Cowherd's postseason 'Blazing 5' picks: Rams over Panthers 33-20, Bears over Packers 27-24, Jaguars over Bills 27-13, Eagles over 49ers 28-20, and Indiana over Oregon 33-28. He also predicts the Rams win the wild card game again, says Detroit would return to 13 wins with Mike McDaniel as OC, and that Mendoza and Dante Moore would be the top two QBs in the draft.

7 checkable claims — 4 score predictions, 1 mock draft pick, 1 position order call and 1 season win total — 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.

All 7 have settled, averaging 51.2 out of 100, against 52 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Who this take is about

• Trinidad Chambliss
• Los Angeles Rams
• Chicago Bears
• Detroit Lions
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Jacksonville Jaguars
• Fernando Mendoza

7 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.

• Mock Draft PicksTrinidad ChamblissJan 9, 2026

  Trinidad Chambliss to be picked “fifth round” (picks 141–181)

  “I would draft him in the fifth round if he was available”

  Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 50
  How this was scored

  draft:

  2026

  naive:

  a shuffled mock scores 50

  player:

  Trinidad Chambliss

  season:

  2025

  zero at:

  undrafted

  outcome:

  went undrafted in 2026; has not appeared on an NFL roster

  accuracy:

  0

  baseline:

  50

  actual pick:

  undrafted

  difficulty:

  1

  weeks in the season:

  18

  pick accuracy:

  0

  predicted pick:

  fifth round (picks 141–181)

  weeks left when called:

  0

  mock ordering score:

  only one pick — no order to score

  Think this is wrong?

• Score PredictionsLos Angeles RamsJan 9, 2026

  Los Angeles Rams 33 — Panthers 20

  “Rams win it, Rams cover final score thirty three to twenty.”

  Close · 76Scored 76.19a naive guess scored 47.69+28.5 skill
  How this was scored

  score:

  34-31

  skill:

  28.5

  they picked:

  LAR

  season:

  2025

  accuracy:

  76.19

  baseline:

  47.69

  difficulty:

  1

  weeks in the season:

  18

  actual margin:

  3

  weeks left when called:

  0

  naive home margin:

  2.03

  predicted margin:

  13

  Think this is wrong?

• Score PredictionsChicago BearsJan 9, 2026

  Chicago Bears 27 — Packers 24

  “I like the Bears take the points to win. Twenty seven twenty. Four”

  Hit · 98Scored 97.62a naive guess scored 95.3+2.31 skill
  How this was scored

  score:

  27-31

  skill:

  2.31

  they picked:

  CHI

  season:

  2025

  accuracy:

  97.62

  baseline:

  95.3

  difficulty:

  1

  weeks in the season:

  18

  actual margin:

  4

  weeks left when called:

  0

  naive home margin:

  2.03

  predicted margin:

  3

  Think this is wrong?

• Season Win TotalsDetroit LionsJan 9, 2026

  Detroit Lions to finish with 13 wins

  “McDaniel goes to the Lions. That's back to that thirteen five, thirteen four.”

  Miss · 20Scored 20a naive guess scored 45-25 skill
  How this was scored

  team:

  DET

  naive:

  11.75

  skill:

  -25

  what happened:

  9

  season:

  2025

  zero at:

  5

  accuracy:

  20

  baseline:

  45

  predicted:

  13

  difficulty:

  1

  weeks in the season:

  18

  weeks left when called:

  0

  Think this is wrong?

• Score PredictionsPhiladelphia EaglesJan 9, 2026

  Philadelphia Eagles 28 — 49ers 20

  “I'm gonna take the Eagles to win and the Eagles to cover twenty eight to twenty.”

  Close · 40Scored 40.48a naive guess scored 45.3-4.83 skill
  How this was scored

  score:

  23-19

  skill:

  -4.83

  they picked:

  PHI

  season:

  2025

  accuracy:

  40.48

  baseline:

  45.3

  difficulty:

  1

  weeks in the season:

  18

  actual margin:

  4

  weeks left when called:

  0

  naive home margin:

  2.03

  predicted margin:

  8

  Think this is wrong?

