Week 3 NFL Power Rankings Roundup: Cowboys Defense Still a Concern

The Dallas Cowboys are 1-1, but their defense is holding them back in NFL power rankings.

Dallas Cowboys LB Dee Winters leaps over safety Jalen Thompson and Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A win in Week 2 kept the rails from falling off for the Dallas Cowboys. Now sitting at 1-1, there's plenty of hope for them, which definitely wouldn't have been there had they started the year with two losses.

That doesn't mean there are no concerns for them now. In fact, the Cowboys had some serious concerns in their win. They surrendered nearly 200 yards on the ground despite being at home and there's no telling what would have happened if Jayden Daniels wasn't injured at the end of the first half.

Dallas is now turning their attention to the Baltimore Ravens, who they will face in Rio de Janeiro in the NFL International Series. This will be their toughest test of the season with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry offering a serious challenge, especially for a team that has had serious concerns on defense.

Those concerns are why the Cowboys are still stuck around the middle of the pack in a roundup of NFL power rankings.

Sports Illustrated: No. 15

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dee Winters reacts after a defensive play against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dallas offense is enough for SI to buy in, but Peter Dewey says their defense has a lot to fix if they want to be contenders. Still, at 1-1 in the NFC East, they can still make some noise, especially if defensive coordinator Christian Parker can get them on track.

"I'm a believer in this Cowboys offense, which was a top-five unit in EPA/Play in 2026. The defense has to come along for them to make the playoffs, but the Cowboys are very much alive in the NFC East through two weeks," Dewey wrote.

ESPN: No. 16

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott scrambles against the Washington Commanders defense. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ESPN kept it pretty simple in their piece, saying they will go as far as star quarterback Dak Prescott can take them.

"The Cowboys will go as far as Dak Prescott can take them," Todd Archer wrote.

Of course, the defense remains a concern. They can't have outings like they did in Week 1 where Prescott hardly touches the ball. They also can't win every game in a shootout. The defense still needs to be able to make the occasional stop.

Bleacher Report: No. 17

Cowboys LBs Jaishawn Barham and Donovan Ezeiruaku celebrate with DT Kenny Clark after a defensive play against the Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brent Sobleski has Dallas 17th, but he had something positive to say about the defense, pointing out they stopped Washington twice in the red zone. A bend but don't break defense would be a blessing for this team that just needs something to believe in on defense.

"Conversely, Dallas' defense remains soft. Washington managed nearly 400 yards of offense. However, the Commanders only converted once during three red-zone trips. The formula basically remains the same for the Cowboys, particularly with the Baltimore Ravens next on the docket," Sobleski wrote.

Fansided: No. 14

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jason La Canfora has the Cowboys on the verge of playoff contention, and as he states, they could have been in trouble if not for the Daniels injury. He also says the hype about the defense this offseason was misguided, but still has faith in the offense.

"They really may have been in trouble if Jayden Daniels didn’t suffer another brutal injury late in the first half. The hype about this defense being much improved — and we were guilty of it, too — might be just that: hype. But the offense is going to rack up points," La Canfora wrote.

The Athletic: No. 16

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaishawn Barham on defense during the first half against the New Orleans Saints. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While most NFL power rankings summarize what has happened, The Athletic decided to spotlight a rookie in their rankings. They touched quickly on Caleb Downs, who has been a stud, but decided to highlight linebacker Jaisahawn Barham. The third-round pick from Michigan has racked up the tackles, had a forced fumble in Week 2, and is now the highest-ranked defensive rookie according to PFF.

"Sure, first-round safety Caleb Downs is starting and filling up the stat sheet — he has 17 tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles — but have you seen what the less heralded Barham is up to? The third-round defensive end from Michigan has 13 tackles, including two for loss. He had seven tackles and a forced fumble against Washington."

We cautioned before the season that expecting the defense to be perfect in Week 1 would have been a mistake. Parker is a first-year defensive coordinator and there are several new faces. It will take time for everything to come together. The important thing is seeing progress every week and we saw some from Week 1 to Week 2.

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