Herd Hierarchy: Colin Cowherd Ranks the 10 Best NFL Teams After Week 9 – November 10th
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10. Las Vegas Raiders (5-3) (6)
“I moved the Raiders down after a win. If it wasn’t for a bobble, they lose to the Chargers. They’ve won three of their last four games on the road, and there’s something to them. They beat Kansas City, and they have 13 straight games with 300+ yards. Derek Carr is top 5 in completion percentage. I like them. I think there’s a way for them to win, and I don’t think they’re good enough to win defensively, and as we get into Thanksgiving and beyond, defense becomes a much bigger deal. They’re a good football team, but I think there’s a ceiling there. I’ve seen them get rolled by Buffalo and Tampa at home. I don’t love them but I like them. When they do a little ‘bully ball’ on offense they can control it and win, but I see some cracks here, and I thought they were a little bit lucky this weekend.”
9. Miami Dolphins (5-3) (10)
“I think the Dolphins would beat the Raiders if they played today. Their head coach is great, they’ve got two defensive touchdowns the last two weeks – that leads the NFL. They’ve got a better defense than the Raiders, and similarly they’ll be very efficient at quarterback. They play as hard as anyone in the league. From special teams to defense, they’ve got a lot of different ways then can score and beat you. I like what Miami is doing. Going to Arizona and winning that game in Tua’s second start blew me away.”
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) (2)
“I think the Dolphins would lose to Tampa Bay. Let’s not go crazy on Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay would beat Miami because of their experience at quarterback. Tampa has a reality now. They’re really inconsistent and they’re a Wild Card team. They’re 0-2 against the Saints, that’s their reality. Their defense has forced the most turnovers in the NFL, and is tied for the most interceptions, but even their defense has been inconsistent. On their good days they can beat anybody, and on their bad days they’re embarrassing.”
7. Seattle Seahawks (6-2) (4)
“The Seahawks would beat Tampa. Despite what I saw in Buffalo – Seattle had won their last 10 East Coast road trips – here is their issue: they are BAD against mobile quarterbacks. Brady is not mobile and I think they beat Tampa. They’re the first team in the NFL to score and allow 23+ points in 9 consecutive games. Their games are all shootouts, and the Seahawks NEVER play a normal game ever. All of their games are wack, and all of their games are crazy. Their defense has allowed three different quarterbacks to throw for 400+ yards this year, and it’s all the mobile guys. With Carlos Dunlap and Jamal Adams they WILL get better defensively. If they played Tampa, who has a pocket quarterback, they would win.”
6. Buffalo Bills (7-2) (Unranked)
“I think Buffalo would beat Seattle. How do I know? Because I just watched them. Buffalo is two teams. When John Brown is healthy and playing wide receiver they are a HANDFUL. When he’s not they’re not as dangerous offensively. Josh Allen is playing well, and they’re on a three-game winning streak. Let’s be fair, they’ve only lost two games – Chiefs and Titans. They’re good. I like their coach, and their quarterback is good when he’s got his full arsenal of people. Their defense isn’t great, but I think good coaches elevate what you are, so if you’re average defensively can you at least be situationally OK on defense? I think Buffalo can.”
5. New Orleans Saints (6-2) (Unranked)
“I could put the Saints number one after what they did this weekend, so I don’t want to overreact. They’re on a five-game winning streak. I thought their defense FINALLY showed up. They have Emmanuel Sanders and Michael Thomas back. This is a big Vegas thing – they have the second best yardage differential in the NFL. They’ve outgained their opponents by over 650 yards, Vegas loves that. If you win yardage over the course of a season you win 10-12 games. Right now they’re a number one seed. I don’t want to overreact to it, but I love what I saw from their defense. Let’s be honest, they’ve been all beat up at wide receiver for a month, so now when they’re healthy it’s a different looking team.”
4. Green Bay Packers (6-2) (8)
“Here’s my thing with Green Bay. I know what they are on their good days, and I know what they are on their bad days. But they usually have good days. I think they’re going to win 13 games, I think they’re going to be the number 1 or number 2 seed, I think Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams are the most lethal quarterback and wide receiver combo in the league, and I love Aaron Jones. There’s so much I love about this team, I just don’t think they’re good in a phone booth. But I do think a couple of the teams they don’t match up well against like Baltimore, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh – Oh, they’re in the AFC, and San Francisco is OUT in the NFC. I think a lot of teams in the NFC they DO match up with.”
3. Baltimore Ravens (6-2) (5)
“Everyone is selling their Ravens’ stock, but I want to read you two things. They have 31 straight games scoring over 20 points – longest streak in the league, and you’re all telling me how bad their offense is. Twenty-one consecutive games they’ve had a takeaway – that’s the longest streak in the NFL as well. We gotta slow down on Baltimore. They give you 27 points a week, minimum, and they take the ball away from you. Lamar was 10/10 against the Colts in the second half. They’re not perfect offensively when throwing the ball, but they’re fine. They lost to the Steelers by a play on a turnover plagued afternoon. I still think they’re one of the three or four best teams in the league.”
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-0) (3)
“They drive me nuts but they have the most sacks, multiple touchdown passes for Big Ben, every game is close – they’re too emotional for me. But I will say this; they’ve just got a bunch of good players. They draft them well and they develop them. I’ve been critical of Mike Tomlin before, Sunday is why. There’s only one great team in this league, and everybody else we can argue over. You’re 8-0, I’ll put you at two.”
1. Kansas City Chiefs (8-1) (1)
“I think they’re their own category. Head coach: A+. Quarterback: A+. Weapons: A+. Defense: A-. There’s nothing not to like. They play well from behind, and they play well with the lead. They had a little bit of a hiccup in a shootout versus the Raiders. I really like what they’re doing with Mahomes. The average NFL quarterback throws 35 times a game, and he’s now throwing 30. They’re building a running game and they’re protecting him. There’s nothing I don’t like about them. It’s funny, the last 20 years we had a dynasty that was efficient but kind of boring. They’re the opposite. I don’t see a weakness now that they’ve started playing defense. Right now they’re the best team in the league, and then there’s nine other good teams that on their best day probably couldn’t beat them.”
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