Rich Eisen#38 of 87 NFL pundits · Feb 12, 2025
Rich Eisen laid out their "way, way too early" top-10 NFL power rankings for the 2025 season, with the Eagles first, Ravens second and Commanders third, and separately said the Chiefs would still finish as a top-two seed in the AFC.
Said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)Hear the original
What Rich Eisen said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromI still think that when it's all said and done, they're gonna be a top four, top five team, top two seed in the AFC next year.
- Where it was said
- The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)
- The episode
- Rich's Way Too Early NFL 2025 Season Power Rankings
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidFeb 12, 2025
- GradedAug 13–17, 2026
- 1Kansas City Chiefs to take the top seed“I still think that when it's all said and done, they're gonna be a top four, top five team, top two seed in the AFC next year.”
- 2Power Rankings“Number 10 on the list, the LA chargers... I'm putting the Denver Broncos at nine... I'm putting the Vikings at eight... the Los Angeles Rams... They're seventh on this list... I'm putting the Bills here [six]... Lions fans at five... I'm putting the Chiefs at four... Number three on this list, I'm putting the Washington commanders... Number two on the list is the top team in the AFC. I'm putting the Ravens here... And then number one is... the Philadelphia Eagles”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs to take the top seed1 | Seeding, Byes and Home Field | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| “Number 10 on the list, the LA chargers... I'm putting the…”2 | Power Rankings | — | 67.5 | 71.67 | −4.17 | |
| 2 calls · 1 close call · 1 miss · all settled | 33.8 | 35.8 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive2 checkable claims — 1 power ranking and 1 seeding, byes and home field — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
All 2 have settled, averaging 33.8 out of 100, against 35.8 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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.
1Seeding, Byes and Home FieldKansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs to take the top seed
VerdictMiss0Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×1difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- KC
- season:
- 2024
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- checked as:
- seeds 2–4 host a wild-card game — the bracket cannot separate them further
- actual tier:
- bye
- difficulty:
- 1
- the naive guess:
- where they finished last season (host)
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- claimed seed:
- 2
- claimed tier:
- host
- weeks left when called:
- 0
2Power RankingsLos Angeles Chargers
“Number 10 on the list, the LA chargers... I'm putting the Denver Broncos at nine... I'm putting the Vikings at eight... the Los Angeles Rams... They're seventh on this list... I'm putting the Bills here [six]... Lions fans at five... I'm putting the Chiefs at four... Number three on this list, I'm putting the Washington commanders... Number two on the list is the top team in the AFC. I'm putting the Ravens here... And then number one is... the Philadelphia Eagles”
VerdictClose67.5Close · naive 71.6767.5this call−71.67a naive guess=−4.17worse than naive×1difficulty=−4.17skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- skill:
- −4.17
- method:
- spearman
- season:
- 2024
- accuracy:
- 67.5
- baseline:
- 71.67
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- teams ranked:
- 9
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 2 settled calls, each counted once
33.8naive 35.8
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.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.Gilberto Manzano · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks.Joshua Poniatowski · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE.Jordan Dajani · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
After reporting that Colts receiver Josh Downs requested a trade, they identify five clubs as plausible landing spots for them: the Rams, Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders, and suggests Las Vegas could also give them a long-term extension.
More seeding, byes and home field
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Kevin Wildes · Seeding, Byes and Home Field · New England Patriots · Miss 0
Wildes' upset alert is the Chargers beating the Broncos straight up, which they say would hand the No. 1 seed to New England.JP Acosta · Seeding, Byes and Home Field · New England Patriots · Hit 100
JP picked Carolina, Seattle, Baltimore, Denver, Jacksonville, New England, Detroit, the Rams and Kansas City in Week 18, and said the Patriots will likely end up with the AFC's No. 2 seed.Nick Wright · Seeding, Byes and Home Field · Seattle Seahawks · Hit 100
Nick Wright made five Week 18 picks against the spread: Tampa Bay over Carolina, Seattle over San Francisco (and to take the No. 1 seed), Las Vegas to cover against Kansas City, Miami to cover 12 at New England, and Pittsburgh to cover at home against Baltimore. They also predicted Seattle wins the No. 1 seed and Mike Evans scores a touchdown.Nick Wright · Seeding, Byes and Home Field · Philadelphia Eagles · Hit 100
On the Christmas-week gambling show, Nick Wright made five picks and, in doing so, predicted outright wins for Dallas (a blowout of Washington), Jacksonville over Indianapolis, Pittsburgh over Cleveland, Buffalo over Philadelphia and Chicago over San Francisco, plus a Rams win at Atlanta and a Tampa Bay win at Miami. They also said Philadelphia will end up as the No. 3 seed.Chris Brockman · Seeding, Byes and Home Field · New England Patriots · Miss 0
Brockman argued the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Foxborough, meaning the Patriots will finish as the No. 1 seed, and called their shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. They also declared the Bears a team of destiny who will win the NFC, said the Steelers will end their playoff win drought, and that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback.Chris Brockman · Seeding, Byes and Home Field · Denver Broncos · Hit 100
Brockman called the Broncos-Packers game the best of the day, said Denver looks poised to lock up the AFC's No. 1 seed and reach the AFC Championship Game, predicted the Bears win the NFC North and the Eagles win their division (though they think they lose to a five seed from the NFC West), and said Philip Rivers will be in the NFL in 2026.