ESPN Power Rankings: Cowboys #19

[Nav22]

This should be fun...

http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings?year=2009&week=7

2009 Power Rankings: Week 7

RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT

1 (1) Colts 5-0-0 Looking at the Colts' schedule, it is difficult to come up with many really tough games the rest of the season. A 14-2 record looks very attainable. (M. Williamson)

2 (4) Saints 5-0-0 Drew Brees has 13 TD passes despite a bye week. The rest of the NFC South quarterbacks have 20 combined. (Sando)

3 (3) Vikings 6-0-0 They seem stronger and stronger with each passing week. (Chadiha)

4 (5) Broncos 6-0-0 This is a very well-balanced team that doesn't beat itself and has maximized its personnel. That is awfully good coaching. (M. Williamson)

5 (2) Giants 5-1-0 The "Big Easy" in New Orleans was how Drew Brees rolled through the Giants' defense. (Clayton)

6 (10) Patriots 4-2-0 How many points can Tom Brady put up on Tampa Bay after putting up 59 on Tennessee? (Clayton)

7 (8) Falcons 4-1-0 Matt Ryan seems to be hitting his stride for the Falcons, a good thing while the run game finds its way. (Sando)

8 (13) Steelers 4-2-0 Big Ben had a big game against Cleveland, but four turnovers are a concern. (Chadiha)

9 (6) Bengals 4-2-0 Matt Schaub shredded them in their loss to Houston. (Chadiha)

10 (12) Bears 3-2-0 Red zone problems killed them in a loss to Atlanta. (Chadiha)

11 (11) Ravens 3-3-0 Three straight tough losses have brought the Ravens back to Earth. (Chadiha)

12 (7) Eagles 3-2-0 Andy Reid has to live with Sunday's reality: He was outcoached by Tom Cable. (Clayton)

13 (14) Packers 3-2-0 They still haven't found a way to protect QB Aaron Rodgers. (Chadiha)

14 (16) Chargers 2-3-0 The Chargers' passing game is among the best in the league. But the line play is extremely suspect, particularly on defense. (M. Williamson)

15 (15) 49ers 3-2-0 Desperate for offense, the 49ers are moving rookie WR Michael Crabtree into the starting lineup against Houston. (Sando)

16 (19) Cardinals 3-2-0 Billy Davis' defense validated its No. 1 ranking in rushing yards allowed, but a bigger test awaits at Giants Stadium. (Sando)

17 (22) Texans 3-3-0 This was an impressive win in Cincinnati. They took away the Bengals' run game, and Matt Schaub was nearly flawless. Can their defense keep it up? (M. Williamson)

18 (9) Jets 3-3-0 All of a sudden, Mark Sanchez is starting to play like a rookie. (Clayton)

19 (17) Cowboys 3-2-0 The Cowboys had a quiet bye week to reflect upon where they are as a team. (Clayton)

20 (18) Dolphins 2-3-0 You wonder how many more Wildcat plays the Dolphins invented during a bye week. (Clayton)

21 (21) Jaguars 3-3-0 The offense shows promise and can cause problems with its balanced attack. The defense is among the worst in the league. Add it all up and you get a team near the bottom of the middle-of-the-roaders. (M. Williamson)

22 (23) Panthers 2-3-0 Nothing comes easy for the Panthers even in victory. Four touchdowns and 10 picks for Jake Delhomme so far. (Sando)

23 (20) Seahawks 2-4-0 This team could use a bye month to sort through the infirmary and find some healthy offensive linemen. (Sando)

24 (25) Bills 2-4-0 Dick Jauron finally let the Bills' offense huddle, but now they have to see whether Trent Edwards (concussion) can be in one. (Clayton)

25 (29) Raiders 2-4-0 To say the Raiders' victory (without Nnamdi Asomugha for much of the game) over the Eagles was a shocker would be a massive understatement. But, Oakland still has plenty of problems. (M. Williamson)

26 (26) Lions 1-5-0 They need to find some defense in Motown. (Chadiha)

27 (24) Commanders 2-4-0 Now that he's no longer the playcaller, Jim Zorn is vulnerable to being fired midseason. (Clayton)

28 (30) Chiefs 1-5-0 At Washington, Kansas City got its first victory of the season. Let's see whether the Chiefs can get two. (M. Williamson)

29 (28) Browns 1-5-0 If Brady Quinn weren't so bad, the Browns would've benched Derek Anderson by now. (Chadiha)

30 (27) Titans 0-6-0 How do you rank this team? After coming off the most embarrassing loss in recent memory, this is now the lowest of lows for Jeff Fisher's club. (M. Williamson)

31 (31) Buccaneers 0-6-0 More than 36 points separate the Bucs' passer rating (64.9) from their opponents' passer rating against them (101.0). Not good. (Sando)

32 (32) Rams 0-6-0 Another injury has hit Donnie Avery just as the Rams' top and perhaps only receiving threat was gaining momentum. (Sando)

 

[jobberone]

Who cares? Really.

 

[Nav22]

Very similar to what Peter King thinks of us.

We're the worst 3-2 team in football.

We're also worse than almost every .500 team, with Jacksonville being the only exception.

We're even worse than a 2-3 team, San Diego. San Diego moved up 2 spots this week despite losing at home by double digits.

 

[windward]

That list is a joke.

 

[gimmesix]

That list is a joke.

It's fair to say Dallas hasn't proved it should be ranked higher. Beat the Falcons and that will change.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It's fair to say Dallas hasn't proved it should be ranked higher. Beat the Falcons and that will change.

That's about the size of it.

