NEW YORK (AP) — Big D has made a big move all the way to the top.
The Dallas Cowboys, who have the NFL’s best record, moved into the No. 1 spot in the latest AP Pro32 poll , which was released Tuesday.
Dallas received 10 first-place votes for 382 points from balloting by media members who regularly cover the NFL.
The Cowboys (8-1) have won eight in a row going into Sunday’s home game against Baltimore.
“A case can be made that right here, right now, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is the MVP, Offensive Player of the Year AND Offensive Rookie of the Year,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.
The Seattle Seahawks jumped three spots to No. 2 for 359 points.
“Pete Carroll says he likes this Seahawks team better than any he’s ever coached — up to and including the teams that won a Super Bowl and got there the next year,” Glauber said. “His win over the Patriots tells you why he has that conviction.”
New England dropped from the top spot to No. 3 after Sunday’s 31-24 loss to Seattle. The Patriots (7-2) still received the other two first-place votes for 358 points.
“Bill Belichick and his staff still have some work to do with a defense that misses the presence of Jamie Collins,” said Ira Kaufman of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Collins was traded to the Browns last month for a conditional draft pick.
AFC West teams own the next three spots in the poll.
The Kansas Chiefs remained at No. 4. The Oakland Raiders, tied with the Chiefs for first place at 7-2, dropped two spots to No. 5 after a bye week.
And the Denver Broncos (7-3) inched up a spot to No. 6 after their 25-23 win over the Saints .
The New York Giants, in second place in a tightly bunched NFC East, moved up to No. 7 after Monday’s 21-20 win over the reeling Bengals.
“A dormant pass rush came alive Monday night to bury Andy Dalton while raising the playoff hopes of Big Blue supporters,” Kaufman said.
The Atlanta Falcons dropped two spots to No. 8 going into their bye week.
The Washington Redskins at No. 9 and the Philadelphia Eagles rounded out the top 10 as the entire NFC East was represented in the top one-third of the poll.