# John Middlekauff: Previewing Week 4, Middlekauff leans the 49ers over Denver despite expecting the Broncos to play better, projects Denver as a likely 11- or 12-win team, and expects Trent Williams, Joey Porter Jr. and Nico Collins to be available this week. **Claimed:** Oct 2, 2026 **Pundit:** John Middlekauff — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/john-middlekauff **Outlet:** 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/44c6e42b-f663-4492-888d-ae330034680f/43db6243-5ed4-42c9-a87f-b4d7009b878f/audio.mp3?in_playlist=bf391792-153e-41b3-9d3d-ae3300346ad8 5 checkable claims — 3 availability calls, 1 game outcome pick and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 5 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls. > I guess I lean the Niners there, but you would think Denver is going to play better. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **San Francisco 49ers to beat Denver** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Oct 4, 2026): 49ers by 3 · favorite pick, 49ers 60%. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **Denver Broncos to finish with 11–12 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **Trent Williams, I would guess plays (Week 4, Niners vs. Denver)** - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **And it looks like, you know, Nico Collins comes back.** - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Nico Collins, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **I would guess, I mean, that Joey plays this week.** - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Joey Bosa, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos - Trent Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/trent-williams - Nico Collins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nico-collins - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Joey Bosa — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/joey-bosa - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys ## What others said about the same people - Pete Prisco on Houston Texans: Prisco gives score predictions for every Week 9 NFL game, picking the Bengals to rout the Falcons in Madrid, the Cowboys to rebound at Indianapolis, and the Jaguars to win in Baltimore without Lamar Jackson. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dc43909b-bc7f-47aa-b208-5cf7c95844bc (scored 54.76) - Jared Koch on Houston Texans: Koch predicts the Texans will beat the winless Chargers on the road in Week 9 by at least 10 points, with Houston's defense forcing a couple of turnovers to set up a multiple-score win. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e2861ce9-d1de-4f34-b001-83e64c3f5770 (scored 100) - AJ Hawk on San Francisco 49ers: Hawk said the Chiefs would beat the Jets, the Seahawks would beat the Cardinals, and the 49ers would beat the Raiders, even while taking the points with the underdogs in each case. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d20e3b12-b0ca-45f8-a14c-925af9b754bb (scored 100) - Chris Simms on Houston Texans: 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 he wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/17eb747a-90b1-472f-bb6d-e71c0c69133a (scored 80.95) - Connor Rogers on Houston Texans: 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 100) - Nick Wright on Houston Texans: Wright made several outright game calls for Week 9 alongside his spread picks: Kansas City beating the Jets 31-20, Detroit winning at Miami, New England edging Green Bay by a field goal or so, Carolina winning outright over Denver, and Houston blowing out the Chargers 27-12. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/14c1f8dd-d8ff-498f-b705-4b468ff964f8 (scored 83.33) ## More availability calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ralph Ventre on Keon Coleman: Ventre states that despite being limited in all three practices with a shoulder issue and wearing a red non-contact jersey, Bills receiver Keon Coleman will be available to play in the Monday night game at Minnesota. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4ac964a8-6d9f-4fc4-95e2-1921a97e07ac (not settled) - Trevor Ripley on Kyler Murray: Ripley picks the Bills to beat the Vikings in their Week 9 Monday night matchup, predicting a 27-20 Buffalo win, and expects Carson Wentz to start for Minnesota with Kyler Murray sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d007779f-687d-4623-87c1-8a62c6d62b06 (not settled) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Travis Etienne: In his Week 10 waiver column, Fitzmaurice predicted Jonathan Taylor would likely be traded by the deadline, expected Travis Etienne Jr. not to return in Week 10 while Mike Evans, Garrett Wilson and Kyle Monangai return soon, and saw Shedeur Sanders holding Cleveland's starting job and Konata Mumpfield working as the Rams' top receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/42706ae3-f6eb-45cb-8fc9-8c24b1e4ff0e (not settled) - Jordan Woodson on Deshaun Watson: Woodson expects Deshaun Watson to come back from his concussion in Week 10, limiting Shedeur Sanders to a late-season contingency, and thinks Jordan Watkins could remain San Francisco's top receiver against Dallas in Week 10 with Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr. banged up. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f328b561-a07d-4c25-81f4-5c8cd39d2754 (not settled) - Carter Bahns on J.J. McCarthy: Bahns expects J.J. McCarthy to keep playing beyond this week despite the hip/side injury scare against the Eagles. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ffb4b1d7-6ae3-4f2e-bb3f-696f994d1486 (not settled) - Bill Huber on Christian Watson: Huber argues Green Bay has no excuses left and will beat New England in Foxborough, and expects Christian Watson to play despite his rib injury. He also sketches the projected interior offensive line, with John Williams at center and Laken Tomlinson at right guard. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5ab5fa3a-4526-46a4-b11b-a2bc99820cb8 (not settled) --- 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. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. 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