• Score PredictionsJacksonville JaguarsJan 9, 2026

  Jacksonville Jaguars 27 — Bills 13

  “I like the Jags to win. Superman or not at quarterback for Buffalo thirteen to twenty seven”

  Miss · 24Scored 23.81a naive guess scored 47.69-23.88 skill
  How this was scored

  score:

  27-24

  skill:

  -23.88

  they picked:

  JAX

  season:

  2025

  accuracy:

  23.81

  baseline:

  47.69

  difficulty:

  1

  weeks in the season:

  18

  actual margin:

  3

  weeks left when called:

  0

  naive home margin:

  2.03

  predicted margin:

  14

  Think this is wrong?

• Position Order CallsFernando MendozaJan 9, 2026

  Fernando Mendoza to be 1st quarterback off the board

  “you're going to see the two best college quarterbacks that both would be if they came out, it'd be one and two in the draft... I like Mendos a little bit more”

  Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 33.08+66.92 skill
  How this was scored

  draft:

  2026

  naive:

  naming one of the 10 at random averages 33.08

  skill:

  66.92

  player:

  Fernando Mendoza

  season:

  2025

  zero at:

  credit halves every two places

  accuracy:

  100

  baseline:

  33.08

  position:

  quarterback

  class size:

  10

  difficulty:

  1

  weeks in the season:

  18

  actual order:

  1

  predicted order:

  1

  weeks left when called:

  0

  Think this is wrong?

What others said about the same people

• Trevor RipleyScore Predictions · Chicago BearsMiss · 38
  Ripley picks the Bears to beat the Vikings at Soldier Field in Week 2, 30-19, arguing Minnesota's offense is hobbled by injuries while Chicago's offense edges an aggressive but star-thin Vikings defense.
• John MiddlekauffGame Outcome Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100
  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.
• Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Jacksonville JaguarsMiss · 0
  Amid a slate of against-the-spread picks, Wright makes a few outright calls: Jacksonville beats Denver straight up, Carolina wins at Atlanta, and he reiterates that he picked Denver to make the playoffs despite his concerns after their Week 1 loss. He also expects Ladd McConkie to sit out the Chargers' game.
• Jeff KerrGame Outcome Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100
  Kerr frames the Week 2 trip to Nashville as a game Philadelphia should win, moving the Eagles to 2-0 before a tougher stretch against the Bears and Rams.
• Carter BahnsScore Predictions · Jacksonville JaguarsClose · 50
  He picks Jacksonville to win in Denver, arguing the market still undervalues the Jaguars and that the Broncos' offense under new play-caller Davis Webb won't score enough to keep pace.
• Cory NidohGame Outcome Picks · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100
  Nidoh expects Jalen Hurts to have another big game against Tennessee and for the Eagles to come away with their first-ever win in Nashville over the Titans.

More score predictions

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

• Scott KennedyScore Predictions · Carolina PanthersClose · 52
  Expects the Falcons to fall to 0-2 in Cooper Rush starts, losing 24-13 to Carolina.
• Garrett ChapmanScore Predictions · Carolina PanthersClose · 50
  Thinks Atlanta matches up well but still falls short, picking Carolina 23-20.
• Jerry JonesScore Predictions · Carolina PanthersClose · 52
  Predicts Carolina pulls away from Atlanta, with the Falcons defense keeping it close early, in a 27-16 Panthers win.
• Alain PoupartScore Predictions · San Francisco 49ersClose · 71
  Poupart predicts the 49ers beat the Dolphins 27-17 at Levi's Stadium in Week 2, though he expects the game to be closer than the spread suggests. He also anticipates a larger role for De'Von Achane and a big passing day from Brock Purdy.
• Lance SandersonScore Predictions · Denver BroncosHit · 88
  Sanderson thinks Denver cleans up its play on both sides of the ball and wins a close one.
• Bob MorrisScore Predictions · Denver BroncosHit · 90
  Morris expects cleaner tackling and offensive rhythm to give Denver a close win.

Discussed alongside these

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• Kansas City Chiefs320
• Baltimore Ravens313
• Las Vegas Raiders307
• Seattle Seahawks300
• Dallas Cowboys290
• New England Patriots290
• Houston Texans286