# Colin Cowherd: Cowherd argues Cleveland should start Shedeur Sanders over Deshaun Watson, thinks the Browns aren't a playoff team but could sneak six wins, picks Caleb Williams for MVP, classes the Rams as having the league's best roster and the Texans as having the best defense, says JJ McCarthy is a backup quarterback, and predicts Fernando Mendoza is the only quarterback he likes in this draft class.

**Claimed:** Aug 24, 2026
**Pundit:** Colin Cowherd — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/colin-cowherd
**Outlet:** The Colin Cowherd Podcast (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/the-colin-cowherd-podcast-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview
**Original:** https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/arttrk.com/p/D5CA5/pscrb.fm/rss/p/prfx.byspotify.com/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/4013d28e-5f67-4885-bff1-ae3300346830/4569d572-f762-4b98-b25c-b4b00002eea4/audio.mp3?in_playlist=e829cf60-fc06-4d61-8691-ae330034683e

7 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls, 1 award pick, 1 division winner, 1 position group ranking, 1 positional finishe and 1 season win total — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 9 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 4 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.

> Bears Caleb Williams My bold prediction for MVP

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Houston Texans to win the division**
  - Kind: Division Winners · About: Houston Texans
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Shedeur Sanders to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **The Texans, I know, I know you're bored with them. Best defense in the league easily**
  - Kind: Position Group Rankings · About: Houston Texans
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Caleb Williams to win MVP**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **J.J. McCarthy to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Sam Darnold to finish top 5 at his position, by passing yards**
  - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
  - Verdict: too vague to check
- **Cleveland Browns to finish with 6 wins**
  - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans
- Shedeur Sanders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/shedeur-sanders
- Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns
- Caleb Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-williams
- Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears
- J.J. McCarthy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/j-j-mccarthy
- Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings
- Sam Darnold — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sam-darnold
- Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Simms on Minnesota Vikings: Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 90.48)
- Connor Rogers on Seattle Seahawks: Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 0)
- Steven Ruiz on Houston Texans: Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a30ff469-4972-4c48-855b-ba984e4de9d0 (scored 0)
- Sam Monson on Seattle Seahawks: Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0b810ffd-fd93-4ea2-a208-b1353dea5fb0 (scored 0)
- Nate Tice on Chicago Bears: Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6211c80-3d1c-46b8-8a0c-151fc0ba92de (scored 0)
- Matt Harmon on Chicago Bears: Harmon picked the Bengals to beat the Texans in Week 2, expecting Nico Collins to miss the game with a hamstring injury, and also predicted the Titans would be shut out by the Eagles. He took the Rams over the Giants, the Bears over the Vikings, and the Jaguars at Denver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/21a71025-ab65-4716-ac2c-e77ad5ce3348 (scored 0)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0)
- Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100)
- Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0)
- Tyler Sullivan on Michael Penix Jr.: In a Week 1 recap with no named byline, CBS Sports suggested Michael Penix Jr. would take over as Atlanta's Week 2 starter if healthy, called Ashton Jeanty's sophomore breakout imminent, and warned readers not to overlook San Francisco as NFC West winners. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1000d8d0-5de1-405e-b8ce-255cde75a32d (scored 0)
- Pat Fitzmaurice on Rashod Bateman: In his Week 2 waiver wire column, Fitzmaurice recommends a slate of pickups he expects to outperform their current rostership (Kaelon Black, Deebo Samuel, Tyler Shough, Geno Smith and others), lays out several depth-chart expectations (Black as the 49ers' No. 2 back, Shedeur Sanders eventually taking over in Cleveland, Penix returning for Atlanta), and flags Fool's Gold/drop candidates such as Mike Gesicki, Kendrick Bourne and Rashid Shaheed. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6218d3c2-61e7-4ace-9976-b51eeefdf22c (scored 0)
- Bill Huber on Chris McClellan: Huber's first Packers rookie progress report projects second-round cornerback Brandon Cisse to hold onto his spot with the No. 1 defense, third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan to start in Week 1, and fifth-round lineman Jager Burton to be the team's top interior backup rather than a starter. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dcf9daae-b511-490c-b438-173cf91e8597 (scored 0)

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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.

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