Colin Cowherd: Bucs Are Not A Top-12 Team
August 20th, 2025
Not everyone is riding the Buccaneers’ bandwagon, though it is almost a standing-room only ride.
FS1 blubberer Colin Cowherd isn’t doing jumping jacks for Tampa Bay. He’s not down on the Bucs; he just thinks at least a dozen teams are better.
In what Cowherd called his final rankings segment before opening day, he declared his top-10 teams as follows in the graphic:
Then Cowherd explained the Chargers and Bengals round out his top-12. He didn’t go any further.
For those doing the NFC math, Cowherd believes six teams are better than the Bucs. And four of those are on Tampa Bay’s 2025 schedule. Only seven teams make the playoffs from the conference.
The Bucs’ Week 5 game at Seattle is one Joe knows a lot of fans are chalking up as a certain “W.” Joe would wave a caution flag.
The Bucs have the Eagles at home in Week 4. Hopefully, the Bucs don’t emerge from that game battered and desperate for a road win 3,100 miles away. That’s a bad combination.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:00 pm
The Bucs beat the brakes off the Chargers but they’re better. OK Colin
August 20th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
Cowherd is like vegan Jim Rome, and he’s wrong a ton
August 20th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
I get the Daniels love, but that defense is just awful in Washington. I do not understand the hawks or packers. Good teams to be sure but why are they head and shoulders above us?
August 20th, 2025 at 2:06 pm
Cowherd=š¤”
August 20th, 2025 at 2:10 pm
Seahawks ? Packers ?
August 20th, 2025 at 2:11 pm
If these injuries get worse… he aint lying.
We were probably the 10th best team last year? Are we better this year? To say ues, then the rookies from last year must play better than they were last year, and the old guys, #13, #54, and #50 can’t decline and the rookies must be good (we know #9 is, but what about morris and parish). Also, Hason needs to be very good!
August 20th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
I’m a lifelong Bucs fan,
But l have to agree with Colin Cowherd
This team has too many question marks
Too many injuries to key players
And a lack of depth, at most positions
It seems like this team has loads of potential
But potential don’t win football games
Your performance on the field wins football games
I’m not a hater, but l gotta see results
August 20th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Cowherd = ClownTurd
August 20th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
We are better than the Bengals, Packers, Chargers and Seahawks as a roster top to bottom. Our O-line and WRs are better than the rest except for Bengal receivers maybe.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:13 pm
Amazing how Colin Cowherd can say this before any real games are played. His bias is shining.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:15 pm
Detriot, Washington and Green Bay are NOT top 12 teams.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:15 pm
there is no certain W. especially when the franchise has a bad habit of losing streaks.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:18 pm
Bucs are better than 6, maybe 7 of those “top 10” teams. I don’t take a word he says seriously.
Remember, this is the same guy that said Ben Simmons was going to be better than LeBron James. It’s right up there with Max Kellerman when he said Tom Brady was falling off the cliff… before he won two (three?) more SBs in the HOF of ridiculous quotes. New addition was the girl recently that confused Barry Sanders jersey with Sheduer Sanders…on national TV.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
Because of the 50th anniversary for both teams, I was very surprised that the NFL didn’t have the Bucs and Seahawks in the HoF game this year.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
Clickbate at it’s finest. Everything past 2 is just inflamatory.
I’m only responding because Colin got his big break while working in Oregon at KGW. I’m an Oregonian which makes these takes extra painful. I wonder if he has Denver so oddly high because they have 5x Ducks?
August 20th, 2025 at 2:39 pm
Lakeland
Same here 50 year fan. Seen a lot of Murphyās law around these parts.
This whole offseason has been borderline irrational exuberance. Three weeks out from the season and weāre already a rambling wreck of injuries, and starters have hardly played under a new OC . JMac going down really puts an even bigger damper on things.
Need to send Porter a box full of doo doo. š© š©
On the bright side, maybe we get them out of the way now and improve mightily as we go forwardā¦ and not get worse.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:42 pm
Lord knows he’s always been a limp wrist twiizzzat
August 20th, 2025 at 2:42 pm
The only teams that scare me on that list are Baltimore and the Rams who always seem to have our number. Think the Bucs can compete against all the other top ten teams with a solid chance to win.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:45 pm
Colon Cowturd has never been correct about anything and said he actually thinks he could tackle Baker Mayfield! He is a complete ASSCLOWN
August 20th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
Cowherd gets worse every time I hear him. Wonāt stop slurping Sean Payton and obsessing over Aaron Rodgerās. So boring!
August 20th, 2025 at 2:56 pm
joe, you gave him exactly what he wanted….eyes lol
cowherd wants eyes/attention….pay him no mind…
GO BUCS!!!!
August 20th, 2025 at 2:58 pm
Yes but Bowles will keep it close to top 12.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:58 pm
I think the Seahawks win their division and are the āfavoritesā to do so right now, with all of the uncertainty surrounding Stafford. Remember, they won more games than the Bucs did last season, and Iām picking Green Bay to win their division, as well. The Bucs are in trouble right now with these injuries and that early schedule. Now, I would not rank Seattle as high as #6 right now (or Denver at #4), but heās not far off. The only good thing being, I believe that Colin has ālost a stepā over the last few yearsā¦ He relies HEAVILY, on completely ābiasedā insider information from all of his FO buddies, & etc. Also, he picks Denver EVERY Year (and now āblowsā Sean Peyton like you would not believeā¦ again, another close āfriendā). He also, as a personal bias towards Seattle, his childhood home market/team.
