# TJ Jefferson: TJ Jefferson named the Dallas Cowboys as their final sleeper team and predicted they will win the Super Bowl, crediting the new defensive coordinator and draft additions. Their earlier sleeper picks were the Saints and Vikings.

**Claimed:** Jul 23, 2026
**Pundit:** TJ Jefferson — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tj-jefferson
**Outlet:** The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/the-rich-eisen-show-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP5934056549.mp3

4 checkable claims — 3 surprise team calls and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

> But the sleeper team, the team that will hoist the Lombardi trophy this year... You're mine, our Dallas Cowboys.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Dallas Cowboys to win the Super Bowl**
  - Kind: Super Bowl Picks · About: Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Minnesota Vikings to beat expectations**
  - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Dallas Cowboys to beat expectations**
  - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Dallas Cowboys
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **New Orleans Saints to beat expectations**
  - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: New Orleans Saints
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys
- Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings
- New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/saints

## What others said about the same people

- Jason Harmon on Max Brosmer: Harmon expects the Vikings' quarterback room to stay intact while Kyler Murray is hurt, and predicts Max Brosmer will be released and re-signed to the practice squad since Minnesota won't carry four QBs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fa393501-3f38-481e-8e75-48125587e911 (scored 0)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d0fd408a-7dcd-4e50-ac62-6b4510a8a800 (scored 100)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fda03952-2ea6-4919-8114-0ebb127478d1 (scored 100)
- Charean Williams on Odell Beckham Jr.: Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d4fd8cfb-3c75-4209-9e1a-d60e821f315b (scored 0)
- Justin Penik on Aaron Jones: Pennock predicted Sam Darnold to Pittsburgh, Zach Baun re-signing in Philadelphia, Charvarius Ward and Jamien Sherwood to Washington, Cam Robinson to Chicago as left tackle, Cam Bynum to the Jets, Darius Slayton to the Chargers, Aaron Jones back to Minnesota and Aaron Rodgers to the Giants. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4af0c93c-46f5-4a2c-ae24-e6ffa81a6559 (scored 100)
- Rich Eisen on Micah Parsons: Eisen expects Myles Garrett to be traded before the draft and says the Browns will then take Abdul Carter with their early first-round pick; they also predict Buffalo will end up paying James Cook and that Micah Parsons will remain a Cowboy and get their money from Dallas, likely late in the process. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c9216871-a4a2-4676-b3d8-2221daa70413 (scored 0)

## More surprise team calls

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

- Nick Wright on Houston Texans: Wright expects the 49ers to handle Dallas, the Lions to beat New England, the Packers to beat Minnesota and the Chiefs to win in Atlanta, while naming the Texans again as the league's second-half surge team, picking Joe Burrow for MVP and saying Kansas City still makes the playoffs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/62cf7f07-a58c-4d8a-bc3f-4501125a29b9 (not settled)
- Dan Orlovsky on Houston Texans: Named Houston and Detroit as the underrated teams in each conference, said the Texans could reach 11-6 and the playoffs, and predicted CJ Stroud's next contract will start with a seven annually, with Caleb Williams getting even more afterward. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/01e49745-6d62-434d-a884-17a1fa4a0cca (not settled)
- Bill Simmons on Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Simmons named the Houston Texans as the AFC's second-half surge team and, reluctantly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the NFC's, arguing both clubs sitting at or below.500 will make a run down the stretch. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a2fe7493-43ef-4157-b6c3-82a3e9c0f906 (not settled)
- Danny Kelly on Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kelly argued the Buccaneers are the one NFC South club capable of a second-half surge, citing a soft remaining schedule and the league's top defensive EPA. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/13d3230a-fd04-4c32-86f7-7faaa5718bb8 (not settled)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Houston Texans: Lazarczyk argues the Raiders can still contend for the AFC's final wild-card spot, naming the Bills, Broncos, Jaguars, Steelers, Chiefs and Bengals as locks for the top six seeds, calling Houston a sleeper, and predicting Las Vegas can beat the Chargers, Titans and Cardinals down the stretch. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5f5d533e-b292-487f-b387-5d154ce687b8 (not settled)
- Jordan Dajani on Pittsburgh Steelers: Halfway through the season, Dajani sorts the playoff field into contenders and pretenders: they suggest Joe Burrow could win MVP this year, and while they dismiss Pittsburgh as a true Super Bowl threat, they expect the Steelers to be a playoff team and a possible sleeper. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3cf5c7f7-905d-4de9-ba67-9ff97a7f6a34 (not settled)

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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.

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