Ross Jackson#21 of 87 NFL pundits · May 15, 2026

Ross Jackson gave a game-by-game projection of the Saints' 2026 season, predicting they open 0-2 on the road, go 5-1 in the division and finish 10-7 (possibly better), making them a double-digit-win contender for the NFC South crown.

Said on air, transcribed by us · Locked On Saints (podcast)Hear the original

5 of 9calls landed5 hits · 4 misses · 10 waiting

55.6Average accuracyout of 100, across 9 calls

22.2A naive guessthe same calls, no knowledge

14Games calledeveryone’s picks below

#21Ross Jackson’s rankof 87 ranked NFL pundits

What Ross Jackson said

That's how I could see the Saints easily getting to ten and seven on the season, possibly even eleven and six or better.

Ross Jackson, the lead quote

Where it was said: Locked On Saints (podcast)
The episode: PREDICTION: New Orleans Saints 2026 Schedule Creates 10+ Win, NFC South Crown Opportunity
The original: Hear the original
Read it wrong?: Tell us and we will look

SaidMay 15
PlayedSep 13–Nov 8
GradedSep 15–Nov 8

Box score, by kind

HitCloseMissWaiting

Group	Hits	Misses	Waiting
Game Outcome Picks	5	4	8
Season Win Totals	0	0	1
Division Winners	0	0	1
All	5	4	10

How each call scored

19 checkable claims — 17 game outcome picks, 1 division winner and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

9 of 19 have settled so far, averaging 55.6 out of 100, against 22.2 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room.

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 Picks5 hits · 4 misses · 8 waitingShow ▸

New Orleans Saints to beat Cleveland Browns
“a win at home up against the Cleveland Browns”
New Orleans Saints
Saints 23–22Browns at Saints
100Hit
100 − 100 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
won:
NO
score:
22-23
skill:
0
they picked:
NO
season:
2026
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
the naive pick:
NO
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Pittsburgh Steelers to beat New Orleans Saints
“Paris, France, where they will host the Pittsburgh Steelers. I have the Saints losing that game”
Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 16–10Steelers at Saints
100Hit
100 − 0 naive = 100 × 2 difficulty = +200 skill
How this was scored
won:
PIT
score:
16-10
skill:
200
they picked:
PIT
season:
2026
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
NO
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat New York Giants
“rebounding immediately on the road ... up against Jackson Dart and the New York Giants ... a game that I have as a win on October 18”
New Orleans Saints
Saints 34–27Saints at Giants
100Hit
100 − 0 naive = 100 × 2 difficulty = +200 skill
How this was scored
won:
NO
score:
34-27
skill:
200
they picked:
NO
season:
2026
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
NYG
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Minnesota Vikings to beat New Orleans Saints
“I have them dropping their October 11 week five game up against the Minnesota Vikings.”
Minnesota Vikings
Vikings 23–13Vikings at Saints
100Hit
100 − 0 naive = 100 × 2 difficulty = +200 skill
How this was scored
won:
MIN
score:
23-13
skill:
200
they picked:
MIN
season:
2026
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
NO
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat Atlanta Falcons
“on the road against the Atlanta Falcons to complete the sweep there”
New Orleans Saints
Falcons 45–24Falcons at Saints
0Miss
0 − 0 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
won:
ATL
score:
45-24
skill:
0
they picked:
NO
season:
2026
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
NO
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat Atlanta Falcons
“October 5, Monday night up against the Atlanta Falcons. I have the Saints winning that one as well.”
New Orleans Saints
Falcons 45–24Falcons at Saints
0Miss
0 − 0 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
won:
ATL
score:
45-24
skill:
0
they picked:
NO
season:
2026
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
NO
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat Las Vegas Raiders
“I have the Saints winning their home opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on week three, September 27”
New Orleans Saints
Raiders 35–27Raiders at Saints
0Miss
0 − 0 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
won:
LV
score:
35-27
skill:
0
they picked:
NO
season:
2026
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
NO
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Baltimore Ravens to beat New Orleans Saints
“the Saints dropping the first two games of the season ... and on the road to the Baltimore Ravens”
Baltimore Ravens
Saints 24–17Saints at Ravens
0Miss
0 − 0 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
won:
NO
score:
24-17
skill:
0
they picked:
BAL
season:
2026
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
the naive pick:
BAL
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
Detroit Lions to beat New Orleans Saints
“While I do have the Saints dropping the first two games of the season, that's on the road to the Detroit Lions”
Detroit Lions
Lions 31–30Saints at Lions
100Hit
100 − 100 naive = 0 × 2 difficulty = 0 skill
How this was scored
won:
DET
score:
30-31
skill:
0
they picked:
DET
season:
2026
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
the naive pick:
DET
difficulty:
2
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
18
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat Carolina Panthers
“I've got them winning on the road up against Carolina to complete that sweep.”
New Orleans Saints
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Green Bay Packers to beat New Orleans Saints
“Loss at home up against Green Bay Packers, probably their toughest game of the season outside of Baltimore week two.”
Green Bay Packers
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat Arizona Cardinals
“I got them winning out throughout the rest of the season at home against the Arizona Cardinals”
New Orleans Saints
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat New Orleans Saints
“A loss on the road at Tampa, even though it's a place that they won last year.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
Cincinnati Bengals to beat New Orleans Saints
“Then they go on the road to the Cincinnati Bengals. ... I'm gonna chalk it as a loss”
Cincinnati Bengals
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat Chicago Bears
“a win on the road, a big time benchmark moment up against the Chicago Bears”
New Orleans Saints
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat Carolina Panthers
“a win at home up against the Carolina Panthers”
New Orleans Saints
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?
New Orleans Saints to beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“and then splitting the series with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finishing five and one in the division”
New Orleans Saints
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Season Win Totals1 waitingShow ▸

New Orleans Saints to finish with 10 wins
“I think the New Orleans Saints can comfortably be a 10 win team in 2026. ... That's how I could see the Saints easily getting to ten and seven on the season”
New Orleans Saints
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

Division Winners1 waitingShow ▸

New Orleans Saints to win the division
“10 wins probably more than what you need to get an NFC South crown this season, and I think the New Orleans Saints can absolutely get there.”
New Orleans Saints
—Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Think this is wrong?

The games in this take

every pundit’s pick on each

Who this take is about

Where do you stand on this one?Pick every open claim on Picks →

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More game outcome picks

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Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.
Eva Geitheim · Game Outcome Picks · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.
Conor Orr · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Orr picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Chargers in Week 10.
Albert Breer · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Breer picked all 14 Week 10 games straight up, favoring the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens.
Mitch Goldich · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Goldich picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.
Matt Verderame · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Verderame picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10.