# Tyler Sullivan: Sullivan's Week 8 upset alert column flags five favorites he expects to lose: he picks the Falcons over the Buccaneers, the Raiders over the Jets, the undefeated Vikings over the Lions, the Ravens (with Lamar Jackson returning) over the Bills, and the Browns over the Steelers. **Claimed:** Oct 29, 2026 **Pundit:** Tyler Sullivan — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tyler-sullivan **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-8-upset-picks-bills-vs-ravens-vikings-lions/ 4 checkable claims — 3 game outcome picks and 1 availability call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 3 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 33.3 out of 100, against 66.7 for a naive guess at the same calls. > Now, it's time to look forward to Week 8 and identify a handful of favorites who are officially on upset alert. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Las Vegas Raiders to beat New York Jets** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Nov 1, 2026): Jets by 1.5 · a toss-up, Raiders 47%, Jets 53%. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **Cleveland Browns to beat Pittsburgh Steelers** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Cleveland Browns - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Nov 1, 2026): Steelers by 3.5 · underdog pick, Browns 36%. Graded on who won, not on the spread. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **Minnesota Vikings to beat Detroit Lions** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Nov 1, 2026): Lions by 3 · underdog pick, Vikings 40%. Graded on who won, not on the spread. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **The Ravens QB is slated to make his return after missing the last three games due to an ankle injury. ... he nearly played last week, so I think we're going to get something pretty close to a fully healthy version (Week 8)** - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Lamar Jackson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/lamar-jackson - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens ## What others said about the same people - Doug Joubert on Cleveland Browns: Joubert picks the Browns to win 28-17, saying the Saints haven't improved over the first half of the season despite Cleveland starting Shedeur Sanders. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1dc26285-5f15-45a0-93a7-62d8bd585adc (scored 26.19) - Pat McAfee on Cleveland Browns: McAfee picked the Browns, with Shedeur Sanders starting, to beat the Saints in New Orleans. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9d0f9dd7-1016-4f2f-ab92-fe6567b2b0be (scored 0) - Michael Moore on Shedeur Sanders: In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. He also expects Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e26319a3-10aa-49a6-a24d-a257521363f0 (scored 100) - Zachary Pereles on Shedeur Sanders: Pereles writes that if Deshaun Watson can't clear concussion protocol in time, the Browns would likely turn to second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders to start Week 9 against the Saints. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6dad75dd-1818-4a6a-91ea-832f491c2530 (scored 100) - Mitchell Eisenstein on Cleveland Browns: Mitchell gave his Week 9 top-five power rankings, keeping Buffalo first and the 49ers second while elevating the Bears, Jaguars and Lions, and picked a slate of Week 9 games including a Packers win in New England, a Panthers upset of Denver, and blowouts for Detroit, Kansas City and Houston. He also tabbed Jonah Coleman as a late-season Offensive Rookie of the Year pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6a1c5f64-cb1f-4e3d-846c-281720efb544 (scored 0) - Richard Sherman on Cleveland Browns: Sherman ranked the 49ers first in his Week 9 top five ahead of Buffalo, Chicago, Jacksonville and Denver, picked every Week 9 game with scores, and gave midseason award picks headlined by Brock Purdy for MVP and Kyle Shanahan for Coach of the Year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/97d44ed7-e136-4f44-babc-78b1d8d020ad (scored 0) ## More game outcome picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Bill Huber on Green Bay Packers: Huber argues Green Bay has no excuses left and will beat New England in Foxborough, and expects Christian Watson to play despite his rib injury. He also sketches the projected interior offensive line, with John Williams at center and Laken Tomlinson at right guard. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5ab5fa3a-4526-46a4-b11b-a2bc99820cb8 (scored 100) - Jeremy Brener on Seattle Seahawks: Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7eb2d245-63d0-4be0-80ba-3f60197e2b16 (scored 100) - Albert Breer on Seattle Seahawks: Breer picks the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in their Week 9 NFC West matchup. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4d67a8a5-0c05-4abe-b2ca-f0cef8390b1d (scored 100) - Dave Richard on Seattle Seahawks: Richard picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d3db433e-52c6-42d1-a3b0-6b342aac8a9e (scored 100) - John Pluym on Seattle Seahawks: Pluym picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e3897747-c55f-4340-9e82-03f9730f87ba (scored 100) - Pamela Maldonado on Seattle Seahawks: Maldonado picks the Seahawks in Week 9. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/38b2ad8f-9672-44e8-b3c2-b8ad3b004c09 (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=tyler-sullivan