Dallas, TX
The latest batch of power rankings across the NFL

Week 14 has come and gone and the Dallas Cowboys are tied for the best record in the NFL. What a wonderful time to be amongst friends.
It was a 33-13 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles that elevated the Cowboys this past week and as a result they have picked up some positive steam across NFL circles from people who are suddenly willing to give them their due.
But where should they rank among all 32 teams as we roll further into December? Where exactly do these other people have them ranked?
It is time for our weekly power rankings as well as our curation of where outlets across the internet have the Cowboys slotted.
You can see last week’s rankings right here.
1. San Francisco 49ers, 10-3 (LW: 1)
They are without question the best team in the NFL right now. They are terrifying.
2. Dallas Cowboys, 10-3 (LW: 2)
We had them at number two last week and they justified that position.
3. Baltimore Ravens, 10-3 (LW: 4)
They are not always pretty but even when they are not they count the same. Sunday was an impressive victory that Baltimore was able to hold onto.
4. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-3 (LW: 3)
It appears that the status quo has changed.
5. Buffalo Bills, 7-6 (LW: 10)
They are desperate and sort of rolling which offers an uneasy feeling heading into their house.
6. Miami Dolphins, 9-4 (LW: 5)
That was a really tough loss. And even before it happened their offense was not showing up in grand fashion.
7. Cleveland Browns, 8-5 (LW: 14)
Good for Joe Flacco. what a fun story.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-5 (LW: 8)
Obviously they lost but the way they battled and the way that Trevor Lawrence did specifically was really impressive. They are going to be a hard out in the playoffs.
9. Detroit Lions, 9-4 (LW: 6)
It still feels safe to assume that they will win the NFC North, but they seem to be a cut below the top-tier NFC contenders at the moment.
10. Kansas City Chiefs, 8-5 (LW: 7)
Imagine getting all kinds of upset about what was objectively a penalty.
11. Los Angeles Rams, 6-7 (LW: 13)
They seem to really be peaking and hitting their stride. The NFL has yet to see a #7 seed win a playoff game since the added it two years ago, I wouldn’t count the Rams out from shocking somebody if they manage to squeak in.
12. Cincinnati Bengals, 7-6 (LW: 17)
Jake Browning is something else and the Bengals really are The Goonies. They never say die.
13. Houston Texans, 7-6 (LW: 9)
All the best to C.J. Stroud.
14. Denver Broncos, 7-6 (LW: 18)
Sean Payton deserves a lot of credit for making lemonade out of all of this. The Broncos are holding on and finding ways to win.
15. Indianapolis Colts, 7-6 (LW: 12)
They have felt like they were on borrowed time and it sort of caught up to them, but they are very much still in the mix for a playoff spot.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6-7 (LW: 21)
Will they be the team to host the NFC East loser?
17. Green Bay Packers, 6-7 (LW: 11)
They had everything in front of them and lost it at the hands of Tommy DeVito.
18. Seattle Seahawks, 6-7 (LW: 15)
Please help us out next week. We said please.
19. Atlanta Falcons, 6-7 (LW: 16)
Nobody really wants to win the NFC South it seems.
20. New Orleans Saints, 6-7 (LW: 22)
Although they are still in the running for it.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers, 7-6 (LW: 19)
How do you lose that badly, and at home on top of it all, to the Patriots in 2023?
22. Tennessee Titans, 5-8 (LW: 26)
Like the Bengals they can truly never be counted out. What a rally!
23. Minnesota Vikings, 7-6 (LW: 20)
Winning a game 3-0 is… something.
24. New York Giants, 5-8 (LW: 27)
Not only is the Tommy DeVito story a ton of fun, but it is happening at no cost to us given how far out of things the Giants are. They are ruining their hope for a top 5 pick and if DeVito can steal even one against the Eagles down the stretch that would be great.
25. Chicago Bears, 5-8 (LW: 29)
Good for Matt Eberflus!
26. New York Jets, 5-8 (LW: 30)
And seriously good for Zach Wilson. Happy he got his moment.
