John Breech#34 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 13, 2026
The unsigned Pick Six newsletter expects Seth McLaughlin to step into the Lions' starting center job with Cade Mays injured, and suggests Tua Tagovailoa is on track to be Atlanta's Week 1 starting quarterback.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What John Breech said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromMcLaughlin is likely going to have to step in, but first, he'll have to prove that he can handle the job.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- Predicting MVP for each AFC team, plus eight teams that need the preseason the most and rookies to watch
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 13
- PlayedSep 13
- GradedSep 17
- 1Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart“That one fact would seem to clear the path for Tua to start in Week 1 ... it certainly feels like Tua is in the driver's seat right now.”
- 2Seth McLaughlin to be 1st on the depth chart“The Lions were expecting Cade Mays to start at center this year, but he's out for 8 to 10 weeks after breaking his wrist, so McLaughlin is likely going to have to step in”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Seth McLaughlin to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 calls · 1 miss · 1 waiting | 0 | 0 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naive2 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 2 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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 CallsTua TagovailoaAtlanta Falcons
Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictMiss0Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- ATL
- week:
- 1
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Tua Tagovailoa
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he starts
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- reported:
- he did not play that week
- naive slot:
- 1
- settled by:
- weekly snap counts (he took no snap in the game)
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he keeps the job he had last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
2Depth Chart CallsSeth McLaughlinDetroit Lions
Seth McLaughlin to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
The game in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
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More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
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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.