John Middlekauff#48 of 87 NFL pundits · Jul 27, 2025
On their podcast, John previewed several 2025 storylines: they expect the Cowboys to be roughly an eight-to-nine win team, gives the NFC South to Tampa Bay, picks Green Bay to win its division and make the playoffs, thinks Kyler Murray will be elsewhere by 2026, and says Daniel Jones will start Week 1 in Indianapolis.
Said on air or in an interview · 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast)Hear the original
What John Middlekauff said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromI'm gonna pick the Packers to win the division.
- Where it was said
- 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast)
- The episode
- 3 & Out - Best of The Week: Jerry Jones is losing it, Top 5 storylines heading into the season, Ben Johnson getting his start
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
- SaidJul 27, 2025
- GradedAug 5–Sep 18, 2026
- 1Kyler Murray to move“And I think there's a pretty good chance that Kyler Murray is playing somewhere else in twenty twenty six.”
- 2Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division“And as we're sitting here right now I'm giving it to the Bucks”
- 3Green Bay Packers to win the division“I'm gonna pick the Packers to win the division.”
- 4Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs“I mean, I expect the Packers to make the playoffs”
- 5Daniel Jones to be 1st on the depth chart“Anthony Richardson is going into his third year. I think we all know how this thing's gonna end. Daniel Jones going to be starting week one.”
- 6Season Win Totals“Wouldn't shock me if they're just competitive, probably not a playoff team, But like I could see them in the mix to be like eight nine wins.”
- 7Coach Award Picks
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Murray to move1 | Trade and Signing Calls | Ended up with ARI | 0 | 100 | −200 | |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division2 | Division Winners | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Green Bay Packers to win the division3 | Division Winners | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs4 | Playoff Picks | Made the playoffs | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| Daniel Jones to be 1st on the depth chart5 | Depth Chart Calls | No. 1 | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| “Wouldn't shock me if they're just competitive, probably not a…”6 | Season Win Totals | — | — | — | — | |
| Coach Award Picks7 | Coach Award Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 7 calls · 2 hits · 3 misses · 2 too vague to check | 40 | 60 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive7 claims — 2 division winners, 1 coach award pick, 1 depth chart call, 1 playoff pick, 1 season win total and 1 trade and signing call — the 5 we can check each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
All 5 calls we can check have settled, averaging 40 out of 100, against 60 for a naive guess at the same calls.
The other 2 were too vague to check, so they are not graded.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Trade and Signing CallsKyler Murray
Kyler Murray to move
What happenedEnded up with ARI0Miss · naive 1000this call−100a naive guess=−100worse than naive×2difficulty=−200skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- −200
- player:
- Kyler Murray
- season:
- 2025
- claimed:
- he leaves
- was with:
- ARI
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he stays where he is
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- ended up with:
- ARI
- weeks left when called:
- 18
2Division WinnersTampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division
VerdictMiss0Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- method:
- division winners read off the bracket: the bye teams and the wild-card hosts
- they picked:
- TB
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- TB
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- last season's winner of the same division
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- won the division:
- no
3Division WinnersGreen Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers to win the division
VerdictMiss0Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- method:
- division winners read off the bracket: the bye teams and the wild-card hosts
- they picked:
- GB
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- DET
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- last season's winner of the same division
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- won the division:
- no
4Playoff PicksGreen Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs
What happenedMade the playoffs100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- team:
- GB
- skill:
- 0
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive guess said:
- yes
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- made the playoffs:
- yes
- weeks left when called:
- 18
5Depth Chart CallsDaniel JonesIndianapolis Colts
Daniel Jones to be 1st on the depth chart
What happenedNo. 1called No. 1 · by passing yards100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- IND
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Daniel Jones
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- position:
- QB
- naive slot:
- 1
- actual slot:
- 1
- difficulty:
- 2
- measured by:
- passing yards
- the naive guess:
- where he sat last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- predicted slot:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
6Season Win TotalsDallas Cowboys
“Wouldn't shock me if they're just competitive, probably not a playoff team, But like I could see them in the mix to be like eight nine wins.”
VerdictToo vague to checkToo vague to check: we could not tell what would count as right, so it stays on the record without a score.
Coach Award Picks
VerdictToo vague to checkToo vague to check: we could not tell what would count as right, so it stays on the record without a score.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 5 settled calls, each counted once
40naive 60
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Brandon Carney · Trade and Signing Calls · Mike Evans · Miss 0
Carney predicts Geno Smith signs with the Vikings and starts for them, that at least four of the fringe veteran quarterbacks (Tua, Kyler, Cousins, Fields, Geno) will be starters next season, and that Mike Evans stays with Tampa Bay. They also rank their top fantasy wide receivers and comments on running back landing spots and trade values.Dalton Feely · Trade and Signing Calls · Chris Godwin Jr. · Hit 100
Feenie predicted Chris Godwin stays in Tampa Bay, Josh Sweat reunites with Jonathan Gannon in Arizona, Ronnie Stanley signs with New England, Jevon Holland lands in Indianapolis, Khalil Mack joins Washington, Asante Samuel Jr. goes to San Francisco, Najee Harris to the Raiders and Bobby Wagner to Dallas.Rich Eisen · Trade and Signing Calls · Micah Parsons · Miss 0
Eisen expects Myles Garrett to be traded before the draft and says the Browns will then take Abdul Carter with their early first-round pick; they also predict Buffalo will end up paying James Cook and that Micah Parsons will remain a Cowboy and get their money from Dallas, likely late in the process.Bill Huber · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Huber argues Green Bay has no excuses left and will beat New England in Foxborough, and expects Christian Watson to play despite their rib injury. They also sketch the projected interior offensive line, with John Williams at center and Laken Tomlinson at right guard.Derek Brown · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Brown picked the Bengals to beat the Falcons in Madrid, the Packers to win outright in New England and the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night. They were bullish on Jonah Coleman's rest-of-season value, expected Jonathan Taylor to play for the Colts, floated a Breece Hall trade, and did not expect DJ Reed to play in Week 9.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Daniel DiBerardinis · Division Winners · Atlanta Falcons · Miss 0
Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. They also give a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · New York Giants · Miss 0
Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. They also expect Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and they float the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Cowherd unveiled their top 10 NFL teams entering next season, with Seattle first, the Rams second and the Chiefs tenth, and separately picked the Chargers to win the AFC West.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · Baltimore Ravens · Miss 0
Cowherd likes Jacksonville, Chicago and Pittsburgh (with DK Metcalf back) in the wild-card round, ranks the league's head coaches with McVay first and Ben Johnson seventh, and predicts Lamar Jackson has about two strong years left. They also name the Rams as a possible team to draft a receiver and floats next year's draft having seven first-round quarterbacks.Rich Eisen · Division Winners · Jacksonville Jaguars · Hit 100
Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. They also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.