27. Los Angeles Chargers, 5-8 (LW: 23)
As if watching them were not taxing enough now we have to do it on a Thursday night and in all likelihood without Justin Herbert.
28. Las Vegas Raiders, 5-8 (LW: 24)
Losing a game 3-0 is… something.
29. Arizona Cardinals, 3-10 (LW: 25)
Another potential ray of hope for the Cowboys what with their pending trip to Philly.
30. New England Patriots, 3-10 (LW: 31)
Kudos on the win, I guess?
31. Washington Commanders, 4-9 (LW: 28)
At least they did not lose.
32. Carolina Panthers, 1-12 (LW: 32)
They did for the millionth time.
NFL.com: 3 (LW: 4)
The movement begins.
For a guy who was on the operating table a few days before, Mike McCarthy looked pretty healthy loping over to call timeout prior to the touchdown that gave Dallas a 24-6 halftime lead over rival Philadelphia. McCarthy called all the right shots in that opening half Sunday night, converting on a 60-yard field goal in the first quarter and successfully pulling off the rare TD-notching challenge at the goal line in the second quarter. Things simmered down after that, but in the end, the Cowboys sent a big message that they are indeed serious contenders for both the NFC East crown and the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC playoffs. This was the quality victory Dallas needed, but the next two are at Buffalo and at Miami, so the work isn’t yet done, especially with the Eagles’ remaining schedule a lot more favorable.
ESPN: 2 (LW: 5)
They also added a biggest improvement for every team.
Biggest improvement: Red zone offense
We could say the entire offense, especially the passing game, comparing it to where the Cowboys were after the loss to San Francisco in Week 5, but the red zone improvement has been dramatic. In the first five games, the Cowboys converted touchdowns on 7 of 19 red zone trips (36.8%). Since then, they have scored touchdowns on 25 of 38 opportunities. Quarterback Dak Prescott’s efficiency has matched perfectly with coach Mike McCarthy’s playcalling. This is how you lead the NFL in scoring (32.3 points per game). — Todd Archer
USA Today: 2 (LW: 4)
Deuces wild.
Though they’ll still need some help to win the NFC East, particularly during such a tough stretch of the schedule, no doubt at this point that they’re playing the best football in the division. And speaking of foot and ball, Brandon Aubrey’s remarkable season (perfect on all 30 FG tries) continued in Sunday night’s thrashing of the Eagles when he became the first kicker to connect from 59+ yards twice in the same game. Also, HC Mike McCarthy is undefeated without an appendix.
Yahoo: 2 (LW: 4)
Again.
The Cowboys are still very likely to finish second in the NFC East and get the No. 5 seed (and that seems like it could cost Dak Prescott an MVP award, based on how voters usually decide the award). But now that Dallas has a quality win, it legitimizes the hot streak they’ve been on. There’s a big gap between Dallas and the No. 1 team, but the Cowboys deserve the second spot.
CBS Sports: 2 (LW: 3)
And again.
They beat up the Eagles on Sunday night, but face another tough test on the road against the Bills this week. Dak Prescott is pushing hard for the MVP.
The Athletic: 2 (LW: 3)
Yet another one.
The Cowboys quarterback strengthened his MVP candidacy Sunday night by leading Dallas to a resounding win over the Eagles. Thus far, this is the third-best fantasy season of Prescott’s career (20.98 points per game). On the field, it may be his best. He is second in the league in EPA per attempt (.29) and passer rating (107.5) and his touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.7) is the best of any quarterback with more than 250 attempts this season.
Sports Illustrated: 4 (LW: 6)
The Eagles are number 3 here, by the way.
The NFL season is a series of runs. There are weeks when players feel great and weeks they don’t. There are weeks they feel motivated to slam their bodies into concrete and weeks they don’t. On Sunday, we saw the Cowboys at a peak. The question is—and always has been—whether we will get this in the playoffs against one of two teams (Philadelphia or San Francisco) with a slightly deeper set of personnel.

