# Carter Bahns: A CBS Sports tier list of 2026 Super Bowl contenders places the Rams and Seahawks in the top tier (expecting a possible third playoff meeting), says the nine B-tier teams should all make the playoffs, sees Caleb Williams as a potential All-Pro, and pegs the Dolphins and Cardinals as No. 1 pick contenders. **Claimed:** Sep 1, 2026 **Pundit:** Carter Bahns — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/carter-bahns **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2026-nfl-power-rankings-super-bowl-tiers/ 11 checkable claims — 8 playoff picks, 2 team draft slot calls and 1 pro bowl and all-pro call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > Los Angeles has the shortest odds to win the Super Bowl, and it is not close. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chicago Bears to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Arizona Cardinals to pick “No. 1 pick contenders”** - Kind: Team Draft Slot Calls · About: Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Caleb Williams to make All-Pro** - Kind: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls · About: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Miami Dolphins to pick “a top-two pick” (picks 1–2)** - Kind: Team Draft Slot Calls · About: Miami Dolphins - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams - Caleb Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-williams - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals ## What others said about the same people - Garrett Podell on Case Keenum: Podell ranks all 32 current NFL starting quarterbacks entering Week 3 of the 2026 season, with Josh Allen first, Patrick Mahomes second and Case Keenum last. He also expects Kyler Murray and Michael Penix Jr. to return to action in Week 3 and Case Keenum to possibly start for the Bears. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0e92b59e-0dd1-43c3-80c1-6551a8b641ac (scored 100) - Fox Sports on Case Keenum: A roundup of NFC injury news expects Jameis Winston to start for the Giants in any games Jaxson Dart misses, and suggests third-stringer Case Keenum could end up starting for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3 with both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3aff6d9f-b997-480e-b323-740b6a4677ed (scored 100) - Fox Sports on Case Keenum: With Caleb Williams injured and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol, third-string quarterback Case Keenum is expected to start for the Bears against the Eagles in Week 3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7726bb2f-b9aa-4c35-aa7b-e0b49990e867 (scored 100) - Connor Rogers on Los Angeles Rams: Rogers 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0c2a0048-cb74-4da9-8ef4-695cc6571cdf (scored 100) - Chris Simms on Los Angeles Rams: Simms 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/32db5f5e-13da-47e3-b280-2aa9a80d172b (scored 57.14) - Chris Long on Los Angeles Rams: Previewing 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ab903e00-9f1b-4862-91a6-96343679649c (scored 100) ## 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 — he expects 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) - 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) - 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. He 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) - Chris Brockman on Pittsburgh Steelers: 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 his shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. He 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7792215a-c787-44bd-b294-5ff028851d30 (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Green Bay Packers: Eisen agreed the Bears are a team of destiny who will win the NFC, insisted the Packers will make the playoffs and won't lose at home to the Ravens, said the Steelers should make the playoffs, and endorsed the view that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1f7633c5-427b-4993-8849-3f53865241bd (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=carter-bahns