# Colin Cowherd: Cowherd lays out their final season predictions: they flip 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 call. 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 - Line: Closing line (Sep 13, 2026): Jaguars by 8.5 · favorite pick, Jaguars about 4 in 5 (79%). Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - **Seattle Seahawks 23 — Patriots 20** - Kind: Score Predictions · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - Line: Closing line (Sep 9, 2026): Seahawks by 3, total 44.5 · this 23–20 calls the line’s margin (Seahawks by 3) and fewer points (43). Source: nflverse; context only, never part of the grade. - “And in the NFC West, I flipped it. I went Seattle second, Rams first.” - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Arizona Cardinals to pick at number 1** - Kind: Team Draft Slot Calls · About: Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Chargers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - “NFC South, Saints, Panthers, Bucs, Falcons.” - Kind: Power Rankings - Verdict: not settled yet - **Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - “There's my AFC East, Buffalo, New England, Jets, Dolphins.” - Kind: Power Rankings - 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 - **Denver Broncos to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **New Orleans Saints to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **New York Giants to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New York Giants - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chicago Bears to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **New England Patriots to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Detroit Lions - 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 - **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Philadelphia Eagles to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Cincinnati Bengals - 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 - **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 - **Buffalo Bills to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to reach the Super Bowl** - Kind: Conference Champions · About: Buffalo Bills - 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 - “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 - **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 - **Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - 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 - **Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Rams - 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 - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/broncos - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - New York Giants — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/giants - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Courtland Sutton — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/courtland-sutton - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams ## 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) - Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0) - 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) - Pete Prisco on New York Giants: Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e142b910-0967-4de9-9429-c342bc079205 (scored 35.71) - Jared Dubin on New York Giants: Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/04562aeb-eccf-4266-be8e-32a3aacfd6fc (scored 42.86) ## 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 they expect 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. They 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 their shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. They 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