Bill Huber#59 of 87 NFL pundits · Oct 1, 2026
Huber argues Green Bay's late free-agent guard signings salvage the season: Kevin Zeitler will take over as the undisputed starting right guard, Laken Tomlinson gives them a real starting-level option at left guard and should be ready for Sunday against Tampa Bay, and they rate the Packers' chances of returning to the playoffs a 10 and of winning the NFC North an 8.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Bill Huber said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromZeitler, meanwhile, is the real season-changing addition because he’ll be the no-doubt-about-it starter once he’s ready physically and mentally.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Confidence Meter: Did Packers Save Season By Signing Kevin Zeitler, Laken Tomlinson?
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Kevin Zeitler to be 1st on the depth chart“Zeitler, meanwhile, is the real season-changing addition because he’ll be the no-doubt-about-it starter once he’s ready physically and mentally... while the man he’ll eventually replace in the starting lineup, Monk”
- 2Availability Calls“Tomlinson signed to the Cowboys’ practice squad a few weeks ago, so he should be ramped up physically and ready to go on Sunday against the Buccaneers, so long as he can learn the playbook.”
- 3Green Bay Packers to win the division“8: For the Packers being in position to win the NFC North.”
- 4Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs“10: For the Packers having a really good chance of returning to the playoffs.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Zeitler to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| “Tomlinson signed to the Cowboys’ practice squad a few weeks…”2 | Availability Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Green Bay Packers to win the division3 | Division Winners | — | — | — | — | |
| Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs4 | Playoff Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 4 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
4 checkable claims — 1 availability call, 1 depth chart call, 1 division winner and 1 playoff pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
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.
1Depth Chart CallsKevin ZeitlerGreen Bay Packers
Kevin Zeitler to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Availability CallsLaken TomlinsonGreen Bay Packers
“Tomlinson signed to the Cowboys’ practice squad a few weeks ago, so he should be ramped up physically and ready to go on Sunday against the Buccaneers, so long as he can learn the playbook.”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Division WinnersGreen Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers to win the division
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Playoff PicksGreen Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Derek Brown · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Brown picked the Bengals to beat the Falcons in Madrid, the Packers to win outright in New England and the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night. They were bullish on Jonah Coleman's rest-of-season value, expected Jonathan Taylor to play for the Colts, floated a Breece Hall trade, and did not expect DJ Reed to play in Week 9.Danny Parkins · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Parkins named the seven AFC teams they believe are already set as the playoff field, expects Chicago, Buffalo and Kansas City to win this week, took Green Bay over New England and Atlanta over Cincinnati outright, and kept Bills–Bears as their Super Bowl matchup with the Giants still winning the NFC East.John Middlekauff · Game Outcome Picks · Green Bay Packers · Hit 100
Middlekauff declared the AFC South over and the Jaguars the division champs, while listing several clubs they expect in the playoffs and pegging the Jets for a top-five draft slot. They also leaned Packers and Bears in Week 9 games, predicted roughly five or six wins for Washington, said Brandon Aiyuk is not coming back, and called Tyson Bagent's current deal the biggest they'll ever sign.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · Green Bay Packers · Close 71
Dubin predicts a lopsided Jaguars win over the Ravens on Thursday night and takes the Packers to upset the Patriots in Week 9.
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.