NFC East Power Rankings: Cowboys Hit Rock Bottom After Brutal Week 1 Loss

The path to the NFL playoffs is tough and the best way to ensure you punch a ticket is to take care of business within the division. The Dallas Cowboys didn’t do that in Week 1, as they lost in frustrating fashion to the New York Giants.

That means for the second consecutive season, the Cowboys start out 0-1 and are 0-1 in the NFC East. In 2025, it was the Philadelphia Eagles who handed them a loss, and Dallas wound up finishing second behind the Eagles with a record of 7-9-1.

They have a chance to rebound with the Washington Commanders heading to Dallas this weekend, but for now, they’re kicking off our NFC East Power Rankings in the bottom spot.

4. Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Giants. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There was a lot of blame to pass around following the abysmal performance on Sunday. The offense had its share of issues, including a couple of drops from George Pickens, but it was the defense that was concerning. Christian Parker’s debut as defensive coordinator couldn’t have gone much worse with the Giants bullying them all night.

Brian Schottenheimer said he’s not ready to panic, but he knows his team has to be better. They get a chance to prove Week 1 was a fluke against the Commanders, but if the defense doesn’t show major improvement, things could get ugly.

3. Washington Commanders (0-1)

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin catches a pass for a first down against the Philadelphia Eagles. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Commanders started out looking sloppy, but were able to mount a comeback. In the end, they fell 24-22 to the Eagles following an unsuccessful two-point conversion. Despite the loss, there’s a lot more hope around Washington following their Week 1 performance than there is with the Cowboys.

2. New York Giants (1-0)

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart throws the ball against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cowboys fans are surely sick of hearing about how well the Giants played this weekend, but it’s true. John Harbaugh is a Super Bowl winner and one of the most highly regarded coaches for a reason. He showed that on Sunday as his team exploited every weakness Dallas had. We will learn a lot about them this week, however, as they take on the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert scores a touchdown against Washington Commanders cornerback Rasul Douglas. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Eagles are back-to-back division champs and have won the NFC East three times over the past four years. It never looks pretty and it seems as though head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts are always under the microscope, but they just keep winning. They held on this weekend against the Commanders and even though they weren’t as dominant as the Giants, they remain the team to beat entering Week 2.

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