National Football League

Patriots, Chiefs, Packers in Colin's Super Bowl bubble, but Cowboys, Rams miss out

Published Dec. 3, 2021 10:52 a.m. ET

If the playoffs are an exclusive club at the end of the NFL season, the Super Bowl is the VIP area.

Only a select few have the credentials to even be considered every year. Which teams have the look in Colin Cowherd's eyes?

Colin Cowherd decides which NFL teams are in his Super Bowl Bubble

We're more than halfway through the NFL season, and it's time for Colin Cowherd to reveal which teams he thinks can actually win the Super Bowl.

The host of "The Herd" included seven teams in his Super Bowl bubble on Thursday. Being part of the bubble means a team is good enough to get to the Super Bowl, but not necessarily win the grand prize.

And if you're out of the bubble? Well, there's always next year. Here are the teams Colin has in his bubble, along with those teams that just didn't quite make the cut.

(Note: FOX Bet odds information current prior to the start of Week 13.)

New England Patriots: IN
Record: 8-4 (First in AFC East) | Super Bowl odds: +1000

Cowherd's thoughts: "They're 6-1 against the AFC. So they match up well against AFC teams. Many of the best AFC teams have young quarterbacks. This defense — you know [Bill] Belichick against young quarterbacks. He unravels them."

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Buffalo Bills: IN
Record: 7-4 (Second in AFC East) | Super Bowl odds: +800

Cowherd's thoughts: "Every win has been by 15 points. They've out-gained their opponents by 1,000 yards this season. They're simply too dynamic and well-coached not to get in. ... Sometimes, Josh Allen is their best running option. I don't love that."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: IN
Record: 8-3 (First in NFC South) | Super Bowl odds: +500

Cowherd's thoughts: "A lot of it comes down to Rob Gronkowski and Leonard Fournette's health, because I think Brady feels very comfortable when they have a run team. ... As long as Leonard Fournette is there in the playoffs, I think they're hard to beat."

Baltimore Ravens: OUT
Record: 8-3 (First in AFC North) | Super Bowl odds: +1100

Cowherd's thoughts: "They have too many disastrous offensive halves. They have literally terrible quarters and terrible halves. They've scored 17 or fewer points in four of their last five games. "

Cincinnati Bengals: OUT
Record: 7-4 (Second in AFC North) | Super Bowl odds: +3000

Cowherd's thoughts: "I still think they feel like they're kind of rebuilding. I do like the physicality they're playing with now. But we have to be honest about this: Their schedule is brutal. ... You need some layups in the last six weeks. Cincy's got no layups."

Tennessee Titans: IN
Record: 8-4 (First in AFC South) | Super Bowl odds: +2200

Cowherd's thoughts: "They're going to get healthier after a Week 13 bye. They're just falling apart. Also, they're going to get Derrick Henry back. That's going to be great. "

Indianapolis Colts: OUT
Record: 6-6 (Second in AFC South) | Super Bowl odds: +4000

Cowherd's thoughts: "They don't beat the good teams. Breaks my heart because I love so much about them. ... They beat up on the average teams, but they're too mistake-prone to be a Super Bowl team."

Los Angeles Rams: OUT
Record: 7-4 (Second in NFC West) | Super Bowl odds: +1200

Cowherd's thoughts: "I don't think the OBJ [for] Robert Woods replacement is ideal. ... They're asking way more of Matt Stafford and I think they've sort of lost their identity."

Dallas Cowboys: OUT
Record: 8-4 (First in NFC East) | Super Bowl odds: +1100

Cowherd's thoughts: "They lead the NFL in penalty yards. That is just a bad sign — they're sloppy. They are hit and miss on third down. ... Dak [Prescott] needs to be lifted more than he, individually, lifts."

Green Bay Packers: IN
Record: 9-3 (First in NFC North) | Super Bowl odds: +750

Cowherd's thoughts: "Best team in football. To be able to win these games and compete at the highest level missing your best corner, your best running back, your best linebacker."

San Francisco 49ers: OUT
Record: 6-5 (Third in NFC West) | Super Bowl odds: +4000

Cowherd's thoughts: "I think it's close. I love the way they're playing. I love their physicality, but they kind of have one way to beat you. ... They've got to run the football. They also play four of their final six games on the road."

Arizona Cardinals: IN
Record: 9-2 (First in NFC West) | Super Bowl odds: +800

Cowherd's thoughts: "They'll be fine. First of all, they're 6-0 on the road this year. All of them by over 10 points. I've never ever seen that. They're not only capable of winning, you can just send them on the road and they can win by a blowout. And I also think they can beat you multiple ways."

Kansas City Chiefs: IN
Record: 7-4 (First in AFC West) | Super Bowl odds: +700

Cowherd's thoughts: "Their defense now is better than I thought, and their offense still isn't clicking. ... They're just probably not going to be as dynamic [on offense], but their defense — Chris Jones is like Aaron Donald. You've got to put two guys on him."