Dallas, TX

The Dallas Cowboys continue to fall in NFL power rankings

Published

1 year ago

November 12, 2024

The Dallas Cowboys continue to fall in NFL power rankings

There is always further to fall than you think. History has taught us this painful lesson many times, unfortunately. Just when we think that there is no way that the Dallas Cowboys could outdo themselves in the embarrassment department, America’s Team shows up true to form.

This week the Cowboys are coming off of a 34-6 drubbing in their home building against the hated Philadelphia Eagles. Under normal circumstances this would upset many of us, but everything around has been so on fire that we have grown used to the new status quo temperature and are no longer phased when it feels a little warm.

It will not shock you to learn that the rest of the NFL finds the Cowboys to be quite bad, but just how bad do people think they are? The time has come for our latest power rankings and gathering of where outlets across the internet have the Cowboys.

You can view last week’s rankings right here.

1 – Detroit Lions (LW: 1)

You have to find ways to steal a game or two if you are going to lift the Lombardi at the very end of the season. Detroit did that on Sunday night by winning a game that they were supposed to lose. They are such an impressive team to watch.

2 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 2)

Talk about stealing games… my goodness. This is the weakest Chiefs team we have seen (from an organization that has won three Super Bowls since 2019!) and they are undefeated through their first nine games. It must be so nice.

3 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 3)

They seem to be floating among the contending teams in the NFL at large. Up next for them is a chance to give Kansas City their first loss, although the Bills have made way too big of a deal of regular season games against the Chiefs before. Hopefully Buffalo recognizes this is the battle and not the war and even then not the most important battle (relatively speaking).

4 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 4)

Another team who stole one! Although I don’t know that Baltimore stole their win as much as they just fought a little bit harder. They remain an elite team that is so fun to watch as well.

5 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 7)

It wasn’t even annoying that they beat the Cowboys by a score of 34-6 at AT&T Stadium. That is where we are at.

6 – Washington Commanders (LW: 5)

Sunday was a tough loss, but this is clearly a very good team that is going to be playing in the middle of January. Their game against Philly on Thursday night will be highly entertaining.

7 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 6)

It never feels right to drop a team after they win, but Minnesota barely held on against a struggling Jaguars team. Kevin O’Connell is so impressive, but it feels fair to say that the Vikings are losing some steam a bit.

8 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 8)

Do you mean to tell me that they did not look like juggernauts in the first game that they played after they played the Cowboys?

Shocked! I am shocked!

9 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 9)

Welcome back from the bye.

10 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 11)

I’ve been absorbing Cardinals stock for weeks now and am very happy about it.

Could they seriously win the NFC West?! These are my Cardinals and I am proud of them!

11 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 12)

This whole thing still feels a little like the clock will hit midnight and it will fall apart. But for now Mike Tomlin, Russell Wilson, Mike Williams and everyone else are having the time of their lives.

12 – Houston Texans (LW: 10)

It feels fair to say they are on a serious fraud watch, but given that they play the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium next Monday night that will stabilize soon enough.

13 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 16)

It would be good for the NFL at large if this team made its way into the playoffs. They are tough and Baker Mayfield specifically is a huge reason for that.

14 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 13)

You cannot lose to the New Orleans Saints. The drop should be more, but I digress.

15 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 17)

Kudos on the win. But my goodness they are so irrelevant in the bigger picture. Maybe playing on Sunday night this week will help with that.

16 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 18)

Sometimes a season has a very good team who just caught some poor breaks at the most inopportune times and it all snowballs against them. It feels safe to say that this is the Bengals this year.

17 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 14)

They are so up and down these days.

18 – Denver Broncos (LW: 20)

Are we not talking about Bo Nix enough? I know they lost, but wow what an outing at Arrowhead. I’m not ready to crown Sean Payton’s era in Denver as a success but there is no question that this was a step forward, even if they did lose.

19 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 15)

Another team back from their bye week.

