The Dallas Cowboys lost on Monday night, and as they did all the good vibes have completely dissipated from around the team. Maybe you felt the vibes initially were somewhat foolish, but they existed nonetheless and bore themselves out in power rankings across the internet. People were hardly believing in the Cowboys, but there was a stronger sense of belief than prior to their win at Washington.
Sports can be fickle though, and the Cowboys have fallen as a result of their loss. Just how far, you ask? The time to find out is officially here.
You can view last week’s rankings right here.
1 - Detroit Lions (LW: 2)
We are reaching the point where they are so dominant that if they don’t win the Super Bowl it will be an extreme disappointment. Those kinds of expectations are ridiculous, but that is the whole point of all of this.
2 - Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 3)
Unfortunately I really think this team is going to win the game before that one in the Motor City.
3 - Buffalo Bills (LW: 1)
They had to drop as a result of their loss, but I am not sure how anyone can feel less confident in them as a result of it. This is Josh Allen’s year for MVP.
4 - Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 4)
It definitely seems like they are going to ruin someone’s (maybe multiple people’s) dream in the playoffs. Mike Tomlin continues to terrorize.
5 - Baltimore Ravens (LW: 5)
Welcome back.
6 - Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 6)
They are 12-1 and we would all trade lives with them in an instant, but my goodness are they flawed.
It must be nice.
7 - Minnesota Vikings (LW: 8)
Kevin O’Connell is still not getting enough credit for his wizardry. This season is so impressive from the Vikings.
8 - Green Bay Packers (LW: 7)
Another impressive loss from this week, assuming you believe those are possible.
It looks like the top Wild Card belongs to a non-Lions team in the NFC North, but Minnesota might push Green Bay down to number two.
9 - Washington Commanders (LW: 9)
This is the third Wild Card team at the moment. We will see if they can hold on.
10 - Denver Broncos (LW: 10)
They were really finding themselves before the bye. Perhaps that continues.
11 - Seattle Seahawks (LW: 11)
Future NFC West Champions?!
12 - Los Angeles Rams (LW: 15)
Sunday was certainly impressive and the Rams can clearly go off on a moment’s notice still.
But I just don’t know if I would bet on them in the playoffs or doing it consistently.
13 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 13)
It appears that the NFC South is theirs once more.
14 - Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 12)
The latest Kansas City victim.
15 - Houston Texans (LW: 14)
They were off last week, but they have been leaking oil for a bit now.
Perhaps the bye calmed the waters.
16 - San Francisco 49ers (LW: 19)
Maybe playing the Bears is the antidote they needed.
17 - Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 18)
Their offense is amazing. The worst kind of thing in a season is for something like that to be wasted. I doubt Bengals fans are upset this week, though.
18 - Indianapolis Colts (LW: 16)
I’m intrigued here, but we need to see more of the good coming out of the bye.
19 - Arizona Cardinals (LW: 17)
I’ll still take whatever Cardinals stock I can get my hands on, but even I have lost some confidence in this bunch.
Maybe they are still some time away.
20 - Miami Dolphins (LW: 27)
Beating the Jets is now celebrated like a massive accomplishment.
The Dolphins are boring. It is okay.
21 - Dallas Cowboys (LW: 20)
There were clearly some fundamental errors, but they almost pulled it off. A shame.
22 - Cleveland Browns (LW: 25)
While the Browns are bad, they are at the very least highly entertaining.
23 - Carolina Panthers (LW: 24)
They are getting right and finding themselves... what an impressive little run for Bryce Young.
Of course this would all happen right before they host the Cowboys.
24 - Atlanta Falcons (LW: 22)
They have lost every game since beating the Cowboys and equating Cowboys fans to New York Yankees fans (this was right after the Yankees lost the World Series in case you forgot).
You hate to see it! (No offense to those of you are in fact Yankees fans).
25 - Chicago Bears (LW: 23)
Matt Eberflus was definitely a problem, but it seems as if he was not ALL of the problem.
26 - Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 29)
Congratulations on beating the Titans.
27 - Tennessee Titans (LW: 21)
You are the Titans.
28 - New England Patriots (LW: 26)
Very boring.
29 - New Orleans Saints (LW: 28)
Supremely boring.
30 - Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 30)
It continues to get worse. A new quarterback will help, but a coach might be needed.
31 - New York Jets (LW: 31)
They have the longest-running streak without a playoff appearance in major American sports!
32 - New York Giants (LW: 32)
At least the fans of this team who root for the New York Mets have something going on.
NFL.com: 22 (LW: 21)
So it begins.
The Cowboys led, 20-17, early in the fourth quarter on Monday night when LB DeMarvion Overshown suffered a season-ending knee injury. Everything after that went poorly for Dallas. The blocked punt-turned-disaster almost defied words. Then the Cowboys’ defense, which had held up well in the second half, gave up the game-winning score to Ja’Marr Chase. It really wasn’t the much-maligned unit’s fault. Watching an exasperated Micah Parsons — talking angrily to no one in particular on the sideline after the Bengals took the lead late — was a raw moment many Cowboys fans could relate to. Dallas opened both halves with guns blazing on offense, but the ‘Boys couldn’t sustain it against a Cincinnati defense most opponents have run through recently. Cooper Rush was decent in the first and third quarters but bad in the second and fourth. I can’t explain it, other than acknowledging that Lou Anarumo’s D had him under heavy duress. Rico Dowdle’s career-high 131 rushing yards went to waste on another frustrating night at AT&T Stadium.
ESPN: 23 (LW: 23)
They also included a ranking where the team falls that they deem to be the most shocking.
Most shocking ranking: 32nd in rushing touchdowns
The Cowboys’ four rushing touchdowns have them threatening the team record. In 2011, they had just five. Three other times they had six, including the first two seasons of the franchise in 1960-61. Calvin Hill (1971) and Emmitt Smith (1990, 1995) share the team record for most rushing touchdowns in a game with ... four. With how the Cowboys handled running back in free agency, maybe there figured to be a drop-off in 2024, but the poor efficiency up front has contributed to the lack of rushing touchdowns. — Todd Archer
USA Today: 26 (LW: 26)
A bit of pot-stirring here relative to Micah Parsons.
“I wouldn’t wish this on anybody. You can’t even put that (loss) into words, bro, to be honest.” Don’t want to read too much into LB Micah Parsons’ words after another painful defeat Monday … but speculation seems likely to grow that maybe it would be best if he and the Cowboys go their separate ways in the coming months.
Yahoo: 23 (LW: 23)
Another bit of non-movement.
The Cowboys lost in the weirdest way Monday night, when they touched a blocked punt and allowed the Bengals to recover it, leading to Cincinnati’s go-ahead touchdown. Micah Parsons was beside himself with the loss, and for good reason.
CBS Sports: 26 (LW: 23)
There is a drop.
They found a new way to lose a game Monday night to the Bengals. This season is over — and now comes the questions about changes to the coaching staff.
The Athletic: 22 (LW: 21)
They picked a breakout player for each team.
Breakout player: Running back Rico Dowdle
Should the Cowboys have tried to sign Derrick Henry? Definitely, but at least it has worked out for Dowdle, an undrafted free agent who is having a career year in his fifth NFL season. Dowdle has gotten the first starts of his NFL career this year and leads the Cowboys with 731 yards. He had 385 in his career coming into the season.
Sports Illustrated: 22 (LW: 22)
Zero movement.
When you’re worried that the roof is shedding loose parts and violently careening toward earth, you simply open it up so that God can watch the Cowboys play. 3-D chess for Dallas’s owner, as always.
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.