Chiefs overtake Eagles for top spot in Bucky Brooks' top 10 NFL teams
Look out, there's a new No. 1 team in town. After sitting atop these rankings for a majority of the season, the Eagles have ceded the top spot to the Chiefs, who are fresh off an impressive last-minute win over the Chargers on Sunday night.
After Week 11, here's my take on the league's top 10 teams.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (8-2)
The Patrick Mahomes' Factor makes the Chiefs the odds-on favorite to claim the AFC's No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The former NFL and Super Bowl MVP continues to chalk up wins with his late-game heroics. The Chiefs are never out of a game with No. 15 on the field, and that makes them downright scary as a title contender.
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FOX Sports NFL Analyst Michael Vick joins Colin Cowherd on The Herd to discuss the quarterback-head coach relationship between Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (9-1)
The resiliency displayed by the Eagles in another hard-fought win could serve them well down the stretch. Jalen Hurts' ability to make plays in the clutch as a runner and thrower makes the Eagles' offense tough to defend in "gotta have it" situations.
3. Miami Dolphins (7-3)
The league's most dynamic offense could carry the Dolphins to a division title and a top seed in the postseason tournament. With Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert anchoring an improved running game, the Dolphins have the capacity to win with power or finesse in a shootout.
4. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
Do not judge the Ravens based on style points or margin of victory. The Ravens' run-heavy approach leads to close games, but it also makes their opponents spend 60 minutes fighting in a phone booth against an ultra-physical squad built to play "bully ball" in the trenches. Considering how the Ravens are able to take opponents out of their comfort zone with their style of play, John Harbaugh's squad could emerge as a "tough out" in the playoffs.
5. Minnesota Vikings (8-2)
Kevin O'Connell will need to rebuild the confidence of his squad after suffering through a 60-minute beatdown against the Cowboys in front of a Vikings' home crowd. The whipping exposed some of the team's flaws and raised concerns about the team's inflated record. With a short week before a Turkey Day battle with the Patriots, the rookie head coach will need to fix the mistakes on the run before the league identifies those errors as a trend that could lead to future losses.
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The Dallas Cowboys had their biggest road win in franchise history, beating the Minnesota Vikings 40-3. Skip Bayless reacts to the Cowboys' big win against Kirk Cousins.
6. Tennessee Titans (7-3)
Toughness and physicality never go out of style. That's why Mike Vrabel's squad can compete with the elites without a roster loaded with blue-chip players. The Titans' wins are not always pretty, but the W's still count in the win column.
7. Buffalo Bills (7-3)
After a few lackluster performances, the Bills got back on track despite dealing with challenging circumstances. As a tough-minded squad with a superstar quarterback, the Bills remain a dark-horse contender despite suffering a few hiccups.
8. Dallas Cowboys (7-3)
The bounce-back performance from America's Team suggests that Mike McCarthy's team is a legitimate contender in the NFC. The emergence of Tony Pollard as a reliable big-play threat has added a dimension to an offense that is balanced and explosive. With Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence anchoring a disruptive defense, the Cowboys are rounding into form as an elite squad.
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With big back-to-back wins against the Vikings and Green Bay Packers, is this really America's Team's year? Watch as Colin Cowherd breaks down the Cowboys win and whether they are the team to beat in the NFC.
9. New York Jets (6-4)
Robert Saleh's defense is good enough to spark a championship run, but a struggling offense is keeping the Jets from maximizing their potential. Zach Wilson's ineffectiveness and the lack of a consistent running game could derail this team's playoff chances down the stretch.
10. New York Giants (7-3)
Maybe the clock has struck midnight on the G-Men's Cinderella run. The lack of offensive weaponry outside of Saquon Barkley makes it hard for the Giants to consistently hit the 20-point mark against good teams. The defense will keep always keep the game close, but Brian Daboll will need to find a way to scratch out a few more points to notch wins against the heavyweights on his schedule down the stretch.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He regularly appears on "Speak For Yourself" and also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.