# Rich Eisen: Eisen reaffirms their pick of the Rams to win the NFC West despite Seattle's current lead, expects Buffalo to land as the 2 or 3 seed in the AFC, names Josh Allen as their MVP with Sam Darnold finishing top five, floats the Saints picking in the teens, and calls Puka Nacua possibly the best receiver in the league. **Claimed:** Dec 9, 2024 **Pundit:** Rich Eisen — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/rich-eisen **Outlet:** Overreaction Monday (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/overreaction-monday-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/WWO8540471942.mp3?updated=1733765011 6 checkable claims — 2 award picks, 1 division winner, 1 positional finish, 1 seeding, byes and home field and 1 team draft slot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 3 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 66.7 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls. > this is why I chose the Rams to win the NFC West even though the Seahawks are are a game in front of them right now *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Los Angeles Rams to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Josh Allen to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Puka Nacua to finish top 1 at his position, by receiving yards** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Sam Darnold to win top-five MVP finish** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **New Orleans Saints to pick “one of those teen draft picks”** - Kind: Team Draft Slot Calls · About: New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams - Josh Allen — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/josh-allen - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Puka Nacua — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/puka-nacua - Sam Darnold — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sam-darnold - Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints ## What others said about the same people - Jason Harmon on Max Brosmer: Harmon expects the Vikings' quarterback room to stay intact while Kyler Murray is hurt, and predicts Max Brosmer will be released and re-signed to the practice squad since Minnesota won't carry four QBs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fa393501-3f38-481e-8e75-48125587e911 (scored 0) - Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d0fd408a-7dcd-4e50-ac62-6b4510a8a800 (scored 100) - Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fda03952-2ea6-4919-8114-0ebb127478d1 (scored 100) - Charean Williams on Odell Beckham Jr.: Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d4fd8cfb-3c75-4209-9e1a-d60e821f315b (scored 0) - Pete Prisco on Buffalo Bills: Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/baf85732-a389-4d56-8efe-5ce1e77fb8ae (scored 76.19) - John Breech on Buffalo Bills: Breech picked the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night by a score of 24-17. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4d22cd22-c9e2-4e03-ac32-129a116a34d0 (scored 76.19) ## More award picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Eric Mangini on Drake Maye: Mangini picked the Patriots 23-20 with Drake May as Super Bowl MVP, and earlier named Kayshon Boutte ("Kaeshawn Booty") as their dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/332dce8c-f71c-4f26-a976-8f4615a9f9bd (scored 0) - Chris Broussard on Drake Maye: Broussard picked New England to beat Seattle 24-21, with Drake May winning Super Bowl MVP, and named Cooper Kupp as their dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1247ee30-3338-4940-8fc9-977cc215ff59 (scored 0) - Nick Wright on Rashid Shaheed: Nick picked Seattle to win the Super Bowl 27-17, citing Seattle's defense, coaching against young quarterbacks and schedule strength, and named Rasheed Shaheed as their dark horse Super Bowl MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1fe4abc6-28e3-412b-ab6e-d2f65f25682f (scored 0) - Danny Parkins on Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Parkins picked Seattle to win 27-16 with Jaxon Smith-Njigba as Super Bowl MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3667c28e-88b0-4d8e-bebd-6ef088550e4f (scored 0) - Willie Colon on Hunter Henry: Willie (Kyle Brandt's colleague, the panelist who argued Hunter Henry would be the key) predicted a 28-21 result and floated Hunter Henry as a possible Super Bowl MVP with two or three touchdowns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d9547f0f-2af4-40b0-90c3-73901fdd165f (scored 0) - Joe Haden on Kenneth Walker III: Joe picked the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl, saying Kenneth Walker would run for roughly 120 yards and be the game's MVP because New England would have to devote coverage to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/68d7f7c1-4d2c-474c-b713-47bad8d660d2 (scored 100) --- 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=rich-eisen