This NFL season, at least in the AFC, is starting to look a whole lot like the 2018 campaign.
The Patriots and Chiefs already have established themselves as the two clear-cut best teams in the conference. In fact, New England and Kansas City might be the top two teams in the entire league. Both sides are off to dominant 2-0 starts, and it’s tough to imagine either of them slowing down.
But while both powerhouses have been impressive early, Colin Cowherd currently is giving the Patriots the nod as the No. 1 team in the league. He explained why Tuesday during “The Herd” on FOX Sports 1.
“What category is New England defensively not No. 1? They’re really good. It’s the best secondary in the league. They never get beat over the top. They have active, hard-hitting, fast linebackers. They don’t have one elite pass rusher, but they led the NFL last year in pressures,” Cowherd said. “They make no mistakes. They don’t get penalized. (Tom) Brady is so detailed. I think they have the deepest running back group in the NFL. Their wide receivers with Antonio Brown, you know, it’s a work in progress. They haven’t been this explosive with Josh Gordon and Antonio Brown and Julian Edelman — you got to pick your poison on that. They’re not even playing their rookie (N’Keal Harry). They’re not gonna play him ’til Thanksgiving. If you don’t have New England one and Kansas City two, you’re trying to pick apart. Hall of Fame coaches and world-class quarterbacks. I put New England one because they have a better defense and I do think post-Thanksgiving that’s going to matter.”
It’s scary to think a unit consisting of Brady, Brown, Gordon and Edelman might not even be the best facet of a football team. New England’s defense has the opportunity to be one of the best the franchise has seen over the past two decades, and it’s worth noting Bill Belichick-coached defenses typically grow stronger as the season progresses.
The perceived gap between the Patriots and Chiefs soon could be narrowed, though. While it would have to find a creative way to pull off the blockbuster, Kansas City appears to be in the mix for superstar cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
