Colin Cowherd· Jan 8, 2026
Cowherd likes Jacksonville, Chicago and Pittsburgh (with DK Metcalf back) in the wild-card round, ranks the league's head coaches with McVay first and Ben Johnson seventh, and predicts Lamar Jackson has about two strong years left. He also names the Rams as a possible team to draft a receiver and floats next year's draft having seven first-round quarterbacks.
“I'm like Big Jacksonville, Big Chicago, and I do like Mike Tomlin Monday now that DK Metcalf comes back.”
said on air or in an interview · The Colin Cowherd Podcast (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.
7 checkable claims — 3 game outcome picks, 1 division winner, 1 head coach ranking, 1 season win total and 1 trade and signing call — 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.
6 of 7 have settled so far, averaging 47.9 out of 100, against 47.3 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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Who this take is about
7 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.
- Division WinnersBaltimore RavensJan 8, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“I think we'll see highly effective eleven and six can win the division.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- method:
- division winners read off the bracket: the bye teams and the wild-card hosts
- they picked:
- BAL
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- BAL
- difficulty:
- 1
- the naive guess:
- last season's winner of the same division
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- won the division:
- no
- Game Outcome PicksChicago BearsJan 8, 2026
Chicago Bears to beat Packers
“I think the Bears are completely built for you... Big Jacksonville, Big Chicago”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- CHI
- score:
- 27-31
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- CHI
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- CHI
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- Head Coach RankingsJan 8, 2026
“So I go McVeigh, Jim Harbaugh, Shanahan, Peyton Vrabel, and Mike McDonald... I would go Ben Johnson seven and then Demiko Ryans eight”
Close · 48Scored 47.62a naive guess scored 28.57+19.05 skillHow this was scored
- best:
- Mike Vrabel
- skill:
- 19.05
- method:
- spearman
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 47.62
- baseline:
- 28.57
- settled by:
- wins above the prior-season baseline
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- coaches ranked:
- 8
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- Game Outcome PicksJacksonville JaguarsJan 8, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to beat Chargers
“in the last twelve hours, I'm like Big Jacksonville, Big Chicago”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- JAX
- score:
- 6-35
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- JAX
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- the naive pick:
- JAX
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- Season Win TotalsBaltimore RavensJan 8, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to finish with 11 wins
“I think we'll see highly effective eleven and six can win the division.”
Close · 40Scored 40a naive guess scored 55-15 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- BAL
- naive:
- 10.25
- skill:
- -15
- what happened:
- 8
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 40
- baseline:
- 55
- predicted:
- 11
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- Game Outcome PicksPittsburgh SteelersJan 8, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers to beat Houston
“I think they can beat Houston. I honestly do.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- won:
- HOU
- score:
- 30-6
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- PIT
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- PIT
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 0
Tetairoa McMillan to move to Los Angeles Rams
“I said, I would not be shocked if Pooka's gone in the offseason.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Jason McIntyreTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldMiss · 0Filling in for Colin Cowherd, McIntyre argued the 49ers' window is closed amid a brutal injury list and record travel, floated a Bijan Robinson trade to the Bears, predicted the Lions can win the NFC North, doubted Atlanta is even a playoff team, said Baker Mayfield's Tampa run ends after this season, and delivered a top-10 quarterback ranking.
- Nick ShookMock Draft Picks · Francis MauigoaHit · 88Shook walks through his full first-round mock draft, assigning a prospect to every pick from No. 1 to No. 32, headlined by Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, David Bailey to the Jets and Jeremiah Love to the Cardinals in the top three.
- Pat FitzmauriceMock Draft Picks · Makai LemonHit · 96Making a third of the mock's picks, he gave Reuben Bain to Arizona at 3, Francis Mauinoa to Cleveland at 6, Jeremiah Love to Kansas City at 9, Mansoor Delane to Dallas at 12, Cassius Howell to Tampa Bay at 15, Avieon Terrell to Minnesota at 18, Makai Lemon to Pittsburgh at 21, KC Concepcion to Cleveland at 24, Kadyn Proctor to San Francisco at 27 and TJ Parker to New England at 30.
- Jason McIntyreTrade and Signing Calls · Aaron RodgersHit · 100McIntyre liked Cowherd's card, flagged the Jets and Chargers as potential upsets/strong teams, said the Chargers could reach the AFC Championship game, and declared Aaron Rodgers will miss the playoffs this year and retire in the offseason.
- Nick WrightTrade and Signing Calls · Kyler MurrayMiss · 0In part two of his gambling show, Nick Wright ran through NFC (and recapped AFC) win-total picks, division winners and make/miss-the-playoffs bets, backing the Chiefs, Jaguars, Raiders, Bears, Buccaneers and Falcons to clear their totals while predicting Commanders, Bucs and Rams division titles.
- Tom PelisseroTrade and Signing Calls · Aaron RodgersHit · 100Pelissero says it wouldn't shock him if Shedeur Sanders is part of an open quarterback competition in Cleveland heading into training camp, expects Cam Ward to be the Titans' starter by the preseason, and suggests that if Aaron Rodgers plays poorly the Steelers could hold a top-15 pick in the 2026 draft and target a quarterback.
More game outcome picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Nick Wright expects the Bills to beat the Lions comfortably in the Thursday night home opener, with Josh Allen shredding a depleted Detroit secondary, and he also picks a workmanlike Chiefs win over the Colts on Sunday night. He further predicts Tyreek Hill will end up on the Chiefs by around Halloween.
- Tyler SullivanGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsMiss · 0A CBS Sports column flags five Week 2 favorites on upset alert, effectively backing the underdogs — Lions at Bills, Bengals at Texans, Jets over Packers, Jaguars at Broncos and Saints at Ravens — to pull off wins.
- Richard ShermanGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Sherman ran through the entire Week 2 slate with winners and several exact final scores, picking Seattle, San Francisco, Buffalo, Houston, Chicago, New England, Jacksonville, Dallas, Kansas City, the Rams, Green Bay, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Las Vegas and Carolina. He also called Fred Warner the league's best middle linebacker and floated Parker Washington as a top-five receiver.
- Joe MarinoGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Marino predicts the Bills beat the Lions in the Thursday night home opener to go 2-0, and expects a shootout with Goff and Allen combining for over 600 passing yards (each with a good chance at 300+).
- Walter CherepinskyGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100In the Week 2 Thursday night game, he predicts the Bills beat the Lions 31-24, expecting Detroit's offense to bounce back but Buffalo to prevail, with Josh Allen thriving and James Cook struggling again.
- Richard ShermanGame Outcome Picks · Buffalo BillsHit · 100Sherman previewed the AFC, picking the Bills, Chiefs, Ravens and Texans as division winners with Denver, New England and Jacksonville as wild cards, called several individual early-season games, and predicted a big year for Travis Hunter at cornerback.