Cynthia Frelund· Jan 2, 2026
Freeland picked the Broncos to beat the Chargers, the Rams over the banged-up Cardinals and the Bills over the Jets in Buffalo's stadium finale, while also liking the Texans over Indianapolis and the Eagles. She said Trey Lance would start at quarterback for the Chargers.
“The Broncos they want to secure the one.”
said on air or in an interview · Around the NFL (podcast) · read the original →
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence above are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
5 checkable claims — 4 game outcome picks and 1 depth chart call — 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 5 have settled, averaging 98.3 out of 100, against 98.3 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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Who this take is about
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 PicksHouston TexansJan 2, 2026
Houston Texans to beat Indianapolis
“I think the Houston number against Indianapolis... conceding the like ten and a half in that situation, feels pretty solid.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- HOU
- score:
- 30-38
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- HOU
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- HOU
- difficulty:
- 1.06
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 1
- Game Outcome PicksDenver BroncosJan 2, 2026
Denver Broncos to beat Chargers
“I think that the Denver and the Chargers. I think Denver it's a it's a lofty number at twelve and a half. But the Broncos they want to secure the one.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- DEN
- score:
- 3-19
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- DEN
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- DEN
- difficulty:
- 1.06
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 1
- Game Outcome PicksLos Angeles RamsJan 2, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to beat Arizona Cardinals
“The Rams... The Arizona Cardinals are so banged up their defense... I think that the Rams need to dial in.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- LAR
- score:
- 20-37
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- LAR
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- LAR
- difficulty:
- 1.06
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 1
- Game Outcome PicksBuffalo BillsJan 2, 2026
Buffalo Bills to beat Jets
“You have the Bills minus seven, you have the Rams, and then you have the Broncos.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- BUF
- score:
- 8-35
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- BUF
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- BUF
- difficulty:
- 1.06
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 1
Trey Lance to be 1st on the depth chart
“especially now that we know that the Chargers they are not playing their starters. It's going to be Trey Lance.”
Hit · 92Scored 91.67a naive guess scored 91.67+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- LAC
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Trey Lance
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 91.67
- baseline:
- 91.67
- position:
- QB
- naive slot:
- 3
- actual slot:
- 2
- difficulty:
- 1.06
- measured by:
- passing yards
- the naive guess:
- where he sat last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- predicted slot:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 1
What others said about the same people
- Jared KochRoster Spot Calls · Lewis BondHit · 100Koch argues Kayshon Boutte is a winner in the trade to Houston, likely to see many more snaps and potentially post a career season, while Xavier Hutchinson's path to a breakout gets harder. He also sees Kamari Ramsey stepping up as the primary backup safety behind a top three of Bullock, Pitre and Blankenship, and views Jared Wayne as a fringe roster player squeezed by receivers he calls virtual locks.
- Lance ZierleinRoster Spot Calls · Lewis BondHit · 100Zierlein expects Texans QB C.J. Stroud to play roughly 10-12 plays in Thursday's preseason game, with Davis Mills going to halftime and newly signed Brett Rypien playing the entire second half. He also said if Tank Dell isn't ready, Lewis Bond and Jaden Hall would both likely make the roster, and predicted Keelan Rutledge will be the starting center with Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith starting.
- Lance ZierleinRoster Spot Calls · Lewis BondHit · 100Zierlein expects Trevor Goosby, Texas' starting left tackle, to be a first-round NFL draft pick, and thinks Quinn Ewers may struggle to stay on the Dolphins' roster beyond this year. He also predicts the Texans' preseason quarterback usage: C.J. Stroud around 10-12 plays, Davis Mills through the first half, and Brett Rypien for the second half. If Tank Dell isn't ready, he thinks Lewis Bond and Jaden Hall could both make the roster.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Nick Wright expects the Bills to beat the Lions comfortably in the Thursday night home opener, with Josh Allen shredding a depleted Detroit secondary, and he also picks a workmanlike Chiefs win over the Colts on Sunday night. He further predicts Tyreek Hill will end up on the Chiefs by around Halloween.
- Nick ShookMock Draft Picks · Francis MauigoaHit · 88Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three.
- Daniel JeremiahMock Draft Picks · Keyron CrawfordHit · 81In discussing teams without first-round picks, Jeremiah projected specific Day 2 picks: Clemson WR Antonio Williams to the Falcons at 48, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez to the Colts in the second round, Oklahoma edge R Mason Thomas to the Packers at 52, and Auburn edge Keiroon Crawford to the Broncos at 62. He also expects Riley Leonard to open as the Colts' starting QB and Travis Hunter to play cornerback full time in Jacksonville.
More game outcome picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Tyler SullivanGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsMiss · 0A 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.
- 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.
- 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 PluymGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Pluym's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games.
- Matt VerderameGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Verderame's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games.
- Mike KadlickGame Outcome Picks · Kansas City ChiefsHit · 100Kadlick's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games.