# Colin Cowherd: Cowherd likes Denver against the Raiders/Gino Smith, says the Colts will win their division, backs the Ravens as favorites at Minnesota, leans Buccaneers over the Patriots, picks the Patriots over the Colts to reach the AFC Championship, and thinks Fernando Mendoza will be the first quarterback taken in the draft.

**Claimed:** Nov 6, 2025
**Pundit:** Colin Cowherd — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/colin-cowherd
**Outlet:** The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview
**Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd/the-herd-hour-2-caleb-williams-breakout-with-the-bears-cowboys-better-off-without-micah-parsons-greg-cosell

5 checkable claims — 3 game outcome picks, 1 division winner and 1 position order call — 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.

All 5 have settled, averaging 60 out of 100, against 26.6 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> He's a pocket quarterback if he plays Take Denver.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Indianapolis Colts to win the division**
  - Kind: Division Winners · About: Indianapolis Colts
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Denver Broncos to beat Raiders**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Baltimore Ravens to beat Minnesota**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat Patriots**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Fernando Mendoza to be 1st quarterback off the board**
  - Kind: Position Order Calls · About: Fernando Mendoza
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 33.08 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/colts
- Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos
- Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers
- Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza

## What others said about the same people

- Nathan Jahnke on Elijah Sarratt: An unsigned PFF preseason recap makes numerous depth-chart, roster and usage projections across the league, based on Week 3 preseason playing time — including Roman Wilson winning Pittsburgh's third receiver job, Luke McCaffrey's roster spot being in danger, Charlie Kolar as the Chargers' top tight end, and Kendre Miller as the Saints' RB2. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/47566b48-8024-4960-b25c-11c03fe43543 (scored 100)
- Noah Compton on Caden Curry: After the Colts' preseason finale loss to Detroit, Compton projected several roster and depth-chart outcomes: Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback, rookie A.J. Haulcy as the starting strong safety, Seth McGowan as the backup running back, and rookie defensive ends George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry making the initial 53-man roster, while receiver Deion Burks appears likely to be cut. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fa7eba23-4322-47d7-b21e-7adb82e6b325 (scored 100)
- Nathan Jahnke on Elijah Sarratt: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a series of depth-chart, roster and usage projections based on final-week preseason snap counts, including Ja'Kobi Lane locking down the Ravens' third receiver role, Luke McCaffrey's roster spot being in danger, Kyle Pitts facing reduced 12-personnel usage, Kendre Miller as the Saints' RB2 and Emmett Johnson as the Chiefs' backup running back. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/265cbdba-b0e0-4f80-9665-a4ca5aaec53e (scored 100)
- Spenny Powers on Ethan Burke: Powers says undrafted edge Ethan Burke's traits should earn him a spot on the Ravens' roster. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/723dcbbd-0d10-422d-8204-30701b3f5dff (scored 100)
- Nathan Jahnke on Laquon Treadwell: PFF's preseason fantasy recap makes a large number of depth-chart, role and fantasy-value calls across the league, including Chig Okonkwo as a top sleeper tight end, Tre Tucker as the Raiders' top receiver, and various backfield hierarchies. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/760054fd-7815-4b86-a9e3-bc9bdb0a730b (scored 100)
- Nathan Jahnke on Laquon Treadwell: PFF's fantasy football preseason recap projects depth-chart outcomes, roster spots and fantasy value for numerous players across several preseason games, including Chig Okonkwo's expanded role in Washington, Ja'Kobi Lane as Baltimore's WR3, Malachi Fields winning the Giants' starting X job, and Zachariah Branch being a fantasy bust relative to his late-round cost. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/22a4578b-eb92-41d2-820b-1a7eaa2e4e2f (scored 100)

## More game outcome picks

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

- Richard Sherman on Green Bay Packers: Sherman picked winners and several exact scores across the Week 3 slate, favoring Seattle, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Detroit, Green Bay, Carolina, New Orleans, Baltimore, the Rams, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Kansas City, Minnesota, the Giants, Jacksonville and Houston, and named Kenneth Walker his MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c2102f61-711d-4041-af08-065e95ccaf03 (scored 0)
- Bill Huber on Green Bay Packers: Huber forecasts the Packers starting 3-4 through seven games — losing at Minnesota and Tampa Bay, beating the Jets and Falcons, losing to the Bears — and finishing the season with about eight wins. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2df248b5-ab27-436f-ae3f-7b2ccb53ade6 (scored 0)
- Jared Dubin on Los Angeles Rams: Dubin picks the Rams to beat the Giants on Monday Night Football, sticking with preseason expectations over Week 1 overreaction. He gives two conditional scores depending on whether Puka Nacua plays: a comfortable 27-17 win if Nacua suits up, and a narrow 17-16 win if he sits. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e613e391-ce67-4554-a115-59096e1fecfd (scored 100)
- Dan Orlovsky on Los Angeles Rams: Orlovsky said that even without Puka Nacua the Rams would find a way to beat the Giants on Monday night, though he thought the Giants would keep it within a touchdown. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/35fbf38d-85b0-4e52-b089-d8d9b6858e46 (scored 100)
- Patricia Traina on New York Giants: In her weekly Giants mailbag, Traina said the Giants would beat the Rams if Los Angeles didn't play its best, predicted Aaron Donald wouldn't play a full game Monday night, and said she doesn't expect Paulson Adebo to still be with the Giants in 2027. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ed7864bb-8795-4c1b-9517-fd7164fefb20 (scored 0)
- Danny Parkins on New York Giants: Parkins picked the Giants to beat the Rams outright, backed Jacksonville over Denver, Cincinnati over Houston and Chicago over Minnesota in the chips segment, endorsed Buffalo as the AFC's Super Bowl representative, and predicted Deshaun Watson has started his last NFL game. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/36d4ede8-3066-4102-abbc-cb08e4544c92 (scored 0)

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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=colin-cowherd