Colin Cowherd· Aug 11, 2026
Cowherd laid out the top two teams in every NFL division, naming the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers, Eagles, Lions and Saints as division winners, with the Bengals, Chiefs and Giants as playoff teams from second place, plus win totals for Baltimore, Houston and Minnesota and a hunch that JJ McCarthy gets traded.
“AFC Bill's Patriots in the East, one and two, Ravens, Bengals in the North, one and two Texans Colts.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
15 checkable claims — 7 division winners, 3 playoff picks, 3 season win totals, 1 pro bowl and all-pro call and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 14 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
Where this call stands in the room
Houston Texans · 2026 season · wins7 calls from 5 pundits between 1 wins and 13 wins. Colin Cowherd said 10 wins. the room's median is 11 wins. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
15 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.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsAug 11, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“I think with that schedule and those offensive players, they probably are a playoff team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles ChargersAug 11, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to win the division
“Finally, AFC West, I'm gonna go with the Chargers... I think they win the division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsBaltimore RavensAug 11, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to finish with 10 wins
“So my take is they just win ten to eleven games every year.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsAug 11, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“Buffalo wins it, Patriot second place AFC North.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersPhiladelphia EaglesAug 11, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to win the division
“we go Eagles and Giants... The Eagles have won the division three of the last four years... It's a great roster.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsAug 11, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“I have them finishing second and a wild card team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew York GiantsAug 11, 2026
New York Giants to make the playoffs
“Early I have the Giants as a wildcard team, we go Eagles and Giants.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersNew Orleans SaintsAug 11, 2026
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“NFC South. I'm taking the Saints as one of the most improved teams in the league and Carolina in second... Saints win the division, Carolina second”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsMinnesota VikingsAug 11, 2026
Minnesota Vikings to finish with 10 wins
“I think Kyler's gonna end up winning close or or double digit wins.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Nick Emmanwori to make All-Pro
“that kid maybe an eight year pro bowler. I mean that kid could be an All Pro guy for most of the next decade.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsHouston TexansAug 11, 2026
Houston Texans to finish with 10 wins
“Under Demico Ryans ten plus wins.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBaltimore RavensAug 11, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“I think Jesse Mintor was the hot coordinator in this cycle, so my guess is they win... Ravens won Bengals two in the AFC North”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Trade and Signing CallsJ.J. McCarthyAug 11, 2026
J.J. McCarthy to move
“I would not be shocked if at some point pre trade deadline, JJ McCarthy has moved Chargers. Who knows.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersHouston TexansAug 11, 2026
Houston Texans to win the division
“AFC South. The winner's easy. The Texans... Texans win it, Colts number two”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDetroit LionsAug 11, 2026
Detroit Lions to win the division
“In the NFC North, Lions Bears is how I see it... I'm gonna take him to win the division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Chris SimmsScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Simms 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.
- Connor RogersGame Outcome Picks · New York GiantsHit · 100Rogers 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.
- Chris LongGame Outcome Picks · Cincinnati BengalsMiss · 0Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North.
- Steven RuizGame Outcome Picks · Houston TexansMiss · 0Previewing 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.
- Nate TiceGame Outcome Picks · Baltimore RavensHit · 100Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets.
- Sam MonsonGame Outcome Picks · Seattle SeahawksMiss · 0Monson 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.
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.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen 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.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen called the 49ers-as-NFC-favorites take an overreaction, picked the Jaguars to beat the Titans and win their division, leaned Ravens over the Steelers in the Week 18 Sunday night game, expects the Bills to beat the Jets even without Josh Allen, sees the Chargers as the AFC's seventh seed, agreed Tyler Shough could win Offensive Rookie of the Year with a good Saints 2026, said Malik Willis will be a starter somewhere next season, and insisted Detroit goes into 2026 with Goff.
- Chris BrockmanDivision Winners · Chicago BearsHit · 100Brockman called the Broncos-Packers game the best of the day, said Denver looks poised to lock up the AFC's No. 1 seed and reach the AFC Championship Game, predicted the Bears win the NFC North and the Eagles win their division (though he thinks they lose to a five seed from the NFC West), and said Philip Rivers will be in the NFL in 2026.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · New England PatriotsHit · 100Eisen said the Patriots are still likely to win the AFC East and won't be one-and-done, that the Chargers will end Dallas' season next week, that TreVeyon Henderson should out-snap Rhamondre Stevenson, that the NFC East race is over in Philadelphia's favor, and that the winner of the NFC West will be the NFC's No. 1 seed.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · New England PatriotsHit · 100Eisen previewed week 15 games, predicting Joe Burrow would play well in his first home start back against Baltimore, and speculated on a possible Colts-Steelers wild card matchup. He also asserted the Chiefs will not win their division for a tenth straight year, keeping the Patriots' record of 11 straight division titles safe.