# Matty Lane: Lane picked Cowboys, Bears, Saints, Rams, Bills, Steelers, Texans and Broncos as division winners with the Rams as the NFL's No. 1 seed, had the Chiefs losing to Houston in the divisional round, and picked a Rams win over the Bills in the Super Bowl, plus Dak Prescott for MVP and Ben Johnson for Coach of the Year. **Claimed:** Sep 8, 2026 **Pundit:** Matty Lane — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/matty-lane **Outlet:** KC Sports Network (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/kc-sports-network-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://pdrl.fm/8d7cde/mgln.ai/e/256/pscrb.fm/rss/p/clrtpod.com/m/bluewire.simplecastaudio.com/8bf45406-115f-47da-8dc8-dcc5713f4a83/episodes/a7200306-89a1-47c8-8543-622fcc99cbe4/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=8bf45406-115f-47da-8dc8-dcc5713f4a83&awEpisodeId=a7200306-89a1-47c8-8543-622fcc99cbe4&feed=BJf5DYgc 33 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 7 seeding, byes and home field, 6 playoff picks, 5 award picks, 2 conference champions, 1 coach award pick, 1 game outcome pick, 1 season win total, 1 sleeper call and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 20 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 4 and below it on 1. > We got Rams Bills in the Super Bowl, and it goes much like last year did. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Pittsburgh Steelers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **New England Patriots to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Buffalo Bills to reach the Super Bowl** - Kind: Conference Champions · About: Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chicago Bears to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Chicago Bears to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **New Orleans Saints to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: New Orleans Saints - Verdict: not settled yet - **Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jameson Williams to outplay his draft cost** - Kind: Sleeper Calls · About: Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to finish with 13 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Denver Broncos to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **Ben Johnson to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Rams to reach the Super Bowl** - Kind: Conference Champions · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Seattle Seahawks to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Rams to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Rams to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl** - Kind: Super Bowl Picks · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kansas City Chiefs to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dak Prescott to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys - 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 - **Denver Broncos to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Denver Broncos - Verdict: not settled yet - **New England Patriots to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Will Anderson Jr. to win Defensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **R Mason Thomas to win Defensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: R Mason Thomas - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jahmyr Gibbs to win Offensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Cyrus Allen to win Offensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Cyrus Allen - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bills - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears - New Orleans Saints — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/saints - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/packers - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions - Jameson Williams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jameson-williams - Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/rams - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Dak Prescott — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/dak-prescott - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Will Anderson Jr. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/will-anderson-jr - R Mason Thomas — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/r-mason-thomas - Jahmyr Gibbs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jahmyr-gibbs - Cyrus Allen — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/cyrus-allen ## What others said about the same people - Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In an unsigned Week 2 odds roundup, the piece states that with Sam Darnold hurt, Drew Lock will likely start at quarterback for Seattle against Arizona. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0) - Mike Moraitis on DaRon Bland: Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/66b5ed7b-41bd-4f67-9b4d-16eae4675e67 (scored 100) - Emmett Matasovsky on Christian Izien: Matasovsky says Dobbs is currently leading the backup quarterback race and suggests Christian Izien may be pressed into a starting safety role in Week 1 while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph rehab. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9715ee92-1646-4ee4-8911-e3e4cbae9027 (scored 0) - 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) - Michael Hanich on Bud Clark: Hanich suggests Nick Emmanwori may miss Week 1 after ankle surgery, and that Noah Igbinoghene is making a strong case to be the Seahawks' Week 1 starting nickel, with Bud Clark also possibly stepping into a starting role if Emmanwori is out. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c15b8321-a10e-421f-8076-039ca96a05a8 (scored 0) ## More division winners The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Daniel DiBerardinis on Atlanta Falcons: Danny D predicts Sonny Styles goes in the top ten (maybe top five), doesn't think Ty Simpson goes before late first round, says Kenyon Sadiq lands with the Rams at 13, and picks the Falcons to win the NFC South while naming the Bengals an AFC bounce-back team. He also gives a Final Four of Michigan, Florida, Purdue and Arizona with Michigan winning. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a8e0b7c-9f1c-4c13-8138-1332d73b9b02 (scored 0) - Colin Cowherd on New York Giants: Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. He also expects Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and he floats the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd243624-9451-4824-a8a4-7b468d681c8f (scored 0) - Colin Cowherd on Los Angeles Chargers: Cowherd unveiled his top 10 NFL teams entering next season, with Seattle first, the Rams second and the Chiefs tenth, and separately picked the Chargers to win the AFC West. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/78de302a-c2f9-41b4-8897-87943ca44caa (scored 0) - Rich Eisen on Jacksonville Jaguars: Eisen forecast the Week 18 results and the entire wild-card field: Buccaneers over Panthers but Carolina still gets in as the 5 seed when Atlanta beats New Orleans, 49ers over Seahawks, Ravens over Steelers, Jaguars beating Tennessee to win the AFC South, and six wild-card matchups (Seahawks-Panthers, Bills-Jaguars, Texans-Ravens, Packers-Bears, Chargers-Patriots, Rams-Eagles), with Houston upsetting Baltimore. He also tabbed Saints rookie Tyler Shough as a possible Offensive Rookie of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/34345186-876a-4c4b-9567-9c289a6cbace (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Jacksonville Jaguars: Eisen called the 49ers-as-NFC-favorites take an overreaction, picked the Jaguars to beat the Titans and win their division, leaned Ravens over the Steelers in the Week 18 Sunday night game, expects the Bills to beat the Jets even without Josh Allen, sees the Chargers as the AFC's seventh seed, agreed Tyler Shough could win Offensive Rookie of the Year with a good Saints 2026, said Malik Willis will be a starter somewhere next season, and insisted Detroit goes into 2026 with Goff. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/15192136-24b9-4127-ac9d-69dc69aab3d5 (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on Philadelphia Eagles: Brockman called the Broncos-Packers game the best of the day, said Denver looks poised to lock up the AFC's No. 1 seed and reach the AFC Championship Game, predicted the Bears win the NFC North and the Eagles win their division (though he thinks they lose to a five seed from the NFC West), and said Philip Rivers will be in the NFL in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e86c9e4d-7802-432a-a26c-4edefb3b6aee (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. 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