John Breech· Sep 17, 2026
After Week 1, Breech projected the full 2026 NFL playoff bracket, with the Ravens as the AFC's No. 1 seed and Baltimore beating Buffalo in the AFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl; his AFC field runs Ravens, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Bengals, Texans, Broncos, and he also includes the 0-1 Falcons.
“The Bills end up losing here because their defense can't stop Baltimore's offense.”
published in writing · CBS Sports · read the original →
11 checkable claims — 8 playoff picks, 1 conference champion, 1 game outcome pick and 1 seeding, byes and home field — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where this call stands in the room
Baltimore Ravens · 2026 season6 calls from 3 pundits between 1 and 7. John Breech 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 record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
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Who this take is about
The game in this take
- Ravens at Bills 7 calls
11 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.
- Conference ChampionsBaltimore RavensSep 17, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to reach the Super Bowl
“we get an absolute showdown in this game with Lamar Jackson facing Allen with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line ... according to our projection, the drought is finally going to end for Jackson”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Seeding, Byes and Home FieldBaltimore RavensSep 17, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to take the top seed
“Here's a quick look at how Breech sees the AFC playoff picture shaking out: 1. Ravens”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBaltimore RavensSep 17, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“1. Ravens”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBuffalo BillsSep 17, 2026
Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs
“2. Bills”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsSep 17, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“3. Chiefs”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksJacksonville JaguarsSep 17, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to make the playoffs
“4. Jaguars”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsSep 17, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“5. Bengals”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksHouston TexansSep 17, 2026
Houston Texans to make the playoffs
“6. Texans”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDenver BroncosSep 17, 2026
Denver Broncos to make the playoffs
“7. Broncos”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksAtlanta FalconsSep 17, 2026
Atlanta Falcons to make the playoffs
“notable present are the Falcons and Broncos -- both also 0-1”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksBaltimore RavensSep 17, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win
“Breech has Josh Allen and the Bills reaching the AFC Championship again... The Ravens are simply too much. ... The Bills end up losing here because their defense can't stop Baltimore's offense.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Tyler SullivanScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 86Sullivan picks the Bills 31-27 over the Lions and the Eagles to beat the Titans 27-17.
- Jordan DajaniScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 90Dajani picks the Bills 36-30 over the Lions and the Texans to beat the Bengals 27-23 in Houston.
- Jared DubinScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 83Dubin picks the Bills to win a shootout over the Lions 35-32 and takes the Patriots to beat the Steelers 21-13.
- Pete PriscoScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 90Prisco picks the Bills 36-30 over the Lions and has the Jaguars upsetting the Broncos 23-20 in Denver.
- Jared DubinScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 86Unsigned CBS Sports preview of Bills-Lions picks Buffalo to win a high-scoring Thursday night game 35-31, and expects Larry Borom to step in as Detroit's starting right tackle for the injured Blake Miller.
- Jared DubinScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 86Dubin gives winners and scores for the same seven games, favoring the Bills, Patriots, Ravens, Texans, Broncos, Chiefs and Rams, though he expects several of them to stay close.
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.
- Ross JacksonPlayoff Picks · New Orleans SaintsMiss · 0Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026.
- 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.