Danny Parkins· Sep 5, 2026
Guest-hosting, Parkins gave his full AFC and NFC playoff fields: Bills, Bengals, Colts and Chargers as AFC division winners with the Patriots, Ravens and Broncos as wild cards; Giants, Bears, Bucs and Seahawks as NFC division winners with Rams, Cowboys and Lions as wild cards. He also predicted Drake Maye wins an MVP someday and that DJ Moore puts up big numbers in Buffalo.
“So the division winners, the Giants, the Bears, the Bucks, and the Seahawks, wildcard teams out of the NFC, the Rams, the Cowboys, and the Lions.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
16 checkable claims — 8 division winners, 6 playoff picks, 1 award pick and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 16 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.
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Who this take is about
16 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 WinnersIndianapolis ColtsSep 5, 2026
Indianapolis Colts to win the division
“In the AFC South, the Indianapolis Colts... The Colts are the forgotten team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDetroit LionsSep 5, 2026
Detroit Lions to make the playoffs
“the schedule is too easy for me to overlook. The Detroit Lions”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersSeattle SeahawksSep 5, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to win the division
“Out West, the forgotten Super Bowl champs... I think they come out of the NFC West.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersTampa Bay BuccaneersSep 5, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division
“NFC South, I still think it's Tampa's division... I think they're the best team in the NFC South.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersBuffalo BillsSep 5, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“I think the bills are going to take the afc east... So I like the Bills to win the AFC East.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersCincinnati BengalsSep 5, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals to win the division
“I like the Bengals to just barely edge the Ravens and take the AFC North.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDallas CowboysSep 5, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs
“I do have the dallas cowboys making the playoffs”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersNew York GiantsSep 5, 2026
New York Giants to win the division
“NFC East with, yes, my spiciest pick. But I like the Giants... So the division winners, the Giants”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Award PicksDrake MayeNew England PatriotsSep 5, 2026
Drake Maye to win MVP
“And Drake May, I think, is going to win an MVP before his career is done”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersChicago BearsSep 5, 2026
Chicago Bears to win the division
“I have the Bears coming out and winning the NFC North.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsBlake MillerDetroit LionsSep 5, 2026
Blake Miller to be 1st on the depth chart
“Got Blake Miller to replace Panay Sewell at right tackle because he now moves to left tackle.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksBaltimore RavensSep 5, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs
“To the AFC North, they get two teams in as well. The Baltimore Ravens... still enough for the Ravens to make the playoffs.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDenver BroncosSep 5, 2026
Denver Broncos to make the playoffs
“the final wildcard team in the AFC, the Denver Broncos... I still think the Broncos are enough to make it to the AFC playoffs, albeit as a wildcard team.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksLos Angeles RamsSep 5, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
“the top wildcard team is the Rams”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew England PatriotsSep 5, 2026
New England Patriots to make the playoffs
“The wildcard teams... Patriots are the most obvious better team, worst record team that I've ever seen... I think they just fall a little short of Buffalo in that spot.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles ChargersSep 5, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers to win the division
“I think the Chargers take the AFC West.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Drew LockMiss · 0In 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.
- Chris BrockmanTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100Brockman's season-preview overreactions: Fernando Mendoza becomes an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist; Dak Prescott wins MVP and the Cowboys win the Super Bowl; Jesse Minter's Ravens win the AFC North; C.J. Stroud leads Houston to the AFC's No. 1 seed; Jonathan Taylor approaches 2,000 rushing yards; Baker Mayfield wins the NFC South, goes 12-5 and reaches the NFC title game while landing a $60 million-per-year deal; and Aaron Rodgers throws 35-plus touchdowns as the Steelers go 11-6 and win the North.
- Mike MoraitisTrade and Signing Calls · DaRon BlandHit · 100Moraitis 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.
- Bucky BrooksTrade and Signing Calls · Keenan AllenHit · 100Brooks predicted J.J. McCarthy won't be on the Vikings' roster (traded or released), said Kyler Murray wins the Vikings' QB competition, made a series of 2025 award picks, made 2026 Heisman/draft projections including Arch Manning as the front-runner for the No. 1 overall pick, and said none of Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Joe Burrow win a championship this season.
- Jon GrudenTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100The former Buccaneers head coach predicted that Tampa Bay and Baker Mayfield are closer on a new contract than believed and that an extension will get done.
- Joel CorryTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100The unsigned CBS Sports analysis lays out the contract it believes Tampa Bay will have to give Mayfield at minimum: a two-year extension averaging $50 million per year with $110 million in guarantees and a no-trade clause.
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.
- Cynthia FrelundDivision Winners · Houston TexansMiss · 0Freeland's model has the Chargers winning straight up in Dallas, the Texans winning big over the Raiders and going on to win the AFC South, the Lions beating the Steelers by six, the Saints beating the Jets, and the Packers beating the Bears; she also sees the AFC's Super Bowl representative being either Denver or Houston.
- Chris BrockmanDivision Winners · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 100Brockman 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.
- Rich EisenDivision Winners · Philadelphia EaglesHit · 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.