# Chad Ochocinco Johnson: Chad predicts the Bengals will beat the Steelers again this season, says Cincinnati will start the year 5-0, and forecasts that Joe Flacco opens as Cleveland's starter before Shedeur Sanders takes over. He also puts Jerry Jeudy at 1,500 receiving yards. **Claimed:** Jul 15, 2025 **Pundit:** Chad Ochocinco Johnson — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/chad-ochocinco-johnson **Outlet:** Nightcap (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/nightcap-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/nightcap-with-unc-ocho/nightcap-hour-2-kobe-disrespected-in-top-100-ranking-will-steelers-rebound-in-2025 4 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls, 1 game outcome pick and 1 player season number — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 4 have settled, averaging 75 out of 100, against 84 for a naive guess at the same calls. > I'm just letting you know we're gonna beat them again, and we're gonna start the season five and oh *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Cincinnati Bengals to beat Steelers** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Joe Flacco to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 91.67 for a naive guess - **Jerry Jeudy to record 1,500 receiving yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Jerry Jeudy - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 52.53 for a naive guess - **Shedeur Sanders to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 91.67 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Joe Flacco — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/joe-flacco - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Jerry Jeudy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jerry-jeudy - Shedeur Sanders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/shedeur-sanders ## What others said about the same people - Chris Simms on Cincinnati Bengals: 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 40.48) - Chris Long on Cincinnati Bengals: Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3df9ea25-e57f-4fd7-b20c-c910a1c3633a (scored 0) - Matt Harmon on Cincinnati Bengals: Harmon picked the Bengals to beat the Texans in Week 2, expecting Nico Collins to miss the game with a hamstring injury, and also predicted the Titans would be shut out by the Eagles. He took the Rams over the Giants, the Bears over the Vikings, and the Jaguars at Denver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/21a71025-ab65-4716-ac2c-e77ad5ce3348 (scored 100) - Nate Tice on Cincinnati Bengals: Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6211c80-3d1c-46b8-8a0c-151fc0ba92de (scored 73.81) - John Middlekauff on Cincinnati Bengals: Middlekauff expects blowout wins for Seattle over Washington and Kansas City over Miami in Week 3, picks Cincinnati to beat Pittsburgh in the AFC North matchup, and takes Tennessee over the Giants if Jameis Winston is taking snaps. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8115d255-82e3-442e-aeef-c3eaa3587603 (scored 0) - Bryan DeArdo on Cincinnati Bengals: He picks the Bengals to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh in a low-scoring, defensive game, arguing Pittsburgh's struggling offense can't break through against Cincinnati's strong defense. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/105a1dc7-6107-450a-bc8d-a65798ee0257 (scored 50) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - 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) - Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0) - Bradley Locker on Carson Wentz: PFF's unsigned adjusted power rankings after Week 1 of the 2026 season place the Bills first, the Rams second and the Dolphins last, with notes on quarterback situations in Seattle, Minnesota and Cleveland. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a3716f21-0488-4fc8-a414-c25c2d781a6e (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (scored 0) --- 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=chad-ochocinco-johnson