# Simon Hunter: Hunter picked Houston and the Giants as underdog money line plays, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit as favorites, and used Pittsburgh plus the Chargers as his survivor picks for week one. **Claimed:** Sep 11, 2026 **Pundit:** Simon Hunter — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/simon-hunter **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-ae210140c5b1/291fe8ed-f80d-4107-9ee1-b34c015266d0/406cdfbd-70aa-4ff6-b870-b4c1011e5e09/audio.mp3?in_playlist=bf391792-153e-41b3-9d3d-ae3300346ad8 6 checkable claims — 6 game outcome picks — 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. 4 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 50 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls. > I feel like we've got to go Houston and the Giants. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Houston Texans to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **New York Giants to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: New York Giants - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Pittsburgh Steelers to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Los Angeles Chargers to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Philadelphia Eagles to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans - New York Giants — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/giants - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions ## What others said about the same people - Emmett Matasovsky on Christian Izien: Matasovsky says Dobbs is currently leading the backup quarterback race and suggests Christian Izien may be pressed into a starting safety role in Week 1 while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph rehab. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9715ee92-1646-4ee4-8911-e3e4cbae9027 (scored 0) - Jeff Kerr on Michael Carter: Kerr says several Eagles have raised their stock in camp: Darius Cooper is emerging as the team's WR4, Drew Kendall is the No. 3 interior lineman/top backup at guard and center, Willie Lampkin is in prime position to make the 53-man roster, and Michael Carter is a roster lock who could start at safety in Week 1. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/922a9343-f96d-419d-8091-49b64dd471d9 (scored 0) - 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) - Chad Millman on New York Giants: Chad Millman said he had taken money-line positions on several Week 1 underdogs — the Texans outright over the Bills, the Giants outright over Dallas (in a money-line underdog parlay), and Miami outright at Las Vegas — and that the show's survivor pick was the Steelers to win. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/bd767876-d060-44de-aa5a-3fc87ff4e749 (scored 100) - Chris Roling on Los Angeles Chargers: Roling predicts a lopsided Chargers home win over the Cardinals in Week 1, 30-10, and advises starting Justin Herbert and Omarion Hampton in fantasy while sitting Ladd McConkey. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d4c64a5c-84bf-4ed6-9779-882e9a8fb212 (scored 30.95) ## More game outcome picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Danny Parkins on Denver Broncos: Parkins picked the Giants to upset Dallas, the Steelers to beat Atlanta by two scores, the Bears to beat Carolina, the Bills to beat Houston and Denver to beat Kansas City outright; he also said Justin Herbert will win an MVP and had the Bengals as AFC North champs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/36c480cc-6b54-4cea-8204-3fc00ea6493c (scored 0) - Eric Mangini on Denver Broncos: Mangini's upset alert was Washington over Philadelphia; in the chips segment he backed Houston, Dallas and Denver; and his Monday headline was Cincinnati mauling Tampa Bay, with Joe Burrow as his MVP and the Bengals as AFC North champs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e5bc3ec1-bf97-4273-a223-f5661d0cca8a (scored 0) - Shannon Sharpe on Denver Broncos: Sharpe predicted Matthew Stafford would throw four touchdowns in the Thursday night game against the 49ers, picked Tampa Bay to beat Cincinnati at home, took the Broncos over Kansas City on Monday night with Bonitto getting 2.5 sacks, and expects big fantasy value from kicker Brandon Aubrey. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7f7bf5cf-1f4a-4432-beab-5ec7c9549fc7 (scored 0) - Tyler Sullivan on Denver Broncos: An unsigned CBS Sports piece flags five Week 1 underdogs as upset candidates: the 49ers over the Rams in Melbourne, the Texans over the Bills, the Panthers over the Bears, the Jets over the Titans, and the Broncos over the Chiefs on Monday night. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd6c3269-8c90-4044-9c48-0b1fc3537699 (scored 0) - Mitch Goldich on Denver Broncos: Goldich's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/643de3da-467f-48c2-a141-4656c392ab89 (scored 0) - John Pluym on Kansas City Chiefs: Pluym's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e7e5c159-21f2-4766-92de-857294ef51cf (scored 100) --- 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=simon-hunter