys season is that its funkiness is inhibiting us from enjoying the mess in Philadelphia. What are you doing, Nick Sirianni?!
16 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 20)
A win is a win, but it would be nice to see them look prettier here.
17 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 9)
I had them where I did last week out of optimism that they had shown us they could stand tall through two tough road games.
That optimism was… misplaced.
18 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 25)
Why turn to Russell Wilson now?
19 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 27)
Another team that is just sort of existing at the moment.
20 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 17)
Like with the Eagles it is tough to enjoy this given the state of things, but New Orleans has lost every single game since trouncing the Cowboys.
21 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 23)
Give us more Joe Flacco!
22 – New York Jets (LW: 29)
The Aaron Rodgers of it all is very annoying, especially for us, but I’d be lying if I said I was not somewhat excited to see if he and Davante Adams can really do this together again.
23 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 18)
Floating in the wind.
24 – Denver Broncos (LW: 19)
Sean Payton remains very fortunate that he did not take over the Cowboys. His team is so underwhelming and unimaginative.
25 – New York Giants (LW: 21)
They have so many almost wins.
26 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 22)
This Sunday feels rather important for Doug Pederson.
27 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 24)
Yet another lost season. Please let Maxx Crosby find success elsewhere.
28 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 26)
They are an NFL team. That’s all I got.
29 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 28)
Same song and dance.
30 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 30)
Maybe the bye helped them out? Doubtful.
31 – New England Patriots (LW: 31)
Drake Maye looked good. Let’s let him continue to grow and learn.
32 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 32)
Thank you for letting Amari Cooper go find success elsewhere.
NFL.com: 19 (LW: 13)
So it begins.
After two straight wins, including the last-minute thriller in Pittsburgh, everything came crashing down harder than anyone thought possible Sunday against the Lions. AT&T Stadium hosted 16 straight Cowboys wins through the end of last regular season, but Dallas is now 0-4 at home since (including the playoffs) — being outscored by a combined 82 points. Maybe getting back on the road, where the Cowboys are 3-0 this season, isn’t the worst thing in the world, even if the next two games are at San Francisco and Atlanta. How the Cowboys’ mangled defense is going to contend with those explosive, diverse offenses is another matter altogether, though. The Lions gashed Dallas’ defense early and often. Not having Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence and others hurts, but the ‘Boys are going to have to find a way to get stops against good offenses until they’re back.
ESPN: 15 (LW: 10)
They also included a lesson learned for each team.
Lesson learned: There is no margin for error.
In the past, the Cowboys overcame their miscues and still won games. The roster is not as talented with their departures and lack of additions in free agency. When things go wrong, they can’t pull themselves out of the ditch. The offense can’t have red zone turnovers because the defense can’t give them extra possessions with takeaways. It won’t get easier. Six of Dallas’ final 11 games come against quarterbacks currently ranked in the top 10 in QBR. For the Cowboys to get to the playoffs for a fourth straight season, they might need to play closer to error-free football. — Todd Archer
USA Today: 15 (LW: 14)
Only dropping one spot!
They’re home again this week, but the Cowboys won’t get blown out this time around … if only because it’s their bye, when at least – apparently – HC Mike McCarthy can relax. Momentarily. Afterward, the next two games won’t be at “Jerry World,” though heading to San Francisco and Atlanta hardly means road cooking.
Yahoo: 15 (LW: 12)
Average spots for an average team.
Not that there’s any grace, nuance or patience with the Cowboys, but they were without many key defensive players, including Micah Parsons vs. the Lions. It doesn’t excuse 47-9 and won’t slow down the conversation (seriously everyone, head coach Mike McCarthy isn’t getting fired this week) but it was a factor.
CBS Sports: 17 (LW: 9)
See?
The defense has way too many injuries to be able to even slow down a good offense. Mike McCarthy’s seat is searing right now.
The Athletic: 16 (LW: 9)
They asked one big question for every team.
One Big Question: Who’s America’s Team now?
The Cowboys have officially forfeited the title. The Lions didn’t take them seriously on Sunday (three offensive linemen ran receiving routes) and no one else should either. Dallas is 25th in point margin (minus-42 points), 30th in points allowed per game (28), last in rushing yards (463) and last in rushing defense EPA (minus-6.2). Owner/GM Jerry Jones hasn’t fired a coach midseason since 2010, but he can’t like being embarrassed like he was Sunday.
Sports Illustrated: 19 (LW: 13)
Tied for the lowest ranking for the team this week.
A wholly embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Detroit Lions should have shown anyone in that building who actually cares just how far Dallas is from being a legitimate contender. I don’t know what you do at this point, either. The team has tied itself in knots with a poor salary cap situation, poor long-term planning and another mega-extension. All of its coaching staff is hanging out to dry on one-year deals. Sometimes you have to sit in the mess you’ve created for yourself.
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.
