Sunday’s brutal, last-second meltdown against Baltimore at Maracanã might have felt like a punch to the gut for Cowboys Nation, but somehow, this devastating loss didn’t actually torpedo their standing in most power rankings. Dropping to 1-2 only moved Dallas a couple of spots at most, and taking the Ravens down to the wire even bumped them up the ladder by a rung in several outlets. You’d think a loss like that would send them spiraling, right? Nope, not according to the folks watching the numbers.
Schottenheimer’s Clock Blunders and the “Win-Now” Mindset
Anyone who watched that game knows there was plenty of blame to go around, but most observers are pointing the finger squarely at head coach Brian Schottenheimer. His bewildering clock and playcalling decisions in the game’s final minute were just… baffling. Yeah, it’s only his 20th NFL game helming a team, but come on. Every move the Cowboys made this offseason screamed “win-now” mode, and losing a game they had all but locked up could seriously haunt them for the rest of the 2026 campaign. Still, the power rankings consensus seems to be that the sky isn’t actually falling in Dallas, which is wild given how preventable that loss felt.
Elite QBs, Missing Plays, and a Defense That’s Still Searching
ESPN, who ranked the Cowboys No. 15 (up one spot), highlighted George Pickens. He looked great in training camp and was a WR12 in their draft rankings, so it’s a shocker that he hasn’t scored or registered a catch for 20+ yards yet. His production against Baltimore was better with seven catches for 82 yards, but this team, which thrived on big plays in 2025, isn’t getting them this year. Pickens is averaging just 9.6 yards per catch and has gone five straight games without a touchdown.
NFL.com, placing them at No. 11 (also up one), pointed to Schottenheimer again, saying he micromanaged the end-game situation with fear powering his decisions. But hey, there were positives! The defense, which has taken its lumps, finally got a signature goal-line stop, sparking a fourth-quarter comeback. Dak Prescott continued to play at an elite level, connecting with both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Plus, rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham logged his first significant pro stop. The problem? That defense allowed a deep pass for a walk-off field goal that shouldn’t have even been on the table. NFL.com called it a “good lesson to learn in the first month.”
The Athletic had them at No. 17 (down one), noting Prescott missed a wide-open Pickens at a critical moment. Ultimately, though, it was a bad defense and poor game management that sealed their fate. It’s a “perfect microcosm” of Prescott’s 11-year career: really good, but not quite good enough to overcome everything else. Since 2016, Prescott is fifth in passing yards (36,719), sixth in passing touchdowns (250), and tenth in EPA per dropback (0.12), but he only has two playoff wins. CBS Sports (No. 16, up one) summed it up: “Losing to the Ravens with one second left is a tough one to take.” Yahoo Sports (No. 16, up one) just said they “completely blew the final 23 seconds,” with an incomplete pass, a false start, and then Dak Prescott… you get the picture.
Next up, the Cowboys face a desperate Texans team on the road. Can they actually turn these “lessons learned” into wins, or will these late-game collapses keep coming back to haunt them? We’re all watching to see if they can finally put a full 60 minutes together.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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