20 – New England Patriots (LW: 24)

They had nine sacks against the Bears. What. How.

21 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 29)

You can’t help but feel happy for Bryce Young what with everything he has been through. They are going to really enjoy that bye week.

22 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 22)

Another team who is simply existing right now.

23 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 23)

Their season feels lost in a different way than Dallas’.

Either way, they are not very good at all.

24 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 31)

They finally got their first win since blowing the doors off of the Cowboys way back when.

25 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 25)

Maybe the bye week helped out here. Who knows.

26 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 32)

Monday night was certainly impressive, but I maintain that Mike McDaniel is not taking enough national criticism for his team being so flat overall. That says a lot about Miami and its significance, really insignificance, in the national conversation.

27 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 26)

Floating in the wind.

28 – New York Jets (LW: 19)

They are so unbelievably bad and chaotic. We know that life.

29 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 27)

See what I mean?

30 – Chicago Bears (LW: 21)

It is a bummer to see Matt Eberflus go out like this. We had such good times together.

31 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 28)

Blah.

32 – New York Giants (LW: 30)

Imagine if they beat the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

NFL.com: 24 (LW: 23)

Only a drop of one spot. Interesting.

One day, someone will write the book on how the Cowboys went from winning 16 straight home games to losing five straight at AT&T Stadium — and trailing by 20 or more points in each defeat. It might not be a record, but it sure feels like one. Granted, we all kind of knew what was coming, with a rising Eagles team meeting a down-and-out Cowboys club without its quarterback, Dak Prescott — now for the rest of the season, per Jerry Jones. The roof has metaphorically caved in over the past month, with four straight losses, and Dallas has a Monday night meeting with the Texans and a road trip to face the Commanders on deck. That losing streak could certainly continue. Micah Parsons returned to the lineup and had two drive-stopping sacks in the second quarter, but the Eagles’ offense eventually got cooking, CeeDee Lamb dropped a would-be TD because the curtains weren’t closed and Dallas turned the ball over five times, so it was all for naught.

ESPN: 23 (LW: 22)

This still feels a bit too high, if we are being honest.

They also had a non-quarterback MVP and this one is easy.

Non-QB MVP: Kicker Brandon Aubrey
When a kicker is under consideration for a team’s MVP, that tells you what type of situation the squad is in. That’s no knock on Aubrey, who has been tremendous. But who else could you pick from a defense that struggles stopping people and an offense that can’t score? Aubrey has made 22 of 24 field goal attempts on the season and is 9-of-10 from 50 yards or more (his only other miss came on a block). Five of his makes have been from 55 yards or longer, including a 65-yarder. — Todd Archer

USA Today: 29 (LW: 26)

Get comfortable down this low.

It’s rare when a team gets rid of the same player a year too early and a year too late. But these are the Cowboys, who never should’ve re-signed washed-up RB Ezekiel Elliott, now averaging 3.2 yards per carry … when he’s actually active.

Yahoo: 24 (LW: 23)

Again, feels kind of high!

Will the Cowboys win another game? Maybe against the Giants on Thanksgiving … maybe. Presumably, we’re going to see Trey Lance soon after Cooper Rush’s awful start, not that Lance will fix anything.

CBS Sports: 25 (LW: 25)

I repeat, too high!

They are done. Their quarterback is out for the year, and the backups aren’t any good. See ya.

The Athletic: 25 (LW: 23)

This is a popular range, it seems. Also please note that this was likely written before Tuesday’s news that Dak Prescott will in fact be having season-ending surgery.

Dak Prescott is 31 years old, and he could be about to have season-ending surgery to repair a hamstring that is torn off the bone. It wasn’t going great when Prescott was healthy. He’s 27th in EPA per dropback (minus-.05), which is not what the Cowboys were expecting when they made him the highest-paid player in the NFL in the offseason at $60 million annually. Cooper Rush, Dallas’ primary backup since 2021, passed for 45 yards on Sunday, and Trey Lance had 21 yards and one interception on six passes as the Cowboys dropped their fourth straight.

