# John Middlekauff: 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. **Claimed:** Sep 18, 2026 **Pundit:** John Middlekauff — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/john-middlekauff **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-ae210140c5b1/44c6e42b-f663-4492-888d-ae330034680f/7505794d-6379-4504-bb2e-b4c9009984ed/audio.mp3?in_playlist=bf391792-153e-41b3-9d3d-ae3300346ad8 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. > The Bills are winning the AFC East. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Derrick Henry to finish top 5 at his position, by rushing yards** - Kind: Positional Finishes · About: Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dallas Cowboys to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Pittsburgh Steelers to beat New England** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Philadelphia Eagles to beat Tennessee** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: not settled yet - **San Francisco 49ers to beat Dolphins** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish with ? wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: too vague to check - **New Orleans Saints to finish with 9 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to finish with 10 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **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)** - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Nico Collins, Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Derrick Henry — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/derrick-henry - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bills - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/saints - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans - Nico Collins — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/nico-collins ## What others said about the same people - Randy Gurzi on Justin Barron: Gurzi 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a37588ef-f76e-4f06-a951-a85a563271d5 (scored 0) - Jeff Kerr on Maximus Pulley: Kerr 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6ec1d507-c7b6-4873-a0a2-76817706e297 (scored 0) - Jared Koch on Lewis Bond: Koch 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/14048ef2-7210-46fd-825a-b9849c144a9f (scored 100) - Jason La Canfora on Gerad Lichtenhan: La 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6d42cee5-8b2d-4c78-a41b-ed2daab90019 (scored 0) - Lance Zierlein on Lewis Bond: Zierlein 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/20e6ff7b-1de6-4de6-9567-3997edaea6b8 (scored 100) - Lance Zierlein on Lewis Bond: Zierlein 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/684f97b2-1578-404d-9e71-4026eea8db4d (scored 100) ## More game outcome picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Tyler Sullivan on Detroit Lions: A 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0ee2daf0-868b-4ffd-a252-f478174d97f6 (scored 0) - Colin Cowherd on Detroit Lions: The 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5e7a2965-bd9c-4c78-81b8-cb9ff18f6520 (scored 0) - Kevin Wildes on Detroit Lions: Kevin 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/989d3882-a69f-47c8-9295-1924f6ff4e6c (scored 0) - 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) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. 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