NFL Power Rankings, Week 1: Where do Cowboys land following shocking trade?

The regular season is finally here and the first game of the 2025 NFL season will feature the Dallas Cowboys.

America's Team will head to The City of Brotherly Love to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

MORE: Cowboys vs Eagles Week 1 odds for 2025 opener: Dallas is heavy underdog

It will be a massive test for the Cowboys, who are coming off a 7-10 campaign.

The Cowboys also recently traded away their top defensive player, sending Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. That move could potentially help down the road since they received multiple draft picks, but it hurts them in our initial NFL Power Rankings this season.

32. New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore questions a play call against the Denver Broncos. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Heading into 2025, the New Orleans Saints will turn to former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their head coach. He has a strong offensive background, but far too many questions throughout the offense.

31. Cleveland Browns

Joe Flacco is set to start for the Cleveland Browns, who somehow found a way to turn their QB situation into more of a joke than it already was.

30. New York Jets

Aaron Glenn has the makings of a successful NFL head coach, but the Jets have a long way to go before they can be taken seriously.

29. Indianapolis Colts

Daniel Jones is the starter for the Indianapolis Colts. We all know how well that could end up going.

28. New York Giants

New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson celebrates a TD during the first quarter against the New England Patriots. | Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Russell Wilson is set to start, which will help Malk Nabors. Still, the Giants have a lot of questions to answer before being taken seriously.

27. Carolina Panthers

Carolina turned it up a notch at the end of 2024 and could be a surprise team in 2025. If they can find some consistency, they could climb up these rankings.

26. Tennessee Titans

The Titans feel as though they finally have their star quarterback in Cam Ward, but they've thought they had it all figured out in the past.

25. New England Patriots

The key to success in 2025 for the Patriots will be whether or not Drake Maye is able to develop into a legit starter.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence looks on from the field before the game against the Miami Dolphins. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Trevor Lawrence has shown enough flashes to believe in him, but the Jaguars continue to let their fans down. This year, it's even more likely they leave their faithful wanting more as they're changing coaching staffs once again.

23. Miami Dolphins

This feels like a make-or-break year for head coach Mike McDaniel. Following their 2024 campaign, the needle is pointing toward break.

22. Atlanta Falcons

Not moving on from Kirk Cousins could lead to some unnecessary drama for the Falcons as they turn to Michael Penix.

21. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have been up-and-down for the past several years, which is what we should expect in 2025.

20. Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pete Carroll returns from his one-year absence and has Geno Smith under center. Throw in Ashton Jeanty at running back and the Raiders could be fun.

19. Seattle Seahawks

Mike Macdonald has the Seahawks' defense trending in the right direction. If Sam Darnold and Klint Kubiak get the offense rolling, they might be a factor in the NFC West.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers

Aaron Rodgers could be a major headache for the Steelers, but Mike Tomlin has dealt with worse. Look for Pittsburgh to flirt with the postseason.

17. Chicago Bears

If Ben Johnson can unlock Caleb Williams, the Chicago Bears can be one of the top offenses in the NFL. They would also be one of the most entertaining.

16. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb and QB Dak Prescott during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The loss of Micah Parsons hurts the Dallas defense, which has them heading into Week 1 as massive underdogs. The Cowboys can make a statement with a win, but even if Parsons would have been retained, their success, or lack thereof, is dependent on the health of quarterback Dak Prescott.

15. San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco could be in trouble this season now that their quarterback is no longer on his rookie deal. It's going to be interesting to see how general manager and head coach John Lynch keep things rolling.

14. Houston Texans

A new offensive coordinator could do wonders for C.J. Stroud, who had a huge sophomore slump. If he struggles again in 2025, there won't be any excuses.

13. Minnesota Vikings

Letting Sam Darnold leave in favor of J.J. McCarthy is a bold move. The Vikings are good enough to win without elite QB play, but McCarthy has to at least be average. Whether he can do that is still an unknown.

12. Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson assists with a drill during a preseason training camp practice. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cincinnati had their own issues with a disgruntled pass rusher, but Trey Hendrickson will be on the field in Week 1. That's great news for them because their defense was awful with him last year and could be historically bad without him.

11. Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh doesn't know how to do anything other than win. At this point, it would be shocked to see him coach a team that isn't in playoff contention.

10. Denver Broncos

One of the surprise teams of 2024 was the Denver Broncos. Now, they have to get the job done when the expectations are raised.

9. Los Angeles Rams

Every offseason, there seems to be some concern surrounding Matthew Stafford's health. Despite this, they continue to make the playoffs and should do so again in 2025.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QBs Baker Mayfield, Kyle Trask, and Connor Bazelak take the field before a game against Tennessee. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Baker Mayfield has completely changed the narrative and is one of the top passers in the NFL after throwing for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns in 2024. Tampa Bay went 10-7, but their division has gotten weaker, which will only help them improve on that mark.

7. Washington Commanders

One of the surprise teams last year was the Washington Commanders, who went to the NFC Championship Game in their season under head coach Dan Quinn. It won't be as easy now that they're the hunted, but they have the pieces in place to make plenty of noise once again.

6. Green Bay Packers

Adding Micah Parsons vastly improves their pass rush, but do the Green Bay Packers have anyone who can stop the run? That could be their lone weakness, but they're still going to be a force.

5. Detroit Lions

This could be a defining season for head coach Dan Campbell. His team was one-and-done in the postseason following a 15-2 season and lost both coordinators in the offseason. Campbell has to find a way to put the sting from that loss in the rearview while keeping both the offense and defense on track following the big changes.

4. Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushes along the sideline during the second half against the Buffalo Bills. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Lamar Jackson had a brief injury scare, but will suit up in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills. That's a battle of juggernauts as the Ravens take on the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year.

3. Buffalo Bills

Reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen and the Bills are aiming for a sixth consecutive AFC East title. That's impressive, but their focus is on finally bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Western New York.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are still the top team in the AFC and will remain there until someone knocks them off. Buffalo and Baltimore have a shot, but it's hard to bet against Patrick Mahomes.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The defending champions enter the season atop the NFL mountain. The Cowboys have a golden opportunity to knock them down a peg in Week 1, but the Eagles might be in this spot for a while.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Cowboys from Dallas Cowboys on SI —

Micah Parsons FaceTimes viral young Cowboys fan heartbroken over trade to apologize

Jerry Jones' salary cap failures led to Micah Parsons trade, NFL announcer says

Dallas Cowboys, All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland agree to massive contract extension before Week 1

Eagles name starting CBs, give Cowboys WRs opportunity to feast in Week 1

Jerry Jones doubles down on 'stopping run' narrative for Cowboys' Micah Parsons trade

PHOTOS: Meet Kleine Powell, star of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Netflix doc