# Colin Cowherd: Cowherd is high on Fernando Mendoza, calling him a first-round prospect who fits none of the bust profiles, and expects Kirk Cousins to open the season as the starter. Among his five bold predictions he has Justin Herbert winning multiple playoff games and Caleb Williams winning MVP. **Claimed:** Aug 13, 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-ae3300346aa9/294f3a66-290c-49f0-ae93-b4a50141a9ad/audio.mp3?in_playlist=bf391792-153e-41b3-9d3d-ae3300346ad8 4 checkable claims — 1 award pick, 1 depth chart call, 1 mock draft pick and 1 playoff pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 4 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > Caleb Williams MVP. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Fernando Mendoza to be picked “first round prospect” (picks 1–32)** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Fernando Mendoza - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess - **Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kirk Cousins - Verdict: not settled yet - **Caleb Williams to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Kirk Cousins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kirk-cousins - Caleb Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-williams - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bears - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers ## What others said about the same people - Sam Monson on Los Angeles Chargers: Monson 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. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0b810ffd-fd93-4ea2-a208-b1353dea5fb0 (scored 0) - Nate Tice on Chicago Bears: Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6211c80-3d1c-46b8-8a0c-151fc0ba92de (scored 0) - Matt Harmon on Chicago Bears: Harmon picked the Bengals to beat the Texans in Week 2, expecting Nico Collins to miss the game with a hamstring injury, and also predicted the Titans would be shut out by the Eagles. He took the Rams over the Giants, the Bears over the Vikings, and the Jaguars at Denver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/21a71025-ab65-4716-ac2c-e77ad5ce3348 (scored 0) - Tracy Sandler on Chicago Bears: Sandler predicted Caleb Williams would miss two to three weeks with his hamstring injury, and in the picks segment took the Broncos, Ravens, Vikings, Bills and Bears (switching off an earlier Tampa pick). — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/74f12600-9587-488a-af00-2e8c11643531 (scored 100) - Adam Chudwin on Chicago Bears: In his annual game-by-game Bears prediction, Chudwin went through all 17 games and landed on a 12-5 season for Chicago. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6e5e93f-2997-4140-881f-3acec911a1f1 (scored 100) - John Breech on Chicago Bears: A CBS Sports piece predicts the week each NFL team will suffer its first loss, effectively picking winners in each of those games, and names the Ravens as the league's final undefeated team after a 7-0 start. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/50eb251e-cf6b-417d-a0d6-bccba95e06fc (scored 100) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Pat Fitzmaurice on Jonah Coleman: In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2cbd48f6-15ea-4aa5-84bc-bcc50d94d09a (scored 0) - Fox Sports on Michael Penix Jr.: Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a90e69a8-707f-43e9-a63e-cdb3e7bd0829 (scored 100) - Pat Fitzmaurice on Aaron Jones: In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/31adc8bb-8f15-453f-bbcf-cab44e29b8b3 (scored 100) - Matt Severance on Deshaun Watson: The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/944568ce-7205-409f-8354-a392016fd8bf (scored 100) - Rafael Zamorano on Deshaun Watson: Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d7d7e0a2-61e0-4525-970b-b01a2356f11b (scored 100) - Rich Hribar on Tua Tagovailoa: Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/124ac755-a942-4382-8bad-177da7f8170d (scored 0) --- 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