The Dallas Cowboys refuse to rise to the occasion.
Last week it was taking care of business at home against a team they were huge favorites against. While it was more to expect them to travel and emerge victorious as underdogs, the expectation was to at the very least compete. They did not.
A month and change ago the national narrative around this team was that they had a very quiet offseason and had built a team that could legitimately challenge to finally end The Drought™. They are fortunate to play
in an NFC East this season where they still might win it despite their 2-4 record, but right now they don’t look like they can put an end to anything let alone the shadow that has lived over the franchise for a generation.
It will come as no surprise to see that the Cowboys have really fallen in our power rankings and in those from across the internet.
On with the show.
1 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 1)
It must be nice to be home favorites against a bad team and show up in a way where you dominate them.
2 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 2)
If you are a Bills fan you have to be slightly worried that they are peaking too soon, right? Or do only we have those insecurities?
3 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 3)
They are back and better than ever. Not really, but Kenneth Walker is such a cheat code for them.
4 – New England Patriots (LW: 6)
Reports of their demise were seemingly incorrect!
5 – Detroit Lions (LW: 8)
Back from the bye.
6 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 5)
It was certainly not idea to lose to the Texans and give them life. They will be alright, though. Travis Hunter is really finding his NFL form.
7 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 4)
They need Lamar Jackson back in the worst way.
8 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 16)
Deep sigh. Th edeepest of sighs.
9 – Chicago Bears (LW: 11)
They almost blew it against Atlanta, but a win is a win and this one came with Caleb Williams so things likely feel more normal than they have in some time.
10 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 15)
It feels like we are still sleeping on this team. They are so much fun and have serious offensive firepower. I know that Philly was down, but the Panthers are legit.
11 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 7)
They have a quarterback issue, but when you win a Super Bowl (not that we would know what that’s like lately) you are likely less upset when things aren’t going perfectly immediately after.
12 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 9)
Also back from some rest.
13 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 10)
Them, too!
14 – Houston Texans (LW: 22)
It is amazing how good 2-4 must feel to them compared to how it feels to us.
15 – Denver Broncos (LW: 12)
Obviously they won, but wow they have serious quarterback problems. It is hard to trust them long-term.
16 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 24)
Who would have thought? What a weird surprise!
17 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 17)
Mike McCarthy is finding a way. Good for him.
18 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 13)
They are very, very far from being the super power they were hyped up to be.
19 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 21)
This team is a ton of fun. Maybe they can sneak in as the third Wild Card when it is all said and done. Whatever the case, Klint Kubiak was very clearly the right hire.
20 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 14)
Can you believe that they are legitimately getting production out of Kyle Pitts? Finally!
21 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 29)
They are definitely going to blow out the Cowboys in a couple of weeks. Right?
22 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 26)
Kellen Moore stopped the skid!
23 – New York Giants (LW: 18)
The NFC East is terrible, but they might be the least terrible.
24 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 19)
They definitely are not.
25 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 20)
All the best to Jalen Hurts.
26 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 23)
Chris Ballard is finally gone. A selling of assets feels imminent, and likely a head coach change.
27 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 25)
So Jalon Daniels isn’t the greatest quarterback of all time?
28 – New York Jets (LW: 27)
It was a tough scene that Aaron Glenn did not know that the Jets did not get the ball to start the second half.
29 – Washington Commanders (LW: 28)
It was also tough that Dan Quinn did not know when it was a fourth down.
30 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 32)
They won a game!
31 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 30)
They still have not.
32 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 31)
Yikes.
ESPN: 20 (LW: 15)
Here we go.
Biggest issue on offense: Lack of consistency in the running game
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
NFL.com: 26 (LW: 18)
The first line is fair.
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.
USA Today: 26 (LW: 24)
Another drop.
“GOTI,” aka, Greatest Offense There Is? It’s nice to have goals. Not always wise to publicly reveal them.
Yahoo: 21 (LW: 20)
Only a slight dip here.
Nobody questioned the Cowboys’ offense. Through four games Dallas averaged 30.5 points per game and was third in the NFL in EPA per play, trailing only San Francisco and Buffalo. Then, over the last two games, its offense has disappeared against Tampa Bay and Green Bay, neither of which has a great defense.
The Cowboys are averaging 14.5 points over their last two games and slipped to 19th in EPA per play. Their defense isn’t good enough to overcome that.
“Because of the lack of a running game, we’re a little bit one-sided and the best way to be on offense as a unit is to have balance,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said, according to ESPN.
The running game is a problem. Dallas has just 98 rushing yards total over the last two games, it has reached 100 yards in a game just once and rank 31st in rushing yards per game. It’s also accurate that the Cowboys looked completely unprepared for a blitz-heavy approach from the Packers, and that could be a coaching issue. Perhaps getting the run game going will dissuade future opponents from blitzing on most downs.
CBS Sports: 19 (LW: 17)
Still inside the top 20.
The offense is suddenly having some issues, which I didn’t see coming. But in their bad division, there is still time to turn it around, starting this week at Philadelphia.
The Athletic: 22 (LW: 20)
Right behind the Eagles and Giants.
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.
ProFootballTalk: 23 (LW: 20)
And there it is.
Cheap does as cheap is.
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