# Rich Eisen: Eisen has the Ravens getting back into the AFC playoffs in place of the Steelers, puts the Lions in the NFC field ahead of a Packers team he thinks slips out, disagrees with Brockman by saying Houston makes the playoffs, and expects the Bears to return to the postseason. **Claimed:** Aug 18, 2026 **Pundit:** Rich Eisen — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/rich-eisen **Outlet:** The Rich Eisen Show (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/the-rich-eisen-show-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP7777032621.mp3 4 checkable claims — 4 playoff picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > I think Lamar is gonna have a great year, and I think the Ravens are back in it. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Chicago Bears to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Detroit Lions to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Houston Texans to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans ## What others said about the same people - 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) - Mason Cameron on Ethan Pocic: An 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ac17490e-98b7-4d3c-9fea-750e5dc9e486 (scored 0) - Evan Silva on Baltimore Ravens: In his 2020 fantasy defense/special teams rankings, Silva puts the Steelers first, the 49ers second and the Ravens third, citing pass rush, favorable early schedules and game scripts. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/180b1036-60e5-494b-9b4d-90b5dc3d6528 (scored 58.33) - Jared Dubin on Baltimore Ravens: Dubin is high on the Ravens and low on the Colts, predicting a big Baltimore road win. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5255427f-f227-4e34-b350-059ecc4aa1fd (scored 100) ## More playoff picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Dan "Buzz" Wilson on Philadelphia Eagles: Wilson argued the Eagles' offseason approach of prioritizing 2026 and beyond doesn't mean a bad 2025 — he expects them to remain among the NFC's best teams and to make a deep playoff run rather than fall off to eight or nine wins. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/afce079c-b986-476b-a872-09905017fc6f (scored 100) - Craig Stout on Kansas City Chiefs: Craig believes better execution from a Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team will be enough to return them to the playoffs in the coming season, and he expects Tyler Algeier to land with Denver as a complement to RJ Harvey. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4ad5b565-6220-4c30-9371-e55be75a35f0 (scored 0) - Ross Jackson on New Orleans Saints: Jackson projects a big sophomore jump for Saints QB Tyler Shuck, laying out a Drake May-style stat line (17 starts, 72% completions, ~4,601 passing yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs) or a Bo Nix-style consistency line (over 4,000 yards, over 20 TDs, ~10 INTs), and says either path means a playoff season for New Orleans in 2026. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4dc05898-73fd-4fcb-92c4-a940d7e395ba (scored 0) - Dwaine Board on San Francisco 49ers: Board argues the 49ers can still make the playoffs even if Trent Williams leaves, expects Williams to be brought back, and favors drafting a wide receiver at No. 27 over an offensive tackle. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/07beb6d4-aadc-4b2d-b131-b889c85204a3 (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on Pittsburgh Steelers: Brockman argued the road to the Super Bowl in the AFC goes through Foxborough, meaning the Patriots will finish as the No. 1 seed, and called his shot that the Chargers beat Denver in Week 18. He also declared the Bears a team of destiny who will win the NFC, said the Steelers will end their playoff win drought, and that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7792215a-c787-44bd-b294-5ff028851d30 (scored 100) - Chris Brockman on Buffalo Bills: Brockman argued the Texans will reach the AFC Championship Game, declared the Chiefs dynasty over, said the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through Lambeau Field, that Josh Allen is still the most dangerous QB and the Bills will win a playoff game (with the AFC East runner-up as the 5 seed winning in Pittsburgh or Baltimore), that Carolina will win the NFC South, that Baltimore finishes under .500 with Lamar no longer a top-five QB, that the Colts should trade for Mac Jones, and that Marcus Freeman will be in the NFL next year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c06d1a3a-78d8-4aec-8574-159821b42aab (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=rich-eisen