Doug "D-Mac" McKainJan 8, 2026
McCain predicts the Rams will beat the Panthers in the wild card round by double digits, arguing they should win comfortably even without right guard Kevin Dotson. They also react to a mock draft, saying Caleb Downs will be drafted earlier than the Rams' No. 13 pick.
Said on air, transcribed by us · Locked On Rams (podcast)Hear the original
What Doug "D-Mac" McKain said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromThe Rams should win this game by 10 points or more.
- Where it was said
- Locked On Rams (podcast)
- The episode
- RAMS BIG UPDATE: Will Kevin Dotson Play vs. Panthers? Rams Could Lose Key Coach, SB Prediction!
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidJan 8
- GradedAug 17
- 1Los Angeles Rams to beat Carolina Panthers“The Rams should win this game by 10 points or more. ... and you're gonna win it by double digits.”
- 2Caleb Downs to be picked “a little higher than No. 13”“Caleb Downs is gonna go definitely a little higher than that.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams to beat Carolina Panthers1 | Game Outcome Picks | — | 100 | 0 | +100 | |
| Caleb Downs to be picked “a little higher than No. 13”2 | Mock Draft Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 calls · 1 hit · 1 waiting | 100 | 0 | ||||
Game calls show that game’s closing betting line under their grade: a dated fact from nflverse, for context and never part of a grade. MissedTakes takes no bets and earns nothing from any sportsbook.
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive2 checkable claims — 1 game outcome pick and 1 mock draft pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 2 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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.
1Game Outcome PicksLos Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams to beat Carolina Panthers
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×1difficulty=+100skillClosing line (Jan 10): Rams by 10 · favorite pick, Rams about 4 in 5 (81%).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- LAR
- score:
- 34-31
- skill:
- 100
- they picked:
- LAR
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- CAR
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
Caleb Downs to be picked “a little higher than No. 13”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Colin Cowherd · Trade and Signing Calls · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Cowherd predicts Matt Stafford stays with the Rams rather than moving on, and says Travis Hunter may underachieve because they're being asked to play both ways — Cowherd doubts they're a No. 1 receiver and would slot them as a No. 2 receiver while being a No. 1 corner.Colin Cowherd · Trade and Signing Calls · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Cowherd believes Matt Stafford's public negotiation posturing means he ultimately stays in Los Angeles, and he flags Travis Hunter as a high draft pick who could underachieve because trying to play both cornerback and receiver full-time will hurt him.Chris Simms · Score Predictions · Los Angeles Rams · Hit 93
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.Connor Rogers · Game Outcome Picks · Los Angeles Rams · Hit 100
Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night.
More game outcome picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.Eva Geitheim · Game Outcome Picks · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.Conor Orr · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Orr picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Chargers in Week 10.Albert Breer · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Breer picked all 14 Week 10 games straight up, favoring the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens.Mitch Goldich · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Goldich picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.Matt Verderame · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Verderame picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.