John Middlekauff#48 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 8, 2026
Middlekauff gave their full season predictions: division winners (Bills, Bengals, Texans, Broncos, Cowboys, Lions, Saints, Seahawks), wildcards (Chargers, Chiefs, Steelers in the AFC; Rams, Bears, 49ers in the NFC), Detroit as the NFC's top seed, Jared Goff for MVP, Brian Schottenheimer for Coach of the Year, Will Anderson for Defensive Player of the Year, Caleb Downs and Jadarian Price as Rookies of the Year. They also predicted Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss goes top five in the NFL draft.
Said on air or in an interview · 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast)Hear the original
What John Middlekauff said
I'm going Jared Goff, MVP.
- Where it was said
- 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast)
- The episode
- 3 & Out - NFL Futures: Division Winners, Wild Card Picks, NFL MVP + Major Award Predictions
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Winners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| Season Win Totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Award Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Mock Draft Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Coach Award Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Playoff Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Player Season Numbers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Seeding, Byes and Home Field | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Position Group Rankings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
How each call scored
26 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 6 playoff picks, 4 award picks, 2 season win totals, 1 coach award pick, 1 mock draft pick, 1 player season number, 1 position group ranking, 1 pro bowl and all-pro call and 1 seeding, byes and home field — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 21 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.
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.
Division Winners8 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
- —Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“In the NFC, I've been hammering this for a while... I'm taking the Cowboys.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“But I love the Bengals this year. I love them... So I'm going Bills, Cincy, Texans, Denver.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Seattle Seahawks to win the division
“I think we get some similarities this year with that Seattle Rams game at the end of the season dictating it. And I'm just leaning Seattle.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Houston Texans to win the division
“AFC South, this is actually probably the easiest pick. I think the Houston Texans...”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“I don't like the Saints. I love the Saints... So Dallas, Detroit, New Orleans.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Detroit Lions to win the division
“The NFC North, who I'd probably pick to be the one seed... In the NFC, I think I'd go Detroit.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“AFC East. I'm just betting on Josh Allen until I'm wrong... So I'm going Bills, Cincy, Texans, Denver.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Season Win Totals2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Philadelphia Eagles to finish with 9–10 wins
“So to me, they're probably 9-10 wins because I think their defense is going to be so awesome.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
New Orleans Saints to finish with 10 wins
“I think the Saints, you're looking at 10-plus wins.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Award Picks4 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Jadarian Price to win Offensive Rookie of the Year
“And offensive rookie of the year... So I like Price... Price is my offensive and defensive rookie of the year.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- —Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Will Anderson Jr. to win Defensive Player of the Year
“But I'm taking Will Anderson... I think defensive player of the year.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Caleb Downs to win Defensive Rookie of the Year
“So I'm going Caleb Downs, and Price is my offensive and defensive rookie of the year.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Mock Draft Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Trinidad Chambliss to be picked “top five” (picks 1–5)
“If he keeps playing like this, to me, I think he's going to go in the top five.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Coach Award Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Brian Schottenheimer to win Coach of the Year
“Coach of the Year. I'm going Brian Schottenheimer, because if you tell me the Cowboys win the East, I don't see how he doesn't win Coach of the Year.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Playoff Picks6 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Chicago Bears to make the playoffs
“I'm going to lean the Bears... And I got the Rams, Bears, and Niners in my wildcard.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs
“I'm going to give the Niners the edge over the Eagles... And I got the Rams, Bears, and Niners in my wildcard.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Pittsburgh Steelers to make the playoffs
“But I'm taking the Steelers with that last wildcard spot.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“But I just, I got to pick the Chiefs to make the playoffs.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
“We'll stick with the Rams on the wildcard teams. I'll take the Rams.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs
“But Chargers to me are a block playoff team... So I got the Chargers, Chiefs, and Steelers in my wildcard.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Chris Olave to make Pro Bowl
“But if Alave is on the field, like I think that guy's a pro bowler”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Player Season Numbers1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Jadarian Price to record 1,000 rushing yards
“So I like Price. I can see 1,000 yards.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Seeding, Byes and Home Field1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Detroit Lions to take the top seed
“The NFC North, who I'd probably pick to be the one seed... In the NFC, I think I'd go Detroit.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Position Group Rankings1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
“I think their defense, which has consistently been, is going to be the best in the league in 2026... I think the Texans have the best defense in the league”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Trinidad Chambliss, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, Jared Goff, Kansas City Chiefs, Chris Olave, Los Angeles Rams, Will Anderson Jr., Los Angeles Chargers, Caleb Downs, Buffalo Bills
Others on the same people
Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.Gilberto Manzano · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks.Joshua Poniatowski · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE.
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 · 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.Rich Eisen · Division Winners · Jacksonville Jaguars · Hit 100
Eisen called the 49ers-as-NFC-favorites take an overreaction, picked the Jaguars to beat the Titans and win their division, leaned Ravens over the Steelers in the Week 18 Sunday night game, expects the Bills to beat the Jets even without Josh Allen, sees the Chargers as the AFC's seventh seed, agreed Tyler Shough could win Offensive Rookie of the Year with a good Saints 2026, said Malik Willis will be a starter somewhere next season, and insisted Detroit goes into 2026 with Goff.