# Jerry Markarian: Bold 2026 Bears predictions: Caleb Williams throws for 4,500 yards and 35 TDs and enters the MVP conversation; Colston Loveland posts 1,200 receiving yards and 10 TDs while leading the team in receiving; Kyler Gordon grabs four interceptions; the Bears average about 30 points per game and score 500 points; Gallimore and van den Berg combine for 10 sacks; Austin Booker leads the team with 10-12 sacks. **Claimed:** Sep 4, 2026 **Pundit:** Jerry Markarian — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/jerry-markarian **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/onsi/6-bold-predictions-for-the-chicago-bears-2026-nfl-season 6 checkable claims — 6 player season numbers — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 5 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 rest of the room on every one. > He'll firmly place himself in the MVP conversation with a 4,500-yard, 35-TD campaign. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Caleb Williams to record 35 passing tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Colston Loveland to record 1,200 receiving yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Caleb Williams to record 4,500 passing yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kyler Gordon to record 4 interceptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Kyler Gordon, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Austin Booker to record 10 sacks** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Austin Booker, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Colston Loveland to record 10 receiving tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Caleb Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/caleb-williams - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears - Colston Loveland — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/colston-loveland - Kyler Gordon — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/kyler-gordon - Austin Booker — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/austin-booker ## What others said about the same people - Mike Moraitis on Ozzy Trapilo: Moraitis writes that although Braxton Jones has looked like the favorite, Ozzy Trapilo is likely to take over as the Bears' starting left tackle once he's healthy enough to play. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cdfe5f0f-6783-4730-b9bb-d942e28b037a (scored 0) - Pete Martuneac on Ozzy Trapilo: After Trapilo's activation from the PUP list roughly seven months after rupturing his patellar tendon, Martuneac says the Bears' left tackle competition is over and Trapilo will be starting at left tackle early in the 2026 season, even if not by Week 1. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/d42f10ad-a71c-4ea9-95e8-2b53fde77971 (scored 0) - Eric Cohen on Chicago Bears: Cohen says the Bears win easily in Carolina, and that Tennessee starts 1-0 over a Jets team he considers the third-worst in the league. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/37c0b874-cb1b-43c8-b78e-96a7b287ae62 (scored 100) - Gene Chamberlain on Chicago Bears: Chamberlain picks the Bears to beat the Panthers in Week 1 at Charlotte, 34-30, giving Chicago the edge in the run game, passing game, pass defense and coaching. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e3f71681-dd59-4531-8ada-05079a4ee840 (scored 57.14) - Danny Parkins on Chicago Bears: 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 100) - Kirk Herbstreit on Chicago Bears: Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5bc3755c-9b84-484f-b8f2-b18d51a12261 (scored 100) ## More player season numbers The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Ross Jackson on Tyler Shough: Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4dc05898-73fd-4fcb-92c4-a940d7e395ba (scored 3.63) - Chris Broussard on Lamar Jackson: Broussard expects Lamar Jackson to play well but not vintage — two touchdown passes and no picks — while Derrick Henry carries the load with over 100 rushing yards. He also takes the Browns to upset the Bengals and believes Myles Garrett gets at least two sacks to break the single-season record. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5a026afc-40fe-4b1f-b209-3ce53ae205d7 (scored 0) - Nick Wright on Myles Garrett: Wright picks the Steelers to beat the Ravens outright in Pittsburgh, takes Seattle over San Francisco, and thinks the Browns lose to Cincinnati even as Myles Garrett gets the sack record. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9a8b5cea-9f2f-46f0-9939-72c2a60e4c26 (scored 100) - Nick Wright on Myles Garrett: Nick Wright says Myles Garrett is playing at an all-time level and might reach 25 sacks this season, and among his weekly picks he expects the Bears to beat the Steelers in an ugly low-margin home win and Seattle to win comfortably at Tennessee. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/029b0090-8d3f-47de-9fb9-7f0a02320f3a (scored 84) - Shannon Sharpe on T.J. Watt: On a Bengals-Steelers matchup, Sharpe took the over on several player props: Ja'Marr Chase over 74.5 receiving yards, Joe Flacco over 36.5 pass attempts, and T.J. Watt over 3.5 tackles+assists, adding that Watt will get two sacks. He also predicted Rico Dowdle would make the Pro Bowl this season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1fbc5b8e-7449-41f4-a5a2-7029cc4ef65e (scored 0) - Rich Eisen on Micah Parsons: Eisen made a series of picks: Micah Parsons will out-sack any two Cowboys combined (after initially leaning the other way), the NFC North is more likely to produce a Super Bowl team than the NFC East, Eagles wins will outnumber Cowboys losses, Bo Nix/Courtland Sutton will out-touchdown Cam Ward/Calvin Ridley, and Marvin Harrison Jr./James Conner will beat Kamara/Olave in yards and TDs. He also picked the AFC West order and said Deion Sanders is more likely than Bill Belichick to have a winning record. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f94f8499-af74-4a8d-a688-fd08cd52bb3c (scored 56.25) --- 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=jerry-markarian