Colin Cowherd· Aug 5, 2026
Cowherd named five teams that missed the 2025 playoffs as most likely to reach the postseason in 2026: the Chiefs, Saints, Giants, Ravens and Lions. He specified the Giants would sneak in as a wild card and expects the Saints to benefit from a weak NFC South.
“Kansas City is back in.”
published in writing · Fox Sports · read the original →
9 checkable claims — 5 playoff picks, 2 depth chart calls, 1 coach award pick and 1 seeding, byes and home field — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Where this call stands in the room
Blake Miller · 2026 season7 calls from 6 pundits between 1 and 1. Colin Cowherd said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
9 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.
- Depth Chart CallsBlake MillerDetroit LionsAug 5, 2026
Blake Miller to be 1st on the depth chart
“Blake Miller, the rookie, their top pick, goes to right tackle.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBaltimore RavensAug 5, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“They don't have everything buttoned up, I think they make their way in.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Coach Award PicksAug 5, 2026
Jesse Minter to win great first-year head coach
“Jesse Minter is going to be a great first-year head coach.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsPenei SewellDetroit LionsAug 5, 2026
Penei Sewell to be 1st on the depth chart
“Panay Sewell goes to left tackle, Blake Miller, the rookie, their top pick, goes to right tackle.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsAug 5, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“"I do believe, when Mahomes has protection and a semi-solid run game, he's a playoff quarterback. Kansas City is back in."”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew York GiantsAug 5, 2026
New York Giants to make the playoffs
“lead Cowherd to think that the Giants will make the postseason as a wild-card team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Seeding, Byes and Home FieldNew York GiantsAug 5, 2026
New York Giants to take the top seed
“I don't think this is an 11, 12-win team. I think they sneak in as a wild card.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDetroit LionsAug 5, 2026
Detroit Lions to make the playoffs
“The Lions are back in the playoffs.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew Orleans SaintsAug 5, 2026
New Orleans Saints to make the playoffs
“Cowherd is expecting the Saints to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- 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.
- Mason CameronDepth Chart Calls · Ethan PocicMiss · 0An unsigned PFF piece ranks the NFL's top 32 centers heading into the 2026 season, with Creed Humphrey first for the fourth straight year, and names Ethan Pocic and Austin Schlottmann as the favorites to win starting center jobs in Baltimore and Tennessee.
- Evan SilvaFantasy Defense Calls · Baltimore RavensClose · 58In his 2020 fantasy defense/special teams rankings, Silva puts the Steelers first, the 49ers second and the Ravens third, citing pass rush, favorable early schedules and game scripts.
- Pete PriscoScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsClose · 57Prisco is the lone expert cited picking Kansas City, 20-17 over Denver.
- Mike FlorioScore Predictions · Kansas City ChiefsClose · 57Florio gives score predictions for every Week 1 game of the 2026 NFL season, including an opening-night upset by the Patriots in Seattle and narrow home wins for the Giants and Chiefs.
- John PluymGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Pluym's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games.
More playoff picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Dan "Buzz" WilsonPlayoff Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Wilson 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.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Minnesota VikingsMiss · 0Eisen 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.
- Dwaine BoardPlayoff Picks · San Francisco 49ersHit · 100Board argues the 49ers can still make the playoffs even if Trent Williams leaves, expects Williams to be brought back, and favors drafting a wide receiver at No. 27 over an offensive tackle.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Carolina PanthersHit · 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.
- Chris BrockmanPlayoff Picks · Pittsburgh SteelersHit · 100Brockman 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.
- Rich EisenPlayoff Picks · Green Bay PackersHit · 100Eisen 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.