Jacob WestendorfSep 13, 2026
Westendorf picks the Packers to win the opener 27-21, with Tucker Kraft leading the team in catches, Christian Watson in yards, Jayden Reed in touchdowns and Josh Jacobs in rushing. They tab Bo Nix as MVP, the Broncos as the AFC's top team and Super Bowl winner over the Rams, the Lions to win the NFC North, and the Packers to finish 8-9.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Jacob Westendorf said
Jacob: Denver Broncos. ... they emerge from a tough AFC playoffs and knock off the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Will Packers Beat Vikings? Green Bay’s Final Record? Here Are Our Predictions
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 13
- PlayedSep 13
- GradedSep 15
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score Predictions | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Season Win Totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Award Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Depth Chart Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Super Bowl Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Division Winners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Seeding, Byes and Home Field | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Conference Champions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
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
12 checkable claims — 4 depth chart calls, 2 conference champions, 1 award pick, 1 division winner, 1 score prediction, 1 season win total, 1 seeding, byes and home field and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 12 have settled so far, averaging 23.8 out of 100, against 58.3 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
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
Green Bay Packers · 2026 season · wins14 calls from 7 pundits between 3 wins and 11 wins. Jacob Westendorf said 8 wins. the room's median is 9 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.
Score Predictions1 missShow ▸Hide ▾
- Vikings 39–22called Packers by 6 · lost by 1723.81Miss
23.81 − 58.25 naive = −34.44 × 2 difficulty = −68.89 skill
Closing line (Sep 13): Vikings by 1.5, total 46.5 · this 27–21 calls a Packers win (by 6; the line gave the Packers 47%) and more points (48).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 22-39
- skill:
- −68.89
- they picked:
- GB
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 23.81
- baseline:
- 58.25
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 17
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- naive home margin:
- −0.53
- predicted margin:
- 6
Season Win Totals1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
- —Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Award Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Bo Nix to win NFL MVP
“Jacob: Bo Nix. The MVP award is given to the quarterback who is usually on the best team.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Depth Chart Calls4 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Christian Watson to be 1st on the depth chart
“Jacob: Tucker Kraft in receptions, Christian Watson in yards and Jayden Reed in touchdowns.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Josh Jacobs to be 1st on the depth chart
“Who Will Lead Packers in Rushing? Jacob: Josh Jacobs.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Tucker Kraft to be 1st on the depth chart
“Jacob: Tucker Kraft in receptions, Christian Watson in yards and Jayden Reed in touchdowns.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Jayden Reed to be 1st on the depth chart
“Reed's quickness in the red zone should allow him to rack up touchdowns.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Super Bowl Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
- —Waiting
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Division Winners1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Detroit Lions to win the division
“NFC North Winner Jacob: Lions. ... I defer to the Lions, who have flaws, but also have the easiest schedule in the division.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Seeding, Byes and Home Field1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Denver Broncos to take the top seed
“I anticipate the Broncos being the top team in the AFC, which helps Nix edge out other candidates.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Conference Champions2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Los Angeles Rams to reach the Super Bowl
“they emerge from a tough AFC playoffs and knock off the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Denver Broncos to reach the Super Bowl
“they emerge from a tough AFC playoffs and knock off the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl”
—WaitingNot 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
Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.Colin Cowherd · Trade and Signing Calls · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Cowherd predicts Matt Stafford stays with the Rams rather than moving on, and says Travis Hunter may underachieve because they're being asked to play both ways — Cowherd doubts they're a No. 1 receiver and would slot them as a No. 2 receiver while being a No. 1 corner.Colin Cowherd · Trade and Signing Calls · Matthew Stafford · Hit 100
Cowherd believes Matt Stafford's public negotiation posturing means he ultimately stays in Los Angeles, and he flags Travis Hunter as a high draft pick who could underachieve because trying to play both cornerback and receiver full-time will hurt him.Bill Huber · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Huber argues Green Bay has no excuses left and will beat New England in Foxborough, and expects Christian Watson to play despite their rib injury. They also sketch the projected interior offensive line, with John Williams at center and Laken Tomlinson at right guard.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.
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.