Alain Poupart#33 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 12, 2026
Poupart predicts the Dolphins upset the Raiders in Week 1 in Las Vegas, 27-24, and also expects Miami to win few games overall in 2026.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Alain Poupart said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromDolphins 27, Raiders 24
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Setting the Stage for the Dolphins-Raiders Week 1 Matchup
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 12
- PlayedSep 13
- GradedSep 15
- 1Miami Dolphins 27 — Raiders 24“but this is one they can take and will say will take. Dolphins 27, Raiders 24”
- 2Fernando Mendoza to be 2nd on the depth chart“first overall pick Fernando Mendoza will start the season watching and learning behind veteran Kirk Cousins”
- 3Malik Willis to be 1st on the depth chart“And then there's the great unknown with Malik Willis as he enters his first opening-day start as an NFL quarterback.”
- 4Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart“first overall pick Fernando Mendoza will start the season watching and learning behind veteran Kirk Cousins”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins 27 — Raiders 241 | Score Predictions | Raiders 27–13 | 23.81 | 65.4 | −83.17 | |
| Fernando Mendoza to be 2nd on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Malik Willis to be 1st on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart4 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 1 miss · 3 waiting | 23.8 | 65.4 | ||||
Game calls show that game’s closing betting line under their grade: a dated fact from nflverse, for context and never part of a grade. MissedTakes takes no bets and earns nothing from any sportsbook.
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive4 checkable claims — 3 depth chart calls and 1 score prediction — 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 4 have settled so far, averaging 23.8 out of 100, against 65.4 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.
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.
Where this call stands in the room
Fernando Mendoza · 2026 season68 calls from 46 pundits between 1 and 3. Alain Poupart said 2. the room's median is 1. 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.
1Score PredictionsMiami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins 27 — Raiders 24
What happenedRaiders 27–13called Dolphins by 3 · lost by 1423.81Miss · naive 65.423.81this call−65.4a naive guess=−41.59worse than naive×2difficulty=−83.17skillClosing line (Sep 13): Raiders by 3, total 40.5 · this 27–24 calls a Dolphins win (by 3; the line gave the Dolphins 40%) and more points (51).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 13-27
- skill:
- −83.17
- they picked:
- MIA
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 23.81
- baseline:
- 65.4
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 14
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- naive home margin:
- −0.53
- predicted margin:
- 3
2Depth Chart CallsFernando MendozaLas Vegas Raiders
Fernando Mendoza to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsMalik WillisMiami Dolphins
Malik Willis to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Depth Chart CallsKirk CousinsLas Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
The game in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
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.Tom Pelissero · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Pelissero laid out the Giants' quarterback situation with Jameis Winston starting, said Jayden Daniels likely won't be back when Washington plays the Giants and that Caleb Williams is unlikely to play Monday night, and floated Joey Porter Jr. landing in Dallas and Kirk Cousins being traded in-season.Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
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.Alex Curry · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
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.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Michael Moore · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.