Zachary Pereles· Sep 9, 2026
The CBS Sports NFL staff's aggregated votes project the Cowboys, Lions, Buccaneers, Rams, Bills, Bengals, Texans and Broncos as division winners, with the Seahawks, Eagles and Bears as NFC wild cards and the Ravens, Chiefs and Chargers as AFC wild cards. The staff majority picks the Rams to win the NFC and the Super Bowl, with the Broncos leading AFC champion votes.
“Here is how the CBS Sports NFL staff -- writers, editors, analysts and researchers -- envision this season playing out.”
published in writing · CBS Sports · read the original →
17 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 6 playoff picks, 2 conference champions and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 14 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
17 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.
- Playoff PicksPhiladelphia EaglesSep 9, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to make the playoffs
“NFC wild cards ... Eagles (7)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksLos Angeles ChargersSep 9, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs
“AFC wild cards ... Chiefs, Chargers, Bills (7 each)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Conference ChampionsLos Angeles RamsSep 9, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to reach the Super Bowl
“NFC champion Rams (8) Seahawks (3) Cowboys (2)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Conference ChampionsDenver BroncosSep 9, 2026
Denver Broncos to reach the Super Bowl
“AFC champion Broncos (5) Bengals, Bills (3)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBaltimore RavensSep 9, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“AFC wild cards Ravens (8 votes)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Super Bowl PicksLos Angeles RamsSep 9, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl
“Super Bowl LXI champion Rams: 7”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsSep 9, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“AFC East Bills (8 votes) Patriots (7)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersCincinnati BengalsSep 9, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“AFC North Bengals (10 votes) Ravens (5)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersHouston TexansSep 9, 2026
Houston Texans to win the division
“AFC South Texans (12 votes) Jaguars (3) The Texans' 12 AFC South champion votes are the most for any division in this exercise.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDenver BroncosSep 9, 2026
Denver Broncos to win the division
“The Broncos ended the Chiefs' nine-year streak atop the division last season and are now poised to make it back-to-back AFC West crowns, according to our voters.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksSeattle SeahawksSep 9, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs
“NFC wild cards Seahawks (10 votes)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDetroit LionsSep 9, 2026
Detroit Lions to win the division
“NFC North Lions (8 votes) Packers, Bears (3 each) Vikings (1)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersTampa Bay BuccaneersSep 9, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division
“NFC South Buccaneers (8 votes) Saints (6) Falcons (1)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles RamsSep 9, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win the division
“NFC West Rams (10 votes) Seahawks (5) ... The Rams are Super Bowl favorites and, in turn, NFC West favorites.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsSep 9, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“AFC wild cards ... Chiefs, Chargers, Bills (7 each)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksChicago BearsSep 9, 2026
Chicago Bears to make the playoffs
“NFC wild cards ... Bears (6)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDallas CowboysSep 9, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“Cowboys (8 votes) Eagles (6) Giants (1) ... our voters see a new face emerging atop the division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Drew LockMiss · 0In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona.
- Chris BrockmanTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100Brockman's season-preview overreactions: Fernando Mendoza becomes an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist; Dak Prescott wins MVP and the Cowboys win the Super Bowl; Jesse Minter's Ravens win the AFC North; C.J. Stroud leads Houston to the AFC's No. 1 seed; Jonathan Taylor approaches 2,000 rushing yards; Baker Mayfield wins the NFC South, goes 12-5 and reaches the NFC title game while landing a $60 million-per-year deal; and Aaron Rodgers throws 35-plus touchdowns as the Steelers go 11-6 and win the North.
- Mike MoraitisTrade and Signing Calls · DaRon BlandHit · 100Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland.
- Jon GrudenTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100The former Buccaneers head coach predicted that Tampa Bay and Baker Mayfield are closer on a new contract than believed and that an extension will get done.
- Joel CorryTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100The unsigned CBS Sports analysis lays out the contract it believes Tampa Bay will have to give Mayfield at minimum: a two-year extension averaging $50 million per year with $110 million in guarantees and a no-trade clause.
- 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 division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Daniel DiBerardinisDivision Winners · Atlanta FalconsMiss · 0Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. He also gives a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · New York GiantsMiss · 0Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. He also expects Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and he floats the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen 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.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen called the 49ers-as-NFC-favorites take an overreaction, picked the Jaguars to beat the Titans and win their division, leaned Ravens over the Steelers in the Week 18 Sunday night game, expects the Bills to beat the Jets even without Josh Allen, sees the Chargers as the AFC's seventh seed, agreed Tyler Shough could win Offensive Rookie of the Year with a good Saints 2026, said Malik Willis will be a starter somewhere next season, and insisted Detroit goes into 2026 with Goff.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · New England PatriotsHit · 100Eisen said the Patriots are still likely to win the AFC East and won't be one-and-done, that the Chargers will end Dallas' season next week, that TreVeyon Henderson should out-snap Rhamondre Stevenson, that the NFC East race is over in Philadelphia's favor, and that the winner of the NFC West will be the NFC's No. 1 seed.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · New England PatriotsHit · 100Eisen previewed week 15 games, predicting Joe Burrow would play well in his first home start back against Baltimore, and speculated on a possible Colts-Steelers wild card matchup. He also asserted the Chiefs will not win their division for a tenth straight year, keeping the Patriots' record of 11 straight division titles safe.