Colin Cowherd· Sep 9, 2026
Cowherd gave his full divisional and playoff predictions for the NFL season, picking Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers as AFC division winners with Patriots, Bengals, Broncos as wild cards, and Eagles, Lions, Saints, Rams as NFC division winners with Seahawks, Bears, Giants as wild cards. He also has the Bills reaching the Super Bowl, worries a first-time OC could derail Seattle, and expects the Patriots to be a better team with a worse record.
“So my playoff picture, Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers, Patriots, Bengals, Broncos.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
24 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 6 playoff picks, 6 power rankings, 1 conference champion, 1 depth chart call, 1 position group ranking and 1 team draft slot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 16 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 do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
24 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.
- Position Group RankingsSep 9, 2026
“I know the Texans defense will be the best in the league.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles ChargersSep 9, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to win the division
“AFC West, I made a change. Denver second, Kansas City third... I think it's a pretty magical year for the Chargers.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDenver BroncosSep 9, 2026
Denver Broncos to make the playoffs
“So my playoff picture, Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers, Patriots, Bengals, Broncos”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksChicago BearsSep 9, 2026
Chicago Bears to make the playoffs
“Seahawks, Bears are great wildcard teams.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew York GiantsSep 9, 2026
New York Giants to make the playoffs
“The Giants are a good wildcard team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsSep 9, 2026
“There's my AFC East, Buffalo, New England, Jets, Dolphins.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsSep 9, 2026
“NFC South, Saints, Panthers, Bucs, Falcons.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsSep 9, 2026
“but I'll still take their playoff momentum, their third Vikings fourth.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDetroit LionsSep 9, 2026
Detroit Lions to win the division
“All right, NFC North, best division in football. I'm going to take Detroit.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersNew Orleans SaintsSep 9, 2026
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“I'll take the Saints to win it.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles RamsSep 9, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win the division
“And in the NFC West, I flipped it. I went Seattle second, Rams first.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew England PatriotsSep 9, 2026
New England Patriots to make the playoffs
“I do see them as a wildcard team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsSep 9, 2026
“AFC West, I made a change. Denver second, Kansas City third... The Raiders will be a very fun fourth place team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksSeattle SeahawksSep 9, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs
“Seahawks, Bears are great wildcard teams.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsSep 9, 2026
“Feel pretty strongly about Cleveland last and Pittsburgh third here.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Power RankingsSep 9, 2026
“Washington, old, lost their left tackle... They'll finish fourth.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsSep 9, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“I'm going Bills, Patriots, Jets, Dolphins.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Conference ChampionsBuffalo BillsSep 9, 2026
Buffalo Bills to reach the Super Bowl
“I have the Bills getting to the Super Bowl.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBaltimore RavensSep 9, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“So my playoff picture, Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers, Patriots, Bengals, Broncos”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersHouston TexansSep 9, 2026
Houston Texans to win the division
“AFC South, this is a tough one... I love the Texans.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsSep 9, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“Listen, the Ravens and the Bengals are both going to make the playoffs.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersPhiladelphia EaglesSep 9, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to win the division
“Philadelphia's roster, I'm going to take them... but I'll take them to win it.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Courtland Sutton to be 2nd on the depth chart
“Cortland Sutton will be one of the best number two receivers in the league.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Team Draft Slot CallsArizona CardinalsSep 9, 2026
Arizona Cardinals to pick at number 1
“And Arizona is in an absolute rebuild, potentially drafting number one next year.”
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.
- 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.
- Mike MoraitisDepth Chart Calls · Ozzy TrapiloMiss · 0Moraitis writes that although Braxton Jones has looked like the favorite, Ozzy Trapilo is likely to take over as the Bears' starting left tackle once he's healthy enough to play.
- Pete MartuneacDepth Chart Calls · Ozzy TrapiloMiss · 0After Trapilo's activation from the PUP list roughly seven months after rupturing his patellar tendon, Martuneac says the Bears' left tackle competition is over and Trapilo will be starting at left tackle early in the 2026 season, even if not by Week 1.
- Jeff KerrDepth Chart Calls · Michael CarterMiss · 0Kerr says several Eagles have raised their stock in camp: Darius Cooper is emerging as the team's WR4, Drew Kendall is the No. 3 interior lineman/top backup at guard and center, Willie Lampkin is in prime position to make the 53-man roster, and Michael Carter is a roster lock who could start at safety in Week 1.
- Henry McKennaDepth Chart Calls · Carson BeckMiss · 0McKenna predicts Kyler Murray will win the Vikings' starting QB job over J.J. McCarthy, that Minnesota will make the playoffs if Murray cuts out the hero ball, that both QBs will play in 2026, and wonders whether rookie Carson Beck could unseat Jacoby Brissett as Arizona's Week 1 starter.
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.
- 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.
- Nick ShookDivision Winners · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 0Shook picks the Rams to win the Super Bowl and to beat the Lions, agrees the Buccaneers still hold the edge in the NFC South, and drops Patrick Mahomes to 12th in his QB Index behind Brock Purdy.
- Gregg RosenthalDivision Winners · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 0Rosenthal reads out the show's 32-to-1 NFL power rankings, with the Rams first and the Raiders last, and separately picks the Buccaneers to hold on in the NFC South and the Texans to finish at least 11-6.
- Chris BrockmanDivision Winners · Carolina PanthersHit · 100Brockman argued the Texans will reach the AFC Championship Game, declared the Chiefs dynasty over, said the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Lambeau Field, that Josh Allen is still the most dangerous QB and the Bills will win a playoff game (with the AFC East runner-up as the 5 seed winning in Pittsburgh or Baltimore), that Carolina will win the NFC South, that Baltimore finishes under .500 with Lamar no longer a top-five QB, that the Colts should trade for Mac Jones, and that Marcus Freeman will be in the NFL next year.