Herd Hierarchy: Colin Cowherd Ranks the 10 Best NFL Teams After Week 16 – December 29th
(VIDEO SEGMENT AT BOTTOM OF PAGE)
10. Cleveland Browns (10-5) (7)
“Listen, I’m still going to put the Cleveland Browns into it. In the Jets game they were missing too many players. Here’s what worries me – NOT that they’ve lost two of three; what worries me is that they’re the only team with a winning record in the NFL that has a negative point differential. That’s something Vegas looks at. THAT is not a Super Bowl winning team. They’re a playoff team, and I do think they’ll beat Pittsburgh on Sunday and make it in. They have the highest graded offensive line in the NFL. I’ve told you before, they remind me of the Dallas Cowboys in Dak’s rookie year; great running game, great o-line, talented but limited quarterback, and they’ll probably lose their first playoff game.”
9. Chicago Bears (8-7) (unranked)
“I don’t know what to say about the Chicago Bears, this is the nuttiest turnaround I have ever seen. They were AWFUL and everybody was getting fired, and now they’ve scored 30+ points in four straight games – Chicago hadn’t done that since the 60’s. Matt Nagy is hot, and Mitch Trubisky, for all his issues, is 25-12 during the Matt Nagy era. They’re on a three-game winning streak, and if they can beat the Packers on Sunday they are in. I don’t think they’ll beat the Packers but I like their defensive personnel. Trubisky runs around a lot and they’ve got a little bit of a ‘Baltimore’ feel to them, and that they’re a little contrarian to the league. They throw good enough if the running game is moving, and frankly, the coaching staff and Matt Nagy deserve a ton of credit because I thought this team was DEAD. I had a shovel and was about two scoops from burying them officially.”
8. Miami Dolphins (10-5) (5)
“I do worry, not psychologically that Tua was benched, but he’s struggling. He’s not throwing for a lot of yards, and it’s a lot of safe stuff, underneath stuff, doesn’t move the chains, and a lot of three-and-outs. They have won 4 of their last 5 – the Chiefs their only loss, and they have the number one scoring defense in the NFL. They feel like a playoff team, but can’t win a playoff game; it’s very much a Cleveland feel. But I do like their coach, and I think Brian Flores is the next superstar coach in this league.”
7. Baltimore Ravens (10-5) (unranked)
“I probably have them too low. The running game is rolling, they’re good on third down, and Lamar is absolutely on fire. If they beat the Bengals they’re IN. In the last four games in points, rushing, third down percentage, and passer rating Lamar is top three. I have the same questions you do – what can they do in the postseason? How will they play TRAILING against an elite playoff team? I don’t know the answers and that’s why I put them at seven, but I would NOT have any interest playing Baltimore if I’m in the AFC.”
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-5) (10)
“I put them at six because of Tom Brady. He’s been in so many playoff games and so many close games that you give him the edge over Baltimore. I know it’s against junk defenses, but his last three games he’s absolutely on fire. Here’s what worries me though and this is why I don’t think they’re a Super Bowl winning team: they’re 9-0 against teams that are .500 or worse, and are 1-5 against winning teams. There’s a Mike Tyson quality to them. They beat up on average fighters, but you put in a Lennox Lewis or Evander Holyfield, somebody punches back, and they just don’t have a second or a third gear. I will say that Brady and Mike Evans are really aligned right now, Brady is using Gronk more, Ronald Jones, who’s explosive will come back, so I think they’re clearly capable of winning a playoff game or two.”
FULL Rankings in Segment Below
Doug Gottlieb: Dwayne Haskins Was a Cancer
Breaking Down the Sequence of Events Leading Up to Dwayne Haskins Being Cut