# John Breech: Presenting a full-season simulation, he projects the AFC and NFC playoff fields, has the Giants backing into the NFC East title at 8-8-1, and runs the entire bracket to a Chiefs 24-23 Super Bowl LXI win over the 49ers. **Claimed:** Oct 21, 2026 **Pundit:** John Breech — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/john-breech **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2026-nfl-playoff-predictions-chiefs-49ers-nfc-east/ 46 checkable claims — 14 playoff picks, 13 score predictions, 8 division winners, 6 season win totals, 2 conference champions, 2 seeding, byes and home field and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 19 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 8 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 6. > This is the fifth straight week we've projected them to make the Super Bowl. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Jacksonville Jaguars to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to reach the Super Bowl** - Kind: Conference Champions · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills 29 — Jaguars 25** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chicago Bears to finish with 10 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens 21 — Broncos 20** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers 26 — Vikings 20** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Minnesota Vikings 23 — Packers 19** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Minnesota Vikings to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs 26 — Ravens 23** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions 31 — Giants 25** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Carolina Panthers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Carolina Panthers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Seattle Seahawks 24 — Panthers 23** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills 34 — Bengals 24** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs 24 — 49ers 23** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Minnesota Vikings to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to reach the Super Bowl** - Kind: Conference Champions · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Minnesota Vikings 26 — Lions 23** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs 27 — Bills 24** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jacksonville Jaguars 25 — Patriots 19** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **New York Giants to finish with 8 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cleveland Browns to finish with 8 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers 25 — Seahawks 23** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Pittsburgh Steelers to finish with 9 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Carolina Panthers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Carolina Panthers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dallas Cowboys to finish with 8 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **New York Giants to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl** - Kind: Super Bowl Picks · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jacksonville Jaguars to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: not settled yet - **New York Giants to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to finish with 9 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Denver Broncos to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **New England Patriots to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jaguars - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/panthers - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals - New York Giants — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/giants - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/packers - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots ## What others said about the same people - John Middlekauff on Caleb Williams: Middlekauff expects either Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson to win this year's MVP, calling them the two best players in the league. He is pessimistic on the Bears, forecasting six or seven wins and saying he'd bet Caleb Williams doesn't work out as a franchise quarterback. He also sees Oklahoma's John Mattier as a first-round pick who'll be in the Heisman mix. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/deaaf3f6-e53e-4080-a0ca-d5f872b54c6a (scored 0) - Bill Huber on Green Bay Packers: Huber argues Green Bay has no excuses left and will beat New England in Foxborough, and expects Christian Watson to play despite his rib injury. He also sketches the projected interior offensive line, with John Williams at center and Laken Tomlinson at right guard. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5ab5fa3a-4526-46a4-b11b-a2bc99820cb8 (scored 100) - Jeremy Brener on Seattle Seahawks: Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7eb2d245-63d0-4be0-80ba-3f60197e2b16 (scored 100) - Albert Breer on Seattle Seahawks: Breer picks the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in their Week 9 NFC West matchup. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4d67a8a5-0c05-4abe-b2ca-f0cef8390b1d (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on Seattle Seahawks: Sullivan picks the Seahawks to win in Week 9. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dfca04b3-5c80-4a2e-b0de-8ac3a25f225b (scored 100) - Dave Richard on Seattle Seahawks: Richard picks the Seahawks over the Cardinals. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d3db433e-52c6-42d1-a3b0-6b342aac8a9e (scored 100) ## More playoff picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Dan "Buzz" Wilson on Philadelphia Eagles: Wilson argued the Eagles' offseason approach of prioritizing 2026 and beyond doesn't mean a bad 2025 — he expects them to remain among the NFC's best teams and to make a deep playoff run rather than fall off to eight or nine wins. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/afce079c-b986-476b-a872-09905017fc6f (scored 100) - Ross Jackson on New Orleans Saints: Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4dc05898-73fd-4fcb-92c4-a940d7e395ba (scored 0) - Rich Eisen on Los Angeles Rams: Eisen 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/34345186-876a-4c4b-9567-9c289a6cbace (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Los Angeles Rams: Eisen agreed the NFC West will send three teams to the playoffs (Seahawks, 49ers and Rams), endorsed the Bears finishing no worse than the No. 2 seed, and said Chicago would beat Green Bay at home. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ea0d0a73-4f8b-4c92-8cd3-bcf957dc2115 (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Philadelphia Eagles: Eisen gave his Week 13 power rankings, with the Rams first, Patriots second and the Cowboys entering at No. 10, and also named New England and Philadelphia as the first teams to clinch playoff spots, picked Seattle to beat Minnesota, and tabbed Drake Maye as an MVP finalist and Mike Vrabel as Coach of the Year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/960141f1-11b7-4c57-9ef8-0f7b8b41bc99 (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Indianapolis Colts: Eisen insisted the Colts will still win the AFC South and beat Atlanta in Berlin, picked the Lions to win the NFC North and represent the NFC in the Super Bowl with wins over Washington, the Giants and Green Bay on Thanksgiving, agreed Stafford will be an MVP finalist, and named the Colts, Patriots, Broncos, Chargers and Bills as AFC playoff teams. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/644609e3-3a16-4fe3-9942-a43ec7f9e9a8 (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=john-breech