Danny Parkins· Sep 3, 2026
Guest-hosting Predictions Week, Parkins named his seven AFC playoff teams — Bills, Bengals, Colts and Chargers as division winners, with the Patriots, Ravens and Broncos as wild cards — and separately picked the Giants to win the NFC East. He also said Drake Maye will win an MVP at some point in his career.
“I like the Bengals to just barely edge the Ravens and take the AFC North.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
13 checkable claims — 7 playoff picks, 5 division winners and 1 award pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
13 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.
- Division WinnersNew York GiantsSep 3, 2026
New York Giants to win the division
“when i gave my nfc east prediction i had the new york giants winning the division... I think the Giants are very alive to win the NFC East.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksLos Angeles ChargersSep 3, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs
“In the AFC West... I have the Chargers coming out on top.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsSep 3, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“I think the Bills are going to take the AFC East... So I like the Bills to win the AFC East.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksIndianapolis ColtsSep 3, 2026
Indianapolis Colts to make the playoffs
“In the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts... The Colts are the forgotten team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersIndianapolis ColtsSep 3, 2026
Indianapolis Colts to win the division
“In the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts, I'm anticipating not a lot of people picking them”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew England PatriotsSep 3, 2026
New England Patriots to make the playoffs
“The wildcard teams... Patriots are the most obvious better team, worse record team than I've ever seen... I think they just fall a little short of Buffalo in that spot.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksDrake MayeNew England PatriotsSep 3, 2026
Drake Maye to win MVP
“And Drake May, I think, is going to win an MVP before his career is done.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBaltimore RavensSep 3, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“But Lamar, plus an amazing defense and the ageless Derrick Henry, still enough for the Ravens to make the playoffs.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsSep 3, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“You give Joe Burrow a top 20 defense, he can get them into the playoffs.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDenver BroncosSep 3, 2026
Denver Broncos to make the playoffs
“I still think the Broncos are enough to make it to the AFC playoffs, albeit as a wildcard team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBuffalo BillsSep 3, 2026
Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs
“tell us who's going to make the playoffs in the AFC... I think the Bills are going to take the AFC East.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersCincinnati BengalsSep 3, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“I like the Bengals to just barely edge the Ravens and take the AFC North.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles ChargersSep 3, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to win the division
“I think the Chargers take the AFC West.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Rogers made his own Week 2 calls, taking the Packers, Eagles (by at least 10), Panthers (by at least a field goal), Cowboys (by at least six), Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also noted Baltimore was his Super Bowl pick and said it wouldn't shock him if Jacksonville hosted the AFC Championship Game.
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Los Angeles ChargersClose · 40Simms went through every Week 2 game with predicted final scores, picking the Texans, Bears, Steelers (as an upset), Packers, Ravens, Eagles, Buccaneers, Panthers, Jaguars, Seahawks, Cowboys, 49ers, Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also reiterated that Denver was his preseason Super Bowl pick while predicting the Broncos would fall to 0-2.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsHit · 100Previewing Week 2, Long called New England a spot to bounce back against Pittsburgh, projected a 27-14 Patriots win, saw Eagles-Titans as a 23-10 grinder, liked the Rams' spot Monday night against the Giants, and wrote down a Bills 31, Lions 23 final for the Thursday nighter.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Rogers predicted the Bills would beat the Lions in their new stadium on Thursday night, winning by a touchdown.
- Phil SimmsGame Outcome Picks · New York GiantsMiss · 0Phil Simms said the Giants can hang with and beat the Rams in their Monday night matchup, citing the Rams' sluggish showing in Australia and the Giants' offensive versatility.
- 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.
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Dan "Buzz" WilsonPlayoff Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Wilson argued the Eagles' offseason approach of prioritizing 2026 and beyond doesn't mean a bad 2025 — he expects them to remain among the NFC's best teams and to make a deep playoff run rather than fall off to eight or nine wins.
- Craig StoutPlayoff Picks · Kansas City ChiefsMiss · 0Craig believes better execution from a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team will be enough to return them to the playoffs in the coming season, and he expects Tyler Algeier to land with Denver as a complement to RJ Harvey.
- Ross JacksonPlayoff Picks · New Orleans SaintsMiss · 0Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Minnesota VikingsMiss · 0Eisen argues Ohio State will produce multiple top-10 picks — Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs — becoming the first school with three defensive players in the top 10, and that Styles will not be available at No. 12 to the Cowboys. He also thinks Fernando Mendoza is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick and expects the Raiders to draft him, and picks Trey Lance over Anthony Richardson to start a game first, Micah Parsons to fetch a bigger trade return than Maxx Crosby, Kirk Cousins as the released QB most likely to reach the playoffs, and J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings' Week 1 starter.
- Dwaine BoardPlayoff Picks · San Francisco 49ersHit · 100Board argues the 49ers can still make the playoffs even if Trent Williams leaves, expects Williams to be brought back, and favors drafting a wide receiver at No. 27 over an offensive tackle.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Carolina PanthersHit · 100Eisen 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. He also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.