Sports Illustrated: 26 (LW: 24)

Maybe everybody just thinks that other teams stink more than Dallas.

I understand that Mike McCarthy and Cooper Rush had a rapport and that Rush has a good record as a spot starter for Dak Prescott. I also understand that it’s okay to label Trey Lance a project not worth reclamation at this moment in time. I realize I can’t have it both ways, supporting Shane Steichen for benching Anthony Richardson and chiding McCarthy for not playing Lance. But if you were McCarthy and could read the room, getting Lance some easy completions, running a few empty draws, moving the football in a fun way with a quarterback you could attach some modicum of positivity to … isn’t that infinitely better?

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.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas ISD will offer free pre-K starting next school year

Published

5 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Dallas ISD will offer free pre-K starting next school year

Starting next year, every 3- and 4-year-old in Dallas ISD will be able to enroll in pre-K tuition-free.

The district’s board adopted a new universal free pre-K plan at a board meeting Thursday. The proposal passed by an 8-0 vote, with no discussion.

Currently, the district offers free pre-K to students who qualify under certain federal, state and district guidelines, and charges tuition to all other students. Under the policy adopted Thursday, the district will drop its tuition rate for non-qualifying students to $0 beginning with the next school year.

The district’s current pre-K tuition rate is $5,000 a year for full-day classes for 3- and 4-year-olds, and $2,500 a year for half-day classes for 3-year-olds. During a March 12 board briefing, Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde told the board that about 267 families are paying pre-K tuition this year.

Elizalde told The Dallas Morning News this month that it costs the district more to manage those families’ tuition payments than those payments bring in. The district’s pre-K classes have enough open seats that district leaders don’t expect to have to hire more teachers after the new policy goes into effect, meaning the financial impact to the district is expected to be minimal.

Dallas ISD isn’t the first North Texas school district to offer tuition-free pre-K. Fort Worth ISD implemented universal free pre-K more than a decade ago, and Arlington ISD offers free, full-day pre-K for all 4-year-olds and half-day classes for 3-year-olds that are free to students who qualify with a tuition rate of $2,295 for those who don’t.

Dallas ISD’s pre-K registration for the 2026-27 school year opens April 1.

The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Judy and Jim Gibbs, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron and Phyllis Steinhart, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.

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Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is confident about cost estimates to repair, rehab City Hall and insists the process has been transparent

Published

17 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is confident about cost estimates to repair, rehab City Hall and insists the process has been transparent

Mayor Eric Johnson said he hasn’t made up his mind about the future of Dallas City Hall, the iconic I.M. Pei-designed landmark, but remains confident in the cost estimates to fix it.

City‑hired experts said it will cost $329 million to repair the nearly 50‑year‑old building and about $1 billion to rehabilitate and modernize it for the next 20 years.

Johnson said he trusts the numbers.

“I believe that those numbers are accurate,” Johnson said. “I just want to say that right up front, because I do know that there’s questions about whether or not these numbers are or have been inflated, or should we trust these numbers? I don’t know where we’d get another set of numbers that would be more trustworthy.

“These companies that have looked at this are very reputable, and so, I believe the numbers. I really believe that our jobs as a council and as a city are to do the best thing that we can, the best thing we can for our taxpayers. Not a good thing, but the best thing with the taxpayers’ dollars.”

The mayor said he, like everyone else, is waiting for more information. Earlier this month, he and eight council members voted to have the city manager determine how much it would cost to move City Hall to another building and compare that to staying and making repairs.

The city manager is also evaluating whether the current site could support private development. That report is due to the council no later than May, and the Finance Committee may be briefed on May 26. The full council could vote in June.

Development potential enters the conversation

Many people have floated the idea of a new arena and entertainment district downtown for the Dallas Mavericks, though no proposals exist.

