Gilberto Manzano#55 of 87 NFL pundits · Oct 6, 2026
Manzano argues the Falcons are a different, balanced team with Michael Penix Jr. under center and that, if Kevin Stefanski can also get Kyle Pitts Sr. going, Atlanta can finally end its eight-year playoff drought. They also call Bijan Robinson the most talented running back in the league.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Gilberto Manzano said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromIf Stefanski can unlock him to go with what we have already seen from the trio of Penix, Robinson and London, this could be the year the Falcons finally end their (eight-year) postseason drought.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- In Saints Rout, Falcons’ Offense Shows How Lethal It Can Be with Michael Penix Jr.
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Bijan Robinson to finish top 1 at his position, by an unstated measure“I think it says something that the league's most talented running back (sorry, Jahmyr Gibbs) didn't hesitate to quickly re-sign to a franchise that hasn't been to the postseason since 2017.”
- 2Atlanta Falcons to make the playoffs“If Stefanski can unlock him to go with what we have already seen from the trio of Penix, Robinson and London, this could be the year the Falcons finally end their (eight-year) postseason drought.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson to finish top 1 at his position, by an unstated measure1 | Positional Finishes | — | — | — | — | |
| Atlanta Falcons to make the playoffs2 | Playoff Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 calls · 2 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
2 checkable claims — 1 playoff pick and 1 positional finish — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below 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.
Where this call stands in the room
Bijan Robinson · 2026 season · positional finish5 calls from 5 pundits between 1 positional finish and 1 positional finish. Gilberto Manzano said 1 positional finish. the room's median is 1 positional finish. 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.
Their call against the room
positional finishTheir call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Positional FinishesBijan RobinsonAtlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson to finish top 1 at his position, by an unstated measure
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Atlanta Falcons to make the playoffs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be taken No. 1 overall by the Raiders and to be thrown into the starting lineup immediately, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta within weeks.Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 overall pick and land with the Raiders, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta.JP Acosta · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Acosta expects John Harbaugh's Giants to jump to roughly seven wins in year one, and forecast several offseason moves: Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones returning to the Colts, Kirk Cousins being released by Atlanta, and Brandon Aiyuk leaving San Francisco.Gregg Rosenthal · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Rosenthal gave their award ballot: Drake May atop their MVP list (though they expect Matthew Stafford to actually win), Myles Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year, Bijan Robinson for Offensive Player of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Mike Macdonald for Coach of the Year and Broncos O-line coach Zach Strief for Assistant Coach of the Year. They also expect Kirk Cousins to be cut by Atlanta.
More positional finishes
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Nick Wright · Positional Finishes · Puka Nacua · Close 75
Nick Wright picked the Ravens to beat Houston this weekend even with Lamar Jackson possibly out (leaning on Derrick Henry and Cooper Rush), the Chiefs to win in Jacksonville, and the Rams to beat the 49ers on Thursday night. They also laid out an AFC playoff field of Bills, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers and Colts, projected the Chiefs' receiver pecking order once Rashee Rice returns, and called Justin Jefferson the best receiver in football with Puka Nacua a top-five receiver.Rich Hribar · Positional Finishes · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Hribar published their 2023 fantasy football quarterback tiers, ordering 41 quarterbacks into eight tiers that reflect how they prioritize drafting the position, with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes in the top tier as the trio most likely to finish as the overall QB1.Chris Brockman · Positional Finishes · Jaxon Smith-Njigba · Hit 100
Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called their shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season.Ryan Tracy · Positional Finishes · Bryan Cook · Miss 0
Tracy argues the Chiefs should address edge rusher and defensive tackle via the draft and use free agency on running back and wide receiver; they name Brian Robinson as their target, expects Kenneth Walker III to re-sign with Seattle, thinks Nick Bolton-style veterans like Jerry Tillery, Derek Nnadi and Mike Pennel shouldn't return, believes Bryan Cook is a top-10 safety the Chiefs can't afford, and predicts a quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) will rocket up boards so more than one QB goes in the top 10.Pat Gustavson · Positional Finishes · Josh Allen · Miss 17
Gustafson picks the Patriots, Bills, Seahawks and Bears in the divisional round with a Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl, predicts Mike Tomlin and Matt LaFleur stay, Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh, and lays out their own coaching landing spots.Rich Eisen · Positional Finishes · George Pickens · Hit 100
Eisen called the Rams-winning-it-all take an overreaction but expects Los Angeles to win the NFC West, said they don't see how Myles Garrett fails to win Defensive Player of the Year, and called George Pickens perhaps the third-best receiver in the NFL this season.