John Middlekauff· Sep 18, 2026
Middlekauff declares the Bills will win the AFC East over the Patriots, picks the Steelers, Eagles and 49ers in Week 2 matchups, pegs win totals for the Saints, Texans and Buccaneers, has the Cowboys winning the NFC East, expects Nico Collins to miss the Bengals-Texans game, and says Derrick Henry will climb to a top-five all-time rusher.
“The Bills are winning the AFC East.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
10 checkable claims — 3 game outcome picks, 3 season win totals, 2 division winners, 1 availability call and 1 positional finishe — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
3 of 10 have settled so far, averaging 66.7 out of 100, against 66.7 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
Where this call stands in the room
Houston Texans · 2026 season · wins13 calls from 8 pundits between 1 wins and 13 wins. John Middlekauff said 10 wins. the room's median is 11 wins. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
The games in this take
- Eagles at Titans 35 calls
- Steelers at Patriots 20 calls
- Dolphins at 49ers 14 calls
10 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Game Outcome PicksPhiladelphia EaglesSep 18, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to beat Tennessee
“This is a game where the Eagles should win by like 20 points and just smother them.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+194 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- PHI
- score:
- 24-20
- skill:
- 194
- they picked:
- PHI
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- TEN
- difficulty:
- 1.94
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 17
- Game Outcome PicksPittsburgh SteelersSep 18, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers to beat New England
“I'm taking Pittsburgh in this spot. Pittsburgh's defense looked pretty solid.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-194 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- NE
- score:
- 3-20
- skill:
- -194
- they picked:
- PIT
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- NE
- difficulty:
- 1.94
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 17
- Game Outcome PicksSan Francisco 49ersSep 18, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to beat Dolphins
“So the Browns might have something to say about that as well. But Niners should murder them.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- SF
- score:
- 13-35
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- SF
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- SF
- difficulty:
- 1.94
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 17
- Season Win TotalsTampa Bay BuccaneersSep 18, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish with ? wins
“you beat Tampa, who they're not what they probably were a couple years ago, but they're still probably an eight or nine win team”
Too vague to check — we could not tell what would count as right.
- Season Win TotalsNew Orleans SaintsSep 18, 2026
New Orleans Saints to finish with 9 wins
“I think eight and a half's a lot if you're someone like me and think the Saints are like a nine-win team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsHouston TexansSep 18, 2026
Houston Texans to finish with 10 wins
“Even if Houston went 0-2, they're still probably a 10-win team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Positional FinishesDerrick HenryBaltimore RavensSep 18, 2026
Derrick Henry to finish top 5 at his position, by rushing yards
“when all the dust settles, assuming he just stays healthy this year, he is going to jolt way up. Like all of a sudden, he's going to be a top five rusher of all time.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Availability CallsNico CollinsHouston TexansSep 18, 2026
“you're coming into this game and it looks like Nico Collins is not going to be able to play (Cincinnati at Houston, Week 2)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsSep 18, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“the Patriots, the Bills are winning this division. The Bills are winning this division... They're not winning this. The Bills are winning the AFC East.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDallas CowboysSep 18, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“And it makes me a little nervous as someone that has the Cowboys winning this division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Baltimore RavensHit · 98Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- Nate TiceScore Predictions · Dallas CowboysHit · 100Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro.
- Matt HarmonScore Predictions · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Harmon picked the Bengals to beat the Texans in Week 2, expecting Nico Collins to miss the game with a hamstring injury, and also predicted the Titans would be shut out by the Eagles. He took the Rams over the Giants, the Bears over the Vikings, and the Jaguars at Denver.
More game outcome picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · New York GiantsHit · 100Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Cincinnati BengalsMiss · 0Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Las Vegas RaidersHit · 100Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsHit · 100Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksMiss · 0Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsHit · 100Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro.