# Tyler Sullivan: A CBS Sports piece flags five Week 1 underdogs as upset candidates: the 49ers over the Rams in Melbourne, the Texans over the Bills, the Panthers over the Bears, the Jets over the Titans, and the Broncos over the Chiefs on Monday night.

**Claimed:** Sep 10, 2026
**Pundit:** Tyler Sullivan — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tyler-sullivan
**Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-teams-on-upset-alert-in-week-1/

5 checkable claims — 5 game outcome picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

All 5 have settled, averaging 40 out of 100, against 20 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> Below, we'll comb through the Week 1 slate and identify five favorites that could be on upset alert.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Denver Broncos to beat Kansas City Chiefs**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
  - Line: Closing line (Sep 14, 2026): Chiefs by 2.5 · underdog pick, Broncos 46%. Graded on who won, not on the spread. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade.
- **New York Jets to beat Tennessee Titans**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: New York Jets
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
  - Line: Closing line (Sep 13, 2026): Titans by 1.5 · a toss-up, Jets 48%, Titans 52%. Graded on who won, not on the spread. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade.
- **Houston Texans to beat Buffalo Bills**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Houston Texans
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
  - Line: Closing line (Sep 13, 2026): Bills by 1.5 · a toss-up, Bills 50%, Texans 50%. Graded on who won, not on the spread. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade.
- **Carolina Panthers to beat Chicago Bears**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Carolina Panthers
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
  - Line: Closing line (Sep 13, 2026): Bears by 3 · underdog pick, Panthers 40%. Graded on who won, not on the spread. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade.
- **San Francisco 49ers to beat Los Angeles Rams**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
  - Line: Closing line (Sep 10, 2026): Rams by 3.5 · underdog pick, 49ers about 1 in 3 (34%). Graded on who won, not on the spread. Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade.

## Who this take is about

- Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos
- New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets
- Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans
- Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/panthers
- San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers

## What others said about the same people

- Zack Kelberman on Sean Fresch Jr.: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/978f775c-5611-4514-ad2f-b35a6eac0402 (scored 0)
- Zack Kelberman on Sean Fresch Jr.: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c8c47b8-6041-4282-8d21-d21741d8f11b (scored 0)
- Parker Hurley on Khalid Kareem: Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a729417-69ee-493a-9bec-d905fd1a7082 (scored 0)
- Chad Jensen on Jordan Turner: 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a84d2c6e-5554-46aa-95b1-620858d31e0f (scored 0)
- Bobby Skinner on Stefon Diggs: Skinner predicted Daniel Jones signs with and wins the starting job in Indianapolis, Milton Williams to New England, Lavonte David back to Tampa, Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to the Giants, DJ Reid to Arizona, Hassan Reddick to Washington and Justin Fields staying in Pittsburgh, plus alternates they had listed. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6bc51663-60f7-4897-b5dc-40e284f869a2 (scored 0)
- Rich Eisen on Aaron Rodgers: Eisen ranked their top five most impressive Pro Bowl campaigns of the season, topped by Sam Darnold, and predicted that Sunday would be Aaron Rodgers' last game with the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/55a977f9-9670-42fa-ba2f-141be02f583c (scored 0)

## More game outcome picks

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

- Sam Monson on New York Giants: Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f4cb7a1e-1380-4f08-b39b-1432b97db846 (scored 0)
- Eva Geitheim on Washington Commanders: Geitheim picked the Commanders, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Colts, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c011abef-0b18-41ad-acad-6a67dfbd41fd (scored 100)
- Conor Orr on New York Giants: Orr picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Chargers in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ba669379-043c-448a-a167-2f2e3695a52e (scored 0)
- Albert Breer on New York Giants: Breer picked all 14 Week 10 games straight up, favoring the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fdc16abc-9ae2-4bf4-a327-8e9d9ae283b6 (scored 0)
- Mitch Goldich on New York Giants: Goldich picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Panthers, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/706c628f-bb25-4892-b33e-84c81bfb6e4a (scored 0)
- Matt Verderame on New York Giants: Verderame picked the Giants, Lions, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Saints, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens in Week 10. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dfeb0994-1abf-414f-b153-d01b6e4e5365 (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.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

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