Donnie Druin#7 of 87 NFL pundits · Oct 9, 2026
Druin predicts a high-scoring game in which Detroit holds off a late Arizona comeback, picking the Lions 30-24.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Donnie Druin said
Give me: DET 30, AZ 24
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Behind Enemy Lines: Can Lions Contain Cardinals Rookie Running Back?
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidOct 9
- PlayedOct 11
- GradedOct 12
How the call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveOne checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.
The call scored 57.1 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
The 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 call; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
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.
Score PredictionsDetroit Lions
Detroit Lions 30 — Cardinals 24
What happenedLions 45–21called Lions by 6 · won by 2457.14Close · naive 057.14this call−0a naive guess=57.14better than naive×1.78difficulty=+101.71skillClosing line (Oct 11): Lions by 5.5, total 55.5 · this 30–24 calls a bigger Lions win (by 6) and fewer points (54).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 45-21
- skill:
- 101.71
- they picked:
- DET
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 57.14
- baseline:
- 0
- difficulty:
- 1.78
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 24
- weeks left when called:
- 14
- naive home margin:
- 0.32
- predicted margin:
- 6
The game in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
Christian Booher · Roster Spot Calls · Anthony Lucas · Miss 0
Booher previews the Lions' Week 9 trip to Miami, predicting Derrick Barnes takes over as the green-dot linebacker in Jack Campbell's absence, Juice Scruggs starts at center, and boldly forecasting Detroit's first defensive touchdown of the season on an Aidan Hutchinson strip-sack recovered and returned by Barnes.Evan “Foxy” Fox · Score Predictions · Detroit Lions · Close 67
Foxy predicted a blowout Lions win over the Dolphins by a score of 45-21.Chris Simms · Score Predictions · Detroit Lions · Hit 100
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.Nick Wright · Game Outcome Picks · Detroit Lions · Hit 100
Wright made several outright game calls for Week 9 alongside their spread picks: Kansas City beating the Jets 31-20, Detroit winning at Miami, New England edging Green Bay by a field goal or so, Carolina winning outright over Denver, and Houston blowing out the Chargers 27-12.Richard Sherman · Score Predictions · Detroit Lions · Hit 81
Sherman ranked the 49ers first in their Week 9 top five ahead of Buffalo, Chicago, Jacksonville and Denver, picked every Week 9 game with scores, and gave midseason award picks headlined by Brock Purdy for MVP and Kyle Shanahan for Coach of the Year.
More score predictions
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Sullivan takes the Commanders 24-21 over the Giants on Thursday night and calls for a Steelers upset of the Bengals, 27-24, in Week 10.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich.John Breech · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 90
Breech picks the Commanders to upset the Giants on Thursday night, 24-17, and takes the Texans to beat the Browns 24-16 in Week 10 behind a pass rush that should batter Deshaun Watson.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score.