John Middlekauff· May 28, 2026
Middlekauff sees the Patriots as a nine-or-ten win team and the 49ers finishing 10-7; he'd hammer the under on New England's 9.5 and Minnesota's 8.5, projecting the Vikings last in the NFC North behind Bears, Lions and Packers. He likes the Bengals to win the AFC North and floats the Saints, Cowboys and Colts as new playoff teams.
“So I feel pretty comfortable saying they'll be ten and seven.”
said on air or in an interview · The Colin Cowherd Podcast (podcast) · read the original →
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence above are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
10 checkable claims — 4 playoff picks, 3 season win totals, 1 division winner, 1 power ranking and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 8 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 below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Minnesota Vikings · 2026 season · wins11 calls from 8 pundits between 1 wins and 12 wins. John Middlekauff said 6 wins. the room's median is 9 wins. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
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Who this take is about
10 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Surprise Team CallsNew Orleans SaintsMay 28, 2026
New Orleans Saints to beat expectations
“The Saints a little bit more of a flyer just because Kellen Moore year two, but they're they're a team under the radar a little bit”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew Orleans SaintsMay 28, 2026
New Orleans Saints to make the playoffs
“I throw the Saints in there”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersCincinnati BengalsMay 28, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“They're to me the pick to win that division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsNew England PatriotsMay 28, 2026
New England Patriots to finish with 9 wins
“I would take the New England Patriots as sitting here right now, like a nine or ten win season”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsMinnesota VikingsMay 28, 2026
Minnesota Vikings to finish with 6 wins
“I think to me they got five six, seven wins written all over there. To me, the last place team in that division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksIndianapolis ColtsMay 28, 2026
Indianapolis Colts to make the playoffs
“Yours would be Colts, Saints, Dallas.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsSan Francisco 49ersMay 28, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to finish with 10 wins
“So I feel pretty comfortable saying they'll be ten and seven.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDallas CowboysMay 28, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs
“I'd probably go Cowboys right down instead of the Giants.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksChicago BearsMay 28, 2026
Chicago Bears to make the playoffs
“I think the Bears are going to be playoff team again”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsMay 28, 2026
“So to me, Bears Lions, then I have the Green Bay, then I have Minnesota.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · New Orleans SaintsClose · 48Simms 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.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Cincinnati BengalsMiss · 0Long 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.
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Minnesota VikingsHit · 100Monson 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.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsHit · 100Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro.
- Matt HarmonGame Outcome Picks · Cincinnati BengalsHit · 100Harmon picked the Bengals to beat the Texans in Week 2, expecting Nico Collins to miss the game with a hamstring injury, and also predicted the Titans would be shut out by the Eagles. He took the Rams over the Giants, the Bears over the Vikings, and the Jaguars at Denver.
- Tracy SandlerGame Outcome Picks · Chicago BearsHit · 100Sandler predicted Caleb Williams would miss two to three weeks with his hamstring injury, and in the picks segment took the Broncos, Ravens, Vikings, Bills and Bears (switching off an earlier Tampa pick).
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Dan "Buzz" WilsonPlayoff Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Wilson argued the Eagles' offseason approach of prioritizing 2026 and beyond doesn't mean a bad 2025 — he expects them to remain among the NFC's best teams and to make a deep playoff run rather than fall off to eight or nine wins.
- Craig StoutPlayoff Picks · Kansas City ChiefsMiss · 0Craig believes better execution from a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team will be enough to return them to the playoffs in the coming season, and he expects Tyler Algeier to land with Denver as a complement to RJ Harvey.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Carolina PanthersHit · 100Eisen 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. He also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.
- Chris BrockmanPlayoff Picks · Pittsburgh SteelersHit · 100Brockman argued the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Foxborough, meaning the Patriots will finish as the No. 1 seed, and called his shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. He also declared the Bears a team of destiny who will win the NFC, said the Steelers will end their playoff win drought, and that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Green Bay PackersHit · 100Eisen agreed the Bears are a team of destiny who will win the NFC, insisted the Packers will make the playoffs and won't lose at home to the Ravens, said the Steelers should make the playoffs, and endorsed the view that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.
- Chris BrockmanPlayoff Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Brockman argued the Texans will reach the AFC Championship Game, declared the Chiefs dynasty over, said the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Lambeau Field, that Josh Allen is still the most dangerous QB and the Bills will win a playoff game (with the AFC East runner-up as the 5 seed winning in Pittsburgh or Baltimore), that Carolina will win the NFC South, that Baltimore finishes under .500 with Lamar no longer a top-five QB, that the Colts should trade for Mac Jones, and that Marcus Freeman will be in the NFL next year.