Tyler Sullivan· Sep 17, 2026
An unsigned CBS Sports column flags five Week 2 favorites on upset alert, effectively backing the underdogs — Lions at Bills, Bengals at Texans, Jets over Packers, Jaguars at Broncos and Saints at Ravens — to pull off wins.
“Now, we turn our attention to Week 2, where we've again identified five favorites that could be on upset alert.”
published in writing · CBS Sports · read the original →
5 checkable claims — 5 game outcome picks — 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 5 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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Who this take is about
The games in this take
- Lions at Bills 20 calls
- Packers at Jets 7 calls
- Bengals at Texans 9 calls
- Saints at Ravens 7 calls
- Jaguars at Broncos 12 calls
5 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Game Outcome PicksDetroit LionsSep 17, 2026
Detroit Lions to win
“Detroit Lions (+4.5) at Buffalo Bills ... identified five favorites that could be on upset alert. ... If he can get rolling and help Detroit win the time-of-possession battle, it could go a long way toward helping the defense limit Josh Allen's impact.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-194 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- BUF
- score:
- 31-41
- skill:
- -194
- they picked:
- DET
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- BUF
- difficulty:
- 1.94
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 17
- Game Outcome PicksCincinnati BengalsSep 17, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to win
“Cincinnati Bengals (+3) at Houston Texans ... If this is an early indication that the unit may regress (even slightly) from their stellar production last season, the Bengals could be live.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksNew York JetsSep 17, 2026
New York Jets to win
“Green Bay Packers at New York Jets (+3.5) ... Provided he keeps it clean again and doesn't make Green Bay's life easier, New York could mess around as a home dog and win outright.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksNew Orleans SaintsSep 17, 2026
New Orleans Saints to win
“New Orleans Saints (+8.5) at Baltimore Ravens ... If this turns into another shootout, Shough has shown he can at least hang around. I also wonder if this is quietly a look-ahead spot for Baltimore”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksJacksonville JaguarsSep 17, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to win
“Jacksonville Jaguars (+2.5) at Denver Broncos ... Meanwhile, going into Denver and pulling out a win isn't foreign to the Jaguars.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Tony FuscoScore Predictions · Detroit LionsMiss · 0In his satirical Week 2 NFL predictions, Tony Fusco called exact final scores in five games: Lions over Bills, Panthers over Falcons, Bears over Vikings, Patriots over Steelers, and Eagles over Titans. He also predicted Atlanta would trick Tua into missing the game entirely.
- Colin CowherdGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsMiss · 0The co-host (identified only as "Mitchell") gave his own Week 2 picks: Seattle, the Niners in dominant fashion, his Lions over Buffalo, Cincinnati 31-27 at Houston, Chicago, Pittsburgh 24-21 as a road upset, Jacksonville by at least a touchdown, Dallas 26-22, and Kansas City handily.
- Christian BooherRoster Spot Calls · Devin CochranMiss · 0Booher lays out a projected Detroit Lions offensive depth chart ahead of the 2026 regular season, naming starters, backups and practice squad members at every offensive position.
- Kevin WildesGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsMiss · 0Kevin picked every game and came out with the Bills missing the playoffs, the Texans as the AFC's No. 1 seed and the Seahawks as the NFC's, Dak Prescott as MVP, and the Patriots beating the Lions in the Super Bowl.
- John ShipleyRoster Spot Calls · Jack KiserMiss · 0Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there.
- Emmett MatasovskyDepth Chart Calls · Christian IzienMiss · 0Matasovsky says Dobbs is currently leading the backup quarterback race and suggests Christian Izien may be pressed into a starting safety role in Week 1 while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph rehab.
More game outcome picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Richard ShermanGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Sherman ran through the entire Week 2 slate with winners and several exact final scores, picking Seattle, San Francisco, Buffalo, Houston, Chicago, New England, Jacksonville, Dallas, Kansas City, the Rams, Green Bay, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Las Vegas and Carolina. He also called Fred Warner the league's best middle linebacker and floated Parker Washington as a top-five receiver.
- Joe MarinoGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Marino predicts the Bills beat the Lions in the Thursday night home opener to go 2-0, and expects a shootout with Goff and Allen combining for over 600 passing yards (each with a good chance at 300+).
- Walter CherepinskyGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100In the Week 2 Thursday night game, he predicts the Bills beat the Lions 31-24, expecting Detroit's offense to bounce back but Buffalo to prevail, with Josh Allen thriving and James Cook struggling again.
- Richard ShermanGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Sherman previewed the AFC, picking the Bills, Chiefs, Ravens and Texans as division winners with Denver, New England and Jacksonville as wild cards, called several individual early-season games, and predicted a big year for Travis Hunter at cornerback.
- Richard ShermanGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Sherman picked the Seahawks to repeat as NFC West champs, Dallas to win the East, Detroit the North and Tampa Bay the South, with the Rams, 49ers and Bears as wild cards. He also gave records for each team's first four games and picked the Rams over the 49ers in Week 1.
- John BreechGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100An unsigned 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.