Almost every NFL team loses two games in a row. But when you're the Dallas Cowboys and those defeats come on national television in consecutive weeks, the microscope zooms in even further so as to dissect what's wrong. And it's not like Brian Schottenheimer's team is without issues.
Defensively, they've been a train wreck for most of the year, although they've started to find their stride a bit lately. Of course, that is precisely when the Dallas offense stopped looking like the world- beater that fans have come to know over the last few seasons. Complementary football is absent.
Luckily, they sit at 2-4 in a wide-open NFC East, and the upcoming schedule isn't all that daunting. In fact, it's the most favorable stretch of the season for the Cowboys. But power rankings are all about what a team has done lately, and so it's only right that Dallas plummeted after their Week 6 loss.
Let's take a look at where they stand among credible and notable rankings.
Cowboys' post-Week 6 power rankings have them trending down to unfavorable territory
FanSided - Jason La Canfora
Current - 21
Last Week - 20
"Newly acquired corner Joey Porter Jr. showed up some at Lambeau and could make a difference. They badly need pass rush help. You have to start wondering about Brian Schottenheimer and that honeymoon is certainly over. They just are not very impressive and don’t play like they think they’re very good."
Our take: La Canfora is right that Porter Jr. has been an asset when he's on the field, and that the pass rush needs help. It's also not crazy to say that this team hasn't been impressive and that the head coach is getting a lot of blowback. But what is interesting from these rankings is that the Cowboys are still ahead of the three other NFC East teams. Hard to fire a division winner.
Current - 20
Last Week - 15
"The Cowboys' running game is off to its worst start -- 456 yards in six games -- since 1989, the year before Emmitt Smith showed up. Six different running backs have more total rushing yards than the Cowboys. Javonte Williams has seven rushing touchdowns, but the inconsistency and lack of attempts are killing the offense. Coordinator Klayton Adams said last week the Cowboys are being forced to play with one arm tied behind their back because they can't run it well enough. That has impacted the passing game, too. Quarterback Dak Prescott was under duress on 21 of his 41 second-half pass attempts against Green Bay, averaging only 4.8 yards per attempt." -- Todd Archer
Our take: These stats definitely paint an accurate picture of what is happening in Dallas: the team can't run the ball, and Prescott is struggling under pressure. If they can even get back on track in one of these facets, it would help them tremendously. Again, though, the Cowboys are the highest-ranked team in the division, which means something.
NFL.com - Nick Shook
Current - 26
Last Week - 18
"I’ve lost all faith in the Cowboys. The offense was their lone strength, but it has devolved into a mess of an operation. Their quarterback isn’t adjusting to a consistently messy post-snap picture, and Dallas’ chances of victory have evaporated. We already knew this defense was a problem, but the offense’s regression has escalated this situation from general concern to something bordering on catastrophe. It’s a shame, too, because the NFC East has never been more winnable. As of now, I don’t think it’ll be the Cowboys finishing on top."
Our take: Geez.
That's a hefty drop, and it puts Dallas in a tier with teams like the Tennessee Titans. This whole list is pretty extreme, even if some of Shook's points are valid. It feels like over half of the league moved at least five spots after this week's game in this ranking, so maybe fans brush this one off. Especially because the Cowboys are ahead of only the Eagles and behind the Commanders and Giants.
Fox Sports - Ralph Vacchiano
Current - 25
Last Week - 21
"Well, at least the Cowboys’ defense finally looked good on Sunday night against the Packers. They even stopped the Green Bay rushing attack. But that’s two weeks in a row now that Dallas’ offense looked out of sync and failed to even hit 17 points. Dak Prescott is throwing for a lot of yards, but they’re mostly empty. And the Cowboys have run for a total of 98 yards over the past two games. They knew they had to fix their defensive problems. If they have to fix their offense, too, then they can forget this season. The Eagles, Cardinals and Colts are up next, so there’s an opportunity here. But honestly, does anyone have faith in the Cowboys anymore to actually get this right?"
Our take: Vacchiano with some much-deserved praise for the defense, and some spot-on comments about the offense. It is true, as we touched on earlier, that the Cowboys have a favorable schedule coming up, and this stretch will say a lot about this team. We can all ignore that last sentence.
The Athletic - Josh Kendall and Chad Graff
Current - 22
Last Week - 20
"The only people associated with the Cowboys who are happy at the moment are Lamb’s fantasy managers. He’s ninth in scoring (21.9 ppg) and third in the league in receiving yards (577). He was targeted 18 times Sunday night and finished with nine catches for 70 yards."
Our take: Fantasy football aside, Lamb has been awesome this year. But the offense can't be a one-trick pony, so George Pickens needs to step up a bit, Prescott needs to play better and Schottenheimer has to lean on the run game much more for any of that to really matter.
Sports Illustrated - Conor Orr
Current - 23
Last Week - 21
"The Jerry Jones referendum on hiring Brian Schottenheimer as head coach has been delayed long enough. Lose multiple times against the Eagles, Cardinals and Colts over the next three weeks and we might be talking about must-see Jones press conferences on a weekly basis from here on out."
Our take: I guess that's something to look forward to if the season spirals into further disaster. If that's your thing. But let's not throw in the towel on this campaign just yet...
Current - 22
Last Week - 17
"It was bad enough when the Dallas Cowboys' defense wasn't working. Now, the same can be said about the squad's previously potent offense.
"Against the Green Bay Packers, Dallas produced one explosive play in the passing game and none within the run game. Considering how much talent is found on that side of the ball, that level of performance is unacceptable, particularly when Dallas needs to play well offensively each week to counteract the team's defensive struggles. It's the second straight week an opponent held Dallas to 16 or fewer points after scoring 30 or more in three straight. Fortunately, the schedule turns in Dallas' favor. The Philadelphia Eagles will still be without quarterback Jalen Hurts next Monday. The Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts follow and they both own losing records. Considering the state of the NFC East, the Cowboys aren't out of the mix even with their performance as of late."
Our take: Alright, point taken. Everyone knows that the defense and offense can't seem to click at the same time, but it'll be on the coaching staff to find solutions. Let's hope to see some in the Cowboys' third straight primetime game on Monday Night Football in Week 6 against a shell of the Eagles.
Average Rank - 22.7
Average Rank Last Week - 18.9
Change - -3.8
Highest Rank - 20 (ESPN)
Lowest Rank - 26 (NFL.com)
Biggest Drop - 8 (NFL.com)
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