# Ralph Vacchiano: Vacchiano expects the Buccaneers to be contenders and improve to around nine wins, enough to win the NFC South, while the Jets remain held back by Geno Smith and might scrape out about six wins. They also see rookie edge rushers David Bailey and Rueben Bain Jr. becoming Pro Bowlers, with Bailey among the NFL's best pass rushers. **Claimed:** Aug 12, 2026 **Pundit:** Ralph Vacchiano — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/ralph-vacchiano **Outlet:** Fox Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fox-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/jets-get-harsh-reminder-biggest-problem-joint-practice-buccaneers 7 claims — 2 pro bowl and all-pro calls, 2 season win totals, 1 depth chart call, 1 division winner and 1 positional finish — the 6 we can check each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of the 6 calls we can check have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. The other one was too vague to check, so it is not graded. Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 1. > The Bucs could easily be a nine-win team, and in the NFC South that might be more than enough. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **David Bailey to make Pro Bowl** - Kind: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · About: David Bailey, New York Jets - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish with 9 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Rueben Bain to make Pro Bowl** - Kind: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · About: Rueben Bain, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **New York Jets to finish with 6 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: New York Jets - Verdict: not settled yet - “His speed, power and explosiveness are going to make him one of the best pass rushers in the NFL over the next few years.” - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: David Bailey, New York Jets - Verdict: too vague to check ## Who this take is about - David Bailey — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/david-bailey - New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Emeka Egbuka — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/emeka-egbuka - Rueben Bain — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/rueben-bain ## What others said about the same people - Brandon Carney on Mike Evans: Carney predicts Geno Smith signs with the Vikings and starts for them, that at least four of the fringe veteran quarterbacks (Tua, Kyler, Cousins, Fields, Geno) will be starters next season, and that Mike Evans stays with Tampa Bay. They also rank their top fantasy wide receivers and comments on running back landing spots and trade values. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c228a7e7-4915-4bc7-bacc-8c9b3298c2c1 (scored 0) - Dalton Feely on Chris Godwin Jr.: Feenie predicted Chris Godwin stays in Tampa Bay, Josh Sweat reunites with Jonathan Gannon in Arizona, Ronnie Stanley signs with New England, Jevon Holland lands in Indianapolis, Khalil Mack joins Washington, Asante Samuel Jr. goes to San Francisco, Najee Harris to the Raiders and Bobby Wagner to Dallas. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5456472e-edf1-49c5-9f6b-bd59183fcea7 (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Aaron Rodgers: Eisen ranked their top five most impressive Pro Bowl campaigns of the season, topped by Sam Darnold, and predicted that Sunday would be Aaron Rodgers' last game with the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/55a977f9-9670-42fa-ba2f-141be02f583c (scored 0) - Eric Mangini on Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mangini picked New England to beat Green Bay by more than a field goal, flagged Tampa Bay as their upset alert over Chicago, expects Kansas City to handle the Jets, took Buffalo over Minnesota, backed Cincinnati over Atlanta in Madrid, and updated their Super Bowl to Rams–Bengals. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/af0819c3-4662-44a2-a451-a08fa3b7e59a (scored 0) - Nick Wright on Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Wright argued the Jaguars are the AFC's most complete team, calling them the considerable favorite for the No. 1 seed and the only club essentially locked into the playoffs. They also picked Tampa Bay to upset Chicago, had Kansas City sweeping its next three games, liked New England over Green Bay by about a field goal, and updated their Super Bowl matchup to Chiefs–49ers. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/878403ae-b780-41f0-b38a-200b1a3e36ff (scored 0) - Donte Johnson on Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The former NFL safety picked the Buccaneers to upset the Bears in their Week 9 matchup, arguing Todd Bowles' defense would frustrate Caleb Williams. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1731194b-2ff9-4142-b4ca-45a4097101ae (scored 0) ## More pro bowl and all-pro calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Danny Parkins on Puka Nacua: Parkins insisted the Bears cannot lose at home to Green Bay, laid points with Buffalo, Philadelphia (in a blowout) and Houston, picked Justin Herbert and the Chargers to beat New England, and said Puka Nacua will be a first-team All-Pro. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ee4c83a3-1d08-4959-a075-95654fb1b7e9 (scored 100) - JP Acosta on Trey McBride: JP picked the Eagles to beat the 49ers in a low-scoring game and the Jaguars to beat the Bills, called Bijan Robinson the best running back in the league, and named their own first-team All-Pro roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/660e3494-2b0b-415e-beb7-9e3bf3464e30 (scored 100) - Richard Sherman on Sam Darnold: The guest says Sam Darnold is playing at a first-team All-Pro level while leading an elite team. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c7d73c27-2a94-4ee1-9046-42fde863faf0 (scored 0) - Shannon Sharpe on Rico Dowdle: On a Bengals-Steelers matchup, Sharpe took the over on several player props: Ja'Marr Chase over 74.5 receiving yards, Joe Flacco over 36.5 pass attempts, and T.J. Watt over 3.5 tackles+assists, adding that Watt will get two sacks. They also predicted Rico Dowdle would make the Pro Bowl this season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1fbc5b8e-7449-41f4-a5a2-7029cc4ef65e (scored 0) - Gregg Rosenthal on Drake London: Rosenthal's ten picks in the best-wide-receivers draft (overall picks 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30), taking A.J. Brown third and trading to grab Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 18 while sliding DK Metcalf to 21. They also said Drake London could produce a first-team All-Pro season, sees Smith-Njigba as a true No. 1, and believes Daniel Jones will win the Colts' starting job. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/104b139b-8829-46b0-a983-2c0686324824 (scored 0) - Brandon Carney on Trent Williams: Carney made a full playoff bracket, picking the Bears, Niners, Rams, Patriots, Jaguars and Texans in the wild card round, then Seahawks and Rams in the NFC divisional, Broncos and Patriots in the AFC, with the Rams beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl. They also gave award picks including Stafford for MVP and Vrabel for Coach of the Year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/88101820-7344-4240-93f1-caa15fe95de9 (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=ralph-vacchiano