Mitchell Eisenstein· Sep 4, 2025
Mitchell picked the Rams to win the NFC West, the Lions to win the NFC North at 12-5 over a 12-5 Packers team, and a Lions Super Bowl win over the Bills. He also tabbed Jared Verse as a dark-horse Defensive Player of the Year, Kenneth Walker as a fantasy league-winner, and Jameson Williams as a top-20 receiver.
“I said, the Detroit Lions win in twelve games, twelve and five.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 5, 2026. The quote and evidence above are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
10 checkable claims — 2 conference champions, 2 division winners, 2 season win totals, 1 award pick, 1 positional finishe, 1 super bowl pick and 1 surprise team call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
9 of 10 have settled so far, averaging 9.8 out of 100, against 14.4 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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Who this take is about
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.
- Conference ChampionsDetroit LionsSep 4, 2025
Detroit Lions to reach the Super Bowl
“Richard, I got the Lions playing the Bills lines coming away victorious.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- DET
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- champions:
- NE,SEA
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- last season's conference champions
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- reached the Super Bowl:
- no
- lost the conference final:
- no
- Division WinnersLos Angeles RamsSep 4, 2025
Los Angeles Rams to win the division
“I think the La Rams, I think this is their division this year.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- method:
- division winners read off the bracket: the bye teams and the wild-card hosts
- they picked:
- LAR
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- LAR
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- last season's winner of the same division
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- won the division:
- no
- Division WinnersDetroit LionsSep 4, 2025
Detroit Lions to win the division
“the Detroit Lions won that tiebreaker and win the division”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- method:
- division winners read off the bracket: the bye teams and the wild-card hosts
- they picked:
- DET
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- the naive pick:
- DET
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- last season's winner of the same division
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- won the division:
- no
- Conference ChampionsBuffalo BillsSep 4, 2025
Buffalo Bills to reach the Super Bowl
“I got the Lions playing the Bills”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- BUF
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- champions:
- NE,SEA
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- last season's conference champions
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- reached the Super Bowl:
- no
- lost the conference final:
- no
Jameson Williams to finish top 20 at his position, by receiving yards
“I see Jamison Williams firmly as a top twenty wide receiver statistically this year in the league.”
Miss · 8Scored 8.33a naive guess scored 0+16.67 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 16.67
- player:
- Jameson Williams
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 12
- accuracy:
- 8.33
- baseline:
- 0
- position:
- WR
- ranked by:
- receiving yards
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- where he finished last season
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- naive finish:
- 21
- actual finish:
- 9
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- predicted finish:
- 20
- Super Bowl PicksDetroit LionsSep 4, 2025
Detroit Lions to win the Super Bowl
“I got the Lions playing the Bills lines coming away victorious.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- skill:
- 0
- they picked:
- DET
- season:
- 2025
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- champion:
- SEA
- runner up:
- NE
- the naive pick:
- PHI
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsGreen Bay PackersSep 4, 2025
Green Bay Packers to finish with 12 wins
“I think they both finished twelve and five, and I think somehow, some way, the Detroit Lions won that tiebreaker and win the division.”
Close · 40Scored 40a naive guess scored 85-90 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- GB
- naive:
- 9.75
- skill:
- -90
- what happened:
- 9
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 40
- baseline:
- 85
- predicted:
- 12
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Season Win TotalsDetroit LionsSep 4, 2025
Detroit Lions to finish with 12 wins
“But I'm telling you, I said, the Detroit Lions win in twelve games, twelve and five.”
Close · 40Scored 40a naive guess scored 45-10 skillHow this was scored
- team:
- DET
- naive:
- 11.75
- skill:
- -10
- what happened:
- 9
- season:
- 2025
- zero at:
- 5
- accuracy:
- 40
- baseline:
- 45
- predicted:
- 12
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Award PicksJared VerseSep 4, 2025
Jared Verse to win Defensive Player of the Year
“Dark horse candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. You've heard it here first, Jared Verse.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skillHow this was scored
- award:
- defensive_player_of_the_year
- naive:
- the naive pick was Pat Surtain II, who won it the year before
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Jared Verse
- season:
- 2025
- winner:
- Myles Garrett
- correct:
- no
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- difficulty:
- 2
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- Surprise Team CallsSeattle SeahawksSep 4, 2025
Seattle Seahawks to beat expectations
“Seattle to me looks like a team that could surprise a lot of folks this year.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Randy GurziRoster Spot Calls · Te'Cory CouchMiss · 0Gurzi predicts the Buffalo Bills' final 53-man roster ahead of Week 1 against Houston, naming every player who makes it, who gets cut, and a few depth-chart outcomes (Damar Hamlin as backup safety, Alec Anderson as a new starter on the offensive line, Shane Buechele back on the practice squad).
