# Kevin Wildes: Wildes' upset alert is the Chargers beating the Broncos straight up, which they say would hand the No. 1 seed to New England.

**Claimed:** Jan 2, 2026
**Pundit:** Kevin Wildes — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/kevin-wildes
**Outlet:** First Things First (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/first-things-first-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/FOXM8361874508.mp3?updated=1767398338

2 checkable claims — 1 game outcome pick and 1 seeding, byes and home field — 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.

All 2 have settled, averaging 0 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> Chargers straight up over the Broncos. The number one seed goes to New England.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Los Angeles Chargers to beat Broncos**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
  - Line: Closing line (Jan 4, 2026): Broncos by 14.5 · underdog pick, Chargers about 1 in 10 (10%). Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade.
- **New England Patriots to take the top seed**
  - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: New England Patriots
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers
- New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots

## What others said about the same people

- Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on New England Patriots: Fitzmaurice predicted a 24-21 Patriots win over the Packers, said they would not be surprised if Jonathan Taylor were inactive amid trade talk, pegged Jonah Coleman as an RB22 rest-of-season value, expected Evan Hull to be Arizona's backup back, and saw Kerby Joseph returning in Week 10 or 11. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/41cd806b-d6f3-401d-ac46-33a027d3a0fd (scored 14.29)
- Nick Wright on New England Patriots: Wright argued the Jaguars are the AFC's most complete team, calling them the considerable favorite for the No. 1 seed and the only club essentially locked into the playoffs. They also picked Tampa Bay to upset Chicago, had Kansas City sweeping its next three games, liked New England over Green Bay by about a field goal, and updated their Super Bowl matchup to Chiefs–49ers. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/878403ae-b780-41f0-b38a-200b1a3e36ff (scored 0)
- Eric Mangini on New England Patriots: Mangini picked New England to beat Green Bay by more than a field goal, flagged Tampa Bay as their upset alert over Chicago, expects Kansas City to handle the Jets, took Buffalo over Minnesota, backed Cincinnati over Atlanta in Madrid, and updated their Super Bowl to Rams–Bengals. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/af0819c3-4662-44a2-a451-a08fa3b7e59a (scored 0)
- Connor Rogers on New England Patriots: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/11646f69-18dd-4831-a7de-e4115ded875c (scored 0)
- Chris Simms on New England Patriots: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/17eb747a-90b1-472f-bb6d-e71c0c69133a (scored 30.95)

## More game outcome picks

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

- Sam Monson on New York Giants: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f4cb7a1e-1380-4f08-b39b-1432b97db846 (scored 0)
- Eva Geitheim on Washington Commanders: Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c011abef-0b18-41ad-acad-6a67dfbd41fd (scored 100)
- Conor Orr on New York Giants: Orr picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Chargers in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ba669379-043c-448a-a167-2f2e3695a52e (scored 0)
- Albert Breer on New York Giants: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fdc16abc-9ae2-4bf4-a327-8e9d9ae283b6 (scored 0)
- Mitch Goldich on New York Giants: Goldich picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/706c628f-bb25-4892-b33e-84c81bfb6e4a (scored 0)
- Matt Verderame on New York Giants: Verderame picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dfeb0994-1abf-414f-b153-d01b6e4e5365 (scored 0)

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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.

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