The Dallas Cowboys are proving to be a respectable team after all.
The Dallas Cowboys have won four of their last five games which is pretty unbelievable given that they were 3-7 when the time period began. Everybody wrote them off and they have proven that they are a respectable team after all.
Sunday night offered the latest Cowboys win, and with it the good vibes continue to swirl far as how people are evaluating the team. It is time to see where Dallas stacks up with the other teams in the NFL through our latest batch of power rankings, and as always we have gathered where outlets across the internet have the Cowboys ranked.
You can view last week’s rankings right here.
1 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 1)
The Super Bowl belongs to them in my opinion. It is their time.
2 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 3)
I’d offer that we would be foolish to count out Baltimore, though.
3 – Detroit Lions (LW: 4)
It is going to be fascinating to see what they look like without Ben Johnson in the future.
4 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 2)
If I had to pick right now I would take the Eagles to beat the Lions. I am not any more happy about it than you are.
5 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 5)
They feel like they fly so close to the sun every week. Still, they could be the one seed!
6 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 7)
Obviously it would be stupid to count them out, but wow they are just not the same level of intimidating that they have been in years past.
7 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 8)
They have become such a machine with another new quarterback. It must be so nice.
8 – Washington Commanders (LW: 9)
Dan Quinn is the first person to lead their franchise to 10 wins in his first season with the team. He has done a tremendous job and it is fun that the rivalry appears on the way back.
9 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 6)
It is starting to feel like they are losing a bit of steam.
10 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 11)
Here though it seems like they are really figuring things out at the right time.
11 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 15)
I’m not going to be the person to bet on the Chargers, but they do appear a different type of dependable relative to years past.
12 – Denver Broncos (LW: 10)
Thursday night’s loss was tough, but it is hard to deny that Sean Payton has turned the ship around.
13 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 16)
I think I speak for everyone in saying that the best playoff field possible features the Bengals. Hopefully we get it.
14 – Houston Texans (LW: 13)
They are a division winner and so it is strange to have them so low, but they are very clearly the weakest team in the AFC who is going to get in.
15 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 14)
They went toe to toe with the Vikings which is commendable, but overall they are just a bit shy of being able to fully be a solid team.
16 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 12)
Sunday night was really difficult for them. They rallied, but just couldn’t get it done.
Shame!
17 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 19)
Perhaps the Falcons are going to be able to properly capitalize. Sunday night between them and Washington will be so much fun.
18 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 18)
They are not going out in poor style. It is commendable.
19 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 12)
Here on the other hand… they appear very ready to take their ball and go home because they are not bullying anybody anymore.
20 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 17)
What a shame that they threw away a chance to make a run at the division. I regret buying all of the stock here that I did.
21 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 21)
It is hard to tell if they are really turning it around or if they are just treading water in a more entertaining way. They almost blew a massive lead to the Titans. The Titans!
22 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 22)
I will continue to note that nobody is paying any attention to how bad and boring Mike McDaniel’s team is.
23 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 25)
It is really nice to see Bryce Young starting to find himself a bit. The Panthers will be a popular pick for the NFC South next August.
24 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 23)
The Browns have been through all sorts of things over the last few years, but we are so close to another offseason centering on how they are going to handle the quarterback position.
25 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 28)
I’ve said it several times this season, but are the Titans not the least interesting team in the NFL? Does anybody seriously care about them one way or another? It is strange.
26 – New England Patriots (LW: 30)
They fought hard and made Sunday a game, but it is difficult to hold on too long against Buffalo.
27 – Chicago Bears (LW: 26)
How do they manage to get so much worse all of the time?
28 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 27)
At no point have the Jaguars ever been a serious organization.
29 – New York Jets (LW: 29)
Who do we think will be their quarterback next year?
30 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 31)
I understand that some people push back on tanking, but my goodness the Raiders caused significant damage to the future with their win on Sunday.
31 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 24)
They were the first team to get shut out this season. It is so bad.
32 – New York Giants (LW: 32)
Some things never change.
NFL.com: 20 (LW: 21)
The climb begins.
For a Cowboys team that’s been eliminated from the playoffs, the urgency level appeared to be quite high in Sunday night’s home game against the Buccaneers. The execution was pretty respectable, too, with Cooper Rush turning in one of the better games of what’s become a pretty darned good season for the backup QB, despite the ground attack struggling for the first time in a few weeks. Flaws and all, Rush now has led four wins in seven 2024 starts, with an 11:3 TD-to-INT ratio over his 11 total appearances. But this season isn’t about him. The biggest unknown remains the long-term fate of coach Mike McCarthy, and based on how Dallas is playing down the stretch, it feels like this one is trending in the direction of McCarthy keeping his post … if his group can continue to be competitive in the final two games. Cowboys fans might feel ambivalent about that, but McCarthy coaxing this squad into quality performances reflects quite well on his coaching ability.
ESPN: 19 (LW: 21)
They included a rookie of the year for each team as well.
Rookie of the year: Center Cooper Beebe
Beebe, the Cowboys’ third-round pick, has started every game he has played, missing one because of a concussion. He had never played center in a game before this season, but he has handled the responsibility well with minimal issues snapping the ball. He has been solid with his calls, though he might need to be more authoritative, which should come with more experience. A full offseason program will make him stronger, and he moves well enough to give the Cowboys options in the run game. — Todd Archer
USA Today: 18 (LW: 20)
Another slight bump up.
Is anyone doing more to preserve HC Mike McCarthy’s employment than All-Pro K Brandon Aubrey, whose 14 field goals beyond 50 yards are already a single-season NFL record?
Yahoo: 18 (LW: 20)
And another!
Mike McCarthy has a .612 winning percentage, and the three head coaches behind him on the all-time list are Bill Walsh, Sean McVay and Tom Landry. He is 49-33 with the Cowboys. He has rallied a shorthanded team after a 3-7 start. Yet if he returns in 2025, it won’t be a popular move among fans.
CBS Sports: 19 (LW: 22)
It is a top 20 party.
Two consecutive victories might be saving Mike McCarthy’s job — and probably should. They are still playing hard, even though they are done.
The Athletic: 16 (LW: 19)
Top half! They also offered a “big question” for each team and this one’s is obvious.
The big question: Will Mike McCarthy return?
The Cowboys head coach is making a strong case for his job security down the stretch. Dallas has won four of its last five while starting backup Cooper Rush at quarterback. Dallas was eliminated from the playoffs before Sunday night’s win over Tampa but still won a shootout with one of the league’s hottest teams. Since Week 12, the Cowboys are 11th in scoring (27.4) and point differential (plus-26).
Sports Illustrated: 22 (LW: 21)
They actually dropped the Cowboys after last week and still have San Francisco ahead.
Jerry Jones coming to the realization that, after forcing everyone on his staff to play under one-year contracts because he was unsure about them (but not unsure enough to pay them for a year of not working), he may now need to sign them all to new five-year contracts for the right to be unsure about them.
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.