- Joe MarinoRoster Spot Calls · Te'Cory CouchMiss · 0Joe Marino gives his final projection of the Buffalo Bills' initial 53-man roster after the preseason finale, naming who makes it, who gets cut, and who lands on injured reserve/PUP, along with several starting-job calls (Kyle Allen as QB2, TJ Sanders starting over Landon Jackson, Maxwell Hairston starting opposite Christian Benford, and Tommy Doman winning the punting job).
- Blaine GrisakRoster Spot Calls · Dean ConnorsMiss · 0Grisak argues Wesley Bailey has essentially played his way onto the Rams' roster after a 10-pressure preseason game, suggests Dean Connors and Tim Keenan III could be cut and stashed on the practice squad, and makes a case for Jarquez Hunter making the 53 despite bubble status.
- Blaine GrisakRoster Spot Calls · Dean ConnorsHit · 100After the Rams' first preseason game, Grisak predicted the full 53-man roster, naming three quarterbacks, four running backs, five receivers, five tight ends, nine offensive linemen, four linebackers, six defensive linemen, four edge rushers, five cornerbacks, five safeties and three special teamers, with Dean Connors headed for the practice squad instead.
- Blaine GrisakRoster Spot Calls · Dean ConnorsMiss · 0Reviewing the Rams' preseason win, Grisak predicted roster outcomes: Dean Connors likely lands on the practice squad rather than the 53, Xavier Smith's roster chances look poor, Nick Andersen is a strong practice squad candidate, and Mark Redman is likely a practice squad candidate.
- Mike KadlickScore Predictions · Green Bay PackersMiss · 7Kadlick expects an ugly, low-scoring Thursday night game at Lambeau Field, with Green Bay beating Atlanta 10–7 to move to 2–1 while the Falcons drop to 0–3 in Michael Penix Jr.'s return.
More conference champions
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Nick WrightConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100The host picks the Rams to beat the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game and believes the winner of that game wins the Super Bowl, i.e. that this is the Rams' year; he also picks New England to win in Denver despite taking the Broncos with the points, and says Stafford is winning MVP. He calls Sean McVay the second-best coach in the NFL.
- Nick WrightConference Champions · Denver BroncosClose · 50Wright picked the Broncos to beat the Patriots in a low-scoring AFC Championship game (17-16), said Sean Payton would coach Denver to the Super Bowl, picked the Rams to win outright in Seattle 31-20, believes the winner of the NFC game wins the Super Bowl with the Rams the better team, and expects Matt Stafford to be named league MVP.
- Connor "Boston Connor" CampbellConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100Connor expects a tight first half in Denver before New England pulls away in the second half and advances to the Super Bowl.
- Gregg RosenthalConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100Rosenthal picks the Patriots to beat the Broncos in a close, low-scoring AFC Championship in Denver (while liking Denver to cover the 4.5 points), takes the Seahawks over the Rams in a defensive NFC Championship he pegs around 23-19, and forecasts a Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl.
- Richard ShermanConference Champions · New England PatriotsHit · 100Sherman picks the Seahawks to beat the Rams comfortably at home, 27-17, with a defensive score, and says the winner of that NFC Championship game will win the Super Bowl. He also picks the Patriots to win comfortably in Denver, 21-15, and assumes Matthew Stafford will be named league MVP.
- Richard ShermanConference Champions · Denver BroncosClose · 50Sherman refused to pick the 49ers-Seahawks divisional game, calling it a pick'em that comes down to the last possession, but he picked Chicago over the Rams, Denver over Buffalo, and Houston 17-9 over New England, while reaffirming his preseason call of the Broncos reaching the Super Bowl.