# Matt Severance: The SportsLine Projection Model forecasts Cincinnati for nine wins and less than a coin-flip chance of reaching the playoffs. **Claimed:** Aug 4, 2026 **Pundit:** Matt Severance — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/matt-severance **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/betting/news/bengals-2026-nfl-futures-odds-bettors-loving-joe-burrow-for-mvp-but-what-about-new-look-cincinnati-defense/ One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened. Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > The SportsLine Projection Model forecasts them for 9.0 wins and a 42.9% shot at the playoffs. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Cincinnati Bengals to finish with 9 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bengals ## What others said about the same people - Pat Fitzmaurice on Trey Hendrickson: Fitzmorris 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c3d0242f-bda2-45fd-82b3-7782bd29c69f (scored 0) - Eric Mangini on Cincinnati Bengals: Mangini's upset alert was Washington over Philadelphia; in the chips segment he backed Houston, Dallas and Denver; and his Monday headline was Cincinnati mauling Tampa Bay, with Joe Burrow as his MVP and the Bengals as AFC North champs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e5bc3ec1-bf97-4273-a223-f5661d0cca8a (scored 100) - AJ Hawk on Cincinnati Bengals: AJ Hawk picked the Ravens over the Colts, Carolina to beat Chicago outright, the Bills at Houston, the Bengals over Tampa Bay, the Titans over the Jets, the Raiders over Miami, the Packers at Minnesota and the Cowboys over the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/74f9146c-d27f-4851-b8a4-4103d043308f (scored 100) - LaVar Arrington on Cincinnati Bengals: Arrington picked the Steelers over the Falcons, the Bengals to cover against the Buccaneers, the Texans on the money line over the Bills, and the Giants to upset the Cowboys. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9a5a37b7-ef05-43b5-8379-5c353bf1986b (scored 100) - Jonas Knox on Cincinnati Bengals: Knox picked the Steelers at home over the Falcons, his Bears over the Panthers, the Bengals over the Buccaneers, the Texans money line over the Bills, and the Cowboys over the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/82dd7d9f-4c15-4afc-aeff-3eb2cd06030b (scored 100) - Brady Quinn on Cincinnati Bengals: In the show's Week 1 picks-against-the-spread segment, Quinn took the Steelers over the Falcons, the Panthers at home over the Bears, the Bengals over the Buccaneers, the Texans at home over the Bills, and the Cowboys on the road over the Giants. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/696da78f-ea04-4f40-9242-4fb9a3f93d91 (scored 100) ## More season win totals The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Chris Brockman on New England Patriots: Brockman's overreaction slate: Breece Hall leaves the Jets and plays in the playoffs next season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the best receiver in the league, three quarterbacks (Mendoza first overall, plus Ty Simpson and Carson Beck) go in the first round, and the Patriots crater to a 7-10 season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/855631ac-f41e-4f40-9368-ae99994bb8c3 (scored 0) - Chris Brockman on New England Patriots: Brockman argued Jaxon Smith-Njigba is already the best receiver in the NFL and deserves to be the highest paid, called his shot that three quarterbacks (Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck) go in the first round with Mendoza first overall, and suggested New England is headed for a 7-10 season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c47d130c-5598-4cd0-b546-1121046b9166 (scored 0) - JP Acosta on New York Giants: Acosta expects John Harbaugh's Giants to jump to roughly seven wins in year one, and forecast several offseason moves: Aaron Rodgers returning to Pittsburgh, Daniel Jones returning to the Colts, Kirk Cousins being released by Atlanta, and Brandon Aiyuk leaving San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/17ab1ec5-a2f1-41c6-a6df-a0e6d949351b (scored 40) - Rich Eisen on New Orleans Saints: 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 40) - Chris Brockman on New Orleans Saints: Brockman floated the 49ers as the team to beat in the NFC after their Sunday night win, predicted James Cook would lead the league in rushing, and said Tyler Shough will win Rookie of the Year with the Saints finishing above .500 next season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e393bfed-202c-4c67-9054-793f6bdad096 (scored 40) - Rich Eisen on Chicago Bears: Rich Eisen gave his Week 15 top-10 power rankings, installing the Rams at No. 1 as the best team in football, adding the Jaguars and keeping the Bears despite their loss, while dropping the Cowboys and Eagles off the list. He also projected 10-win seasons for both Chicago and Jacksonville and said the Jaguars would handle the Jets at home. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a3c3755f-fe00-4096-a948-18cb17e42e14 (scored 80) --- 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=matt-severance