How Far Did Cowboys Flop in Power Rankings?

Now that the last of the confetti during the 2021-22 NFL season has fallen, Sports Illustrated has ranked each team's past season.

FRISCO - The 2021-22 NFL season was full of excitement, surprises and drama. After 285 games this season, the Los Angeles Rams are Super Bowl LVI champions, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 with 112.3 million people viewing. 

The other 31 NFL teams watched on - some in early stages of rebuilds, several with hot seats and all with aspirations to take the next championship crown.

The Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East Division and made the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2018. However, Dallas' 12-5 run came to an abrupt end at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round. Now Dallas' focus shifts to Glendale, Arizona and Super Bowl LVII. 

Before diving into the offseason ... 

Now that the last of the confetti during the 2021-22 NFL season has fallen, Sports Illustrated has ranked each team's past season. In the last edition of Power Rankings, the Cowboys land at No. 8. 

The heat will be turned up on Mike McCarthy in Dallas after a first-round playoff exit (and with Sean Payton moving from the sideline to the studio), but when isn’t there pressure and attention on this team?

Looking back, is the No. 8 rank too low?

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With quarterback Dak Prescott back under center (after a gruesome ankle injury in 2020), Dallas was first in total yards per game (407) and second in passing yards per game (282.4). Cornerback Trevon Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions. Rookie Micah Parsons terrified opponents and earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. 

The Cowboys totaled six players on the NFC Pro Bowl team and would have been a seventh had Prescott not turned down a replacement invite.

However, an inconsistent offensive attack and penalty problem kept the team from achieving their ultimate goal; a Super Bowl ring. The fizzle and flop at the end of the season caused many to feel disappointed (including Deion Sanders, who says they "choked".)

“We were expecting to go so much further,” Prescott said in a visit on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “This team was one that, we had everything. We thought we were headed in the right direction and doing everything we needed to do.''

Looking ahead, do the Cowboys impressive collection of stars has championship mettle? The Cowboys appear to have everything on paper to contend again in 2022. Once again expectations are high; Dallas has the fourth-best odds (+1200) to win Super Bowl LVII. 

It has been 26 years since the Cowboys have made it to the Super Bowl, but maybe this season will end the drought.