August 20th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
It was cool for a week to talk up the Bucs and now itās back to normal in the media as far as getting discounted.
The Seahawks! With Sam Darnold!? KOC not there to hold his handā¦ I dunno.
The geniuses at the ringer are back at it as wellā¦ 10th best offense I think. Packers are #4. Aside from proven playcaller at the helm, name one position group on the Packers offense better than ours. You canāt. Itās ludicrous.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:03 pm
How this man have the broncos top 5 teams. And above the chiefs cmon man.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:13 pm
The Bucs shouldn’t get the benefit of the doubt in any rankings. This team consistently has to fight for their lives to win the worst division in the NFL. They have a track record of losing focus after three or four games and needing the bye week to regroup and salvage the season.
This roster on paper is probably worthy of being a top 7 or 8 team, but I don’t believe in this defensive coaching staff to game plan well enough from one half of football to the next, let alone week to week.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
There is one reason why folks like Cowherd donāt rate the Bucs highly. They donāt want to say the reason out loud, but the reasonās initials are āTBā and that doesnāt stand for Tampa Bay, Tom Brady, or Teddy Bridgewater.
August 20th, 2025 at 3:25 pm
It’s not just Colin Cowherd,
ESPN has the Bucs ranked 13th in their power rankings
August 20th, 2025 at 4:07 pm
Colin Cowherd……
August 20th, 2025 at 4:15 pm
Cowturd used to do a radio show here with Hubert Mizelle.
August 20th, 2025 at 4:27 pm
MelvinJr –> “Seahawks win their division and are the āfavoritesā to do so right now, with all of the uncertainty surrounding Stafford”… yet the Rams are 8th??? Does Collin realize this? Stafford may pull a “Carr” on them, and not on purpose.
The Bucs are better than 6 – 10. One of the top 5 on his list will miss the playoffs.
August 20th, 2025 at 5:01 pm
Good. I’m glad that’s his list. Put it on the bulletin board. When he interviews Baker down the road, because we’re a top NFC team, Baker can remind him he had us #12 on his S- list. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
August 20th, 2025 at 5:05 pm
Darnold had A good 3/4 season that was the end of that & baker is the better qb u guys r counting this team out already WTF
August 20th, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Drafting players on defense and adding a pass rusher doesnt change anything unless the guy coaching them can produce. How many dominant seasons has Bowles produced on defense? How many that allow teams to score almost at will? Until proven otherwise I anticipate many games filled with limg drives against our soft zone coverage as usual.
August 20th, 2025 at 5:34 pm
Guess we’ll wait and see.
August 20th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
So you say, Aqualung. I get that you don’t like TB (Todd Bowles). He might not be as good of a head coach as Bruce Arians was. Funny that it seems that Bowles is well respected in the league. This season should tell the story regarding his defense also.
August 20th, 2025 at 6:00 pm
āKABucsā – That is ludricousā¦ The Bucs being a Top 5-6 team right now. Sorry, but I cannot take that amount of bias seriously. But, of course, Colin is VERY aware of Stafford. He openly, roots for LA and has just recently moved away from there (like everyone else lol). He is also, VERY close āfriendsā with McVay, & had originally ranked them much āhigherā until this new updated list. But, heās leaving them ON āhis listā only because of McVay. As I stated aboveā¦ HE is extremely biased with ALL of his picks now, since moving to LA especially, after becoming so close with all of these FO people (GMās and Coaches, Ex-Coaches/Players, etc.). He is constantly, being āpumped FULLā of all of their own personal biases and propaganda.
August 20th, 2025 at 6:03 pm
LOTS of great āinsiderā information from Colin, BUT you have to take it with a grain of salt. Heās āblindedā by A LOT, when it comes to making his picks. Heās just way too all over the place now.
August 20th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
Donāt get your panties in a wad, āHodad.ā This is just HIS final preseason āHerd Hierarchyā (power-ratings) listā¦ It is subject to change every week on a week to week level, just the same as everyone elseās. Thatās all it is. Not a big deal.
August 20th, 2025 at 6:14 pm
Why do you even waste time typing about his opinion?
August 20th, 2025 at 7:35 pm
People outside of this forum actually use their brain.
Bowles must go away for opinions to change after actual success is made.
NFC south champs means less than zero.
August 20th, 2025 at 8:00 pm
Colin is a blow hard and an idiot, heās always wrong
August 20th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
blowhard indeed
August 20th, 2025 at 11:14 pm
Blowtard.
August 20th, 2025 at 11:47 pm
So nice that there’s alternative media outlets now and can completely avoid people like this.
August 21st, 2025 at 1:42 am
He can say whatever he wants, but if the Bucs don’t get better on the injury front he’s absolutely right. No Wirfs likely means no playoffs. Until he and others are back on the field this isn’t a team that’s going anywhere.
August 21st, 2025 at 4:03 am
Ahh yes some things will never change. Fred Flimtstone’s cat will never stay out for the night, and Collin Cowturd will say something stupid about the Bucs!
LOL
Go Bucs!
August 21st, 2025 at 8:15 am
Good, love when Collin Coward puts no respect on our name. One of those times we won a superbowl
August 21st, 2025 at 3:02 pm
As a Buc fan living in Canton Oh. I’m in Browns country.Cowherd has disliked Baker since they drafted him it’s a well documented feud. No surprise here excluding T.B
just out of association with #6.
August 21st, 2025 at 4:07 pm
Haha Collin Cowcrap? Who cares?