# Rich Eisen: Eisen picked the Colts as the AFC's top seed, named Jonathan Taylor a top-three MVP finisher, said this season puts Matthew Stafford in the Hall of Fame, kept the NFC North as Detroit's division, and had Tampa Bay as the NFC South playoff team while allowing Carolina could reach 10 wins. **Claimed:** Oct 20, 2025 **Pundit:** Rich Eisen — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/rich-eisen **Outlet:** Overreaction Monday (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/overreaction-monday-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP6039494434.mp3?updated=1761000007 8 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls, 1 award pick, 1 division winner, 1 game outcome pick, 1 playoff pick, 1 season win total and 1 seeding, byes and home field — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 10 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 8 have settled, averaging 45 out of 100, against 59.4 for a naive guess at the same calls. > This is the season that's putting Matthew Stafford in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Indianapolis Colts to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Indianapolis Colts - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Detroit Lions to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Carolina Panthers to finish with 10 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Carolina Panthers - Verdict: scored 60 out of 100, against 75 for a naive guess - **New England Patriots to beat Cleveland** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Brock Purdy to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Jonathan Taylor to win top three in MVP voting** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/colts - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/panthers - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Brock Purdy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brock-purdy - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Tua Tagovailoa — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tua-tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Jonathan Taylor — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jonathan-taylor ## What others said about the same people - Fox Sports on Austin Ekeler: The piece reports, citing ESPN, that Carolina is expected to sign veteran running back Austin Ekeler with Jonathon Brooks sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a3aa7c15-e643-4c03-85d9-10aef8b4085a (scored 0) - Chris Simms on Carolina Panthers: Simms went through every Week 2 game with predicted final scores, picking the Texans, Bears, Steelers (as an upset), Packers, Ravens, Eagles, Buccaneers, Panthers, Jaguars, Seahawks, Cowboys, 49ers, Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also reiterated that Denver was his preseason Super Bowl pick while predicting the Broncos would fall to 0-2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/32db5f5e-13da-47e3-b280-2aa9a80d172b (scored 50) - Connor Rogers on Carolina Panthers: Rogers made his own Week 2 calls, taking the Packers, Eagles (by at least 10), Panthers (by at least a field goal), Cowboys (by at least six), Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also noted Baltimore was his Super Bowl pick and said it wouldn't shock him if Jacksonville hosted the AFC Championship Game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0c2a0048-cb74-4da9-8ef4-695cc6571cdf (scored 100) - Chris Long on New England Patriots: Previewing Week 2, Long called New England a spot to bounce back against Pittsburgh, projected a 27-14 Patriots win, saw Eagles-Titans as a 23-10 grinder, liked the Rams' spot Monday night against the Giants, and wrote down a Bills 31, Lions 23 final for the Thursday nighter. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ab903e00-9f1b-4862-91a6-96343679649c (scored 100) - Chris Simms on San Francisco 49ers: Simms 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 88.1) - Connor Rogers on Detroit Lions: Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Garrett Podell on Case Keenum: Podell ranks all 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks entering Week 3 of the 2026 season, with Josh Allen first, Patrick Mahomes second and Case Keenum last. He also expects Kyler Murray and Michael Penix Jr. to return to action in Week 3 and Case Keenum to possibly start for the Bears. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0e92b59e-0dd1-43c3-80c1-6551a8b641ac (scored 100) - Fox Sports on Case Keenum: A roundup of NFC injury news expects Jameis Winston to start for the Giants in any games Jaxson Dart misses, and suggests third-stringer Case Keenum could end up starting for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3 with both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3aff6d9f-b997-480e-b323-740b6a4677ed (scored 100) - Fox Sports on Case Keenum: With Caleb Williams injured and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol, third-string quarterback Case Keenum is expected to start for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7726bb2f-b9aa-4c35-aa7b-e0b49990e867 (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0) - Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100) --- 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. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=rich-eisen