Dallas, TX
Dallas Cowboys legend Zach Martin retires

FRISCO, Texas – Nine-time Pro Bowler Zach Martin has officially retired.
The Dallas Cowboys guard reflected on his football career on Wednesday and thanked everyone who helped him along the way.
Martin is retiring as one of the most decorated players in franchise history.
Eleven years ago, Cowboys Vice President Stephen Jones convinced his father, Jerry, to draft Martin over quarterback Johnny Manziel. It was the right choice.
The offensive lineman from Notre Dame went on to become a Cowboys legend.
Only Cowboys Hall of Famers Bob Lilly and Randy White were also named first-team All-Pro players seven times.

Martin said his only regret is that he never got to hoist the Lombardi Trophy with his teammates.
“But I am incredibly proud of the road we traveled and everything we accomplished along the way. I hope I left as much of an impression on this organization as it did on me. There’s a deep sense of pride in knowing I gave everything to one team, one city, one team, one organization my entire career,” he said.
Former teammate Tony Romo, who attended Martin’s retirement celebration at The Star, said even as a rookie, Martin was one of the best linemen he’s ever played with.
Martin will be eligible for Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration in 2029.
Dallas, TX
Bucks smoke depleted Mavs, 137-107, as Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo dominate

The Dallas Mavericks hit the road to play the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, a rematch after these teams just played in Dallas on Saturday. The Bucks won that matchup, and Dallas already looks vastly different than they did in that game. Kyrie Irving tore his ACL and Jaden Hardy sprained his ankle on Monday night, adding to a lengthy injury report.
It might be easier to list who actually was available for the Mavericks, but here’s who they were missing: Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Dante Exum, Jaden Hardy, Caleb Martin, and Kai Jones.
With that many players out, Dallas started Spencer Dinwiddie, Max Christie, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Dwight Powell, the 33rd different starting lineup of the season. Milwaukee started Damian Lillard, Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez.
READ MORE: Mavericks coach Jason Kidd blasts media’s ‘wrong’ reporting of Kyrie Irving’s season-ending injury
It was an admirable start for the depleted Mavericks. Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combining for Milwaukee’s first 20 points, Dallas was hanging around thanks to 9 early points from Klay Thompson. But after the game was tied at 16, Milwaukee went on an 18-3 run to take a stranglehold of the game.
Dallas scored six straight points to get the lead back to 10, but they couldn’t get any stops. Kyle Kuzma scored the last seven points of the half for Milwaukee, and they’d take a 43-30 lead into the second quarter.
Max Christie and Brandon Williams helped bring Milwaukee’s advantage down to six again, but then the Bucks reinserted Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard and took off again. Those two continued to terrorize the Mavericks, shooting the ball very efficiently and spreading the ball around to open shooters, allowing the Bucks to shoot 63% from the floor in the first half.
Giannis had 26 points and Damian Lillard had 20, allowing the Bucks to take a 72-53 lead into halftime. Dallas’ offense was playing fine, but they had no rim protection against a team you desperately need it.
READ MORE: Kevin Durant delivers emotional response about Kyrie Irving’s season-ending injury
The third quarter was more of the same, as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard continued to torch the Mavs. Giannis crossed the 20,000 career points mark in the third quarter, but he and Lillard crossed 30 points for the game before the end of the third quarter as the Bucks crossed the century mark with three minutes to go in the frame.
Dallas was still scoring somewhat, as Naji Marshall scored nine points in a row before the end of the quarter, but Milwaukee still had a 106-79 lead heading into the fourth.
There wouldn’t be any unnecessary drama in the fourth quarter, as the Bucks emptied the bench, and went on to win 137-107.
Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 28 points, but he attempted a season-high 27 shots to get there. Naji Marshall (22 points, 10 rebounds, a few of those points came well into garbage time), Brandon Williams (14 points), and Max Christie (13 points) were also in double figures.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were incredible for the Bucks, with Giannis putting up 32 points and 15 rebounds on 13/20 shooting, and Lillard had 34 points on 11/15 shooting, including 5/8 from three. Kevin Porter Jr. had a triple-double off the bench, which made me have to triple-check the stat sheet, finishing with 10 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds. AJ Green (18 points, 6/9 three-point shooting), Kyle Kuzma (17 points), and Jericho Sims (10 points) were also in double figures.
Dallas returns home to play the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
READ MORE: Former Maverick Luka Doncic assists Lakers’ LeBron James for historic milestone
Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024-25 Season
Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter
Dallas, TX
FIFA names Dallas host for International Broadcast Center

FIFA says the Dallas Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center will host the International Broadcast Center for all FIFA World Cup 2026 matches.
The announcement was confirmed Wednesday at Dallas City Hall and marks the second time the city has hosted the IBC. Dallas last hosted the IBC in Fair Park during the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
I’m honored to be with you all today. On behalf of FIFA and FIFA World Cup 26, it’s an absolute pleasure to confirm that Dallas and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center will serve as the International Broadcast Center for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Amy Hopfinger, chief business and strategy officer with FIFA World Cup 26
The IBC is a global broadcast operations center for all 104 matches of the tournament in 16 North American cities, including Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
From January 2026 to August 2026, the IBC will be the nerve center for TV, radio, and new media operations and will house about 2,000 broadcast media representatives.
“Hosting the IBC is a tremendous honor. I still today hear about 1994, hosting that IBC at Fair Park, and the experiences that volunteers had and the people from all over the world that they had a chance to meet,” said Monica Paul, president, North Texas FIFA World Cup 26 Organizing Committee. “I really hope we take this opportunity in 2026 and really show these broadcasters and media why we love Dallas, why we call this place home so they can share that across the world with people in their countries.”
The facility will span 485,000 square feet and ensure seamless coverage of the tournament, reaching billions of fans worldwide. It will serve as the headquarters for FIFA’s host broadcaster, media partners, FIFA content production, and football technology.
“Hosting thousands of professionals for seven months is no small task,” Hopfinger said. “The IBC will offer a range of services for individuals helping to take this groundbreaking tournament, the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup, to over 200 countries worldwide.
In addition to hosting broadcast operations, the IBC will provide wraparound services to help those covering the games, including a 24-hour cafe, express shipping services, banking, and dry cleaning.
Paul and Hopfinger were joined Wednesday by Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson, Zarin Gracey, council member/chair ad hoc committee on professional sports recruitment and retention, City of Dallas, Jesse Moreno, Dallas City Council Member District 2 and Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert.
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