NFL Week 3 Power Rankings: Cowboys victory gives them a slight boost

So, fresh off a Week 2 win over the Giants, how do the Cowboys look to the rest of the NFL world? Well, it’s a mixed-bag, but let’s just say outsiders aren’t hopping on the bandwagon just yet. Yes, the win over New York did raise the Cowboys standing in the Power Rankings this week, but they are still mainly toward the back-end of the 1-1 teams. Let’s dive in.

ESPN:

17. Dallas Cowboys

2018 record: 1-1

Week 2 ranking: 20

The Cowboys are posting a sack on 11.3 percent of opponents’ dropbacks, the second-highest rate in the NFL. From 2014 to 2018, the Cowboys ranked 26th in that department at 5.4 percent. -- Masi

Mile High Report:

20. Dallas Cowboys This game was never in doubt. From the opening drive you laid it on the Giants and made them look the way they looked last year and so far this year, which is pathetic. I’d like to see you do it again before you really start climbing the ranks though. You got the talent, now keep the momentum going.

Sporting News:

19. Dallas Cowboys 1-1 (last week: 26)

They let Dak Prescott loose as a downfield passer and designed runner, and boom, a lot of good things happened to their offense, eventually setting up Ezekiel Elliott to play the closer role. With a legit defense anchored by a strong front seven and rising secondary, 20 points can get them a lot of wins.

Washington Post:

16. Dallas Cowboys (1-1) | Last Week’s Rank: 22

QB Dak Prescott gave an efficient performance Sunday night after his verbal back-and-forth during the week with Giants safety Landon Collins. It wasn’t a huge night for the offense. But it did enough to win, and the defense was very good.

SB Nation:

22. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 28)

Here is how SB Nation rated the NFC East in their Power Rankings:

Jaguars.com:

18. Dallas Cowboys (1-1) | 20 | Time will tell what this offense really is

Of course, there is always one outlier, one that makes you scratch your head and think, “what is this idiot thinking? Is he just throwing darts?” This week that comes courtesy of Nate Davis at USA Today, who somehow ranks the Cowboys one spot lower after they handily won a game to go to 1-1 on the year.

26. Cowboys (25): Defense out of chute with nine sacks, one off Chicago’s pace. That must continue given lackluster start by Dak Prescott and pass game.

He also ranks the Cowboys behind the winless Texans and Browns. It’s okay to not believe too much in the Cowboys yet, many of us still have doubts, but please, have some objectivity.