Jordan Dajani#23 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 8, 2026
Dajani picks the Bills, Bengals, Texans, Broncos, Cowboys, Lions, Saints and Seahawks as their best division bets, expects a deep playoff run from Cincinnati, and calls Caleb Downs a future Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Jordan Dajani said
I'm taking the Bengals to not only win the AFC North, but make a very deep playoff run as well.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- CBS Sports predicts every NFL division winner: Experts high on Cowboys, fading Chiefs, and split on NFC North
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Winners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| Surprise Team Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Playoff Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Award Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
How each call scored
12 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 2 surprise team calls, 1 award pick and 1 playoff pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
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.
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.
Division Winners8 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“I'm high on the Dallas Cowboys this year and low on everyone else in the East.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Detroit Lions to win the division
“The Minnesota Vikings are definitely an interesting flier at +450, but I'll take the Lions at +175.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“I'm taking the Bengals to not only win the AFC North, but make a very deep playoff run as well.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Houston Texans to win the division
“AFC South — Houston Texans (+105) Dajani: "I liked the Houston Texans defense better than the Seattle Seahawks defense last year!"”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Seattle Seahawks to win the division
“There's much more value in taking the reigning Super Bowl champion at +215 or the San Francisco 49ers at +305 and rooting for the downfall of this newly constructed super team.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“The Saints have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this year and play in the worst division, so +255 feels like pretty good value.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“The Buffalo Bills will take their spot atop the AFC East once again with help from offseason addition D.J. Moore.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Denver Broncos to win the division
“I think the price here at +210 warrants some backing. I feel like people constantly look down on the Broncos for some reason.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Surprise Team Calls2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
New Orleans Saints to beat expectations
“When it comes to the New Orleans Saints, I think they could be a sleeper in the NFC.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Houston Texans to beat expectations
“If C.J. Stroud starts looking like the quarterback he was as a rookie, the Texans are a legitimate Super Bowl sleeper.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Playoff Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“I'm taking the Bengals to not only win the AFC North, but make a very deep playoff run as well.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Award Picks1 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Caleb Downs to win Defensive Rookie of the Year
“That defense should be improved this year with the additions of future Defensive Rookie of the Year Caleb Downs”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
Kelberman expects Sean Fresch Jr. to clear waivers and return to the Broncos' practice squad, sees Riley Moss back from concussion for the Week 11 game at Las Vegas, and projects newly acquired Daiyan Henley to begin as the third inside linebacker behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad before likely moving into a starting role.Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
Kelberman writes that Riley Moss may sit out the preseason finale against Minnesota but should be available for the Week 1 opener at Kansas City; they also suggest undrafted corners Sean Fresch Jr. and Brent Austin are being evaluated for practice squad spots.Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota.John Breech · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Breech picked the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night by a score of 24-17.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 74
Dubin picked Buffalo to win a low-scoring Monday night game in Minnesota, 20-14.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Daniel DiBerardinis · Division Winners · Atlanta Falcons · Miss 0
Danny 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. They also give a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · New York Giants · Miss 0
Cowherd 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. They also expect Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and they float the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.Colin Cowherd · Division Winners · Los Angeles Chargers · Miss 0
Cowherd unveiled their 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 Cowherd · Division Winners · Baltimore Ravens · Miss 0
Cowherd 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. They also name the Rams as a possible team to draft a receiver and floats next year's draft having seven first-round quarterbacks.Rich Eisen · Division Winners · Jacksonville Jaguars · Hit 100
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. They also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year.