Colin Cowherd· Aug 15, 2026
Cowherd went division by division picking first- and second-place finishers: Bills, Ravens, Texans and Chargers in the AFC; Eagles, Lions, Saints and Rams in the NFC, with the Chiefs, Giants and Bengals among his playoff qualifiers. His bold prediction was Caleb Williams winning MVP.
“Caleb Williams MVP.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
14 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 3 playoff picks, 2 season win totals and 1 award pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 13 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
Where this call stands in the room
Houston Texans · 2026 season · wins10 calls from 6 pundits between 10 wins and 13 wins. Colin Cowherd said 10 wins. the room's median is 11 wins. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
14 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.
- Division WinnersNew Orleans SaintsAug 15, 2026
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“Saints win the division, Carolina second”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsAug 15, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“Buffalo wins it. Patriot second place”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsAug 15, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs to make the playoffs
“I have them finishing second and a wild card team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersPhiladelphia EaglesAug 15, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to win the division
“We go Eagles and Giants in the NFC East”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles ChargersAug 15, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to win the division
“Finally, AFC West, I'm gonna go with the Chargers... I think they win the division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDetroit LionsAug 15, 2026
Detroit Lions to win the division
“I'm gonna take him to win the division... North Lions Bears”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles RamsAug 15, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to win the division
“And in the West, ram Seahawks”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersHouston TexansAug 15, 2026
Houston Texans to win the division
“Texans win it Colts number two”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsBaltimore RavensAug 15, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to finish with ? wins
“So my take is they just win ten to eleven games every year.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsAug 15, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs
“I think with that schedule and those offensive players, they probably are a playoff team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsHouston TexansAug 15, 2026
Houston Texans to finish with 10 wins
“Under Demico Ryans ten plus wins.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksCaleb WilliamsChicago BearsAug 15, 2026
Caleb Williams to win MVP
“Finally for me, Caleb Williams wins MVP.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBaltimore RavensAug 15, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“Ravens won Bengals two in the AFC North”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew York GiantsAug 15, 2026
New York Giants to make the playoffs
“Early I have the Giants as a wild card team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Emmett MatasovskyDepth Chart Calls · Christian IzienMiss · 0Matasovsky 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.
- Mike MoraitisDepth Chart Calls · Ozzy TrapiloMiss · 0Moraitis 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.
- Pete MartuneacDepth Chart Calls · Ozzy TrapiloMiss · 0After 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.
- Jeff KerrDepth Chart Calls · Michael CarterMiss · 0Kerr says several Eagles have raised their stock in camp: Darius Cooper is emerging as the team's WR4, Drew Kendall is the No. 3 interior lineman/top backup at guard and center, Willie Lampkin is in prime position to make the 53-man roster, and Michael Carter is a roster lock who could start at safety in Week 1.
- Mason CameronDepth Chart Calls · Ethan PocicMiss · 0An unsigned PFF piece ranks the NFL's top 32 centers heading into the 2026 season, with Creed Humphrey first for the fourth straight year, and names Ethan Pocic and Austin Schlottmann as the favorites to win starting center jobs in Baltimore and Tennessee.
- Pat FitzmauriceTrade and Signing Calls · Trey HendricksonMiss · 0Fitzmorris made picks 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 and 31 in the 2026 mock, ranked the top three receiver prospects Tate-Lemon-Tyson, said Caleb Downs won't fall to Day 2, and predicted Trey Hendrickson won't be back in Cincinnati.
More division winners
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Daniel DiBerardinisDivision Winners · Atlanta FalconsMiss · 0Danny 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.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen 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.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Jacksonville JaguarsHit · 100Eisen 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.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · New England PatriotsHit · 100Eisen said the Patriots are still likely to win the AFC East and won't be one-and-done, that the Chargers will end Dallas' season next week, that TreVeyon Henderson should out-snap Rhamondre Stevenson, that the NFC East race is over in Philadelphia's favor, and that the winner of the NFC West will be the NFC's No. 1 seed.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · New England PatriotsHit · 100Eisen previewed week 15 games, predicting Joe Burrow would play well in his first home start back against Baltimore, and speculated on a possible Colts-Steelers wild card matchup. He also asserted the Chiefs will not win their division for a tenth straight year, keeping the Patriots' record of 11 straight division titles safe.
- Nick ShookDivision Winners · Tampa Bay BuccaneersMiss · 0Shook picks the Rams to win the Super Bowl and to beat the Lions, agrees the Buccaneers still hold the edge in the NFC South, and drops Patrick Mahomes to 12th in his QB Index behind Brock Purdy.