Colin Cowherd#54 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 5, 2025
Cowherd delivered their Week 1 "blazing five": Giants keeping it close but losing to Washington 27-23, Jets beating the Steelers outright 24-20, Seahawks over the Niners 24-23, Packers over the Lions 28-24, and the under in Texans-Rams. They also picked Minnesota over Chicago on Monday night and the Chargers over the Chiefs in Brazil, while saying Kansas City makes the playoffs but won't win the tough AFC West.
Said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast)Hear the original
What Colin Cowherd said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromI like green Bay to win outright twenty eight to twenty four.
- Where it was said
- The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast)
- The episode
- THE HERD - Hour 2 - Colin's Blazin 5 picks for the weekend, Dak Prescott played well last night, Matt Hasselbeck
- 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.
- SaidSep 5, 2025
- GradedAug 5–17, 2026
- 1Washington Commanders 27 — Giants 23“I'll take Washington to win, but six and a half. I'm taking it with the Giants twenty seven to twenty three. Commanders close”
- 2Seattle Seahawks 24 — 49ers 23“I liked the Seahawks and the points to win straight out twenty four to twenty three.”
- 3Green Bay Packers 28 — Lions 24“I like green Bay to win outright twenty eight to twenty four.”
- 4Minnesota Vikings to beat Bears“At home Monday night play. I like Minnesota in the game close.”
- 5Los Angeles Chargers to beat Kansas City“You like Kansas City tonight. I like the Chargers.”
- 6New York Jets 24 — Steelers 20“I like the Jets here to win straight out twenty four to twenty”
- 7Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs“So I think they're gonna be very good. I think they'll make the playoffs, but I think the division, Jay...”
- 8C.J. Stroud to make Pro Bowl“C J Stroud is a pro Bowl level”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Commanders 27 — Giants 231 | Score Predictions | — | 73.81 | 69.11 | +9.39 | |
| Seattle Seahawks 24 — 49ers 232 | Score Predictions | — | 42.86 | 45.3 | −4.9 | |
| Green Bay Packers 28 — Lions 243 | Score Predictions | — | 76.19 | 71.5 | +9.39 | |
| Minnesota Vikings to beat Bears4 | Game Outcome Picks | — | 100 | 0 | +200 | |
| Los Angeles Chargers to beat Kansas City5 | Game Outcome Picks | — | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| New York Jets 24 — Steelers 206 | Score Predictions | — | 45.24 | 49.93 | −9.39 | |
| Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs7 | Playoff Picks | Missed the playoffs | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| C.J. Stroud to make Pro Bowl8 | Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 8 calls · 2 hits · 4 close calls · 1 miss · 1 waiting | 62.6 | 48 | ||||
Game calls show that game’s closing betting line under their grade: a dated fact from nflverse, for context and never part of a grade. MissedTakes takes no bets and earns nothing from any sportsbook.
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive8 checkable claims — 4 score predictions, 2 game outcome picks, 1 playoff pick and 1 pro bowl and all-pro call — 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.
7 of 8 have settled so far, averaging 62.6 out of 100, against 48 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.
1Score PredictionsWashington Commanders
Washington Commanders 27 — Giants 23
VerdictClose73.81Close · naive 69.1173.81this call−69.11a naive guess=4.7better than naive×2difficulty=+9.39skillClosing line (Sep 7): Commanders by 6, total 45.5 · this 27–23 calls a closer game (Commanders by 4) and more points (50).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 6-21
- skill:
- 9.39
- they picked:
- WAS
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 73.81
- baseline:
- 69.11
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 15
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- naive home margin:
- 2.03
- predicted margin:
- 4
2Score PredictionsSeattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks 24 — 49ers 23
VerdictClose42.86Close · naive 45.3Closing line (Sep 7): 49ers by 2.5, total 43.5 · this 24–23 calls a Seahawks win (by 1; the line gave the Seahawks 45%) and more points (47).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 17-13
- skill:
- −4.9
- they picked:
- SEA
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 42.86
- baseline:
- 45.3
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 4
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- naive home margin:
- 2.03
- predicted margin:
- 1
3Score PredictionsGreen Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers 28 — Lions 24
VerdictClose76.19Close · naive 71.576.19this call−71.5a naive guess=4.69better than naive×2difficulty=+9.39skillClosing line (Sep 7): Packers by 1.5, total 48.5 · this 28–24 calls a bigger Packers win (by 4) and more points (52).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 13-27
- skill:
- 9.39
- they picked:
- GB
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 76.19
- baseline:
- 71.5
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 14
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- naive home margin:
- 2.03
- predicted margin:
- 4
4Game Outcome PicksMinnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings to beat Bears
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 0100this call−0a naive guess=100better than naive×2difficulty=+200skillClosing line (Sep 8): Vikings by 1.5 · a toss-up, Vikings 50%, Bears 50%.
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- MIN
- score:
- 27-24
- skill:
- 200
- they picked:
- MIN
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- CHI
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
5Game Outcome PicksLos Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers to beat Kansas City
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillClosing line (Sep 5): Chiefs by 3 · underdog pick, Chargers 39%.
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- won:
- LAC
- score:
- 21-27
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- LAC
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- LAC
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
6Score PredictionsNew York Jets
New York Jets 24 — Steelers 20
VerdictClose45.24Close · naive 49.9345.24this call−49.93a naive guess=−4.69worse than naive×2difficulty=−9.39skillClosing line (Sep 7): Steelers by 3, total 37.5 · this 24–20 calls a Jets win (by 4; the line gave the Jets 42%) and more points (44).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 34-32
- skill:
- −9.39
- they picked:
- NYJ
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 45.24
- baseline:
- 49.93
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 2
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- naive home margin:
- 2.03
- predicted margin:
- 4
7Playoff PicksKansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
What happenedMissed the playoffs0Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- team:
- KC
- skill:
- 0
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive guess said:
- yes
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- made the playoffs:
- no
- weeks left when called:
- 18
8Pro Bowl and All-Pro CallsC.J. StroudHouston Texans
C.J. Stroud to make Pro Bowl
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 7 settled calls, each counted once
62.6naive 48
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
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.Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Sullivan takes the Commanders 24-21 over the Giants on Thursday night and calls for a Steelers upset of the Bengals, 27-24, in Week 10.John Breech · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 90
Breech picks the Commanders to upset the Giants on Thursday night, 24-17, and takes the Texans to beat the Browns 24-16 in Week 10 behind a pass rush that should batter Deshaun Watson.Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picked seven Week 10 games with final scores, including a Commanders upset of the Giants, Lions over the Patriots in Munich, Chiefs over the Falcons, Packers edging the Vikings, 49ers over the Cowboys, Bengals over the Steelers and Ravens over the Chargers. They also suggested Joe Burrow could win MVP this season.
More score predictions
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picked the Giants to beat the Commanders at home in the Thursday night Week 10 game, 23-14, citing New York's dominant front seven containing Jayden Daniels.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin predicted final scores for seven Week 10 games, taking the Giants over the Commanders, the Lions, Chiefs, Packers, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens to win their respective matchups.