# Manti Te'o: Praises Seattle's surprising offense and defense, and reviews his preseason picks: proud of the Broncos as AFC West champs and having three AFC West teams in the playoffs, regrets not picking the Lions to win the NFC North, wishes he could change his Vikings pick, and doubles down on the Ravens winning the AFC North. Also picks the Panthers to win the NFC South.

**Claimed:** Nov 1, 2025
**Pundit:** Manti Te'o — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/manti-te-o
**Outlet:** Move the Sticks (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/move-the-sticks-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview
**Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/nfl-good-morning-football/gmfb-saturday-nfc-cinderellas-garrett-is-mayjah-and-preseason-prediction-check

7 checkable claims — 4 playoff picks and 3 division winners — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

All 7 have settled, averaging 71.4 out of 100, against 28.6 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> So I'm doubling down that the Ravens will win the AFC North.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Denver Broncos to win the division**
  - Kind: Division Winners · About: Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Carolina Panthers to win the division**
  - Kind: Division Winners · About: Carolina Panthers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Baltimore Ravens to win the division**
  - Kind: Division Winners · About: Baltimore Ravens
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **San Francisco 49ers to make the playoffs**
  - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs**
  - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Denver Broncos to make the playoffs**
  - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs**
  - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Kansas City Chiefs
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos
- Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/panthers
- Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens
- San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/49ers
- Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers
- Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chiefs

## What others said about the same people

- Scott Kennedy on Carolina Panthers: Expects the Falcons to fall to 0-2 in Cooper Rush starts, losing 24-13 to Carolina. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c0be929d-8c00-4148-b8d0-968b34e5d510 (scored 52.38)
- Seth Walder on Carolina Panthers: Picks the Panthers to beat the Falcons in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/61d68b2a-468b-44a5-b949-a6b152bbafc0 (scored 100)
- Garrett Chapman on Carolina Panthers: Thinks Atlanta matches up well but still falls short, picking Carolina 23-20. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5be072b2-97fa-40f2-999b-b1007f18e933 (scored 50)
- Jerry Jones on Carolina Panthers: Predicts Carolina pulls away from Atlanta, with the Falcons defense keeping it close early, in a 27-16 Panthers win. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/12652a3a-c719-4206-a93b-f5b8ebc09beb (scored 52.38)
- Eric Moody on Carolina Panthers: Picks the Panthers to beat the Falcons in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8781a68b-56d0-4cd0-bf58-b7791e174082 (scored 100)
- Pamela Maldonado on Carolina Panthers: Picks the Panthers to beat the Falcons in Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/738530b5-6f35-4dc3-95f4-716358983f8a (scored 100)

## More playoff picks

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

- Dan "Buzz" Wilson on Philadelphia Eagles: Wilson argued the Eagles' offseason approach of prioritizing 2026 and beyond doesn't mean a bad 2025 — he expects them to remain among the NFC's best teams and to make a deep playoff run rather than fall off to eight or nine wins. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/afce079c-b986-476b-a872-09905017fc6f (scored 100)
- Ross Jackson on New Orleans Saints: Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4dc05898-73fd-4fcb-92c4-a940d7e395ba (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.thegoodapps.co/opinions/29ea2738-79a2-4be9-aa45-e794cd3848fb (scored 0)
- Rich Eisen on Los Angeles Rams: 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. He also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.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 his shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. He 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.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1f7633c5-427b-4993-8849-3f53865241bd (scored 100)

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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.

Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.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.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=manti-te-o
