Colin Cowherd Ranks the 10 Best NFL Teams After Week 5 (Full Video at Bottom of Page)
10. Carolina Panthers (3-2): “Ron Rivera is one of the smartest defensive coaches in the league. They’re second in sacks, fourth in pass defense, and eight in total defense. Christian McCaffrey leads the NFL in rushing and scrimmage yards and Kyle Allen is the only quarterback in the Super Bowl era to go 4-0 with 0 interception in his first four starts.”
9. Buffalo Bills (4-1): “The Bills have the best defense in the NFL, it’s not New England. New England has played junk offenses. Buffalo had to face Tom Brady. This defense is unbelievable. Third in scoring, 3rd in pass defense, and 3rd in third down defense. But what is remarkable is that they have scored 10 touchdowns in 14 red zone attempts.”
8. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1): “You’re going to be shocked but they can’t stop the run. They’re 30th in rush defense and 25th in total defense. You cannot win a Super Bowl with this defense. They’re also ranked number eight right now because no one is healthy. They’ll move up, but right now this isn’t a great team physically, and defensively.”
7. Los Angeles Rams (3-2): “They’re recent string of turnovers can be corrected, but the defense is allowing 27 points a game and Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib have been roasted at times. That worries me. I can’t put them higher than seven because they don’t have a running game.”
6. Seattle Seahawks (4-1): “That defense is all about Pete Carroll’s coaching because it only has one star and it is a total work in progress. Russell Wilson is the MVP, but this is all about Carroll’s coaching up of the defense.”
5. Green Bay Packers (4-1): “Aaron Rodgers now has the coach he likes and they lead the NFL in takeaways with 11. This is a good football team and they’ve just had one bad half in that Eagles game. I’ve got almost every component I need with this team. Their turnover differential is +7 so they’re taking it away and not giving it back.”
4. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2): “They’ve had all sorts of injuries, no deep threat or left tackle, but they are second on third down offense. That’s a huge stat for me. That’s about coaching, that’s about push, and that’s about execution. They also have the best rush defense in the NFL. Their offensive and defensive lines will carry them to the NFC Championship.”
3. New Orleans Saints (4-1): “When you can win three straight games with a backup in games that were at Seattle, versus Dallas, and against a pretty dynamic Tampa Bay team, you’re a good football team. Twice this year they’ve had 6+ sacks in a game. I really undervalued their defense, but it’s sensational.”
2. San Francisco 49ers (4-0): “Their coach is a genius, Jimmy Garoppolo is 10-2 as a starter in San Francisco, and they gashed Cleveland’s defense without their left tackle. They’re number two in total defense, and Nick Bosa is a nightmare. They have super depth at wide receiver and at defensive line. They’ve only allowed two touchdowns in ten red zone drives. This is a real team, it’s not a mirage.”
1. New England Patriots (5-0): “Best coach in football and it’s the best secondary I’ve seen in my life. They’ve played a bunch of bad offenses, so I think the Bills are the best defense in the NFL, but last week they found their running game. They’re not a dominant no. 1 and I don’t think they could go to New Orleans, Lambeau, or Philadelphia and win. The offensive line is a work in progress and the wide receiver position needs work. Gronk works with FOX now, so he’s not coming back.”