# Pat McAfee: McAfee picked New England to beat Denver in the AFC Championship Game, citing the Patriots defense. **Claimed:** Jan 23, 2026 **Pundit:** Pat McAfee — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/pat-mcafee **Outlet:** The Pat McAfee Show (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-pat-mcafee-show-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP5259250682.mp3?updated=1769202967 One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened. The call scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls. > I'll take the patriots, and let's go to the NFC championship. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **New England Patriots to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots ## What others said about the same people - Julian Edelman on New England Patriots: Edelman picked the Patriots to win the season opener in Seattle, saying New England's offseason additions and the bad taste from the previous season would carry them, and gave a final score of 28-24. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ec6f039f-3212-4e37-8fdb-fb4e95248198 (scored 47.62) - Connor "Boston Connor" Campbell on New England Patriots: Boston Connor took the Patriots in the season opener against Seattle, framing it as a redemption spot after the Super Bowl loss. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/81f37749-a752-4bb2-a7b4-9161c4281d1f (scored 0) - Darius Butler on New England Patriots: Butler initially picked Seattle but switched to the Patriots before the show ended; he also called the Colts a likely No. 1 seed, said Jacksonville sneaks into the playoffs, and expects Sam Darnold to land a new contract. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/619c7bcd-5c13-4522-bfe2-21070176447e (scored 0) - Jason McIntyre on New England Patriots: McIntyre takes the Patriots on the moneyline in the season opener at Seattle, picks the Jaguars over the Browns, and says Baker Mayfield's new deal keeps Tampa a perennial playoff team. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/57e6d050-3be4-4a2c-bd4e-e4422acf969a (scored 0) - Mike Florio on New England Patriots: Florio gives score predictions for every Week 1 game of the 2026 NFL season, including an opening-night upset by the Patriots in Seattle and narrow home wins for the Giants and Chiefs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4b20f46e-ebc0-462f-9e7a-2ab82f91a2ea (scored 50) - Conor Orr on New England Patriots: Orr's Week 1 straight-up picks, including several upsets (Patriots, Buccaneers, Browns, Dolphins, Commanders, Broncos). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/54ae8d21-7621-4c3d-816c-e879aed9b5c2 (scored 0) ## 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=pat-mcafee