National Football League

Herd Hierarchy Week 16: 49ers keep No. 1 spot, Cowboys take tumble

Published Dec. 20, 2023 4:40 p.m. ET

As the NFL season heads into Week 16, Colin Cowherd returned with another installment of "Herd Hierarchy."

Now that we're in late December, Cowherd talked about AFC teams on the move up and touched on the flailing Cowboys.

Let's check out his latest top 10.

10. Cleveland Browns (Last Week: 7)

Super Bowl odds: +6000

Overall record: 9-5 | Last Week: Won 20-17 vs. Bears

Cowherd's thoughts: "I think they're well-coached, I like their personnel and I think they could win a playoff game. I would not want to face them in the first round."

Up Next: Browns @ Texans, 1 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS

9. Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: 6)

Super Bowl odds: +900

Overall record: 10-4 | Last Week: Lost 20-17 @ Seahawks

Cowherd's thoughts: "They've got to figure out the offense. It's not a personnel issue. I probably have them a bit low but I've got to see them pick up a ‘W' here because they outplayed Seattle and lost. It's one thing to get hammered by San Francisco and Dallas, they've got to win games here. So I've got them low, still think they can win playoff games."

Up Next: Giants @ Eagles, 4:30 p.m. ET Monday, FOX and FOX Sports App

8. Los Angeles Rams (Last Week: 8)

Super Bowl odds: +8000

Overall record: 7-7 | Last Week: Won 28-20 vs. Commanders

Cowherd's thoughts: "Rams are on fire. In the last month, Matt Stafford's got 12 TDs and a pick; Cooper Kupp — shocker! — un-guardable; Puka Nacua, matchup problems; that running back Kyren Williams, five straight games over 110 yards. Sean McVay is having his best year. I think their defense is young, will ultimately cost them in the playoffs if they get there."

Up Next: Saints @ Rams, 8:15 p.m. ET Thursday, Amazon Prime Video

7. Miami Dolphins (Last Week: 9)

Super Bowl odds: +850

Overall record: 10-4 | Last Week: Won 30-0 vs. Jets

Cowherd's thoughts: "They can run, they can pass, there's a lot to like about this team. Tua Tagovailoa leads the NFL in passing yards, they're a little like the West Coast Niners without the physicality. More than capable of winning a playoff game, home or away."

Up Next: Cowboys @ Dolphins, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX and FOX Sports App

6. Detroit Lions (Last Week: 10)

Super Bowl odds: +1900

Overall record: 10-4 | Last Week: Won 42-17 vs. Broncos

Cowherd's thoughts: "I like their physicality up front with their offensive line. Probably not a team I would trust going on the road in the playoffs but if they win their division, they get a home game — 9-1 this year when they can hold teams to 28 or fewer."

Up Next: Lions @ Vikings, 1 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX and FOX Sports App

5. Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: 2)

Super Bowl odds: +950

Overall record: 10-4 | Last Week: Lost 31-10 @ Bills

Cowherd's thoughts: "Do they play well on the road? No, they don't. Little Jekyll and Hyde. But the truth is, Dak [Prescott at] home, Dak [on] road, two different quarterbacks. I'm not picking them to win the Super Bowl but I do think they'll bounce back and beat Miami. That's why [I have Dallas at] five and Miami seven."

Up Next: Cowboys @ Dolphins, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX and FOX Sports App

4. Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 4)

Super Bowl odds: +700

Overall record: 9-5 | Last Week: Won 27-17 @ Patriots

Cowherd's thoughts: "They're 7-0 when they score 21 or more. The problem is, they have struggled to score 21 and more consistently. I like them, they're fine but this is not a great team. It's very much [like] Philadelphia. They're a very good team, they're not as good as last year. They're not nearly as dynamic."

Up Next: Raiders vs. Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET Monday, CBS

3. Buffalo Bills (Last Week: 5)

Super Bowl odds: +1400

Overall record: 8-6 | Last Week: Won 31-10 vs. Cowboys

Cowherd's thoughts: "I think they found their secret sauce a couple of weeks ago. This team is now running the football. They are peaking late but I love the dimension James Cook has added to the offense. This is Buffalo at their best. Josh Allen can be complementary on drives time to time."

Up Next: Bills @ Chargers, 8 p.m. ET Saturday, Peacock

2. Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: 3)

Super Bowl odds: +5500

Overall record: 11-3 | Last Week: Won 23-7 @ Jaguars

Cowherd's thoughts: "I liked them all year. No. 1 seed, only team to hold a lead in every game in the fourth quarter. Won eight of their last nine games and they could've won that one. No. 1 scoring defense. It's classic Baltimore. They're like the Niners. I like them every year. Can they stay healthy? Right now they're not."

Up Next: Ravens @ 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET Monday, ABC

1. San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: 1)

Super Bowl odds: +220

Overall record: 11-3 | Last Week: Won 45-29 @ Cardinals

Cowherd's thoughts: "The Niners are 18-and-0 when Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, including the playoffs, are healthy. What do you want me to say? It is a completely stacked roster with no weaknesses. It's almost impossible to create a roster this deep and this good in 2023. This team is stacked."

Up Next: Ravens @ 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET Monday, ABC

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