Garrett Podell#78 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 8, 2026
Podell picks the Patriots, Bengals, Texans, Chargers, Cowboys, Packers, Buccaneers and Rams as division winners, and says Cincinnati returns to the playoffs.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Garrett Podell said
The Bengals return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- CBS Sports predicts every NFL division winner: Experts high on Cowboys, fading Chiefs, and split on NFC North
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Winners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| Playoff Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
How each call scored
9 checkable claims — 8 division winners and 1 playoff pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
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.
Division Winners8 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Los Angeles Rams to win the division
“Los Angeles Rams (-105) ... Podell: "It's rare that "dream teams" actually pan out in the NFL, but the Rams were already the NFL's No. 1 scoring offense in 2025."”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Los Angeles Chargers to win the division
“Herbert, running back Omarion Hampton and Los Angeles' stout defense power the Bolts to their first AFC West crown since 2009.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Houston Texans to win the division
“As long as C.J. Stroud isn't historically awful like he was last postseason, the Texans should be one of the best teams in football.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“Dallas wins the NFC East for the first time since 2023.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“Cincinnati Bengals (+164) Podell: "Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have always been able to light up a scoreboard, but now they finally have a defense that can make those points matter."”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Green Bay Packers to win the division
“Love with a consistent group of pass catchers, plus the Micah Parsons-led defense, will be enough to win the NFC North.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
New England Patriots to win the division
“New England maintains their slight edge over Buffalo.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division
“the Buccaneers have the most talented roster top to bottom. They return to their perch atop the division in 2026.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Playoff Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“The Bengals return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Brandon Carney · Trade and Signing Calls · Mike Evans · Miss 0
Carney predicts Geno Smith signs with the Vikings and starts for them, that at least four of the fringe veteran quarterbacks (Tua, Kyler, Cousins, Fields, Geno) will be starters next season, and that Mike Evans stays with Tampa Bay. They also rank their top fantasy wide receivers and comments on running back landing spots and trade values.Bobby Skinner · Trade and Signing Calls · Stefon Diggs · Miss 0
Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates they had listed.Dalton Feely · Trade and Signing Calls · Chris Godwin Jr. · Hit 100
Feenie predicted Chris Godwin stays in Tampa Bay, Josh Sweat reunites with Jonathan Gannon in Arizona, Ronnie Stanley signs with New England, Jevon Holland lands in Indianapolis, Khalil Mack joins Washington, Asante Samuel Jr. goes to San Francisco, Najee Harris to the Raiders and Bobby Wagner to Dallas.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.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.
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 · 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.Rich Eisen · Division Winners · Jacksonville Jaguars · Hit 100
Eisen called the 49ers-as-NFC-favorites take an overreaction, picked the Jaguars to beat the Titans and win their division, leaned Ravens over the Steelers in the Week 18 Sunday night game, expects the Bills to beat the Jets even without Josh Allen, sees the Chargers as the AFC's seventh seed, agreed Tyler Shough could win Offensive Rookie of the Year with a good Saints 2026, said Malik Willis will be a starter somewhere next season, and insisted Detroit goes into 2026 with Goff.