TJ Jefferson#66 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 3, 2025
TJ Jefferson picked the Lions to win the NFC North, with the Packers second, Vikings third and Bears fourth, and also raised their Cowboys win total prediction to 12-5.
Said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)Hear the original
What TJ Jefferson said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromI just don't see any reason not to believe that the Lions are gonna take this.
- Where it was said
- The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)
- The episode
- Hour 2: Spike Lee’s Celebrity True or False, plus NFC North Predictions
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 3, 2025
- GradedAug 13–17, 2026
- 1Detroit Lions to win the division“I just don't see any reason not to believe that the Lions are gonna take this.”
- 2Power Rankings“I got the bears fourth... I got the vikings finishing third... I'm gonna put the Packers in it too... I just don't see any reason not to believe that the Lions are gonna take this.”
- 3Dallas Cowboys to finish with 12 wins“I might bump it up to twelve... and TJ's now twelve and five.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions to win the division1 | Division Winners | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| “I got the bears fourth... I got the vikings finishing third...…”2 | Power Rankings | — | 30 | 10 | +40 | |
| Dallas Cowboys to finish with 12 wins3 | Season Win Totals | 7 | 0 | 85 | −170 | |
| 3 calls · 3 misses · all settled | 10 | 31.7 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive3 checkable claims — 1 division winner, 1 power ranking and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
All 3 have settled, averaging 10 out of 100, against 31.7 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each 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 calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Division WinnersDetroit Lions
Detroit Lions to win the division
VerdictMiss0Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- method:
- division winners read off the bracket: the bye teams and the wild-card hosts
- they picked:
- DET
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- DET
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- last season's winner of the same division
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- won the division:
- no
“I got the bears fourth... I got the vikings finishing third... I'm gonna put the Packers in it too... I just don't see any reason not to believe that the Lions are gonna take this.”
VerdictMiss30Miss · naive 1030this call−10a naive guess=20better than naive×2difficulty=+40skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 40
- method:
- spearman
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 30
- baseline:
- 10
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- teams ranked:
- 4
- weeks left when called:
- 18
3Season Win TotalsDallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys to finish with 12 wins
What happened7called 120Miss · naive 850this call−85a naive guess=−85worse than naive×2difficulty=−170skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- team:
- DAL
- naive:
- 7.75
- skill:
- −170
- what happened:
- 7
- season:
- 2025
- zero credit this far off:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 85
- they said:
- 12
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 3 settled calls, each counted once
10naive 31.7
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Rich Eisen · Trade and Signing Calls · Micah Parsons · Miss 0
Eisen expects Myles Garrett to be traded before the draft and says the Browns will then take Abdul Carter with their early first-round pick; they also predict Buffalo will end up paying James Cook and that Micah Parsons will remain a Cowboy and get their money from Dallas, likely late in the process.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.Randy Gurzi · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Hudson · Miss 0
Gurzi predicts the Cowboys' 17-man practice squad, naming each player they expect Dallas to sign, including a surprise addition of released Giants tackle Evan Neal. They also predict Jaydon Blue will be claimed off waivers by another team and that Sam Williams will land elsewhere.Jeff Cavanaugh · Roster Spot Calls · Marist Liufau · Hit 100
Building their projected Cowboys 53-man roster on defense, Jeff keeps five interior linemen (Kenny Clark, Quentin, Tito Obonia, LT Overton, Bullard), six edge rushers including Von Miller, Malachi Lawrence and Marist Liufau while cutting Sam Williams, four linebackers with Jayshawn Barham starting, six corners including rookie Devin Moore, and four safeties including Marquise Bell.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Daniel DiBerardinis · Division Winners · Atlanta Falcons · Miss 0
Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. They also give a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · New York Giants · Miss 0
Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. They also expect Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and they float the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Cowherd unveiled their top 10 NFL teams entering next season, with Seattle first, the Rams second and the Chiefs tenth, and separately picked the Chargers to win the AFC West.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · Baltimore Ravens · Miss 0
Cowherd likes Jacksonville, Chicago and Pittsburgh (with DK Metcalf back) in the wild-card round, ranks the league's head coaches with McVay first and Ben Johnson seventh, and predicts Lamar Jackson has about two strong years left. They also name the Rams as a possible team to draft a receiver and floats next year's draft having seven first-round quarterbacks.Rich Eisen · Division Winners · Jacksonville Jaguars · Hit 100
Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. They also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.