Colin Cowherd· Aug 25, 2026
Cowherd laid out his full AFC playoff field: Bills, Ravens, Texans and Chargers as division winners, with Patriots, Bengals and Chiefs as wild cards, ordering each division and adding a few team and player calls (Chargers 11-6, Jets four or five wins, Mendoza starting for the Raiders before Thanksgiving, Rodgers in his final NFL season). He also pushed back on Cowboys Super Bowl hype and made a few college football calls.
“So I have the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers winning their division.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
20 checkable claims — 7 playoff picks, 4 division winners, 4 power rankings, 2 depth chart calls, 2 season win totals and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 13 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
Where this call stands in the room
Fernando Mendoza · 2026 season10 calls from 8 pundits between 1 and 2. Colin Cowherd said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
20 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Playoff PicksNew England PatriotsAug 25, 2026
New England Patriots to make the playoffs
“Patriots, Bengals, Chiefs as wildcard.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles ChargersAug 25, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to win the division
“I have the Chargers, 11-6, with the worst offensive line in football. ... I have them winning the division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksHouston TexansAug 25, 2026
Houston Texans to make the playoffs
“So I have the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers winning their division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersHouston TexansAug 25, 2026
Houston Texans to win the division
“So I have the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers winning their division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsNew York JetsAug 25, 2026
New York Jets to finish with 4–5 wins
“Offensively, if Geno can be a C-plus quarterback, they should win four or five games.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsLos Angeles ChargersAug 25, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to finish with 11 wins
“I have the Chargers, 11-6, with the worst offensive line in football.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 25, 2026
“I'm going to go with Baltimore... Cincinnati, I have as a new playoff team... Steelers... I think they'll be viable as a playoff team until about week 16, 17 or 18. Cleveland... They're just too young to win”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsAug 25, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“I do think, I'll give Kansas City credit, I think they get back to the playoffs. ... Patriots, Bengals, Chiefs as wildcard.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsDavid BaileyNew York JetsAug 25, 2026
David Bailey to be 1st on the depth chart
“David Bailey on the edge is going to start.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBaltimore RavensAug 25, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“Baltimore, by the way, is going to be a new playoff team, too.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBuffalo BillsAug 25, 2026
Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs
“So I have the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers winning their division. Patriots, Bengals, Chiefs as wildcard.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsAug 25, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“I'll take them to win the division. ... So I have the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers winning their division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksLos Angeles ChargersAug 25, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs
“So I have the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers winning their division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 25, 2026
“the bills are the largest favorite ... I'll take them to win the division. New England's schedule is much tougher... The Jets in third... Dolphins are rebuilding... I'll pick them easily for fourth.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsAug 25, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“Cincinnati, I have as a new playoff team. ... Patriots, Bengals, Chiefs as wildcard.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBaltimore RavensAug 25, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“The AFC North, I don't think this one's difficult. I'm going to go with Baltimore just because a lot of changes, but they have the deepest roster.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Aaron Rodgers to move to Pittsburgh Steelers
“It's his final year, my guess, as a pro.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 25, 2026
“I have them winning the division... Kansas City gets a slight edge to me. Raiders could be the best fourth Place team in football”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 25, 2026
“This is my toughest call in the AFC. I'm going to go Colts over the Jags... So I, the Colts, Jaguars, coin flip... and the Titans for fourth.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Fernando Mendoza to be 1st on the depth chart
“I really like Fernando Mendoza. My guess is he starts somewhere, somewhere before Thanksgiving.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Cincinnati BengalsMiss · 0Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South.
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Dan "Buzz" WilsonPlayoff Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Wilson argued the Eagles' offseason approach of prioritizing 2026 and beyond doesn't mean a bad 2025 — he expects them to remain among the NFC's best teams and to make a deep playoff run rather than fall off to eight or nine wins.
- Ross JacksonPlayoff Picks · New Orleans SaintsMiss · 0Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Minnesota VikingsMiss · 0Eisen argues Ohio State will produce multiple top-10 picks — Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs — becoming the first school with three defensive players in the top 10, and that Styles will not be available at No. 12 to the Cowboys. He also thinks Fernando Mendoza is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick and expects the Raiders to draft him, and picks Trey Lance over Anthony Richardson to start a game first, Micah Parsons to fetch a bigger trade return than Maxx Crosby, Kirk Cousins as the released QB most likely to reach the playoffs, and J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings' Week 1 starter.
- Dwaine BoardPlayoff Picks · San Francisco 49ersHit · 100Board argues the 49ers can still make the playoffs even if Trent Williams leaves, expects Williams to be brought back, and favors drafting a wide receiver at No. 27 over an offensive tackle.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Carolina PanthersHit · 100Eisen 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. He also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Green Bay PackersHit · 100Eisen agreed the Bears are a team of destiny who will win the NFC, insisted the Packers will make the playoffs and won't lose at home to the Ravens, said the Steelers should make the playoffs, and endorsed the view that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.