# Mike Moraitis: 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. **Claimed:** Sep 5, 2026 **Pundit:** Mike Moraitis — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/mike-moraitis **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/onsi/michael-irvin-record-prediction-cowboys-2026-season 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. > A more realistic outlook is Dallas' defense improving to around the league average and the offense finishing as a top-five unit. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dallas Cowboys to finish with 10 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys ## What others said about the same people - Rich Eisen on Micah Parsons: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c9216871-a4a2-4676-b3d8-2221daa70413 (scored 0) - Randy Gurzi on Jordan Hudson: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a37588ef-f76e-4f06-a951-a85a563271d5 (scored 0) - Jeff Cavanaugh on Marist Liufau: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d20c4eda-eab4-4a8c-ba13-0e120fdd7d91 (scored 100) - Jesse Holley on Marist Liufau: Holley expects Jay Toia to stick on the defensive line, Marist Liufau to make the team as a special teamer, Devin Moore to make the roster, and Joe Milton to be the backup quarterback ahead of Sam Howell. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8ee3ec22-e4c4-4583-826a-c56e4b15f0c5 (scored 100) - Moe Moton on Marist Liufau: Moton rated Liufau a 9-out-of-10 on their trade probability meter, arguing that with Dallas' crowded edge room they are a long shot to make the 53-man roster and is either a trade or cut candidate. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/80fadb15-ba97-4fde-b3a4-25bf2d8c9b9f (scored 0) - Pete Prisco on Dallas Cowboys: Prisco gives score predictions for every Week 9 NFL game, picking the Bengals to rout the Falcons in Madrid, the Cowboys to rebound at Indianapolis, and the Jaguars to win in Baltimore without Lamar Jackson. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dc43909b-bc7f-47aa-b208-5cf7c95844bc (scored 76.19) ## More playoff picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Dan "Buzz" Wilson on Philadelphia Eagles: Wilson argued the Eagles' offseason approach of prioritizing 2026 and beyond doesn't mean a bad 2025 — they expect 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/afce079c-b986-476b-a872-09905017fc6f (scored 100) - Craig Stout on Kansas City Chiefs: Craig believes better execution from a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team will be enough to return them to the playoffs in the coming season, and they expect Tyler Algeier to land with Denver as a complement to RJ Harvey. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4ad5b565-6220-4c30-9371-e55be75a35f0 (scored 0) - Ross Jackson on New Orleans Saints: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4dc05898-73fd-4fcb-92c4-a940d7e395ba (scored 0) - Rich Eisen on Minnesota Vikings: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/29ea2738-79a2-4be9-aa45-e794cd3848fb (scored 0) - Dwaine Board on San Francisco 49ers: Board 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/07beb6d4-aadc-4b2d-b131-b889c85204a3 (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Carolina Panthers: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/34345186-876a-4c4b-9567-9c289a6cbace (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=mike-moraitis