Nick Wright· Aug 31, 2025
Nick Wright predicts Shedeur Sanders stays behind Dylan Gabriel on the Browns depth chart, forecasts a season where Flacco is benched a third of the way in, Gabriel then fails, Shedeur then fails, and Cleveland drafts a quarterback next year. He also makes a long list of win-total, playoff and division calls across the AFC North and beyond.
“The bet is Bengals under nine and a half.”
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.
14 checkable claims — 5 playoff picks, 4 season win totals, 3 depth chart calls, 1 division winner and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
13 of 14 have settled so far, averaging 46.4 out of 100, against 57.2 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
14 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 WinnersTampa Bay BuccaneersAug 31, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division
“Yeah, I mean they're gonna 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:
- TB
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- TB
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- last season's winner of the same division
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- won the division:
- no
- Depth Chart CallsShedeur SandersCleveland BrownsAug 31, 2025
Shedeur Sanders to be 3rd on the depth chart
“he is fairly right now their third best option to be a starting quarterback”
Hit · 83Scored 83.33a naive guess scored 91.67-16.67 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- CLE
- skill:
- -16.67
- player:
- Shedeur Sanders
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 83.33
- 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:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Depth Chart CallsJoe FlaccoCleveland BrownsAug 31, 2025
Joe Flacco to be 1st on the depth chart
“the Browns start the season, they're bad. Third of the way into the season, they pull the plug on Flacco. They go to Dylan Gabriel.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 91.67+16.67 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- CIN
- skill:
- 16.67
- player:
- Joe Flacco
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 91.67
- position:
- QB
- naive slot:
- 2
- 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
- Season Win TotalsTampa Bay BuccaneersAug 31, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish with 10 wins
“The Bucks are going to win ten games. Ten games will get them in the playoffs at least ten games, I should say.”
Close · 60Scored 60a naive guess scored 75-30 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- TB
- naive:
- 9.25
- skill:
- -30
- what happened:
- 8
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 60
- baseline:
- 75
- predicted:
- 10
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Playoff PicksTampa Bay BuccaneersAug 31, 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make the playoffs
“You got the Bucks at minus one seventy to make the playoffs.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- TB
- skill:
- 0
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive guess said:
- yes
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- made the playoffs:
- no
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Depth Chart CallsDillon GabrielCleveland BrownsAug 31, 2025
Dillon Gabriel to be 2nd on the depth chart
“If in Week one Flacco goes out, you would have to be more comfortable putting Gabriel in.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- CLE
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Dillon Gabriel
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- position:
- QB
- naive slot:
- 2
- actual slot:
- 2
- 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:
- 2
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Playoff PicksJacksonville JaguarsAug 31, 2025
Jacksonville Jaguars to make the playoffs
“We've got the Jags at plus one eighty to make the playoffs... I'm having them make the playoffs at plus one eighty.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+200 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- JAX
- 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 TotalsCleveland BrownsAug 31, 2025
Cleveland Browns to finish with 5 wins
“And the numbers four and a half, I've got to go over four and a half, and so I will go over four and a half”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 85+30 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- CLE
- naive:
- 5.75
- skill:
- 30
- what happened:
- 5
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 85
- predicted:
- 5
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Playoff PicksLas Vegas RaidersAug 31, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders to make the playoffs
“You got the Raiders to make the playoffs at plus three forty... I just like the value at plus three forty.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-200 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- LV
- 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
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsAug 31, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“the Chiefs to make the playoffs at minus three eighty... I'm gonna lay minus three eighty”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- KC
- skill:
- 0
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive guess said:
- yes
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- made the playoffs:
- no
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsCincinnati BengalsAug 31, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals to finish with 9 wins
“to me, the Bengals have a carbon copy year of last year. They win nine games, they missed the playoffs, and they fire their head coach.”
Close · 40Scored 40a naive guess scored 45-10 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- CIN
- naive:
- 8.75
- skill:
- -10
- what happened:
- 6
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 40
- baseline:
- 45
- predicted:
- 9
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsBaltimore RavensAug 31, 2025
Baltimore Ravens to finish with 12 wins
“So Ravens demonse over under eleven and a half juice slightly to the over... So because of that, I'm an over.”
Miss · 20Scored 20a naive guess scored 55-70 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- BAL
- naive:
- 10.25
- skill:
- -70
- what happened:
- 8
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 20
- baseline:
- 55
- predicted:
- 12
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Playoff PicksNew York GiantsAug 31, 2025
New York Giants to make the playoffs
“Giants at plus five hundred to make the playoffs... at five to one, I'm good with it.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-200 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- NYG
- 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 CallsLas Vegas RaidersAug 31, 2025
Las Vegas Raiders to beat expectations
“there has to be the shock playoff team. I have cast my lot with it being the Raiders.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- John ShipleyRoster Spot Calls · Jalen McLeodMiss · 0Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there.
- Bucky BrooksRoster Spot Calls · Josh JohnsonMiss · 0Brooks predicted J.J. McCarthy won't be on the Vikings' roster (traded or released), said Kyler Murray wins the Vikings' QB competition, made a series of 2025 award picks, made 2026 Heisman/draft projections including Arch Manning as the front-runner for the No. 1 overall pick, and said none of Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Joe Burrow win a championship this season.
- Jason La CanforaRoster Spot Calls · Gerad LichtenhanMiss · 0La Canfora predicts the Ravens will keep several young players on their practice squad — DL Kaimon Rucker, LB Dominic DeLuca, LB Ethan Burke, CB Amani Oruwariye, OT Gerad Lichtenhan and QB Joe Fagnano — and expects the team to make at least one trade from its surplus of cornerbacks.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order.
- Ryan WilsonDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100A CBS Sports piece states Deshaun Watson has won Cleveland's starting quarterback job for Week 1 with Shedeur Sanders next in line, while arguing Watson will not play like even an average NFL quarterback and that none of the Browns' current young passers should stop them from drafting a first-round quarterback next April.
- Rafael ZamoranoDepth Chart Calls · Deshaun WatsonHit · 100Zamorano argues the Browns do not have a franchise quarterback and that it's unlikely Watson or Sanders is their long-term answer.
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.