Colin Cowherd· Aug 11, 2026
Cowherd laid out the top two teams in every NFL division, naming the Bills, Ravens, Texans, Chargers, Eagles, Lions and Saints as division winners, with the Bengals, Chiefs and Giants as playoff teams from second place, plus win totals for Baltimore, Houston and Minnesota and a hunch that JJ McCarthy gets traded.
“AFC Bill's Patriots in the East, one and two, Ravens, Bengals in the North, one and two Texans Colts.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
15 checkable claims — 7 division winners, 3 playoff picks, 3 season win totals, 1 pro bowl and all-pro call and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 14 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 2.
Where this call stands in the room
Minnesota Vikings · 2026 season · wins9 calls from 7 pundits between 8 wins and 12 wins. Colin Cowherd said 10 wins. the room's median is 9 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.
Their call against the record
Their call against what actually happened last time. Not yet settled.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
Who this take is about
15 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.
- Playoff PicksCincinnati BengalsAug 11, 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.
- Division WinnersHouston TexansAug 11, 2026
Houston Texans to win the division
“AFC South. The winner's easy. The Texans... Texans win it, Colts number two”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsBaltimore RavensAug 11, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to finish with 10 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.
- Season Win TotalsMinnesota VikingsAug 11, 2026
Minnesota Vikings to finish with 10 wins
“I think Kyler's gonna end up winning close or or double digit wins.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersNew Orleans SaintsAug 11, 2026
New Orleans Saints to win the division
“NFC South. I'm taking the Saints as one of the most improved teams in the league and Carolina in second... Saints win the division, Carolina second”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Season Win TotalsHouston TexansAug 11, 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.
- Division WinnersLos Angeles ChargersAug 11, 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 WinnersBuffalo BillsAug 11, 2026
Buffalo Bills to win the division
“Buffalo wins it, Patriot second place AFC North.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersPhiladelphia EaglesAug 11, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles to win the division
“we go Eagles and Giants... The Eagles have won the division three of the last four years... It's a great roster.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksKansas City ChiefsAug 11, 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 WinnersBaltimore RavensAug 11, 2026
Baltimore Ravens to win the division
“I think Jesse Mintor was the hot coordinator in this cycle, so my guess is they win... Ravens won Bengals two in the AFC North”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersDetroit LionsAug 11, 2026
Detroit Lions to win the division
“In the NFC North, Lions Bears is how I see it... I'm gonna take him to win the division.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksNew York GiantsAug 11, 2026
New York Giants to make the playoffs
“Early I have the Giants as a wildcard team, we go Eagles and Giants.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Nick Emmanwori to make All-Pro
“that kid maybe an eight year pro bowler. I mean that kid could be an All Pro guy for most of the next decade.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Trade and Signing CallsJ.J. McCarthyAug 11, 2026
J.J. McCarthy to move
“I would not be shocked if at some point pre trade deadline, JJ McCarthy has moved Chargers. Who knows.”
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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice touts Kyler Murray as a value QB who will start Week 1 for Minnesota, Tyler Shough as the Saints' undisputed starter, and Juwan Johnson and Terrance Ferguson as late-round tight end targets.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to be Minnesota's Week 1 starter and calls him one of the better quarterback values in 2026 drafts; he also views Jordan Love as a top-10 real-life quarterback but only a QB2 in fantasy.
- 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.
- Pat FitzmauriceDepth Chart Calls · Kyler MurrayHit · 100Fitzmaurice expects Kyler Murray to open the season as Minnesota's starting quarterback and to be one of the better quarterback values in 2026 fantasy drafts, and he likewise likes Tyler Shough as New Orleans' entrenched starter with an easy schedule.
- 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.
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.
- Chris BrockmanDivision Winners · Chicago BearsHit · 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 · 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.