Herd Hierarchy: Cowboys re-enter Top 10, Commanders on the rise

Week 6 of the NFL season was a “separation week” for one of the league’s top teams, according to FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd. 

While the 5-0 Kansas City Chiefs and the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings continue to reign supreme for “The Herd” host, surprise contenders like the Washington Commanders made their way toward the top side of Cowherd’s Top 10 list this week. 

Old favorites like the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons also officially entered — or re-entered — the chat. 

Check out Cowherd’s latest rankings below!

Herd Hierarchy Week 6

10. Dallas Cowboys (3-2, Last week unranked)
Super Bowl odds: +2200

Cowherd’s thoughts: “It may be my weakest number 10 team ever … They’re 3-0 on the road. Pittsburgh handed them the game. But you know what? They’re doing it without Micah [Parsons] and DeMarcus Lawrence … I watched Kirk Cousins on Thursday night and Dak Prescott on Sunday night. You can never tell his mood. Dak hadn’t played well. CeeDee Lamb disappeared. And, Dak figures out a way to win. There’s a lot of things I don’t like. I don’t think they’re close to a Super Bowl team, but they have a winning record. And I do think Mike McCarthy and Dak get along. That wasn’t the case with the Jets. That’s why they made a coaching move.”

9. Atlanta Falcons (3-2, LW unranked)
Super Bowl odds: +3000

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I like this team. They’ve won three of their last four. Only loss comes to the Chiefs. All three have come with Kirk Cousins in game-winning drives. I already thought he was a great fit. I have no problem [Michael] Penix being on the bench. I like their O-line [and] their run game. Raheem Morris is an offensive-friendly defensive coach who I think grew with Sean McVay. I like this team. I picked him to win the NFC South. I picked him to be a potential number one seed in the NFC and win 12 games. They are what I thought they were.”

8. Buffalo Bills (3-2, LW 5)
Super Bowl odds: +1100

Cowherd’s thoughts: “They have lost to the Ravens and Texans — after the Chiefs, those could be the two best teams maybe in the AFC. They’re losing to the right teams, but they’ve been held under 300 yards, three of the last four games. I don’t want to hear about excuses that you were missing a slot receiver from Boise State. Kansas City won last night [with] over 400 yards, missing all sorts of people and making JuJu Smith-Schuster [look like] Jerry Rice. I don’t want to hear about it. This team is inconsistent. I don’t like their game management. They’re a little banged up, but they’re losing to good teams.”

7. Houston Texans (4-1, LW 9)
Super Bowl odds: +1200

Cowherd’s thoughts: “Only loss this year came on the road against the Vikings. So they’re 4-1. I think they’re a bit immature and young. They lead the NFL in penalties. I think they have the potential to beat themselves in a big game. I think the Joe Mixon injury hurt C.J. Stroud. Look at Caleb Williams. Now the Bears can run the ball a little bit. He looked pretty good, doesn’t he? I think C.J. Stroud is excellent, one of the guys in the league I like to watch … Joe Mixon has been underrated. I like the Texans.”

6. Green Bay Packers (3-2, LW 8)
Super Bowl odds: +2200

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I may have the Packers a little low at six, they could be better. But after that ugly pick-six against the Rams, Jordan Love [had a] 140 passer rating. The defense leads the NFL with 45 big plays. We love their tight end/wide receiver grouping. That [Tucker] Kraft kid is something else. They also lead the NFL in takeaways. That’s rare for the Packers. So they make big plays on both sides of the ball. Again, I think they’re probably better than six. I’m getting halves … I’m getting quarters … instead of a full game.”

5. Washington Commanders (4-1, LW 7)
Super Bowl odds: +3000

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I don’t think the Commanders are a fluke. I said I thought they’d make the playoffs going into the season.  I think basically what we said with Jayden Daniels — he was going to be Lamar Jackson lite — I just didn’t think he would be Lamar Jackson lite in September and October of his rookie year. I think he’s for real. I think he’s coachable. You know when a coach and a coordinator are singing publicly a quarterback’s praises in camp. What do coaches always say in camp of the rookie? ‘He’s coming along. Let’s lower expectations. Long way to go.’ No, they were like, ‘this kid’s magic. This kid’s unbelievable.’ I like their front office. I like their coordinator and their coach. They’re leading the NFL in points per drive. That’s a Vegas stat.”

4. Detroit Lions (3-1, LW 6)
Super Bowl odds: +1000

Cowherd’s thoughts: “The Lions now are so consistent. They’re kind of boring. They’re on a bye. They’re 3-1. Best offensive line in the sport, very well-balanced, number seven passing, number six rushing. I think they should rush the ball more, in my opinion. I think that’s when they’re at their best. Jameson Williams is becoming a scary deep threat. That matters. You can’t cheat on that run game. You’ve got to keep your safeties back now … they can run the ball and eat the clock and go deep. [Aidan] Hutchinson has become T.J. Watt- level dominant on the edge.”

3. Baltimore Ravens (3-2, LW 3)
Super Bowl odds: +750

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I love them. I love Lamar. Huge energy. I don’t think they’re necessarily built to beat the Chiefs. I think they’re built to beat everybody else in the league not called the Chiefs. Number one rushing offense … I love Derrick Henry. I think the Cowboys should have grabbed him. The Ravens, the smarter franchise, did. Lamar in the red zone against the Bengals. I know it’s the Bengals, but this is funny: 6-6, four touchdown passes. Oh, I forgot, he doesn’t win in the playoffs. You guys can keep taking that side. I’ll take the side of Lamar Jackson’s good. We’ll see who wins that argument.” 

2. Minnesota Vikings (5-0, LW 2)
Super Bowl odds: +1100

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I mean, listen, they’re beating good teams. The last four wins are the Niners, the Texans, the Packers and the Jets. They lead the NFL in point differential. Their rush defense is fantastic. Some of the reasons the Jets aren’t running, they couldn’t run. This Brian Flores — I know he’s got a lawsuit with the NFL — that dude can coach. That dude can flat coach. That’s the best coaching staff, to me, outside of Kansas City in the league.”

1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0, LW 1)
Super Bowl odds: +450

Cowherd’s thoughts: “Literally, last night on Monday Night Football, was showing off. They did a Warriors with KD [Kevin Durant] and Steph [Curry] and Klay [Thompson] and Draymond [Green]. They were screwing around and showing off. JuJu Smith-Schuster’s career is over. Oh, wait. Kareem Hunt out of the league. Career over. Oh, wait. Everybody else is circumstantial. I don’t want to hear about Joe Burrow’s defense and Josh Allen missing a receiver. I don’t want to hear about it. I don’t want to hear about Lamar’s got three new offensive linemen. Isiah Pacheco is gone. Rashee Rice is gone. They’re bringing guys off the beach and getting 400 yards. Fluky interception. Missing kicks. It doesn’t matter. They’ve separated. This was a weekend of separation. Kansas City separated from the world.”

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