Colin Cowherd#54 of 87 NFL pundits · Nov 19, 2025

Cowherd ran a hypothetical playoff bracket based on the current standings, picking Denver as the AFC's No. 1 seed and predicting a Rams win over Denver in the Super Bowl. They also picked winners in every hypothetical playoff game.

Said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast)Hear the original

5 of 14calls landed5 hits · 4 close calls · 5 misses · 1 waiting

54.8Average accuracyout of 100, across 14 calls

19.2A naive guessthe same calls, no knowledge

14 of 15Settled1 still waiting

#54Colin Cowherd’s rankof 87 ranked NFL pundits

What Colin Cowherd said

Rams over Denver again. I get the veteran quarterback, two great defenses.

Colin Cowherd, the lead quote

Where it was said: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast)
The episode: THE HERD - Hour 2 - NFL Playoff Predictions, Joel Klatt Discusses Controversial College Football Playoff Rankings
The original: Hear the original
Read it wrong?: Tell us and we will look

The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.

SaidNov 19, 2025
GradedAug 7–17, 2026

Box score, by kind

HitCloseMissWaiting

Group	Hits	Close	Misses	Waiting
Game Outcome Picks	4	2	3	1
Seeding, Byes and Home Field	1	0	0	0
Conference Champions	0	2	0	0
Super Bowl Picks	0	0	1	0
Playoff Picks	0	0	1	0
All	5	4	5	1

How each call scored

15 checkable claims — 10 game outcome picks, 2 conference champions, 1 playoff pick, 1 seeding, byes and home field and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

14 of 15 have settled so far, averaging 54.8 out of 100, against 19.2 for a naive guess at the same calls.

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.

Game Outcome Picks4 hits · 2 close calls · 3 misses · 1 waitingShow ▸

New England Patriots to beat Jags
“I would take the Patriots at home to beat the Jags in the wild card round”
New England Patriots
66.67Close
66.67 − 22.92 naive = 43.75 × 1.39 difficulty = +60.81 skill
How this was scored
note:
these two never played, so the pick is graded on the parts of it that happened
skill:
60.81
they picked:
NE
season:
2025
ceiling:
66.67
accuracy:
66.67
baseline:
22.92
opponent:
JAX
difficulty:
1.39
the naive guess:
14 of 32 clubs reached the postseason, 8 won a game there
weeks in the season:
18
right opponent:
no
weeks left when called:
7
picked won aplayoff game:
yes
picked reached the playoffs:
yes
opponent reached the playoffs:
yes
Think this is wrong?
Philadelphia Eagles to beat Seattle
“I would take the Eagles off of by beating Seattle.”
Philadelphia Eagles
33.33Miss
33.33 − 22.92 naive = 10.41 × 1.39 difficulty = +14.47 skill
How this was scored
note:
these two never played, so the pick is graded on the parts of it that happened
skill:
14.47
they picked:
PHI
season:
2025
ceiling:
66.67
accuracy:
33.33
baseline:
22.92
opponent:
SEA
difficulty:
1.39
the naive guess:
14 of 32 clubs reached the postseason, 8 won a game there
weeks in the season:
18
right opponent:
no
weeks left when called:
7
picked won aplayoff game:
no
picked reached the playoffs:
yes
opponent reached the playoffs:
yes
Think this is wrong?
New England Patriots to beat Colts
“Colts Patriots, Daniel Jones, regression, cold Weather. I'm going to take New England.”
New England Patriots
66.67Close
66.67 − 22.92 naive = 43.75 × 1.39 difficulty = +60.81 skill
How this was scored
note:
these two never played, so the pick is graded on the parts of it that happened
skill:
60.81
they picked:
NE
season:
2025
ceiling:
66.67
accuracy:
66.67
baseline:
22.92
opponent:
IND
difficulty:
1.39
the naive guess:
14 of 32 clubs reached the postseason, 8 won a game there
weeks in the season:
18
right opponent:
no
weeks left when called:
7
picked won aplayoff game:
yes
picked reached the playoffs:
yes
opponent reached the playoffs:
no
Think this is wrong?
Chicago Bears to beat Green Bay
“I would take the Bears in an ugly, windy, cold, low scoring game.”
Chicago Bears
0Miss
0 − 100 naive = −100 × 1.39 difficulty = −139 skill
How this was scored
won:
GB
score:
21-28
skill:
−139
they picked:
CHI
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
100
the naive pick:
GB
difficulty:
1.39
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?
Indianapolis Colts to beat Chargers
“I would take the Colts at home over the charge, a dependable run game and O line”
Indianapolis Colts
100Hit
100 − 0 naive = 100 × 1.39 difficulty = +139 skill
How this was scored
won:
IND
score:
38-24
skill:
139
they picked:
IND
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
LAC
difficulty:
1.39
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?
Buffalo Bills to beat Pittsburgh
“I would take in the wild card round Buffalo to beat Pittsburgh, even though it's at Pittsburgh”
Buffalo Bills
100Hit
100 − 0 naive = 100 × 1.39 difficulty = +139 skill
How this was scored
won:
BUF
score:
26-7
skill:
139
they picked:
BUF
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
PIT
difficulty:
1.39
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?
Seattle Seahawks to beat Tampa
“Let's go wildcard Seattle Tampa, with the Eagles getting the buy. I take Seattle.”
Seattle Seahawks
0Miss
0 − 0 naive = 0 × 1.39 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
won:
TB
score:
38-35
skill:
0
they picked:
SEA
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
SEA
difficulty:
1.39
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?
Los Angeles Rams to beat Bears
“Take the Rams to win convincingly.”
Los Angeles Rams
100Hit
100 − 0 naive = 100 × 1.39 difficulty = +139 skill
How this was scored
won:
LAR
score:
20-17
skill:
139
they picked:
LAR
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
CHI
difficulty:
1.39
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?
Denver Broncos to beat Buffalo
“we go to the divisional round, I would take Denver over Buffalo”
Denver Broncos
100Hit
100 − 100 naive = 0 × 1.39 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
won:
DEN
score:
30-33
skill:
0
they picked:
DEN
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
the naive pick:
DEN
difficulty:
1.39
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?
Los Angeles Rams to beat Niners
“Niners at the Rams... I think it's a Rams have a better overall roster.”
Los Angeles Rams
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Seeding, Byes and Home Field1 hitShow ▸

