Herd Hierarchy Week 14: Patriots or Broncos Best in AFC? Cowboys Over Eagles?

Are the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in trouble? How good are the Denver Broncos really? Are the New England Patriots the best team in the NFL?

Those are the questions Colin Cowherd has answers to in the most recent edition of the "Herd Hierarchy." Remember, Cowherd isn't ranking teams based on what they've done lately or their record. Rather, it's an encapsulation of where each team in the NFL stands, holistically, taking into consideration which opponents each team has beaten, how healthy they are and their ceiling for the rest of the year.

So, let's take a look at Cowherd's most recent top 10 heading into Week 14 of the NFL season:

Cowherd's thoughts: "I don't like their red zone offense, but Houston Texans, 4-game winning streak, best defense, excellent head coach. They shut people down. Opposing quarterbacks, this year, have a passer rating of 74. … What does that mean? They're in every game. … They play at a different speed defensively. Nine times this year, teams have scored fewer than 20 points in an offensive league that's never had better offensive coaching."

"I'm tired of saying I love their general manager. They lead the NFL in three-and-outs, they're near the top in punts… I don't think this coaching staff can fix it in-season. … They have the 22nd-ranked rushing offense, with Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and a good O-line. I don't even know where to put ‘em. Maybe I’m being complimentary putting Philadelphia at 9."

"Just trust your eyes. They are getting to the quarterback, they're doing a better job of protecting theirs. And CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, they're both number ones, and now they run the ball. Say what you want, right now, the Dallas Cowboys are a top-10 team in the NFL."