Surprise Team Calls
Scored under the published methodology, which sets out what counts as right, what a naive guess would have said, and why an earlier call is worth more than a late one.
- Takes logged
- 283
- Graded
- 0
- Average accuracy
- —
- Pundits
- 103
0% settled
out of 100
have made one
Nothing settled yet
283 logged, none graded. The scores appear as the season resolves them.
Settled or waiting
0 / 283
graded
283 still pending
By season
- 20240 of 8 graded
- 20250 of 98 graded
- 20260 of 177 graded
Every surprise team calls take
1–25 of 283
Houston Texans to beat expectations
Give me a a team each conference. You're like, they're playing some really good football, and they're not getting enough love. Yeah. Houston and Detroit.
Detroit Lions to beat expectations
I I think Detroit's a sneaky team that could contend for the one seed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat expectations
I'll say Tampa. I think... Yeah. The Buccaneers are fine... We landed on Houston for the AFC and begrudgingly Tampa in the NFC.
Houston Texans to beat expectations
Here's, I think, the team we agree on for second half search, the Houston Texans, who are three and five... So our our final verdict is Houston? For me, it would be.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat expectations
I think I could make an argument for one. Tampa? Yeah. Yeah. That was the one I had. That would be the only one I feel good about. The lowest Tampa's schedule. They're number one in defensive EPA.
Houston Texans to beat expectations
The Houston Texans are a sleeper team to watch, despite being 3-5. Houston has a manageable schedule.
Pittsburgh Steelers to beat expectations
With that said, there are reasons to believe the Steelers could be a sleeper.
Houston Texans to beat expectations
And the number one team not dead yet... I can't quit the Texans... They can make some hay right now.
Arizona Cardinals to beat expectations
Number five... They're three and five, and they're not dead yet... Three and five cardinals are are not dead yet.
Dallas Cowboys to beat expectations
You're three and five. You're not dead yet... There are some tough games after that, but you're not dead now.
Las Vegas Raiders to beat expectations
Number four on the list... The Raiders... are not quite dead yet... They're four and four, baby.
New Orleans Saints to beat expectations
Number two... The New Orleans Saints are not dead at all. Two and five... Look at the NFC south standings.
Los Angeles Rams to beat expectations
Number three on the list... The Los Angeles Rams are not dead yet.
Houston Texans to beat expectations
And I think the Texans are a sleeping Giant. Don't wake them up. They got guys coming back this week.
Minnesota Vikings to beat expectations
The the Vikings are sleeping Giants, because if they ever get good quarterback play, they're gonna roll.
Las Vegas Raiders to beat expectations
Of the surprise teams in terms of, like, will they last? Let's just do it real quick. Browns, Raiders, Giants. I would probably say Raiders... I think the Raiders are more likely to be in... To win more games than the other two.
Las Vegas Raiders to beat expectations
Even though they suffered their first loss of the season, the Raiders feel like they are for real.
Jacksonville Jaguars to beat expectations
The Jaguars, who moved to 3-1 with a win over Cincinnati, are the most underrated team in the NFL right now.
Minnesota Vikings to beat expectations
three undefeated teams remain: the Kansas City Chiefs, the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings, who are among this year's biggest surprises.
Jacksonville Jaguars to beat expectations
Don't Sleep On The Jaguars ... More importantly, it's why the Jaguars need to be taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender.
- PendingJared FeinbergSurprise Team Calls2026 season
Las Vegas Raiders to beat expectations
a team like the Raiders, still seen as being in a rebuild, may have the tools to massively overachieve in 2026.
Waiting on the season to settle this.said Oct 4, 2026 Las Vegas Raiders to beat expectations
Is it real? The Raiders three and Oh, Oh, it's real. It's real. I think that, you know, there was low expectations... This is a good football team.
Indianapolis Colts to beat expectations
I’m going to go with the Colts for this reason: I have way more faith in their offense... Once they settle down, they’re good enough to stay in the playoff race, as long as Jones and Taylor stay healthy all year long.
Houston Texans to beat expectations
Last year, the Texans got off to a miserable 0-3 start and then lost two games the rest of the way. I expect a similar turnaround this season... they should rack up enough low-quality wins to stick around the playoff race all season.
- PendingBen ArthurSurprise Team Calls2026 season
Houston Texans to beat expectations
I tried to be different from my colleagues here. I kept coming back to the Texans... In just a month and a half, Houston’s season could be in great shape.
Waiting on the season to settle this.said Sep 25, 2026
By topic
NFL — surprise team calls (nothing graded yet)
Topics we cover today: NFL, US Elections, The Economy. Every kind of prediction belongs to one of them; this page sits above the topic so that adding another does not mean rewriting every link.