Herd Hierarchy: Texans, Bills, Saints move up after 2-0 starts

After two weeks of the 2024 NFL season, there are several surprising 2-0 teams, which caused a major shakeup in Colin Cowherd’s latest “Herd Hierarchy” on Tuesday’s episode of “The Herd”. 

A couple new additions made the list, including the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings after massive upset wins over the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, respectively. 

Other 2-0 squads, like the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers, vaulted into Cowherd’s top five after impressive showings last week.

[NFL uniforms: Who has the best look in each division?]

Check out the full list below, along with Cowherd’s thoughts on each squad and odds from DraftKings Sportsbook.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (0-2, Last week unranked)
Super Bowl odds: +1600

Cowherd’s thoughts: “Their next four opponents are 1-7. The Bengals are fine at 0-2. If you can go into Arrowhead against maybe the best defense in the league, arguably … outplay the Chiefs and double their yards in the fourth, you’re fine. Zac Taylor’s teams don’t do well in September. Joe Burrow doesn’t do well. I’ll say it again: About the time Pumpkin Spice Lattes are available at Starbucks … that’s when they’re good. I like this team.”

9. San Francisco 49ers (1-1, LW 2)
Super Bowl odds: +600

Cowherd’s thoughts: “The Niners have the second-highest rated offense in the league. They’re beat up offensively. That’s why I put them back at nine. Here’s what I really worry about: Brock Purdy’s been sacked eight times in two games, and I don’t look at the Vikings as having very good pass rushers. They’re beat up, and they’re not protecting Brock Purdy, but thank God they still have a very good deck without Deebo [Samuel] and Christian McCaffrey … but they’re not the same team.”

8. Seattle Seahawks (2-0, LW unranked)
Super Bowl odds: +4500

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I don’t know what to do with the Seahawks. Geno Smith, to his credit, like Baker Mayfield, is playing really well. Dude’s completing 74% of his throws. Here’s what I know: The last two drafts were excellent … and I’m seeing this young defensive coach [Mike Macdonald], like a DeMeco Ryans, do really cool things. DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba are tremendous, and Tyler Lockett. I love their weapons … You can win a lot of games in this league when your quarterback is a big guy that is accurate 74% of the time.”

Herd Hierarchy: Chargers, Saints take a leap: 49ers drop in Week 3 rankings

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0, LW 10)
Super Bowl odds: +4500

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I buy into it. Baker’s playing his butt off; 8-2 over his last ten starts. He and Chris Godwin are totally connecting. Now, the Denver game this week is sneaky. To go to Detroit … they went in there all banged up and injury-riddled and they won. So, I buy Tampa. I buy Baker. He’s playing with a ton of confidence. I’ve always thought Todd Bowles was a good defensive coach. I like the coach and I like the quarterback.” 

6. Minnesota Vikings (2-0, LW unranked)
Super Bowl odds: +5000

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I don’t know how long it’s going to last. They lead the NFL with 11 sacks. I don’t think that’s going to last over the course of the season. But, they are 9-0 under this head coach, Kevin O’Connell, when they tie or win the turnover battle. He’s cleaned up Sam Darnold significantly. That’s what he does. He is the QB whisperer … Darnold led a game-winning clinching drive without [Justin] Jefferson, [Jordan] Addison and T.J. Hockenson. I think we may have the best young coach in football in Minnesota.”

5. New Orleans Saints (2-0, LW unranked)
Super Bowl odds: +3500

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I like the Saints. Let’s not go crazy. I need one more week of the Saints. Derek Carr, I’ve got to give him credit. Alvin Kamara … is a beast, and they are leaning on [him] heavy. They have the highest rushing percentage at 64% in the NFL through the first two weeks.”

4. Buffalo Bills (2-0, LW unranked)
Super Bowl odds: +1200

Cowherd’s thoughts: “[This is] the first time in seven, eight years they have a star running back. They can run the football now; 9-2 since offensive coordinator Joe Brady arrived. Josh Allen has been very dependent on offensive coordinators to clean him up. This is a new offense. The tight ends are excellent. [The] receivers don’t have a star, but they have depth. [Allen] is one of two quarterbacks in the league … without a turnover. Again, he’s very coordinator-dependent.”

3. Los Angeles Chargers (2-0, LW 8)
Super Bowl odds: +4000

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I buy the Chargers. Their tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater were the two highest-graded tackles in the entire league. … J.K. Dobbins looks like [Ohio State] J.K. Dobbins. [Justin] Herbert, for the record, is 18-0 when his team allows less than 20 points. He just needs a coach.”

2. Houston Texans (2-0, LW 7)
Super Bowl odds: +1100

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I buy the Texans. I didn’t even think they played well against Chicago. They’re young, and I can see them getting to the AFC Championship and making a silly play and losing to Kansas City. C.J. Stroud is insane. That kid is the most effortlessly accurate guy, outside of maybe Burrow and Mahomes, in the league.”

1. Kansas City Chiefs (2-0, LW 1)
Super Bowl odds: +450

Cowherd’s thoughts: “I do worry. I don’t think they’re very good at tackle. They were not very good on third down against the Bengals. They’ve got to clean that up. It is hard to win a Super Bowl, even with Mahomes, if you don’t love the offensive line and I don’t. But, I think their coaching, their structure, their defense, Chris Jones. … Now, Travis Kelce, I don’t worry too much about because he was invisible for spots last year, then … arrived when it mattered. Even though Hollywood Brown is not going to be back for a while, I think their weapons feel like significant upgrades to me.”

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