Denver Broncos to take the top seed
“Denver get to buy as a number one seed. I think that will be the case.”
Denver Broncos
100Hit
100 − 0 naive = 100 × 1.39 difficulty = +139 skill
How this was scored
skill:
139
they picked:
DEN
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
checked as:
the number one seed is the bye, which the bracket names exactly
actual tier:
bye
difficulty:
1.39
the naive guess:
where they finished last season (visitor)
weeks in the season:
18
claimed seed:
1
claimed tier:
bye
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?

Conference Champions2 close callsShow ▸

Denver Broncos to reach the Super Bowl
“Now Patriots Broncos. I'm taking Denver... Denver to the super Bowl.”
Denver Broncos
NE and SEA wonpicked DEN
50Close
50 − 0 naive = 50 × 1.39 difficulty = +69.5 skill
How this was scored
skill:
69.5
they picked:
DEN
season:
2025
accuracy:
50
baseline:
0
champions:
NE, SEA
difficulty:
1.39
the naive guess:
last season's conference champions
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
reached the Super Bowl:
no
lost the conference final:
yes
Think this is wrong?
Los Angeles Rams to reach the Super Bowl
“Rams Philly game of the year in the playoffs. I would take the Rams.”
Los Angeles Rams
NE and SEA wonpicked LAR
50Close
50 − 0 naive = 50 × 1.39 difficulty = +69.5 skill
How this was scored
skill:
69.5
they picked:
LAR
season:
2025
accuracy:
50
baseline:
0
champions:
NE, SEA
difficulty:
1.39
the naive guess:
last season's conference champions
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
reached the Super Bowl:
no
lost the conference final:
yes
Think this is wrong?

Super Bowl Picks1 missShow ▸

Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl
“We get to the Super Bowl. Rams over Denver again.”
Los Angeles Rams
SEA won itpicked LAR
0Miss
0 − 0 naive = 0 × 1.39 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
skill:
0
they picked:
LAR
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
champion:
SEA
runner up:
NE
the naive pick:
PHI
difficulty:
1.39
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?

Playoff Picks1 missShow ▸

Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“I think Baltimore is going to make their way in.”
Baltimore Ravens
Missed the playoffs
0Miss
0 − 0 naive = 0 × 1.39 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
team:
BAL
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
the naive guess said:
yes
difficulty:
1.39
weeks in the season:
18
made the playoffs:
no
weeks left when called:
7
Think this is wrong?