# Matt Hasselbeck: Hasselbeck pushed back on Cowherd's picks, backing the Steelers, Cowboys and Broncos, and saying he might put the Packers in the playoffs instead of one of Cowherd's NFC teams. **Claimed:** Sep 9, 2026 **Pundit:** Matt Hasselbeck — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/matt-hasselbeck **Outlet:** The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/1508ddb2-0c9a-42f6-aafe-ae3300346aa9/1efecaa6-fd57-4d43-9cc1-b4c001416261/audio.mp3?in_playlist=bf391792-153e-41b3-9d3d-ae3300346ad8 4 checkable claims — 3 surprise team calls and 1 playoff pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > I like the Steelers. I like the Steelers a lot this year. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Denver Broncos to beat expectations** - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **Pittsburgh Steelers to beat expectations** - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dallas Cowboys to beat expectations** - Kind: Surprise Team Calls · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/packers - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys ## What others said about the same people - Mike Moraitis on DaRon Bland: Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/66b5ed7b-41bd-4f67-9b4d-16eae4675e67 (scored 100) - Jason McIntyre on Baker Mayfield: Filling 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/3fa10b83-c7a3-489f-a011-76f2eb991e81 (scored 0) - Evan Silva on Pittsburgh Steelers: In his 2020 fantasy defense/special teams rankings, Silva puts the Steelers first, the 49ers second and the Ravens third, citing pass rush, favorable early schedules and game scripts. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/180b1036-60e5-494b-9b4d-90b5dc3d6528 (scored 100) - Jared Dubin on Denver Broncos: Dubin picks Denver to win narrowly in Kansas City, 21-20. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/b4339e96-6ced-44c2-88e9-b490d027df7b (scored 2.38) - Tyler Sullivan on Denver Broncos: Sullivan picks Denver to beat Kansas City 24-20. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d8636e57-b6d8-471a-a98a-75871c7ee5bf (scored 9.52) - Jordan Dajani on Denver Broncos: Dajani picks the Broncos over the Chiefs, 17-14. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/12e23aa9-d2ca-4db3-bfb0-25c09e63b1eb (scored 7.14) ## More surprise team calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Pete Prisco on Arizona Cardinals: An unsigned Week 2 NFL power rankings column places the Seahawks first and the Dolphins last, with the 49ers rising six spots after beating the Rams and the Cowboys falling 12 after losing to the Giants. It also suggests the Cardinals and Jets could be better than expected. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c5b3ea52-abec-4709-9830-c2d0c3016f61 (not settled) - Rich Eisen on New Orleans Saints: Eisen accepted that the Giants can be the best team in the NFC East (while pumping the brakes on NFC contender talk), restated his preseason Josh Allen MVP pick, insisted the Rams are too talented to miss the playoffs, and put his marker on the Saints as the NFC South team that can beat expectations. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c97509bf-62f7-4680-9786-5ec11688175a (not settled) - Steve Hartman on Cincinnati Bengals: Hartman picked the Rams and Bills to meet in the Super Bowl with the Rams winning, named the Bengals as his surprise team with Joe Burrow winning MVP and Cincinnati winning its division and reaching the AFC Championship Game against Buffalo. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/419294f8-3232-424c-8913-448c91b6a31f (not settled) - Fox Sports on New Orleans Saints: Relaying anonymous NFL executives and scouts, the piece names Saints QB Tyler Shough as this season's breakout star whose numbers could pop, suggests New Orleans could surprise people in a weak division, and says Bears youngsters Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland will become elite — with Burden taking over as Chicago's No. 1 receiver ahead of Rome Odunze. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4a5acd69-ba40-4b2c-b159-d5ac40adfa8f (not settled) - JJ Watt on Jacksonville Jaguars: Watt gave Seattle's defensive front the edge over New England's, said the Jaguars remain underrated and under-discussed, and described USC product Lloyd as the Packers' bell-cow starting back. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a0b8cdf2-fac3-4496-a7cf-c7592d7d82ea (not settled) - Cody Rourke on Baltimore Ravens: Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ecf0b4d8-7096-41e4-b8bd-f37d5cdcd8d5 (not settled) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=matt-hasselbeck