Don’t you dare think that we have reached the bottom. The Dallas Cowboys are proving over and over again that such a place does not exist. There is always lower to go.
Just a few weeks ago we thought that losing to Jalon Daniels and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the end of the black hole. Maybe you feel like that was more embarrassing than what happened last week, but the point is we at least have to have the conversation which proves that things are not fun.
It is just barely November and the season feels over for the Cowboys. This isn’t something that only fans of the team who have been around for forever are saying because we are tired… this is universal opinion and belief.
Let’s get to this week’s power rankings.
1. Buffalo Bills (LW: 1)
Kings stay kings. It was a bummer that last week’s game against Baltimore lost juice when Lamar Jackson was hurt.
2. San Francisco 49ers (LW: 2)
How many points will they beat the Cowboys by next week?
3. Detroit Lions (LW: 3)
I’ve said before… I really doubted them this year. They have proven me very wrong.
4. Chicago Bears (LW: 4)
Ben Johnson sure can coach. And yes… we all know.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 5)
Welcome back.
6. New England Patriots (LW: 7)
They just do the simple things right. Over and over and over again. That is so much harder than it seems.
7. Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 9)
They are headed to Spain this week!
8. Denver Broncos (LW: 16)
I was also very wrong about the Broncos. The offense I think is still a little to be determined, but the defense is incredible.
9. Seattle Seahawks (LW: 6)
Monday night was definitely a stumble.
10. Green Bay Packers (LW: 13)
We really need them to start losing for draft pick purposes.
11. Minnesota Vikings (LW: 8)
The undefeateds have all fallen. Cheers to the ‘72 Dolphins.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 18)
Look at Mike McCarthy. 6-2 and in first place with a bye to rest. Must be nice.
13. Los Angeles Rams (LW: 14)
Perhaps they are turning into the top team everybody envisioned them to be. We need to see more.
14. Atlanta Falcons (LW: 11)
It really seemed like they were turning into a team that could be feisty. Last week was dreadful, though.
15. Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 12)
On some level it was strange to see them in a pickle and not find the only way to pull it off. They are going to have to work harder than normal this season.
16. New York Giants (LW: 15)
Back from the bye, but they will likely crush the Eagles and fully announce themselves as the soon-to-be NFC East winners.
17. Cleveland Browns (LW: 17)
They were humbled a bit last week.
18. Baltimore Ravens (LW: 10)
All the best to Lamar Jackson. This franchise feels a bit at a crossroads at quarterback.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 19)
A win is a win and they are stacking them.
20. Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 23)
At least they are fun.
21. Arizona Cardinals (LW: 25)
What is there to even say anymore?
22. Carolina Panthers (LW: 21)
They gave Green Bay all they could handle.
23. Houston Texans (LW: 22)
Welcome back as well.
24. Dallas Cowboys (LW: 20)
Embarrassing.
25. Washington Commanders (LW: 29)
Maybe they will jump Dallas in the standings, too.
26. New Orleans Saints (LW: 24)
Did you know Boise State unveiled a Kellen Moore statue? We are all getting old.
27. Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 26)
At least they know they need to reset.
28. Indianapolis Colts (LW: 27)
How many yards for Jonathan Taylor this week?
29. New York Jets (LW: 28)
The Cowboys of the AFC.
30. Miami Dolphins (LW: 30)
Very gross.
31. Tennessee Titans (LW: 31)
They might also give the Cowboys a tough time.
32. Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 32)
The toughest of tough scenes.
ESPN: 23 (LW: 20)
Sigh.
Best in-season trade acquisition ever: Package in 1989 RB Herschel Walker deal
Regardless of whether the credit for the trade goes to Jerry Jones or Jimmy Johnson, it altered the Cowboys’ trajectory into becoming a three-time Super Bowl champion. They were 0-5 when they traded Walker, ending the 1989 season at 1-15. It wasn’t the five players the Cowboys received from Minnesota that were important, but rather the conditional draft choices that would come if players Dallas acquired were cut the next offseason. Ultimately, the trade landed them Emmitt Smith, Kevin Smith and Darren Woodson, and gave them flexibility to make other moves. Without the trade of Walker, the Cowboys of the 1990s probably never would have existed. — Todd Archer
NFL.com: 24 (LW: 22)
And again… sigh.
Remember when that guy in the AT&T Stadium bowels described a Cowboys loss as “embarrassing” a few weeks ago? Well, that individual would have been spot on again on Sunday. Dallas disintegrated against the Cardinals, blowing a 17-3 lead and surrendering 467 yards to Arizona. It’s a loss that feels too devastating to have occurred in Week 8. It’s where the Cowboys are right now, though: They pin their hopes on their passing game, haven’t improved enough defensively and can only hope the running game produces. That’s simply not a winning formula.
USA Today: 25 (LW: 23)
The lowest ranking so far.
They had been 69-0 at home when nursing a lead of at least 14 points in the fourth quarter … but that was before Sunday.
Yahoo: 25 (LW: 20)
And again.
Biggest need: Adding to the defense, maybe
At some point the Cowboys need to have an honest conversation about themselves, which seems impossible after team owner Jerry Jones proclaimed everyone is letting head coach Brian Schottenheimer down. Jones has talked about making big trades, and already made one in-season for cornerback Joey Porter Jr. A putrid defense that let Gardner Minshew tear it apart in the fourth quarter and overtime on Sunday needs a lot of help. But, is a team that has losses at home to a Buccaneers team led by an undrafted rookie quarterback and to a Cardinals team that came back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter really a defensive piece away from contending for a Super Bowl? Probably not.
It puts the Cowboys in a weird place. They’re not out of the NFC East race because the division isn’t good. They’re also not very good themselves. It’s not even outlandish for the Cowboys to look in the mirror after that hideous loss to the Cardinals and admit they should be sellers. That would require self-awareness, which isn’t abundant in Dallas.
CBS Sports: 22 (LW: 20)
Not quite as far of a dip.
What in the hell was that against the Cardinals? That’s the kind of loss that gets a coach fired. Jerry Jones said it’s not happening now, but Brian Schottenheimer better get it going.
The Athletic: 22 (LW: 18)
Same spot.
Reality check: Jerry Jones is big mad
The Cowboys owner said after the game, one in which Dallas blew a 24-10 lead in the final 11 minutes, that he doesn’t expect to make a head coaching change during the season, but he didn’t rule out doing something. “This is something we will take a good hard look at,” Jones said. “That was a total team effort out there for us. We have to be, for our fans, better than that.” Dallas has lost three of its last four.
The lowest ranking of the group.
Offseason hype, in-season tripe.
Week To Week Movement
Full Power Rankings
