# Garrett Podell: In its weekly bold predictions column, CBS Sports picks the Falcons to upset the Steelers in Pittsburgh behind Tua Tagovailoa outplaying Aaron Rodgers, and forecasts big individual games for Trey Hendrickson, Quinshon Judkins and De'Von Achane in Week 1. **Claimed:** Sep 11, 2026 **Pundit:** Garrett Podell — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/garrett-podell **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/week-1-2026-bold-predictions-tua-tagovailoa-aaron-rodgers/ 3 checkable claims — 2 player season numbers and 1 game outcome pick — 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. 1 of 3 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls. > Achane will take advantage of that in a big way to kick off the 2026 season with at least 150 yards rushing. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Atlanta Falcons to beat Steelers** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Sep 13, 2026): Steelers by 6.5 · underdog pick, Falcons 28%. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **Trey Hendrickson to record 2 sacks** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Trey Hendrickson, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **De'Von Achane to record 150 rushing yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/falcons - Trey Hendrickson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/trey-hendrickson - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - De'Von Achane — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/de-von-achane - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins ## What others said about the same people - Alex Curry on Kirk Cousins: Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be taken No. 1 overall by the Raiders and to be thrown into the starting lineup immediately, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta within weeks. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2c6097f9-30ad-42dc-863f-e507225b7edc (scored 100) - Alex Curry on Kirk Cousins: Curry expects Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 overall pick and land with the Raiders, and they say Kirk Cousins will be released by Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1c269ea1-7c35-4039-827d-ec1130aa0e04 (scored 100) - JP Acosta on Kirk Cousins: Acosta expects John Harbaugh's Giants to jump to roughly seven wins in year one, and forecast several offseason moves: Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones returning to the Colts, Kirk Cousins being released by Atlanta, and Brandon Aiyuk leaving San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/17ab1ec5-a2f1-41c6-a6df-a0e6d949351b (scored 100) - Gregg Rosenthal on Kirk Cousins: Rosenthal gave their award ballot: Drake May atop their MVP list (though they expect Matthew Stafford to actually win), Myles Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year, Bijan Robinson for Offensive Player of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Carson Schwesinger for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Mike Macdonald for Coach of the Year and Broncos O-line coach Zach Strief for Assistant Coach of the Year. They also expect Kirk Cousins to be cut by Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d3a0da31-6e2f-4298-b5a5-b887333d3fd6 (scored 100) - Dan Graziano on Trey Hendrickson: Graziano expects Kyler Murray to be released by the Cardinals by the third day of the league year if no trade materializes, believes the Colts will keep Daniel Jones (via a tag if necessary), thinks Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh is a strong possibility, and expects Cincinnati and Trey Hendrickson to part ways. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/abfd49df-4b6a-4ae8-84d4-4389fe5a23e2 (scored 100) - Parker Hurley on Jessie Bates: Hurley argues a Jessie Bates trade to San Francisco is unrealistic because Atlanta remains in the weak NFC South race and likely won't sell, and they expect 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown to depart in free agency after this season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7e8279a5-fad4-4c61-9646-0809bdcdaf40 (scored 0) ## More player season numbers The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Andrew Erickson on James Cook: Erickson is targeting Chase Brown, Javonte Williams, Trey Benson, Ray Davis, MarShawn Lloyd, Will Shipley, Braelon Allen and Rishard Smith while fading Tyrone Tracy, Tank Bigsby and Kyren Williams, and they expect James Cook's touchdown total to settle in the eight-to-ten range. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ad6dae7d-05a5-45d1-996c-40e336adfcac (scored 66.67) - Ross Jackson on Tyler Shough: 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 3.63) - Chris Broussard on Myles Garrett: Broussard expects Lamar Jackson to play well but not vintage — two touchdown passes and no picks — while Derrick Henry carries the load with over 100 rushing yards. They also take the Browns to upset the Bengals and believes Myles Garrett gets at least two sacks to break the single-season record. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a026afc-40fe-4b1f-b209-3ce53ae205d7 (scored 91.67) - Nick Wright on Myles Garrett: Wright picks the Steelers to beat the Ravens outright in Pittsburgh, takes Seattle over San Francisco, and thinks the Browns lose to Cincinnati even as Myles Garrett gets the sack record. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9a8b5cea-9f2f-46f0-9939-72c2a60e4c26 (scored 100) - Nick Wright on Myles Garrett: Nick Wright says Myles Garrett is playing at an all-time level and might reach 25 sacks this season, and among their weekly picks they expect the Bears to beat the Steelers in an ugly low-margin home win and Seattle to win comfortably at Tennessee. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/029b0090-8d3f-47de-9fb9-7f0a02320f3a (scored 84) - Rich Eisen on Micah Parsons: Eisen made a series of picks: Micah Parsons will out-sack any two Cowboys combined (after initially leaning the other way), the NFC North is more likely to produce a Super Bowl team than the NFC East, Eagles wins will outnumber Cowboys losses, Bo Nix/Courtland Sutton will out-touchdown Cam Ward/Calvin Ridley, and Marvin Harrison Jr./James Conner will beat Kamara/Olave in yards and TDs. They also picked the AFC West order and said Deion Sanders is more likely than Bill Belichick to have a winning record. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f94f8499-af74-4a8d-a688-fd08cd52bb3c (scored 56.25) --- 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=garrett-podell