Former mayors Ron Kirk, Tom Leppert, and Mike Rawlings have urged city leaders to move City Hall, saying it could attract billions in new development.

Johnson said he wants data, not instinct.

“I can’t govern the city based on a hunch or instinct or gut feel. I have to look at data. I would like to see what comes back and what they say this site could unlock,” he said. “Does my gut tell me that the best use of this part of downtown, is not to be a government center, which I think is kind of a dated concept in and of itself, to have a cluster of government buildings right in the middle of what could be the most vibrant part of your downtown that by definition closes at 5 p.m.

“My gut tells me that’s not a great idea. But I want the city manager to go through the exercise of actually exploring what private development options there would be. What interest would there be in this site? If there are really great economic development opportunities for the city that would be unlocked by us leaving this site, I would be very, very compelled by that.”

Preservationists push back strongly

Residents and preservationists have been vocal in their opposition. Former Mayor Laura Miller told CBS News Texas she doesn’t want City Hall sold or torn down and believes the process has lacked transparency and been “riddled with self‑interest.”

Johnson rejected that.

“I’m not sure why former Mayor Miller feels that way because I can tell you that the process has been the definition of transparent,” he said. “It’s just not true that this process hasn’t been transparent. You can go back to what I initially sent out, a memo. I put it in writing. I distributed it publicly, saying to the council, I want a committee to look at options for City Hall.

“So, that was very transparent. The meetings that were called subsequent to my request were all open to the public. Discussions were had at those meetings, and every single thing that has happened has been compelled by council action.”

Emails raise questions about engagement

The Dallas Morning News recently reported on 5,000 pages of emails related to the project and others, raising questions about how engaged the mayor has been.

Johnson dismissed the criticism.

“I’m fully engaged in everything that goes on around here. I’ve been fully engaged, and honestly, I’m going to decline to go quibble with the Dallas Morning News,” he said. “I don’t even know what these emails that they have found say. I do know what I do every day, which is I wake up early in the morning, come to this building, and give this city everything I have.

“I work tirelessly on behalf of the city, and I do everything I possibly can to make sure this city is represented well here, locally, nationally, internationally.”

Sports negotiations happening in parallel

The debate over City Hall comes as city leaders negotiate with the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars to keep both teams in the city. Johnson said he cannot discuss negotiations publicly.

“Keeping the Dallas Stars and keeping the Dallas Mavericks playing in the city of Dallas is one of the highest priorities of my administration, and it has been since I got here,” he said. “I can tell you this: We are going to do everything we possibly can to make these deals work for both of those teams and keep them in the city. I am confident that we will work this out.”

Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 Sunday morning on CBS News Texas on air and streaming.

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Dallas, TX

3 takeaways as the Mavericks lose a fun one, 142-135, at the Denver Nuggets

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

3 takeaways as the Mavericks lose a fun one, 142-135, at the Denver Nuggets

The Dallas Mavericks (23-50) dropped their fifth straight game Wednesday, falling 142-135 to the Denver Nuggets (45-28) in a game that felt within reach early before completely getting away from them late. Dallas had a few solid stretches to start, showing some offensive rhythm and energy, but couldn’t sustain it as Denver’s shot-making and overall execution took over. Cooper Flagg continued his strong stretch with 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while P.J. Washington added 19 points and 15 rebounds with steady production inside. On the other side, Jamal Murray put together a dominant performance with 53 points, and Nikola Jokić orchestrated everything with 23 points, 21 rebounds and 19 assists, as the Nuggets controlled the game from the middle quarters on.

The Mavericks hung around for stretches in the first half, but a Jamal Murray explosion ultimately tilted the game, as the Denver Nuggets took a 68-59 lead into halftime in a game that quickly started to feel like it was slipping away. Dallas opened with solid energy, getting contributions from multiple spots, as Naji Marshall scored efficiently and Cooper Flagg made his presence felt early as both a scorer and a playmaker, helping keep things within reach. Flagg had a noticeable impact in those opening minutes—knocking down pull-ups, attacking downhill, and creating looks for others—while Marshall’s shot-making kept the offense afloat during key stretches.

