Josh Edwards· Sep 8, 2026
Edwards bets the Patriots, Bengals, Jaguars, Broncos, Cowboys, Vikings and Seahawks (plus the Saints in the NFC South) to win their divisions.
“If the defense takes even a small step forward this season, the odds are good that they will overtake Philadelphia in that division.”
published in writing · CBS Sports · read the original →
8 checkable claims — 8 division winners — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
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Who this take is about
8 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Division WinnersDenver BroncosSep 8, 2026
Denver Broncos to win the division
“Denver may have the best defense in the NFL and Jaylen Waddle was the missing piece on offense.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersCincinnati BengalsSep 8, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“The amount of optimism that I have in Cincinnati is beginning to alarm me. ... As it stands, they offer better value.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersJacksonville JaguarsSep 8, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to win the division
“The margins are wider with the Jaguars, who are entering Year 2 of a union between head coach Liam Coen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDallas CowboysSep 8, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“If the defense takes even a small step forward this season, the odds are good that they will overtake Philadelphia in that division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersNew England PatriotsSep 8, 2026
New England Patriots to win the division
“Although Buffalo would be my pick to win the division, the gap between them and the Patriots ... is not so large that the value should be ignored.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersSeattle SeahawksSep 8, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to win the division
“so I will hit it down the middle with the defending Super Bowl champions ... Seattle has the experience and will not be threatened by Los Angeles.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersNew Orleans SaintsSep 8, 2026
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“New Orleans has some promising young players on both sides of the ball, and there is no overwhelming favorite in the division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersMinnesota VikingsSep 8, 2026
Minnesota Vikings to win the division
“If Kyler Murray can help Minnesota return to a functional offense, then it is easy to envision a scenario in which that team capitalizes on others within the division already dealing with injuries.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Ross JacksonScore Predictions · New Orleans SaintsMiss · 38Ross Jackson picked the Saints to beat the Raiders at home, projecting a 27-24 final score with the Raiders scoring 24 points.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysHit · 100Rogers made his own Week 2 calls, taking the Packers, Eagles (by at least 10), Panthers (by at least a field goal), Cowboys (by at least six), Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also noted Baltimore was his Super Bowl pick and said it wouldn't shock him if Jacksonville hosted the AFC Championship Game.
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Dallas CowboysHit · 83Simms went through every Week 2 game with predicted final scores, picking the Texans, Bears, Steelers (as an upset), Packers, Ravens, Eagles, Buccaneers, Panthers, Jaguars, Seahawks, Cowboys, 49ers, Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also reiterated that Denver was his preseason Super Bowl pick while predicting the Broncos would fall to 0-2.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsHit · 100Previewing Week 2, Long called New England a spot to bounce back against Pittsburgh, projected a 27-14 Patriots win, saw Eagles-Titans as a 23-10 grinder, liked the Rams' spot Monday night against the Giants, and wrote down a Bills 31, Lions 23 final for the Thursday nighter.
- Brandon CarneyTrade and Signing Calls · Austin EkelerMiss · 0Carney drafted a team of rookies he expects to make an immediate fantasy impact (headlined by Karnell Tate and Makai Lemon), predicted landing spots for the remaining big-name free agents, and gave way-too-early division winners, wild cards and award picks — Patriots, Chargers, Bengals, Jaguars, Eagles, Rams, Vikings and Saints as division champs with Joe Burrow as MVP.
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · New Orleans SaintsClose · 48Simms 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.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Daniel DiBerardinisDivision Winners · Atlanta FalconsMiss · 0Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. He also gives a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · New York GiantsMiss · 0Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. He also expects Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and he floats the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Cowherd unveiled his top 10 NFL teams entering next season, with Seattle first, the Rams second and the Chiefs tenth, and separately picked the Chargers to win the AFC West.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · Baltimore RavensMiss · 0Cowherd likes Jacksonville, Chicago and Pittsburgh (with DK Metcalf back) in the wild-card round, ranks the league's head coaches with McVay first and Ben Johnson seventh, and predicts Lamar Jackson has about two strong years left. He also names the Rams as a possible team to draft a receiver and floats next year's draft having seven first-round quarterbacks.
- Danny ParkinsDivision Winners · Baltimore RavensMiss · 0Parkins lays the points with the Eagles and Cowboys, takes Baltimore to beat Pittsburgh and win the AFC North, picks Carolina over Tampa Bay and Seattle over San Francisco, and says he'd probably pick the Rams to come out of the NFC.
- Cynthia FrelundDivision Winners · Houston TexansMiss · 0Freeland's model has the Chargers winning straight up in Dallas, the Texans winning big over the Raiders and going on to win the AFC South, the Lions beating the Steelers by six, the Saints beating the Jets, and the Packers beating the Bears; she also sees the AFC's Super Bowl representative being either Denver or Houston.