# Colin Cowherd: Cowherd lays out his final season predictions: he flips the NFC West to the Rams over Seattle (fearing first-time OC Brian Fleury), picks Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers, Eagles, Lions, Saints and Rams as division winners with the Bills reaching the Super Bowl, and makes picks on opening night (Seahawks 23-20 over New England) and the Jaguars over the Browns. **Claimed:** Sep 9, 2026 **Pundit:** Colin Cowherd — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/colin-cowherd **Outlet:** The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/1508ddb2-0c9a-42f6-aafe-ae3300346aa9/9def2c8f-f7c8-4ab3-a53a-b4c00142541d/audio.mp3?in_playlist=bf391792-153e-41b3-9d3d-ae3300346ad8 35 checkable claims — 14 playoff picks, 8 division winners, 7 power rankings, 2 depth chart calls, 1 conference champion, 1 game outcome pick, 1 score prediction and 1 team draft slot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 19 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 2 of 35 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one. > I went Seattle second, Rams first. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Jacksonville Jaguars to beat Browns** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Seattle Seahawks 23 — Patriots 20** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Philadelphia Eagles to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet - **New Orleans Saints to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **New York Giants to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chicago Bears to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Fernando Mendoza to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet - **AFC West, I made a change. Denver second, Kansas City third... The Raiders will be a very fun fourth place team.** - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Rams to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Philadelphia Eagles to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet - **NFC South, Saints, Panthers, Bucs, Falcons.** - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **New Orleans Saints to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **New England Patriots to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **NFC North, best division in football. I'm going to take Detroit... Take the Bears second... but I'll still take their playoff momentum, their third Vikings fourth.** - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Denver Broncos to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Chargers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to reach the Super Bowl** - Kind: Conference Champions · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **There's my AFC East, Buffalo, New England, Jets, Dolphins.** - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Courtland Sutton to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **Arizona Cardinals to pick at number 1** - Kind: Team Draft Slot Calls · About: Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet - **NFC East. Listen, Philadelphia's roster, I'm going to take them... I'm very high on the Giants... Cowboys will be much better defensively, but we've pumped the brakes here... Washington... They'll finish fourth.** - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **I do like the Ravens... Pittsburgh has a very high floor and a lower ceiling. They're third... Feel pretty strongly about Cleveland last and Pittsburgh third here.** - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **And in the NFC West, I flipped it. I went Seattle second, Rams first.** - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jaguars - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/eagles - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - New York Giants — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/giants - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos - Courtland Sutton — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/courtland-sutton - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals ## What others said about the same people - Ross Jackson on New Orleans Saints: Ross Jackson picked the Saints to beat the Raiders at home, projecting a 27-24 final score with the Raiders scoring 24 points. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/434df603-78e1-41ae-a04c-8ef859abd50e (scored 38.1) - 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) ## More playoff picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Craig Stout on Kansas City Chiefs: Craig believes better execution from a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team will be enough to return them to the playoffs in the coming season, and he expects Tyler Algeier to land with Denver as a complement to RJ Harvey. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4ad5b565-6220-4c30-9371-e55be75a35f0 (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) - Dwaine Board on San Francisco 49ers: Board argues the 49ers can still make the playoffs even if Trent Williams leaves, expects Williams to be brought back, and favors drafting a wide receiver at No. 27 over an offensive tackle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/07beb6d4-aadc-4b2d-b131-b889c85204a3 (scored 100) - 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=colin-cowherd