John Middlekauff· Sep 20, 2026
In a Week 2 preview, Middlekauff argued Matt LaFleur is under enormous pressure in Green Bay, predicted blowout wins for the 49ers over Miami and the Eagles over Tennessee, and offered season win-total views on the Saints, Buccaneers, Texans and Jaguars while backing Dallas to win the NFC East.
“This is a game where the Eagles should win by like 20 points and just smother them.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
8 checkable claims — 4 season win totals, 2 game outcome picks, 1 availability call and 1 division winner — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 9 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.
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Who this take is about
The games in this take
- Eagles at Titans 34 calls
- Dolphins at 49ers 14 calls
8 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.
- Game Outcome PicksSan Francisco 49ersSep 20, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to beat Dolphins
“The Niners play the Dolphins... But Niners should murder them.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Game Outcome PicksPhiladelphia EaglesSep 20, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to beat Tennessee
“This is a game where the Eagles should win by like 20 points and just smother them. And definitely defensively with Fangio, this could get really, really ugly for Cam Ward.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsNew Orleans SaintsSep 20, 2026
New Orleans Saints to finish with 9 wins
“I think eight and a half is 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 TotalsTampa Bay BuccaneersSep 20, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish with 8–9 wins
“okay, you beat Tampa, who– They're not what they probably were a couple years ago, but they're still probably an 8 or 9 win team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsHouston TexansSep 20, 2026
Houston Texans to finish with 10 wins
“I think we would all agree more than likely, 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.
- Season Win TotalsJacksonville JaguarsSep 20, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to finish with 13 wins
“And the Jags are good... if you told me they won 13 games, would not discount it.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDallas CowboysSep 20, 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.
- Availability CallsMicah ParsonsGreen Bay PackersSep 20, 2026
“Mike is not coming back. Mike is not returning this week. He's not returning the following week, and he's not returning the following week after that.”
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.
- John ShipleyRoster Spot Calls · Jalen McLeodMiss · 0Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there.
- 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.
- 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 season win totals
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Richard ShermanSeason Win Totals · Washington CommandersMiss · 20Sherman previewed every division: he picked Seattle to win the NFC West on a tiebreaker over San Francisco (both 11-11 wins), the Lions over the Packers in the North, the Eagles to run away with the East, Tampa Bay in the South, and Kansas City, Buffalo and the Ravens' division rivals in the AFC. He picked an Eagles–Chiefs Super Bowl with Philadelphia repeating, Joe Burrow for MVP, and gave a top-five power ranking.
- Nick WrightSeason Win Totals · New England PatriotsMiss · 20Nick Wright walked through the Browns' quarterback situation and then gave leans and bets on every AFC team's win total, offering concrete win-count expectations for several clubs plus a call on Brock Bowers.
- Colin CowherdSeason Win Totals · New England PatriotsMiss · 0Cowherd takes the Titans over their five-and-a-half win total on the strength of Cam Ward and Brian Callahan, calls New England an eight-to-nine win team, picks Green Bay to win the NFC North, expects the Giants to lose all four games to Washington and Philadelphia, and sketches a quarterback ranking with C.J. Stroud around 10th and Baker Mayfield 11th.
- Nick WrightSeason Win Totals · Denver BroncosMiss · 20Nick Wright gave his early AFC win-total leans: overs on the Jets, Ravens, Jaguars, Chiefs and Raiders, plus projected win ranges for the Dolphins, Texans, Chargers and Broncos, and predicted the Raiders take Ashton Jeanty at No. 6.
- Richard ShermanSeason Win Totals · Detroit LionsHit · 100Sherman picks the Chiefs to beat the Bills in the AFC Championship Game despite Buffalo's turnover dominance, and picks the Commanders to upset the Eagles in Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game. He also expects Saquon Barkley to win Offensive Player of the Year, though he hedges that voters may give it to Lamar or Josh Allen.
- Chris BrockmanSeason Win Totals · Carolina PanthersHit · 100Brockman pitched that the Eagles are the NFL's best team and that Saquon Barkley will win MVP as the first non-quarterback since 2011. He also declared the AFC playoff field already set with six weeks to go, said the Cowboys will make the playoffs, predicted Buffalo would blast the 49ers, and reiterated his earlier call that Carolina would win five or six games.