# Rich Eisen: Eisen defended the Chiefs (AFC West title, double-digit wins), predicted nearly all of last year's playoff teams return, backed Washington bouncing back, said Sam Darnold keeps his job, projected a 2,000-yard season for Puka Nacua, and forecast the Bengals back in the playoffs with the Steelers around 10-7. **Claimed:** Jun 23, 2025 **Pundit:** Rich Eisen — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/rich-eisen **Outlet:** Overreaction Monday (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/overreaction-monday-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/WWO3044203346.mp3?updated=1750693471 18 checkable claims — 11 playoff picks, 3 depth chart calls, 2 season win totals, 1 division winner and 1 player season number — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 19 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 18 have settled, averaging 60.6 out of 100, against 59.8 for a naive guess at the same calls. > Sam Darnold is not getting benched in 2025. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Kansas City Chiefs to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Michael Penix Jr. to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 91.67 for a naive guess - **Philadelphia Eagles to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Pittsburgh Steelers to finish with 10 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 85 for a naive guess - **Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Houston Texans to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Sam Darnold to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Detroit Lions to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Denver Broncos to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Kansas City Chiefs to finish with 10 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 20 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Puka Nacua to record 2,000 receiving yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: scored 71.5 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Daniel Jones to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Michael Penix Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/michael-penix-jr - Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/falcons - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Sam Darnold — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sam-darnold - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos - Puka Nacua — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/puka-nacua - Daniel Jones — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/daniel-jones - Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/colts ## What others said about the same people - Chris Simms on Kansas City Chiefs: Simms 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 100) - Connor Rogers on Detroit Lions: Rogers 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 100) - Chris Long on Cincinnati Bengals: Long 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3df9ea25-e57f-4fd7-b20c-c910a1c3633a (scored 0) - Steven Ruiz on Houston Texans: Previewing 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a30ff469-4972-4c48-855b-ba984e4de9d0 (scored 0) - Nate Tice on Baltimore Ravens: Tice 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b8378e16-ea5c-4107-a883-28aaf0e71134 (scored 100) - Sam Monson on Seattle Seahawks: Monson 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0b810ffd-fd93-4ea2-a208-b1353dea5fb0 (scored 0) ## More playoff picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ross Jackson on New Orleans Saints: Jackson 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4dc05898-73fd-4fcb-92c4-a940d7e395ba (scored 0) - Dwaine Board on San Francisco 49ers: Board 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/07beb6d4-aadc-4b2d-b131-b889c85204a3 (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on Chicago Bears: Brockman argued the Eagles' defense is the NFL's best and will drag a mediocre offense to the NFC championship, that the NFC North sends only two teams to the playoffs with the Bears among them, that the Rams are the league's best team, that a healthy Brock Purdy makes the 49ers an NFC threat who will beat the Saints and Falcons, and that the Panthers win the NFC South. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/58252eec-2c8f-4cfe-b95e-247dd9ce8f0e (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on Minnesota Vikings: Brockman argued the Seahawks are the NFC's best team and will land the No. 1 seed, that Jacksonville will reach 11 wins and steal the AFC South from Indianapolis, that JJ McCarthy will lead the Vikings to the playoffs, and that Matthew Stafford will be an MVP finalist. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c16dfbcb-8010-440d-9408-61df080434c8 (scored 0) - Chris Brockman on San Francisco 49ers: Brockman doubled down that the Ravens will win the AFC North, named Jonathan Taylor the NFL's MVP, locked in his seven NFC playoff teams with the Eagles as the NFC East's lone qualifier, and predicted Justin Fields will be the Jets' starting quarterback in 2026. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6ea8b930-4e07-428a-b72c-95276e352db0 (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on Carolina Panthers: Brockman argued the Broncos win the AFC West and a playoff game, that either the Colts or Patriots will be the AFC's No. 1 seed, that the Chiefs are the best team in the NFL, that the Bears win the NFC North, and that the Panthers make the playoffs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/59c50f45-6af8-4502-91e3-07583d6c5a65 (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=rich-eisen