# John Middlekauff: 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. **Claimed:** Sep 18, 2026 **Pundit:** John Middlekauff — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/john-middlekauff **Outlet:** 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/44c6e42b-f663-4492-888d-ae330034680f/7505794d-6379-4504-bb2e-b4c9009984ed/audio.mp3?in_playlist=bf391792-153e-41b3-9d3d-ae3300346ad8 10 claims — 3 game outcome picks, 3 season win totals, 2 division winners, 1 availability call and 1 positional finish — the 9 we can check each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 3 of the 9 calls we can check have settled so far, averaging 66.7 out of 100, against 66.7 for a naive guess at the same calls. The other one was too vague to check, so it is not graded. 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. > The Bills are winning the AFC East. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Philadelphia Eagles to beat Tennessee** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Sep 20, 2026): Eagles by 7 · favorite pick, Eagles about 3 in 4 (73%). Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **Pittsburgh Steelers to beat New England** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Sep 20, 2026): Patriots by 4.5 · underdog pick, Steelers about 1 in 3 (34%). Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **San Francisco 49ers to beat Dolphins** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Sep 20, 2026): 49ers by 12.5 · favorite pick, 49ers about 6 in 7 (86%). Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **New Orleans Saints to finish with 9 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dallas Cowboys to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - “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” - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: too vague to check - “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)” - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Nico Collins, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Derrick Henry to finish top 5 at his position, by rushing yards** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to finish with 10 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Nico Collins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nico-collins - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Derrick Henry — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/derrick-henry - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens ## What others said about the same people - Parker Hurley on Khalid Kareem: Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a729417-69ee-493a-9bec-d905fd1a7082 (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) - Jordan Dajani on Buffalo Bills: Dajani picked the Bills to edge the Vikings 24-23. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/28009098-d828-4465-9c7f-f92dac661f0a (scored 61.9) - Jared Dubin on Buffalo Bills: Dubin picked Buffalo to win a low-scoring Monday night game in Minnesota, 20-14. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4535f610-1df1-45e9-a603-fae7ef72893f (scored 73.81) - Tyler Sullivan on Buffalo Bills: Sullivan picked the Bills to beat the Vikings 24-17. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/bd29eda0-d993-4b00-af09-edb0051a4f4b (scored 76.19) ## More game outcome picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Sam Monson on New York Giants: Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f4cb7a1e-1380-4f08-b39b-1432b97db846 (scored 0) - Eva Geitheim on Washington Commanders: Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c011abef-0b18-41ad-acad-6a67dfbd41fd (scored 100) - Conor Orr on New York Giants: Orr picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Chargers in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ba669379-043c-448a-a167-2f2e3695a52e (scored 0) - Albert Breer on New York Giants: Breer picked all 14 Week 10 games straight up, favoring the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fdc16abc-9ae2-4bf4-a327-8e9d9ae283b6 (scored 0) - Mitch Goldich on New York Giants: Goldich picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/706c628f-bb25-4892-b33e-84c81bfb6e4a (scored 0) - Matt Verderame on New York Giants: Verderame picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dfeb0994-1abf-414f-b153-d01b6e4e5365 (scored 0) --- 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=john-middlekauff