John Middlekauff· Sep 8, 2026
Middlekauff also picks Seattle to repeat as Super Bowl champion, likes Denver to win the AFC West and the AFC with a Bengals-Broncos AFC Championship, and picks Seattle to beat New England in Week 1. He also predicts the Falcons will be terrible and doubts Bill Belichick survives at North Carolina.
“So I think Seattle goes back to back.”
said on air or in an interview · The Colin Cowherd Podcast (podcast) · read the original →
5 checkable claims — 1 conference champion, 1 division winner, 1 game outcome pick, 1 super bowl pick and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 5 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
The game in this take
- Patriots at Seahawks 33 calls
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 PicksSeattle SeahawksSep 8, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to win
“like them to win by three and a half, like them to win outright”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- SEA
- score:
- 10-13
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- SEA
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- SEA
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Surprise Team CallsLos Angeles ChargersSep 8, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to beat expectations
“I do think they're a pretty good sleeper.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDenver BroncosSep 8, 2026
Denver Broncos to win the division
“Like, I'm taking Denver to win the division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Conference ChampionsDenver BroncosSep 8, 2026
Denver Broncos to reach the Super Bowl
“I'm taking them to win the AFC.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Super Bowl PicksSeattle SeahawksSep 8, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl
“Well, I got Seattle too, Colin. ... So I think Seattle goes back to back.”
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.
- Michael HanichDepth Chart Calls · Bud ClarkMiss · 0Hanich suggests Nick Emmanwori may miss Week 1 after ankle surgery, and that Noah Igbinoghene is making a strong case to be the Seahawks' Week 1 starting nickel, with Bud Clark also possibly stepping into a starting role if Emmanwori is out.
- Jared DubinScore Predictions · Denver BroncosMiss · 2Dubin picks Denver to win narrowly in Kansas City, 21-20.
- Tyler SullivanScore Predictions · Denver BroncosMiss · 10Sullivan picks Denver to beat Kansas City 24-20.
- Jordan DajaniScore Predictions · Denver BroncosMiss · 7Dajani picks the Broncos over the Chiefs, 17-14.
- John BreechScore Predictions · Denver BroncosMiss · 5In the Pick Six newsletter, Breech picks the Broncos to upset the Chiefs on Monday night, 23-21.
More conference champions
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Nick WrightConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100The host picks the Rams to beat the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game and believes the winner of that game wins the Super Bowl, i.e. that this is the Rams' year; he also picks New England to win in Denver despite taking the Broncos with the points, and says Stafford is winning MVP. He calls Sean McVay the second-best coach in the NFL.
- AJ HawkConference Champions · Los Angeles RamsClose · 50Hawk picked the Patriots to win in Denver despite liking Stidham and the Broncos defense, and in the NFC he stuck with the Rams, saying Stafford gets to the Super Bowl.
- Connor "Boston Connor" CampbellConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100Connor expects a tight first half in Denver before New England pulls away in the second half and advances to the Super Bowl.
- Gregg RosenthalConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100Rosenthal picks the Patriots to beat the Broncos in a close, low-scoring AFC Championship in Denver (while liking Denver to cover the 4.5 points), takes the Seahawks over the Rams in a defensive NFC Championship he pegs around 23-19, and forecasts a Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl.
- Richard ShermanConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100Sherman picks the Seahawks to beat the Rams comfortably at home, 27-17, with a defensive score, and says the winner of that NFC Championship game will win the Super Bowl. He also picks the Patriots to win comfortably in Denver, 21-15, and assumes Matthew Stafford will be named league MVP.
- Mitchell EisensteinConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100Mitchell picks Seattle to beat the Rams by a touchdown, 27-20, and advance to the Super Bowl, picks New England to beat Denver and reach the Super Bowl, and calls Kenneth Walker as Super Bowl MVP.