Agreed. The beginning of the season wasn't that bad. The ratings were still ok. The ratings really started falling when the show became about Angelica and the jungle emerald mine story. When Pam disappeared in the jungle the ratings did go back up. That was the last big number for Dallas until the cliffhanger.
Season 10 ended all of those three stories and put the awful pairing of Jenna and Ray together. Jenna became what Donna feared the last two seasons before. A housewife obeying her husband and dressed like sh!t.
I also noticed when the Knots writers took over as producers too that we had female friendships in Sue Ellen and Jamie plus Jenna and Donna.