Skip to main content
MissedTakes
Menu

Colin Cowherd#54 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 26, 2025

Cowherd's "Blazing 5" picks: Vikings over Steelers 27-20, over in Panthers-Patriots with New England winning 26-23, Rams over Colts 34-24, Raiders over Bears 27-23, and Broncos over Bengals 30-20. He also predicts Jeanty has a breakout game, Luka Doncic averages over 30 points, and calls Denver the best team that hasn't looked good yet.

Said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast)Hear the original

2 of 6calls landed2 hits · 4 close calls · all settled
65.1Average accuracyout of 100, across 6 calls
72.2A naive guessthe same calls, no knowledge
6 of 6Settlednone still waiting
#54Colin Cowherd’s rankof 87 ranked NFL pundits

What Colin Cowherd said

our reading, beside the words we read it from
But I think Minnesota twenty seven to twenty covers here, better staff, better offense, better defense.
Colin Cowherd, the lead quote · each call’s own words are below
Where it was said
The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast)
The episode
The Herd - HOUR 2 - Blazin' 5 Picks, Dave Wannstedt, USC is quietly resurgent and strong
The original
Hear the original
Read it wrong?
Tell us and we will look

The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.

  1. SaidSep 26, 2025
  2. GradedAug 5, 2026
  1. 1Atlanta Falcons to beat Washington“I like the Falcons, but I like them Milani.”
  2. 2Denver Broncos 30 — Bengals 20“Bo Nicks, by the way, not great in September last year, finally Clicks thirty twenty. They cover the spread. Take the Denver Broncos”
  3. 3Las Vegas Raiders 27 — Bears 23“I'm gonna take the Raiders to win it. Twenty seven to twenty three.”
  4. 4Minnesota Vikings 27 — Steelers 20“But I think Minnesota twenty seven to twenty covers here, better staff, better offense, better defense. I a better road team. I'm gonna take Minnesota.”
  5. 5New England Patriots 26 — Panthers 23“I think we get points in this game. Twenty six twenty three New England wins take the over.”
  6. 6Los Angeles Rams 34 — Colts 24“They beat the Colts thirty four to twenty four.”

Box score

HitCloseMissWaiting
VerdictCallKindWhat happenedScoreNaiveSkill
Atlanta Falcons to beat Washington1Game Outcome Picks—1001000
Denver Broncos 30 — Bengals 202Score Predictions—64.2950+26.14
Las Vegas Raiders 27 — Bears 233Score Predictions—42.8647.55−8.59
Minnesota Vikings 27 — Steelers 204Score Predictions—40.4897.69−104.69
New England Patriots 26 — Panthers 235Score Predictions—50500
Los Angeles Rams 34 — Colts 246Score Predictions—92.8688.16+8.59
6 calls · 2 hits · 4 close calls · all settled65.172.2

Game calls show that game’s closing betting line under their grade: a dated fact from nflverse, for context and never part of a grade. MissedTakes takes no bets and earns nothing from any sportsbook.

How each call scored

a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive

6 checkable claims — 5 score predictions and 1 game outcome pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

All 6 have settled, averaging 65.1 out of 100, against 72.2 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.

  1. 1Game Outcome PicksAtlanta Falcons

    Atlanta Falcons to beat Washington

    VerdictHit
    100Hit · naive 100
    100this call100a naive guess0better than naive1.83difficulty0skill

    Closing line (Sep 28): Falcons by 2.5 · favorite pick, Falcons 56%.

    How this was scored
    won:
    ATL
    score:
    27-34
    skill:
    0
    they picked:
    ATL
    season:
    2025
    accuracy:
    100
    baseline:
    100
    the naive pick:
    ATL
    difficulty:
    1.83
    weeks in the season:
    18
    weeks left when called:
    15
    Think this is wrong?

