Eight NFL teams remain in the fight for the Lombardi trophy, and with a riveting divisional round of football waiting ahead, Colin Cowherd put together his weekly rankings of the squads left standing.
Here’s how things look in “The Herd” host’s latest “Herd Hierarchy” compilation, alongside some insights from Fox Bet.
8. New York Giants (Last week: 9)
Overall record: 9-7-1 | Last week: Giants won 31-24 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Colin’s thoughts: “Listen, they haven’t won back-to-back games since Weeks 6 and 7. So let’s not go crazy. Daniel Jones ate up an awful Vikings defense. … They’re 0-2 against Philadelphia. I think they’re, today, a better story than a team. They’ve got to fix their receiving corps, get a tight end, elevate the interior O-line, get another corner. … So, this is a really good story, but they’re going to go to Philadelphia, and the truth will come out.”
Championship odds: +2500
Up next: Giants @ Eagles (8:15 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (6)
Overall record: 9-8 | Last week: Jaguars won 31-30 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Colin’s thoughts: “Trevor Lawrence is remarkable, but … they’ve got holes. You don’t fall behind 27-0 at home without being flawed. Their pass defense is a wreck. … I think it’s going to get ugly [against the Chiefs]. It’s the first team to ever win a playoff game with a -5 turnover differential. The good news, they won. The bad news, why did they have a -5 turnover differential?”
Championship odds: +3300
Up next: Jaguars @ Chiefs (4:30 p.m ET Saturday, NBC)
Up next: Giants @ Eagles (8:15 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX)
6. Dallas Cowboys (7)
Overall record: 12-5 | Last week: Cowboys won 31-14 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Colin’s thoughts: “Let’s be honest, this team throws up a stinker about every third or fourth game. They come unglued. They have great individual players, but they don’t have really great individual units. I think they’re a defensive lineman shy, they don’t have a No. 2 corner, they could use another receiver.”
Championship odds: +850
Up next: Cowboys @ 49ers (6:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX)
5. Buffalo Bills (4)
Overall record: 13-3 | Last week: Bills won 34-31 won vs. Miami Dolphins
Colin’s thoughts: “They’re making too many mistakes. Three giveaways in three straight games. … They play one way: They go for the knockout, and when they don’t get it, they get into these dogfights with clearly less talented quarterbacks like Skylar Thompson. … We knew they would end up here because they’re so damn talented. They’re the most fun you can have watching football.”
Championship odds: +320
Up next: Bills vs. Bengals (3:00 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS)
4. Philadelphia Eagles (5)
Overall record: 14-3 | Last game: Eagles won 22-16 vs. New York Giants
Colin’s thoughts: “I’m a little worried. [They’re] 1-2 since Jalen Hurts was hurt. They’ve also become turnover-plagued — 16 giveaways in their last nine games. … They used to be turnover-free and healthy, now they’re dinged up and turnover-plagued. But, fourth team in league history with 70-plus sacks. They get after it.”
Championship odds: +500
Up next: Eagles vs. Giants (8:15 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (1)
Overall record: 12-4 | Last week: Bengals won 24-17 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Colin’s thoughts: “Three offensive linemen hurt. … The problem with that is it not only hurts the run game, it hurts their vertical pass game. Burrow’s got to get rid of the ball quicker now. That takes out Ja’Marr Chase down the field throws. … I think when healthy, they’re the only team that really goes toe-to-toe with Kansas City and matches up.”
Championship odds: +750
Up next: Bengals @ Bills (3:00 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS)
2. San Francisco 49ers (3)
Overall record: 13-4 | Last week: 49ers won 41-23 vs. Seattle Seahawks
Colin’s thoughts: “It’s a great story, but no rookie quarterback has ever led a team to a Super Bowl appearance in NFL history. … Brock Purdy is very, very athletic. He is … super mobile. Poise, accuracy. This offense is not built for a superstar quarterback. They’ve scored 37-plus points in four straight games. Wow. This is not a mirage — it’s an upgrade over [Jimmy] Garoppolo.”
Championship odds: +450
Up next: 49ers vs. Cowboys (6:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX)
1. Kansas City Chiefs (2)
Overall record: 14-3 | Last game: Chiefs won 31-13 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Colin’s thoughts: “Andy Reid is 27-4 off a bye, including playoffs. Jacksonville, thanks for flying United, your season’s over. But no quarterback’s ever led the league in passing yards and won the Super Bowl in the same season. It’s a weird outlier stat, and [K.C.] led offensively. … You’ve got a great coach, you’ve got a great quarterback, this is what it looks like.”
Championship odds: +300
Up next: Chiefs vs. Jaguars (4:30 p.m ET Saturday, NBC)
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