Colin Cowherd#54 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 29, 2026
Cowherd laid out their full AFC and NFC division-by-division predictions, naming division winners, wild cards, new playoff teams, and order of finish in each division.
Said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast)Hear the original
What Colin Cowherd said
So I have the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers winning their division. Patriots, Bengals, Chiefs as wildcard.
- Where it was said
- The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast)
- The episode
- THE HERD BEST OF THE WEEK – Colin Was Wrong About Dodgers, AFC + NFC Predictions, Notre Dame Will Win The National Championship
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
Box score, by kind
HitCloseMissWaiting| Group | Hits | Close | Misses | Waiting | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff Picks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| Depth Chart Calls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Division Winners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| All | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
How each call scored
9 checkable claims — 5 playoff picks, 2 depth chart calls and 2 division winners — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Shedeur Sanders · 2026 season22 calls from 18 pundits between 1 and 2. Colin Cowherd said 1. the room's median is 1. 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.
Playoff Picks5 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Houston Texans to make the playoffs
“Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, CJ Stroud, Justin Herbert, Drake May, Joe Burrow, and Mahomes make the playoffs.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
New Orleans Saints to make the playoffs
“the Saints are going to be and the Lions are going to be new playoff teams and the Giants”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs
“Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, CJ Stroud, Justin Herbert, Drake May, Joe Burrow, and Mahomes make the playoffs.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Detroit Lions to make the playoffs
“the Saints are going to be and the Lions are going to be new playoff teams and the Giants”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs
“Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, CJ Stroud, Justin Herbert, Drake May, Joe Burrow, and Mahomes make the playoffs.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Depth Chart Calls2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Jake Slaughter to be 1st on the depth chart
“Jake Slaughter, the second round pick, will now play center, not guard.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Shedeur Sanders to be 1st on the depth chart
“Cleveland, I don't hate them. I just don't know who's quarterback. I'd go with Shadur.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Division Winners2 waitingShow ▸Hide ▾
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“the bills are the largest favorite ... I'll take. Them to win the division.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“the second easiest schedule in football is the Saints... I like the top two teams.”
—WaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
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.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota.John Breech · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Breech picked the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night by a score of 24-17.Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 62
Dajani picked the Bills to edge the Vikings 24-23.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 74
Dubin picked Buffalo to win a low-scoring Monday night game in Minnesota, 20-14.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Sullivan picked the Bills to beat the Vikings 24-17.
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Minnesota Vikings · Miss 0
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.Rich Eisen · Playoff Picks · Carolina Panthers · Hit 100
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.Chris Brockman · Playoff Picks · Pittsburgh Steelers · Hit 100
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.