John Middlekauff· Sep 18, 2026
Middlekauff declares the Bills will win the AFC East over the Patriots, picks the Steelers, Eagles and 49ers in Week 2 matchups, pegs win totals for the Saints, Texans and Buccaneers, has the Cowboys winning the NFC East, expects Nico Collins to miss the Bengals-Texans game, and says Derrick Henry will climb to a top-five all-time rusher.
“The Bills are winning the AFC East.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
10 checkable claims — 3 game outcome picks, 3 season win totals, 2 division winners, 1 availability call and 1 positional finishe — 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.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
Where this call stands in the room
Houston Texans · 2026 season · wins12 calls from 7 pundits between 10 wins and 13 wins. John Middlekauff said 10 wins. the room's median is 11 wins. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the record
positional finishTheir call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
The games in this take
- Eagles at Titans 34 calls
- Steelers at Patriots 19 calls
- Dolphins at 49ers 14 calls
10 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.
- Positional FinishesDerrick HenryBaltimore RavensSep 18, 2026
Derrick Henry to finish top 5 at his position, by rushing yards
“when all the dust settles, assuming he just stays healthy this year, he is going to jolt way up. Like all of a sudden, he's going to be a top five rusher of all time.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsSep 18, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“the Patriots, the Bills are winning this division. The Bills are winning this division... They're not winning this. The Bills are winning the AFC East.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDallas CowboysSep 18, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to win the division
“And it makes me a little nervous as someone that has the Cowboys winning this division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksPittsburgh SteelersSep 18, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers to beat New England
“I'm taking Pittsburgh in this spot. Pittsburgh's defense looked pretty solid.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksPhiladelphia EaglesSep 18, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to beat Tennessee
“This is a game where the Eagles should win by like 20 points and just smother them.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksSan Francisco 49ersSep 18, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to beat Dolphins
“So the Browns might have something to say about that as well. But Niners should murder them.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsTampa Bay BuccaneersSep 18, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish with ? wins
“you beat Tampa, who they're not what they probably were a couple years ago, but they're still probably an eight or nine win team”
Too vague to check — we could not tell what would count as right.
- Season Win TotalsNew Orleans SaintsSep 18, 2026
New Orleans Saints to finish with 9 wins
“I think eight and a half's a lot if you're someone like me and think the Saints are like a nine-win team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsHouston TexansSep 18, 2026
Houston Texans to finish with 10 wins
“Even if Houston went 0-2, they're still probably a 10-win team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Availability CallsNico CollinsHouston TexansSep 18, 2026
“you're coming into this game and it looks like Nico Collins is not going to be able to play (Cincinnati at Houston, Week 2)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Randy GurziRoster Spot Calls · Justin BarronMiss · 0Gurzi predicts the Cowboys' 17-man practice squad, naming each player he expects Dallas to sign, including a surprise addition of released Giants tackle Evan Neal. He also predicts Jaydon Blue will be claimed off waivers by another team and that Sam Williams will land elsewhere.
- Jeff KerrRoster Spot Calls · Maximus PulleyMiss · 0Kerr ranks the Eagles' eight undrafted free agents by their chances of making the initial 53-man roster, with Kapena Gushiken the most likely and predicts at least one UDFA makes the 53. He also forecasts practice squad spots for Zion Wilson, Deontae Lawson and Maximus Pulley, and a release for long snapper Rocco Underwood.
- Jared KochRoster Spot Calls · Lewis BondHit · 100Koch argues Kayshon Boutte is a winner in the trade to Houston, likely to see many more snaps and potentially post a career season, while Xavier Hutchinson's path to a breakout gets harder. He also sees Kamari Ramsey stepping up as the primary backup safety behind a top three of Bullock, Pitre and Blankenship, and views Jared Wayne as a fringe roster player squeezed by receivers he calls virtual locks.
- 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.
- Lance ZierleinRoster Spot Calls · Lewis BondHit · 100Zierlein expects Texans QB C.J. Stroud to play roughly 10-12 plays in Thursday's preseason game, with Davis Mills going to halftime and newly signed Brett Rypien playing the entire second half. He also said if Tank Dell isn't ready, Lewis Bond and Jaden Hall would both likely make the roster, and predicted Keelan Rutledge will be the starting center with Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith starting.
- Lance ZierleinRoster Spot Calls · Lewis BondHit · 100Zierlein expects Trevor Goosby, Texas' starting left tackle, to be a first-round NFL draft pick, and thinks Quinn Ewers may struggle to stay on the Dolphins' roster beyond this year. He also predicts the Texans' preseason quarterback usage: C.J. Stroud around 10-12 plays, Davis Mills through the first half, and Brett Rypien for the second half. If Tank Dell isn't ready, he thinks Lewis Bond and Jaden Hall could both make the roster.
More game outcome picks
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- 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.
- Colin CowherdGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsMiss · 0The co-host (identified only as "Mitchell") gave his own Week 2 picks: Seattle, the Niners in dominant fashion, his Lions over Buffalo, Cincinnati 31-27 at Houston, Chicago, Pittsburgh 24-21 as a road upset, Jacksonville by at least a touchdown, Dallas 26-22, and Kansas City handily.
- Kevin WildesGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsMiss · 0Kevin picked every game and came out with the Bills missing the playoffs, the Texans as the AFC's No. 1 seed and the Seahawks as the NFC's, Dak Prescott as MVP, and the Patriots beating the Lions in the Super Bowl.
- Danny ParkinsGame Outcome Picks · Denver BroncosMiss · 0Parkins 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.
- Eric ManginiGame Outcome Picks · Denver BroncosMiss · 0Mangini'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.
- Shannon SharpeGame Outcome Picks · Denver BroncosMiss · 0Sharpe 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.