Mike MoraitisSep 5, 2026
Moraitis argues a more realistic outcome is the Cowboys' defense improving to league average and the offense finishing top five, producing a 10- or 11-win season and a playoff berth.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Mike Moraitis said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromA more realistic outlook is Dallas' defense improving to around the league average and the offense finishing as a top-five unit.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Michael Irvin Gives Game-By-Game & Final Record Predictions For Cowboys' 2026 Season
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs“a 10- or 11-win season is likely and will be good enough to get the Cowboys back to the playoffs”
- 2Dallas Cowboys to finish with 10 wins“In the event that happens, a 10- or 11-win season is likely and will be good enough to get the Cowboys back to the playoffs.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs1 | Playoff Picks | — | — | — | — | |
| Dallas Cowboys to finish with 10 wins2 | Season Win Totals | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 calls · 2 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
2 checkable claims — 1 playoff pick and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
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.
Where this call stands in the room
Dallas Cowboys · 2026 season · wins31 calls from 21 pundits between 3 wins and 14 wins. Mike Moraitis said 10 wins. the room's median is 10 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.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Season Win TotalsDallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys to finish with 10 wins
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
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.Randy Gurzi · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Hudson · Miss 0
Gurzi predicts the Cowboys' 17-man practice squad, naming each player they expect Dallas to sign, including a surprise addition of released Giants tackle Evan Neal. They also predict Jaydon Blue will be claimed off waivers by another team and that Sam Williams will land elsewhere.Jeff Cavanaugh · Roster Spot Calls · Marist Liufau · Hit 100
Building their projected Cowboys 53-man roster on defense, Jeff keeps five interior linemen (Kenny Clark, Quentin, Tito Obonia, LT Overton, Bullard), six edge rushers including Von Miller, Malachi Lawrence and Marist Liufau while cutting Sam Williams, four linebackers with Jayshawn Barham starting, six corners including rookie Devin Moore, and four safeties including Marquise Bell.
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Ross Jackson · Playoff Picks · New Orleans Saints · Miss 0
Jackson 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 Eisen · Playoff Picks · Minnesota Vikings · Miss 0
Eisen 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.Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Carolina Panthers · 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.