But every time the Mavericks made a push, Murray had an answer. He completely took over the second quarter, piling up 33 first-half points on 11-of-15 shooting and 6-of-9 from deep, hitting pull-ups, step-backs, and tough contested shots that Dallas simply couldn’t slow down. At the same time, Nikola Jokić quietly controlled everything else, finishing the half with 11 assists and 9 rebounds, consistently creating easy looks and keeping Denver’s offense flowing even without scoring much himself.

Dallas had some bright spots, though. There were moments especially in the third where Dallas strung together a few stops and got downhill, but it never turned into anything real, as missed shots, turnovers, and Denver’s instant responses kept resetting the margin.

If this game didn’t make it obvious, nothing will Dallas desperately needs a guard who can defend at the point of attack. Jamal Murray didn’t just have a good night, he had complete control, getting wherever he wanted and scoring however he wanted, finishing with 53 points on 19-of-28 shooting and 9-of-14 from three. There was no real resistance at the top of the defense no one who could consistently stay in front, disrupt his rhythm, or even make him uncomfortable. Once he got downhill or into his pull-up game, it was over, and that kind of pressure completely breaks a defense before it even has a chance to rotate.

This is where roster construction starts to matter. Dallas has length and some versatility in the frontcourt, but without a guard who can actually contain the ball, none of it holds up. You can’t ask your bigs to clean everything up every possession, especially against elite shot-makers. That’s why this draft becomes so important. It’s not just about adding talen it’s about adding the right kind of player. Someone who can fight over screens, stay attached, and at least make life harder for guys like Murray at the point of attack.

Because nights like this aren’t just about one player getting hot they expose a structural issue. And until Dallas finds a guard who can defend at that level, this is going to keep happening.

Someone seeds to close, eventually

The Mavericks have played a ton of close games this season, but the results just haven’t followed, and that’s something that continues to show up late in these losses. Too often, possessions in crunch time turn into rushed shots, stalled actions, or empty trips, while a single defensive breakdown on the other end swings momentum the other way. It’s not just one game it’s been a pattern, and it speaks to a team that’s still learning how to execute when everything tightens up.

That said, context matters right now. Dallas isn’t necessarily trying to squeeze out every late-game win at this point in the season, and losses like these actually help their lottery positioning. There’s value in being competitive and getting those reps without sacrificing long-term upside, especially in a strong draft class.

But long term, this is something to watch especially with Cooper Flagg. He’s already showing flashes as a primary creator, but closing games is the next step: controlling tempo, getting to the right spots, and making the right reads under pressure. It’s okay that it’s messy right now given where the team is, but if the Mavericks want to take a real step forward next season, turning these close games into wins has to be part of that growth.

Cooper Flagg continues to shine

Cooper Flagg continues to look more and more like the centerpiece of what Dallas is building, and nights like this are a big part of why. He finished with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, impacting the game in just about every way despite the result. What stands out isn’t just the production it’s how he’s getting it. He’s initiating offense, pushing in transition, making reads out of drives, and consistently putting pressure on the defense as both a scorer and playmaker.

This stretch has been especially encouraging. Over the past few games, Flagg has been steadily trending upward, not just in scoring, but in overall control of the game. He’s starting to look more comfortable as the primary option, picking his spots better and showing more patience when defenses collapse. Even when shots don’t fall, he’s still influencing possessions through rebounds, assists, and defensive activity.

There are still things to clean up, especially late-game execution and shot selection in tighter moments, but that’s expected at this stage. The important part is that the flashes are becoming more consistent. For a team leaning into development, Flagg isn’t just putting up numbers he’s showing real signs of growth as a lead initiator, and that’s the biggest takeaway moving forward.

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