Rich Eisen · Jan 2, 2026

Eisen 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.

“I believe the Jaguars will beat the Tennessee titans, but not get the other results they need to be the one seed. They will be the AFC South champions.”

said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) · read the original →

22 checkable claims from this

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 Picks Carolina PanthersJan 2, 2026
Carolina Panthers to make the playoffs
“the first game of wildcard weekend is going to be at Carolina... the Seahawks visiting the Panthers”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+106 skill
How this was scored
team:
CAR
skill:
106
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive said:
false
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Houston TexansJan 2, 2026
Houston Texans to win
“I think the Texans would beat the Ravens. Don't you think? I think the Texans are about to go on a fat run.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+106 skill
How this was scored
won:
HOU
score:
44-10
skill:
106
they picked:
HOU
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive pick:
BAL
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Los Angeles RamsJan 2, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
“I think the Rams and the Eagles wrap up wild card weekend”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
LAR
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
naive said:
true
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Philadelphia EaglesJan 2, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to make the playoffs
“I think the Rams and the Eagles wrap up wild card weekend in a game that everyone's gonna sit down and watch.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
PHI
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
naive said:
true
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Jacksonville JaguarsJan 2, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to make the playoffs
“Bills at Jaguars is gonna be the night game.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+106 skill
How this was scored
team:
JAX
skill:
106
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive said:
false
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Buffalo BillsJan 2, 2026
Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs
“Bills at Jaguars is gonna be the night game.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
BUF
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
naive said:
true
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Los Angeles ChargersJan 2, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs
“Chargers. Jim Harbaugh. Let's go. And Justin Herbert coming into New England, I think will be the NBC Sunday night game.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
LAC
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
naive said:
true
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Seattle SeahawksJan 2, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs
“it's gonna be the Seahawks visiting the Panthers for a rematch of what we saw in week 17”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+106 skill
How this was scored
team:
SEA
skill:
106
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive said:
false
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Award Picks Tyler Shough New Orleans SaintsJan 2, 2026
Tyler Shough to win Offensive Rookie of the Year
“I think this kid, Tyler Schott, could be the offensive rookie of the year.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skill
How this was scored
award:
offensive_rookie_of_the_year
naive:
the naive pick was Jayden Daniels, who won it the year before
skill:
0
player:
Tyler Shough
season:
2025
winner:
Tetairoa McMillan
correct:
false
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Houston TexansJan 2, 2026
Houston Texans to make the playoffs
“they open up the wild card triple header at home against the Houston Texans”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
HOU
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
naive said:
true
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Green Bay PackersJan 2, 2026
Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs
“Brady and Burkhart are going back to Chicago for Packers and Bears”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
GB
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
naive said:
true
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Baltimore RavensJan 2, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“they open up the wild card triple header at home against the Houston Texans”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skill
How this was scored
team:
BAL
skill:
0
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
naive said:
true
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
false
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks New England PatriotsJan 2, 2026
New England Patriots to make the playoffs
“And Justin Herbert coming into New England, I think will be the NBC Sunday night game.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+106 skill
How this was scored
team:
NE
skill:
106
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive said:
false
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Playoff Picks Chicago BearsJan 2, 2026
Chicago Bears to make the playoffs
“Brady and Burkhart are going back to Chicago for Packers and Bears”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+106 skill
How this was scored
team:
CHI
skill:
106
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive said:
false
difficulty:
1.06
weeks in the season:
18
made playoffs:
true
weeks left when called:
1
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Baltimore RavensJan 2, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win
“I think the Ravens win that game on Sunday night”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Seeding, Byes and Home Field Carolina PanthersJan 2, 2026
Carolina Panthers to take the top seed
“making the Panthers the five seed going to Carolina”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Division Winners Jacksonville JaguarsJan 2, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to win the division
“They will be the AFC South champions.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Seeding, Byes and Home Field Chicago BearsJan 2, 2026
Chicago Bears to take the top seed
“And and that the Bears are the two seed”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Jacksonville JaguarsJan 2, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to win
“I believe the Jaguars will beat the Tennessee titans”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Tampa Bay BuccaneersJan 2, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win
“The Panthers, I think, are going to lose to Tampa, but get in because Atlanta beats the Saints.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Atlanta FalconsJan 2, 2026
Atlanta Falcons to win
“but get in because Atlanta beats the Saints”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks San Francisco 49ersJan 2, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to win
“And I think San Francisco beats the Seahawks on Sunday night, making the Panthers the five seed”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?