I'm not surprised that some homers have their collective noses bent out of shape over the rankings.

 

[windward]

It's fair to say Dallas hasn't proved it should be ranked higher. Beat the Falcons and that will change.

It's not just Dallas.

How do the Chargers move up 2 spots for example?

I'd personally have us around 15th.

 

[windward]

That's about the size of it.

I'm not surprised that some homers have their collective noses bent out of shape over the rankings.

I'm not surprised that you're jumping to conclusions.

 

[Nav22]

It's fair to say Dallas hasn't proved it should be ranked higher.

Disagree. Not that the ranking matters, but our #19 ranking isn't the least bit "fair".

We have a better record than the Jets and they just lost back-to-back games to losing teams. Why do they deserve to be ranked higher than us?

 

[WoodysGirl]

Week 7 power rankings: Beast is fading fast

October 20, 2009 3:50 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Each Tuesday, the nation gathers around its collective laptop to check out the ESPN.com's Power Rankings. Bosses claim that Tuesday has become the new Monday in terms of low productivity -- and they attribute that mostly to our rankings. Please enjoy our analysis of where the NFC East teams ended up:

5. New York Giants: After that performance against the Saints, it's hard to argue with the Giants falling three spots. Every member of the four-man panel had the Giants fifth, and that's what we call a consensus. I think the Giants will bounce back up to at least No. 3 at some point this season, but they better start by getting a win over the Cardinals. All in all, a three-spot drop seems about right.

12. Philadelphia Eagles: It's impossible to label this team right now, but we know they were awful Sunday. The panel made the Eagles pay, dropping them five spots from last week's No. 7. Jeff Chadiha was the most forgiving voter, putting the Eagles' 10th on his ballot. Mike Sando, master of the spreadsheet, responded swiftly and harshly to the Raiders loss. He had the Eagles at No. 13. But honestly, it's hard to blame him.

19. Dallas Cowboys: It was one of the best bye weekend's in the history of the franchise -- but they fell two spots. John "The Professor" Clayton did his part in trying to rescue the Cowboys by voting them No. 15. But Sando continued his attack of the Beast by putting the Cowboys No. 20 on his ballot. He has the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins ahead of the Cowboys.

27. Washington Commanders: The Commanders fell three spots -- and it certainly could've been a worse. Chadiha had them four spots ahead of the Chiefs at No. 25. I would've made sure to put the Chiefs in front of the Skins after Sunday's performance. Sando and voting newcomer Matt Williamson pounded the Skins with a No. 29 ranking.

Here's something to do in your spare time today. Go back and take a look at how the NFC East teams have done in the power rankings since 2002.

Both the NFC North and AFC North ended the NFC East's reign in terms of average ranking this week. Chadiha tried to hang in there with the Beast (14.25), but he was thwarted by Sando's 16.75 average for the Beast. Sando was responsible for giving each of the NFC East teams their lowest vote. That's something he'll have to live with for a long time.

 

[casmith07]

2-3 Chargers ahead of all the rest of those other teams?

 

[gimmesix]

Disagree. Not that the ranking matters, but our #19 ranking isn't the least bit "fair".

We have a better record than the Jets and they just lost back-to-back games to losing teams. Why do they deserve to be ranked higher than us?

Dallas hasn't proven anything to say it should be ranked higher. Our victories have come against teams that were winless, so we haven't shown we deserve to be above anyone, other than the teams we've beaten.

Not saying that several teams deserve to be ranked higher, just that a case can easily be made right now that Dallas can only beat bad teams.

I don't care about rankings, but I just don't think a decent argument can be made to say Dallas deserves a better one right now.

To specifically address your question, though, the Jets have two "quality" victories, over Houston and New England.

 

[windward]

2-3 Chargers ahead of all the rest of those other teams?

Quiet. You're being a blind homer if you think the Cardinals are playing better than the Chargers.

 

[CoCo]

I truly don't care about these rankings, but I do find it interesting how Dallas is consistently ranked below their record.

I've never been one to claim bias but I think this season there is clearly evidence of an anti-Dallas bias amongst some of these media.

So be it. But interesting.

 

[gimmesix]

It's not just Dallas.

How do the Chargers move up 2 spots for example?

I'd personally have us around 15th.

The Chargers have a "quality" victory over Miami. We have none.

I don't think a good case can really be made for either team right now, but I guess that's why I'm not big on rankings.

 

[Avaj]

About right

 

[casmith07]

Quiet. You're being a blind homer if you think the Cardinals are playing better than the Chargers.

you're right, what am I thinking. The Giants should have moved up after losing to the Saints!!

 

[windward]

The Chargers have a "quality" victory over Miami. We have none.

I don't think a good case can really be made for either team right now, but I guess that's why I'm not big on rankings.

Still doesn't make any sense why they'd move UP after losing by double digits at home.

 

[FLcowboy]

It's fair to say Dallas hasn't proved it should be ranked higher. Beat the Falcons and that will change.

Okay, the Falcons are ranked 7th, right? The Cowboys at 19. If the Cowboys beat the Falcons, then they should be ranked no lower than #9, like todays worst 4-2 team. Wanna bet they won't make it inside #11?

 

[gimmesix]

Okay, the Falcons are ranked 7th, right? The Cowboys at 19. If the Cowboys beat the Falcons, then they should be ranked no lower than #9, like todays worst 4-2 team. Wanna bet they won't make it inside #11?

They should logically rank above teams with less "quality" victories, but not necessarily any higher than that.

It isn't about being 4-2, it's how you got there, and then your ranking is still at the whim of the writers doing the rankings, which is why I don't care for rankings.