# Rich Eisen: Eisen argues the Bengals' season isn't over without Joe Burrow, projecting Jake Browning to go a game over .500 the rest of the way for a 10-7 finish that could earn a wild card, and they think Cincinnati can beat Minnesota to go 3-0. They also gave a top-five MVP list through two weeks (Josh Allen first) and said Jonathan Taylor is on pace to win the rushing title.

**Claimed:** Sep 17, 2025
**Pundit:** Rich Eisen — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/rich-eisen
**Outlet:** The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/the-rich-eisen-show-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP1942248174.mp3?updated=1758131593

4 checkable claims — 1 award pick, 1 game outcome pick, 1 positional finish and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

All 4 have settled, averaging 25.8 out of 100, against 59.2 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> Why would anybody be surprised if Jake Browning goes one game over 500? That's ten and seven the rest of the way.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Cincinnati Bengals to finish with 10 wins**
  - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Cincinnati Bengals
  - Verdict: scored 20 out of 100, against 45 for a naive guess
- **Cincinnati Bengals to beat Minnesota**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Cincinnati Bengals
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
  - Line: Closing line (Sep 21, 2025): Vikings by 3 · underdog pick, Bengals 41%. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade.
- **Josh Allen to win MVP**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Josh Allen
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Jonathan Taylor to finish top 1 at his position, by rushing yards**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
  - Verdict: scored 83.33 out of 100, against 91.67 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals
- Josh Allen — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/josh-allen
- Jonathan Taylor — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jonathan-taylor
- Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/colts

## What others said about the same people

- John Middlekauff on Anthony Richardson: Middlekoff's bold predictions, as relayed on the show, have the Patriots and Colts making the playoffs; they also argue the Colts whiffed on Anthony Richardson, comparing them to Trey Lance. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/eaacd99d-867e-4bab-9c40-015de85caa35 (scored 100)
- Chris Long on Indianapolis Colts: Previewing the Week 9 slate, Chris Long expects the Saints to beat Cleveland, the Colts to beat Dallas, New England to edge Green Bay, and Baltimore to beat the Chargers on Monday night. They also call the Packers a top-10 defense once Micah Parsons returns, names their top six quarterbacks of the season, and expects Brandon Ayuk to be released, with Will Lee and Trevion Henderson sidelined this week. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/623f8e00-789e-4239-9edc-5e1285346b9d (scored 0)
- Jesse Holley on Indianapolis Colts: Jesse predicted the Cowboys finish 10-7 but still win the NFC East with 10 wins, picking Dallas over the Giants, Commanders, Texans, Buccaneers, Colts (loss), and losing to Baltimore, Green Bay, Philadelphia twice, Arizona, Seattle and the Rams. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c8bf64dc-c1b3-42db-86f8-51b862676332 (scored 0)
- Danny Parkins on Indianapolis Colts: Parkins predicted the Cowboys will finish 11-6, starting 5-1 with wins over the Giants, Commanders and an upset of the Ravens, splitting with Philadelphia, and beating Green Bay and Jacksonville, while losing to the Texans, 49ers, Eagles, Colts, Seahawks and Rams. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1a6d06c4-7bb0-43e7-891d-6f8b688d4f12 (scored 0)
- Pete Prisco on Cincinnati Bengals: 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 88.1)
- Derek Brown on Cincinnati Bengals: Brown picked the Bengals to beat the Falcons in Madrid, the Packers to win outright in New England and the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night. They were bullish on Jonah Coleman's rest-of-season value, expected Jonathan Taylor to play for the Colts, floated a Breece Hall trade, and did not expect DJ Reed to play in Week 9. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b4014405-6764-427e-9708-679baf6b06de (scored 100)

## More game outcome picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Sam Monson on New York Giants: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f4cb7a1e-1380-4f08-b39b-1432b97db846 (scored 0)
- Eva Geitheim on Washington Commanders: Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c011abef-0b18-41ad-acad-6a67dfbd41fd (scored 100)
- Conor Orr on New York Giants: Orr picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Chargers in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ba669379-043c-448a-a167-2f2e3695a52e (scored 0)
- Albert Breer on New York Giants: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fdc16abc-9ae2-4bf4-a327-8e9d9ae283b6 (scored 0)
- Mitch Goldich on New York Giants: Goldich picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/706c628f-bb25-4892-b33e-84c81bfb6e4a (scored 0)
- Matt Verderame on New York Giants: Verderame picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dfeb0994-1abf-414f-b153-d01b6e4e5365 (scored 0)

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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

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