Colin Cowherd· Aug 26, 2026
Cowherd laid out his NFC division predictions one through four: Eagles over Giants, Cowboys and Commanders in the East; Lions, Bears, Packers, Vikings in the North; Saints, Panthers, Buccaneers, Falcons in the South; Seahawks over Rams, 49ers and Cardinals in the West. He also named the Lions, Saints and Giants as new playoff teams, the Giants as his double-the-win-total pick, and said Seattle and the Rams are the two best teams in the NFL.
“Finally, the NFC West, a little surprise, I'll take Seattle to win over the Rams.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
21 checkable claims — 7 playoff picks, 6 power rankings, 4 division winners, 2 season win totals, 1 depth chart call and 1 surprise team call — 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.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
Where this call stands in the room
Los Angeles Rams · 2026 season · wins8 calls from 5 pundits between 11 wins and 17 wins. Colin Cowherd said 11 wins. the room's median is 13 wins. 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 record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
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Who this take is about
21 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Playoff PicksNew York GiantsAug 26, 2026
New York Giants to make the playoffs
“I think if Jackson Dart can stay out of the blue tent, I think it's a playoff team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsLos Angeles RamsAug 26, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to finish with 11 wins
“they're going to be a really, really good team and win 11 games”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Surprise Team CallsNew York GiantsAug 26, 2026
New York Giants to beat expectations
“But I've said the Giants are also my pick for my double the win total team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBaltimore RavensAug 26, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“So we gave you three new playoff teams yesterday in Baltimore, Kansas City, and Cincinnati.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 26, 2026
“I'm going to go Chicago second... I'm going to choose Green Bay over Minnesota... Minnesota is going to be the best fourth-place team in the NFL.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersSeattle SeahawksAug 26, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to win the division
“Finally, the NFC West, a little surprise, I'll take Seattle to win over the Rams.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 26, 2026
“I'll take Seattle to win over the Rams... San Francisco, I worry about it... And then Arizona, bit of a mess... Arizona at fourth place.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsBlake MillerDetroit LionsAug 26, 2026
Blake Miller to be 1st on the depth chart
“They draft kid out of Clemson. He'll start it right. Tackle Blake Miller.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsAug 26, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“So we gave you three new playoff teams yesterday in Baltimore, Kansas City, and Cincinnati.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersPhiladelphia EaglesAug 26, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to win the division
“I'm still going with philadelphia winning the nfc east”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsSeattle SeahawksAug 26, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to finish with 12 wins
“I think Seattle could win 12.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDetroit LionsAug 26, 2026
Detroit Lions to make the playoffs
“I've got three new playoff teams in the NFC, the Lions, the Saints and the Giants.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 26, 2026
“We did pick the Colts as the second place team in the AFC South over the Jags”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksPhiladelphia EaglesAug 26, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to make the playoffs
“I'm still going with philadelphia winning the nfc east”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 26, 2026
“I think these two teams, in my opinion, are the best two teams in the NFL, Seahawks-Rams, one and two in my book.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 26, 2026
“I think Carolina will vie for the division title and a playoff spot. I like the top two teams. Tampa Bay, you got a coach on the hot seat... So I'm going to pick Atlanta for fourth place.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsAug 26, 2026
“I'm going to go with the Giants over the Cowboys... I have the Cowboys better, but not a playoff team third. And Washington just doesn't have enough talent.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsAug 26, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“So we gave you three new playoff teams yesterday in Baltimore, Kansas City, and Cincinnati.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDetroit LionsAug 26, 2026
Detroit Lions to win the division
“NFC North. I think the Lions have a combination of the best roster in division and the easiest schedule in the entire league this year.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersNew Orleans SaintsAug 26, 2026
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“NFC South the second easiest schedule in football is the Saints... I think they found their guy”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew Orleans SaintsAug 26, 2026
New Orleans Saints to make the playoffs
“I've got three new playoff teams in the NFC, the Lions, the Saints and the Giants.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Simms 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.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · New York GiantsHit · 100Rogers 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.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Cincinnati BengalsMiss · 0Long 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.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsHit · 100Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns.
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksMiss · 0Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South.
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Minnesota VikingsMiss · 0Eisen argues Ohio State will produce multiple top-10 picks — Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs — becoming the first school with three defensive players in the top 10, and that Styles will not be available at No. 12 to the Cowboys. He also thinks Fernando Mendoza is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick and expects the Raiders to draft him, and picks Trey Lance over Anthony Richardson to start a game first, Micah Parsons to fetch a bigger trade return than Maxx Crosby, Kirk Cousins as the released QB most likely to reach the playoffs, and J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings' Week 1 starter.
- Dwaine BoardPlayoff Picks · San Francisco 49ersHit · 100Board argues the 49ers can still make the playoffs even if Trent Williams leaves, expects Williams to be brought back, and favors drafting a wide receiver at No. 27 over an offensive tackle.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Carolina PanthersHit · 100Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. He also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.
- Chris BrockmanPlayoff Picks · Pittsburgh SteelersHit · 100Brockman argued the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Foxborough, meaning the Patriots will finish as the No. 1 seed, and called his shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. He also declared the Bears a team of destiny who will win the NFC, said the Steelers will end their playoff win drought, and that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Green Bay PackersHit · 100Eisen agreed the Bears are a team of destiny who will win the NFC, insisted the Packers will make the playoffs and won't lose at home to the Ravens, said the Steelers should make the playoffs, and endorsed the view that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.
- Chris BrockmanPlayoff Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Brockman argued the Texans will reach the AFC Championship Game, declared the Chiefs dynasty over, said the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Lambeau Field, that Josh Allen is still the most dangerous QB and the Bills will win a playoff game (with the AFC East runner-up as the 5 seed winning in Pittsburgh or Baltimore), that Carolina will win the NFC South, that Baltimore finishes under .500 with Lamar no longer a top-five QB, that the Colts should trade for Mac Jones, and that Marcus Freeman will be in the NFL next year.