Week 9's come-from-behind win was desperately needed in Dallas, maybe even the only thing that prevented an all-out clearance sale at the trade deadline (although cratering ticket sales, attendance, merch totals, and viewership for five home dates would have been an even more un-Jerry-Joneslike move).

The Cowboys "still have a pulse," in the words of one analyst, thanks to the 27-23 victory. Barely edging out the Colts, though, clearly in a lost season of their own, didn't make any real believers when it comes to the power rankings for the NFL's Week 10. The Cowboys had almost nowhere to go but up in the eyes of most experts, so they did... by a couple of rungs on the lowest section of the ladder.

But not all of them. Despite a win that moved them to within one game of .500 and kept them alive in the race for this year's dinged-up-and-dented NFC East crown, more than one major outlet actually downgraded Dallas, suggesting the uneven performance in Indy merely revealed the true colors of a team that is "deeply flawed" and obviously going nowhere in 2026.

Here's a roundup of what the power rankings had to say about the Cowboys heading into a daunting matchup with the 49ers.

ESPN: No. 20, ▲3

"Quarterback Dak Prescott said every game the rest of the way is a 'must-win' for the Cowboys, and he might not be wrong considering their record. But let's say the Cowboys manage to string together some wins and find themselves in the NFC East chase since the path to a wild-card bid is just too packed. That puts the Week 17 rematch with the Giants in the crosshairs as a potential winner-take-all meeting. From 2011 to 2013, the Cowboys faced a de facto NFC East title game in each regular-season finale and lost them all. They would love to have that kind of opportunity this season."

"The Cowboys won a game against an opponent in the Colts whom most have written off because their own front office is already looking toward the future. This victory won’t carry much weight in the larger picture, but hey, at least the offense broke 500 yards and the defense recorded a win-sealing takeaway."

"With another monster game Sunday (10 receptions for 195 yards and a touchdown), CeeDee Lamb became the first player in NFL history to record at least 70 catches and at least 900 yards in each of his first seven seasons. But the only team with a worse defense based on EPA per play is the lowly Dolphins, which is why the Cowboys are still under .500."

"They made it interesting against a bad Colts team, which isn't a good sign. But they found a way. Now comes a tough test against the 49ers."

"With 1:37 left in Sunday's game, the Cowboys fell behind a Colts team that had previously traded two of its best players and was embarrassed 42-7 by the Jaguars the week before. The Cowboys won, with a huge 46-yard completion to Ryan Flournoy leading to a game-winning touchdown, but it was still a performance that showed the Cowboys are not capable of being much better than they've been this season. Had they lost, there would have been serious questions about whether players like George Pickens should be traded from a 3-6 team. Instead, the Cowboys stayed alive in the NFC East. If there was a positive that gives hope for a better second half, Dallas' defense played its best game of the season. It came against an Indianapolis offense that has been miserable, but Dallas will take progress where it can get it. The Cowboys allowed a season-low 271 yards. The Colts had 70 net yards and seven points (on a 19-yard drive after a turnover) through their first eight drives. Rookie safety Caleb Downs had a long-awaited impact with a sack and a game-sealing interception. The Cowboys' defense isn't suddenly good, but at least there can be optimism it's getting better."

"They outgained the Colts by 237 yards in what was easily their best defensive performance of the season − yes, very low bar − and still barely beat a team taking its roster down to the studs."

"When you’re inactive with a hamstring injury, the best thing you can do is run onto the field—emphasis run—in sweats and force a 15-yard penalty to be called because you forgot the rules of football."

"Even the games against the bad teams are a struggle."

"Sunday's badly needed win over the reeling Colts summed up the 2026 Dallas Cowboys—for better and for worse. There was the good: more than 500 yards of offense and big games from quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Javonte Williams, and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. There was bad: another uneven defensive performance. And there was the ugly: 14 penalties for more than 150 yards. While talking to the media, Prescott said that style points didn't matter as much as the final score. 'We got it done,' Prescott said. 'It wasn't the prettiest, it wasn't the best second half from the whole team, but we got it done. We said at the beginning of the game, whatever it takes to come out with a win and we did that.' The Cowboys still have a pulse, but they remain a deeply flawed team that needs significant improvement to make a serious postseason run.