Brandon Carney · Jan 6, 2026

Carney made a full playoff bracket, picking the Bears, Niners, Rams, Patriots, Jaguars and Texans in the wild card round, then Seahawks and Rams in the NFC divisional, Broncos and Patriots in the AFC, with the Rams beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl. He also gave award picks including Stafford for MVP and Vrabel for Coach of the Year.

“I'm gonna pick the Rams to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.”

said on air, transcribed by us · Bran Coverage with BenchwarmerBran (podcast) · read the original →

22 checkable claims from this

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.

Award Picks Christian McCaffreyJan 6, 2026
Christian McCaffrey to win Comeback Player of the Year
“It's Christian McCaffrey. It is. No question.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
award:
comeback_player_of_the_year
naive:
the naive pick was Joe Burrow, who won it the year before
skill:
100
player:
Christian McCaffrey
season:
2025
winner:
Christian McCaffrey
correct:
true
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Award Picks Matthew Stafford Los Angeles RamsJan 6, 2026
Matthew Stafford to win MVP
“Starting with MVP. I spoiled it already. I think Matthew Stafford gets it.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
award:
mvp
naive:
the naive pick was Josh Allen, who won it the year before
skill:
100
player:
Matthew Stafford
season:
2025
winner:
Matthew Stafford
correct:
true
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Award Picks Carson Schwesinger Cleveland BrownsJan 6, 2026
Carson Schwesinger to win Defensive Rookie of the Year
“I'll go with him over that and then Nick Emanuari”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
award:
defensive_rookie_of_the_year
naive:
the naive pick was Jared Verse, who won it the year before
skill:
100
player:
Carson Schwesinger
season:
2025
winner:
Carson Schwesinger
correct:
true
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Super Bowl Picks Los Angeles RamsJan 6, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl
“I'm gonna pick the Rams to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skill
How this was scored
skill:
0
they picked:
LAR
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
champion:
SEA
runner up:
NE
naive pick:
PHI
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Award Picks Myles Garrett Cleveland BrownsJan 6, 2026
Myles Garrett to win Defensive Player of the Year
“Miles Garrett will be your defensive player of the year.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
award:
defensive_player_of_the_year
naive:
the naive pick was Pat Surtain II, who won it the year before
skill:
100
player:
Myles Garrett
season:
2025
winner:
Myles Garrett
correct:
true
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Award Picks Tetairoa McMillan Carolina PanthersJan 6, 2026
Tetairoa McMillan to win Offensive Rookie of the Year
“I think it's Ted McMillan.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
award:
offensive_rookie_of_the_year
naive:
the naive pick was Jayden Daniels, who won it the year before
skill:
100
player:
Tetairoa McMillan
season:
2025
winner:
Tetairoa McMillan
correct:
true
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks San Francisco 49ersJan 6, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to win
“I'm gonna go with the Niners. ... And I think that's going to materialize in the Eagles losing to the Niners”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
won:
SF
score:
23-19
skill:
100
they picked:
SF
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive pick:
PHI
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Los Angeles RamsJan 6, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win
“And then, Bears, Rams, I'm taking the Rams.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
won:
LAR
score:
20-17
skill:
100
they picked:
LAR
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive pick:
CHI
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Houston TexansJan 6, 2026
Houston Texans to win
“So I will take the Houston Texans.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
won:
HOU
score:
30-6
skill:
100
they picked:
HOU
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive pick:
PIT
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Jacksonville JaguarsJan 6, 2026
Jacksonville Jaguars to win
“I am absolutely going with Jacksonville against the Bills.”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 0+0 skill
How this was scored
won:
BUF
score:
27-24
skill:
0
they picked:
JAX
season:
2025
accuracy:
0
baseline:
0
naive pick:
JAX
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks New England PatriotsJan 6, 2026
New England Patriots to win
“I'm going with the Patriots as well.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skill
How this was scored
won:
NE
score:
3-16
skill:
0
they picked:
NE
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
100
naive pick:
NE
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Coach Award PicksJan 6, 2026
Mike Vrabel to win Coach of the Year
“I will go with Mike Vrabel because I think subverting biased.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
award:
coach_of_the_year
coach:
Mike Vrabel
naive:
the naive pick was Kevin O'Connell, who won it the year before
skill:
100
season:
2025
winner:
Mike Vrabel
correct:
true
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Denver BroncosJan 6, 2026
Denver Broncos to win
“But I'll take the Broncos in this one.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
won:
DEN
score:
18-15
skill:
100
they picked:
DEN
season:
2025
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
naive pick:
HOU
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Award Picks Jaxon Smith-Njigba Seattle SeahawksJan 6, 2026
Jaxon Smith-Njigba to win Offensive Player of the Year
“I'm gonna go with JSN. ... So I'll I'll go with JSN here, receiving leader in 2025.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 0+100 skill
How this was scored
award:
offensive_player_of_the_year
naive:
the naive pick was Saquon Barkley, who won it the year before
skill:
100
player:
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
season:
2025
winner:
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
correct:
true
accuracy:
100
baseline:
0
difficulty:
1
weeks in the season:
18
weeks left when called:
0
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Los Angeles RamsJan 6, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win
“I just can't see them going down like this, the Rams. No. I I can't either.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks San Francisco 49ersJan 6, 2026
San Francisco 49ers to win
“So I'm gonna go with the Seahawks there.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks New England PatriotsJan 6, 2026
New England Patriots to win
“But I'm gonna take the Patriots because, again, of that coaching”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Conference Champions Los Angeles RamsJan 6, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to reach the Super Bowl
“I'm taking the Rams over the Seahawks to get to the Super Bowl.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Conference Champions New England PatriotsJan 6, 2026
New England Patriots to reach the Super Bowl
“And give me New England. I will pick the boys. I'll pick the boys to go to the bowl.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls Trent WilliamsJan 6, 2026
Trent Williams to make Protector of the Year
“And so the fact that Trent Williams is in this convo, I'm gonna give it to him.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Coach Award PicksJan 6, 2026
Clint Kubiak to win Assistant Coach of the Year
“I feel like I can't not go with Kubiak the way we've talked him up and what he's able to do there in Seattle.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?
Game Outcome Picks Chicago BearsJan 6, 2026
Chicago Bears to win
“The seven seed Packers at the two seed Chicago Bears on Saturday. Who we got? Packers Bears. I like Bears. Me too.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the season it describes has finished.
Think this is wrong?