Rich Eisen#38 of 87 NFL pundits · Jun 10, 2026

Eisen unveiled their top 10 NFL defenses for 2026, with Seattle first, Houston second and the Rams third, and said they deliberately put an AFC team and an NFC team at the top to hint at their Super Bowl matchup (Texans vs. Seahawks).

Said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)Hear the original

Waiting3 calls, none settled yet

—Average accuracynothing settled yet

—A naive guessthe same calls, no knowledge

0 of 3Settled3 still waiting

#38Rich Eisen’s rankof 87 ranked NFL pundits

What Rich Eisen said

our reading, beside the words we read it from

And that's my power rankings of the NFL defenses, one to 10 in 2026 as it currently stands.

Rich Eisen, the lead quote · each call’s own words are below

Where it was said: The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)
The episode: Hour 3: Rich’s NFL Defenses Power Rankings, Raiders QB Competition, plus NBA Finals Game 4 Factors
The original: Hear the original
Read it wrong?: Tell us and we will look

1Houston Texans to reach the Super Bowl“I went with an AFC team and an NFC team at the top two there just to kinda give people an idea of where where I'm thinking for a Super Bowl matchup.”
2Seattle Seahawks to reach the Super Bowl“I went with an AFC team and an NFC team at the top two there just to kinda give people an idea of where where I'm thinking for a Super Bowl matchup.”
3Position Group Rankings“Number 10 on the list... I think the Ravens are gonna be a top 10 defense again... Number nine... the cowboys... I put the Vikings eight... the chargers are seventh here on my list. Number six on the list... The Philadelphia Eagles... I'm putting your Patriots five... I'm putting the Broncos at four. Number three... I think the Rams are now in the top five defensively... number two on the list are the Houston Texans... but number one is the defending Super Bowl champs... Seattle's defense.”

Box score

HitCloseMissWaiting

Call	Kind	What happened	Score	Naive	Skill
Houston Texans to reach the Super Bowl¹	Conference Champions	—	—	—	—
Seattle Seahawks to reach the Super Bowl²	Conference Champions	—	—	—	—
“Number 10 on the list... I think the Ravens are gonna be a top…”³	Position Group Rankings	—	—	—	—
3 calls · 3 waiting			—	—

How each call scored

3 checkable claims — 2 conference champions and 1 position group ranking — 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.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

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.

Their call against the record

Reaches the Super BowlThey said

Did not reach it2025

Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.

1Conference Champions Houston Texans
Houston Texans to reach the Super Bowl
VerdictWaiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
2Conference Champions Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks to reach the Super Bowl
VerdictWaiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
3Position Group Rankings
“Number 10 on the list... I think the Ravens are gonna be a top 10 defense again... Number nine... the cowboys... I put the Vikings eight... the chargers are seventh here on my list. Number six on the list... The Philadelphia Eagles... I'm putting your Patriots five... I'm putting the Broncos at four. Number three... I think the Rams are now in the top five defensively... number two on the list are the Houston Texans... but number one is the defending Super Bowl champs... Seattle's defense.”
VerdictWaiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Who this take is about

Where do you stand on this one?Pick every open claim on Picks →

Others on the same people

Jeremy Brener · Depth Chart Calls · Drew Lock · Hit 100
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.
Bobby Skinner · Trade and Signing Calls · Stefon Diggs · Miss 0
Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates they had listed.
Albert Breer · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Breer picks the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in their Week 9 NFC West matchup.
Tyler Sullivan · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Sullivan picks the Seahawks to win in Week 9.
Dave Richard · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Richard picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals.
John Pluym · Game Outcome Picks · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Pluym picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals.

More conference champions

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

Nick Wright · Conference Champions · New England Patriots · Hit 100
The host picks the Rams to beat the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game and believes the winner of that game wins the Super Bowl, i.e. that this is the Rams' year; they also pick New England to win in Denver despite taking the Broncos with the points, and says Stafford is winning MVP. They call Sean McVay the second-best coach in the NFL.
Nick Wright · Conference Champions · Denver Broncos · Close 50
Wright picked the Broncos to beat the Patriots in a low-scoring AFC Championship game (17-16), said Sean Payton would coach Denver to the Super Bowl, picked the Rams to win outright in Seattle 31-20, believes the winner of the NFC game wins the Super Bowl with the Rams the better team, and expects Matt Stafford to be named league MVP.
AJ Hawk · Conference Champions · Los Angeles Rams · Close 50
Hawk picked the Patriots to win in Denver despite liking Stidham and the Broncos defense, and in the NFC they stuck with the Rams, saying Stafford gets to the Super Bowl.
Connor "Boston Connor" Campbell · Conference Champions · New England Patriots · Hit 100
Connor expects a tight first half in Denver before New England pulls away in the second half and advances to the Super Bowl.
Gregg Rosenthal · Conference Champions · New England Patriots · Hit 100
Rosenthal picks the Patriots to beat the Broncos in a close, low-scoring AFC Championship in Denver (while liking Denver to cover the 4.5 points), takes the Seahawks over the Rams in a defensive NFC Championship they peg around 23-19, and forecasts a Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl.
Richard Sherman · Conference Champions · New England Patriots · Hit 100
Sherman picks the Seahawks to beat the Rams comfortably at home, 27-17, with a defensive score, and says the winner of that NFC Championship game will win the Super Bowl. They also pick the Patriots to win comfortably in Denver, 21-15, and assumes Matthew Stafford will be named league MVP.