  2. 2Score PredictionsDenver Broncos

    Denver Broncos 30 — Bengals 20

    VerdictClose
    64.29Close · naive 50
    64.29this call50a naive guess14.29better than naive1.83difficulty+26.14skill

    Closing line (Sep 29): Broncos by 7.5, total 44.5 · this 30–20 calls a bigger Broncos win (by 10) and more points (50). Graded on the margin called, not on the spread.

    How this was scored
    score:
    3-28
    skill:
    26.14
    they picked:
    DEN
    season:
    2025
    accuracy:
    64.29
    baseline:
    50
    difficulty:
    1.83
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual margin:
    25
    weeks left when called:
    15
    naive home margin:
    2.03
    predicted margin:
    10
    Think this is wrong?

  3. 3Score PredictionsLas Vegas Raiders

    Las Vegas Raiders 27 — Bears 23

    VerdictClose
    42.86Close · naive 47.55
    42.86this call47.55a naive guess−4.69worse than naive1.83difficulty−8.59skill

    Closing line (Sep 28): Raiders by 1.5, total 47.5 · this 27–23 calls a bigger Raiders win (by 4) and more points (50).

    How this was scored
    score:
    25-24
    skill:
    −8.59
    they picked:
    LV
    season:
    2025
    accuracy:
    42.86
    baseline:
    47.55
    difficulty:
    1.83
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual margin:
    1
    weeks left when called:
    15
    naive home margin:
    2.03
    predicted margin:
    4
    Think this is wrong?

  4. 4Score PredictionsMinnesota Vikings

    Minnesota Vikings 27 — Steelers 20

    VerdictClose
    40.48Close · naive 97.69
    40.48this call97.69a naive guess−57.21worse than naive1.83difficulty−104.69skill

    Closing line (Sep 28): Vikings by 2.5, total 41.5 · this 27–20 calls a bigger Vikings win (by 7) and more points (47). Graded on the margin called, not on the spread.

    How this was scored
    score:
    21-24
    skill:
    −104.69
    they picked:
    MIN
    season:
    2025
    accuracy:
    40.48
    baseline:
    97.69
    difficulty:
    1.83
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual margin:
    3
    weeks left when called:
    15
    naive home margin:
    2.03
    predicted margin:
    7
    Think this is wrong?

  5. 5Score PredictionsNew England Patriots

    New England Patriots 26 — Panthers 23

    VerdictClose
    50Close · naive 50
    50this call50a naive guess0better than naive1.83difficulty0skill

    Closing line (Sep 28): Patriots by 5.5, total 42.5 · this 26–23 calls a closer game (Patriots by 3) and more points (49). Graded on the margin called, not on the spread.

    How this was scored
    score:
    13-42
    skill:
    0
    they picked:
    NE
    season:
    2025
    accuracy:
    50
    baseline:
    50
    difficulty:
    1.83
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual margin:
    29
    weeks left when called:
    15
    naive home margin:
    2.03
    predicted margin:
    3
    Think this is wrong?

  6. 6Score PredictionsLos Angeles Rams

    Los Angeles Rams 34 — Colts 24

    VerdictHit
    92.86Hit · naive 88.16
    92.86this call88.16a naive guess4.7better than naive1.83difficulty+8.59skill

    Closing line (Sep 28): Rams by 3.5, total 49.5 · this 34–24 calls a bigger Rams win (by 10) and more points (58).

    How this was scored
    score:
    20-27
    skill:
    8.59
    they picked:
    LAR
    season:
    2025
    accuracy:
    92.86
    baseline:
    88.16
    difficulty:
    1.83
    weeks in the season:
    18
    actual margin:
    7
    weeks left when called:
    15
    naive home margin:
    2.03
    predicted margin:
    10
    Think this is wrong?
  7. All

    The take as a whole

    the average of 6 settled calls, each counted once

    65.1naive 72.2

Who this take is about

Make your own calls.Pick every open claim on Picks →

Others on the same people

More score predictions

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

Discussed alongside these