John Middlekauff· Jun 24, 2025
Middlecoff predicts Daniel Jones leads the Colts to the playoffs with nine or ten wins, that Zac Taylor's Bengals will fire him and have a new coach in 2026, and that the Patriots make the playoffs. He also expects Jackson Dart to be inserted as the Giants' starter early and thinks the Giants win only four or five games, while believing Josh Allen will win a Super Bowl.
“Daniel Jones leads the Colts to the playoffs.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (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.
9 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls, 2 playoff picks, 2 season win totals, 2 surprise team calls and 1 super bowl pick — 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.
7 of 9 have settled so far, averaging 68.6 out of 100, against 64.5 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Their call against what happened
Their call against what actually happened.
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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 CallsJaxson DartNew York GiantsJun 24, 2025
Jaxson Dart to be 1st on the depth chart
“So I would expect We talked about this yesterday. Jackson dart to be inserted much earlier than later.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 91.67+16.67 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- NYG
- skill:
- 16.67
- player:
- Jaxson Dart
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 91.67
- position:
- QB
- naive slot:
- 2
- actual slot:
- 1
- difficulty:
- 2
- measured by:
- passing yards
- the naive guess:
- no prior season — a rookie is assumed to start behind the incumbent
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- predicted slot:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsIndianapolis ColtsJun 24, 2025
Indianapolis Colts to finish with 9 wins
“Again, they're just looking nine to ten wins. I'm not talking twelve thirteen.”
Hit · 80Scored 80a naive guess scored 95-30 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- IND
- naive:
- 8.25
- skill:
- -30
- what happened:
- 8
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 80
- baseline:
- 95
- predicted:
- 9
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Playoff PicksNew England PatriotsJun 24, 2025
New England Patriots to make the playoffs
“Speaking of the Patriots, I think they make the playoffs.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+200 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- NE
- skill:
- 200
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive guess said:
- no
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- made the playoffs:
- yes
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsNew York GiantsJun 24, 2025
New York Giants to finish with 4 wins
“This is a this tough schedule. Colling Thiss got four or five wins written all over it.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 65+70 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- NYG
- naive:
- 5.75
- skill:
- 70
- what happened:
- 4
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 65
- predicted:
- 4
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Super Bowl PicksBuffalo BillsJun 24, 2025
Buffalo Bills to win the Super Bowl
“I believe that josh Allen will get a Super Bowl ring for it's all said and done.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- BUF
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- champion:
- SEA
- runner up:
- NE
- the naive pick:
- PHI
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Depth Chart CallsDaniel JonesIndianapolis ColtsJun 24, 2025
Daniel Jones to be 1st on the depth chart
“This race is over. He's going to be the starting quarterback.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- IND
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Daniel Jones
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- position:
- QB
- naive slot:
- 1
- actual slot:
- 1
- difficulty:
- 2
- measured by:
- passing yards
- the naive guess:
- where he sat last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- predicted slot:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Playoff PicksIndianapolis ColtsJun 24, 2025
Indianapolis Colts to make the playoffs
“Daniel Jones leads the Colts to the playoffs.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-200 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- IND
- skill:
- -200
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive guess said:
- no
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- made the playoffs:
- no
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Surprise Team CallsIndianapolis ColtsJun 24, 2025
Indianapolis Colts to beat expectations
“You're gonna think I'm nuts. Daniel Jones leads the Colts to the playoffs.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Surprise Team CallsNew England PatriotsJun 24, 2025
New England Patriots to beat expectations
“I like the Patriots to be playing some games in January, like old times.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Carmen VitaliGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100In the show's weekly picks segment Vitali took the Broncos over the Rams, the Ravens over the Cowboys in Rio, Tampa at home over Minnesota, the Bills over the Chargers and the Eagles on the road in Chicago. She also agreed that Caleb Williams would be out roughly two to three weeks.
- Tracy SandlerGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Sandler predicted Caleb Williams would miss two to three weeks with his hamstring injury, and in the picks segment took the Broncos, Ravens, Vikings, Bills and Bears (switching off an earlier Tampa pick).
- Chris BroussardGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsMiss · 0Broussard picked the Bills to beat the Chargers in a competitive, higher-scoring game, said the Chiefs will rout the Dolphins, and for upset alert parlayed the Patriots over the Jaguars and the Raiders over the Saints. He also restated his Cowboys-versus-Ravens Super Bowl matchup pick.
- Danny ParkinsGame Outcome Picks · New England PatriotsMiss · 0In the winners-only chips segment Parkins backed the Patriots over the Jaguars, the Bengals over the Steelers and the Ravens over the Cowboys in Brazil. He also said New England has a real shot at a top-10 defense and that Kayshon/Romeo Dobbs will be the Patriots' number one target.
- Dwight FreeneyGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Freeney said the Chargers' volume of mistakes is too great to fix in a week and that fans shouldn't expect Los Angeles to beat Buffalo.
- Colin CowherdGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100The co-host (identified only as "Mitchell") made his own Week 3 picks, including blowout wins for Seattle and San Francisco, Cincinnati 27-17, Detroit 37-13, Denver 24-21 over the Rams, and predicted Jonah Coleman takes over the Broncos' running back role.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Jonah ColemanMiss · 0In his Week 3 waiver column, Fitzmaurice makes several depth-chart calls around injuries: Jonah Coleman leading Denver's backfield, Marcus Mariota taking over in Washington, Michael Penix Jr. starting once healthy, and Malik Washington serving as Miami's top receiver, plus availability expectations for Detroit's injured safeties.
- Fox SportsDepth Chart Calls · Michael Penix Jr.Hit · 100Fox Sports states that a healthy Tua Tagovailoa will serve as Atlanta's backup quarterback in Week 3, with Michael Penix Jr. handling the starting duties against Green Bay.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Aaron JonesHit · 100In previewing the 10 most intriguing fantasy performers of Week 2, Fitzmaurice expects Atlanta's quarterback problems to persist with Tua Tagovailoa unlikely to play and Michael Penix Jr. not ready to return, flags Falcons slot corner Billy Bowman Jr. as a possible Week 2 returnee, and describes Aaron Jones as Minnesota's lead back and Kaelon Black as the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco.
- Matt SeveranceDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100The CBS Sports preview backs Tampa Bay to beat Cleveland in the Bucs' Week 2 home opener, and states that Deshaun Watson — not Shedeur Sanders — will be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 2.
- Rafael ZamoranoDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100Zamorano reports Watson will start Week 2 at Tampa Bay and suggests there's little reason to expect improvement, raising the possibility Watson's five-year contract never yields more than single-digit wins.
- Rich HribarDepth Chart Calls · Tua TagovailoaMiss · 0Hribar expects Tua Tagovailoa to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 2 while Michael Penix stays out, with Penix's return closer to Week 4. He is unenthusiastic about the Falcons' offense either way and treats Bryce Young as a fringe fantasy starter.