2024 NFL Week 5 Power Rankings: Dallas Cowboys flirting with top 10 territory

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

The latest batch of power rankings are here and the Dallas Cowboys remain firmly outside of the top 10.

We are four weeks into the NFL season which means the data set is large enough to start to draw somewhat legitimate conclusions. Ultimately we are still right around the first quarter mark and football has taught us many times that the following three quarters can dramatically change things. Nevertheless, we have seen a fair bit.

If we have learned anything in 2024, it seems to be that offense is boring except for the times in which it is not, like Jared Goff going 18 for 18 on Monday night. We are seeing the lack of offense somewhat stabilize, perhaps that cream rises to the top now that October is here.

As we do every week we have power ranked all 32 clubs in the NFL as the lay of the land currently sits. We have also curated how outlets across the internet view the Dallas Cowboys to this point in the season.

You can view last week’s power rankings right here.

---

1 - Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 1)

It remains their world until it is not, even if they look a little less intimidating.

2 - Baltimore Ravens (LW: 3)

This seems like a Cowboys loss we will forgive more as the season goes on.

3 - Buffalo Bills (LW: 2)

Sunday night was bad, but the Bills are not in any way. They will be fine.

4 - Minnesota Vikings (LW: 4)

What an insanely fun story. Let’s enjoy the ride.

5 - San Francisco 49ers (LW: 7)

In no way am I comparing this team to the Cowboys for obvious reasons.

But they got to 2-2 with a lackluster win against a bad team as well.

6 - Detroit Lions (LW: 10)

Jared Goff was on fire on Monday night. 18 attempts and zero incompletions. When the Lions get rolling they are tough to beat.

7 - Seattle Seahawks (LW: 5)

Even though the Seahawks lost they appear to be very much for real.

8 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 11)

It appears that last year was not a fluke.

9 - Houston Texans (LW: 6)

Things looked touch and go last week, but the AFC South is theirs to lose with no even moderate challengers. Stacking wins matters.

10 - Washington Commanders (LW: 17)

It is very annoying that they seem to have figured it all out and to have done so with so many former Cowboys people in the building.

11 - New Orleans Saints (LW: 9)

Winless since beating Dallas.

12 - Dallas Cowboys (LW: 19)

Speaking of! They took a step last week, but now it is time to show us they can really grind things out.

13 - Green Bay Packers (LW: 12)

It was great to see Jordan Love back, but that was a tough loss to take at home.

14 - Los Angeles Rams (LW: 13)

Injuries stink.

15 - Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 26)

Congratulations on getting a win on the board at long last.

16 - Atlanta Falcons (LW: 24)

As we discussed much of last Friday, a win is a win. This being said the Falcons managed to get one without scoring an offensive touchdown. Thursday night will call for more.

17 - Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 8)

It really is just such a shame to see them flounder like this. There’s always the Phillies!

18 - Indianapolis Colts (LW: 22)

Can Joe Flacco really do it again?

19 - Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 25)

They are so weird and it doesn’t make any sense.

20 - Chicago Bears (LW: 27)

We keep waiting for the offense to get it together. It is still very early, but it is also fair to say that this has been a bit of a disappointment to this point.

21 - Denver Broncos (LW: 20)

What an ugly win. My goodness.

22 - Arizona Cardinals (LW: 15)

I had such high hopes for them and am having to face the idea that I may have been wrong. They have too much talent to be this bad.

23 - Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 16)

We’ll see you on Sunday.

24 - New York Jets (LW: 18)

Maybe Aaron Rodgers isn’t just going to fix everything?

How long do we need before we can fully admit this?

25 - Tennessee Titans (LW: 29)

A win is a win, but wow this team looks lost.

26 - Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 14)

It always looks so difficult with them.

27 - New England Patriots (LW: 23)

Give us Drake Maye.

28 - Carolina Panthers (LW: 28)

They seem to have heart and that is nice, but they are swimming upstream ultimately.

29 - New York Giants (LW: 21)

26 rushing yards on 24 carries... over 35 minutes time of possession... and a loss.

Truly amazing.

30 - Miami Dolphins (LW: 30)

Their situation is incredibly unfortunate. But consider that Mike McDaniel is regarded as someone who is supposed to be able to make lemonade out of any situation. Right now he is struggling to say the least.

31- Cleveland Browns (LW: 31)

Nothing has changed. It will be interesting to see if Amari Cooper gets dealt.

32 - Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 32)

Funny how nobody has any issue with Trevor Lawrence’s contract given the state of things.

---

NFL.com: 17 (LW: 17)

No movement.

The injuries to Demarcus Lawrence (mid-foot sprain) and Micah Parsons (high ankle sprain) put a real damper on last Thursday’s narrow road win, and they are a big reason that the Cowboys aren’t moving up this week. Parsons has never missed a game at any level of football before, so you know he’s not in great shape right now if he’s a question mark for Sunday. The schedule also doesn’t get any easier. The run defense made a statement against the Giants, and it’s nice to know that essentially your fifth-string cornerback can come up with the game-clinching interception, but the Cowboys can’t keep living this highwire life every game, especially without the benefit of a difference-making ground attack. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb can rally this team, but it’s going to be some heavy lifting these next two weeks before the bye.

ESPN: 15 (LW: 16)

They added what they believed to be the biggest issue on defense for each.

Biggest issue on defense: Stopping the run

Just because the Giants ran for only 26 yards on 24 carries doesn’t mean the Cowboys’ run defense is fixed. It will take multiple weeks for the Cowboys to clear up the 464 rushing yards they yielded to New Orleans and Baltimore. Three of their next four opponents have running games ranked inside the top 10. And Dallas could be without Micah Parsons (ankle) and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) for at least two of those contests. The Cowboys have allowed a touchdown on every 15.88 carries, which is 29th in the league. Their defensive total rush expected points added is minus-13.21; the Rams are 31st at minus-7.43. — Todd Archer

USA Today: 22 (LW: 21)

Dallas certainly did not look great last week. Dropping after a win is not super uncommon. Sometimes it happens.

If it was hard to get excited about this defense stabilizing in a win over the Giants, it’s even harder to get excited about it without its top front seven players, LB Micah Parsons and DE DeMarcus Lawrence, missing a chunk of the upcoming murderers’ row schedule (Steelers, Lions, 49ers, Falcons, Eagles, Texans, Commanders).

Yahoo: 15 (LW: 15)

No movement here. But some optimism long-term.

The Cowboys didn’t look good in their Week 4 victory vs. the Giants. Nobody should panic — the Eagles don’t look great either and the Commanders’ defense still is an issue — but both sides of the ball need to get better.

CBS Sports: 13 (LW: 16)

Close-ish to top 10.

At 2-2, they still don’t look right and now they have major injuries on defense. If Micah Parsons is out for any length of time, they are in big trouble.

The Athletic: 14 (LW: 16)

Up a teeny bit.

Dallas is getting a lot of work out of its rookie class and is going to need more now that DeMarcus Lawrence is out for a while with a foot injury. That opens the door for second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland to get a lot of snaps at defensive end. Kneeland has three quarterback hits in 108 snaps this season. First-round pick Tyler Guyton and third-round pick Cooper Beebe are already starting on the offensive line.

Sports Illustrated: 17 (LW: 22)

Right around average!

The Cowboys got out of the woods here, though I still left wondering why Mike McCarthy rushed the field goal unit on. This seemed like the Cowboys were begging to give the Giants one more crack at the end zone. Still, a win is a win and the Cowboys managed to take another step forward by winning the games they are supposed to win at bare minimum.

---

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.

---