# Chris Brockman: Brockman'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. **Claimed:** Sep 7, 2026 **Pundit:** Chris Brockman — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/chris-brockman **Outlet:** Overreaction Monday (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/overreaction-monday-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP1583180587.mp3 14 checkable claims — 3 award picks, 3 division winners, 2 player season numbers, 2 season win totals, 1 playoff pick, 1 seeding, byes and home field, 1 super bowl pick and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 12 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 1 of 14 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room on every one. > Fernando Mendoza is gonna play. He's gonna lead the Raiders in passing, and he's gonna be an offensive rookie of the year finalist. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Baker Mayfield to move to Tampa Bay Buccaneers** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Houston Texans to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Pittsburgh Steelers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baker Mayfield to win MVP finalist** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dallas Cowboys to win the Super Bowl** - Kind: Super Bowl Picks · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Baltimore Ravens to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jonathan Taylor to record 2,000 rushing yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to finish with 12 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Aaron Rodgers to record 35 passing tds** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dak Prescott to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Fernando Mendoza to win Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet - **Pittsburgh Steelers to finish with 11 wins** - Kind: Season Win Totals · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Baker Mayfield — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/baker-mayfield - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Jonathan Taylor — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jonathan-taylor - Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/colts - Aaron Rodgers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/aaron-rodgers - Dak Prescott — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/dak-prescott - Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders ## What others said about the same people - Mike Moraitis on DaRon Bland: Moraitis 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/66b5ed7b-41bd-4f67-9b4d-16eae4675e67 (scored 100) - Bucky Brooks on Keenan Allen: Brooks 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/10c3797b-f9e0-41ca-a2a3-5d765a242a79 (scored 100) - Jon Gruden on Baker Mayfield: The 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/10bb8ff2-886c-488e-b693-fb4ea9dd5880 (scored 100) - Joel Corry on Baker Mayfield: The 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a840ff4-f1e5-48ca-bec6-ba41e9ef2396 (scored 100) - Noah Compton on C.J. Allen: After watching the Colts' eleventh training camp practice, Compton says rookie linebacker CJ Allen is still expected to start the regular-season opener, identifies Alec Pierce as the team's top receiver and Cam Taylor-Britt as the first cornerback behind the starting trio, and declares the kicking job Blake Grupe's to lose. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/98a8bd92-bcd8-4b5a-aad7-96ecd936662b (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) ## More division winners The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Daniel DiBerardinis on Atlanta Falcons: Danny 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a8e0b7c-9f1c-4c13-8138-1332d73b9b02 (scored 0) - Colin Cowherd on New York Giants: Cowherd projects the NFC East with the Giants winning the division ahead of Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas, pegging the Cowboys as a six- or seven-win team. He also expects Malik Willis to land a big free-agent deal, Kayvon Thibodeaux to be moved, and Baltimore to lose Isaiah Likely, and he floats the Rams reaching on Ty Simpson late in round one. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd243624-9451-4824-a8a4-7b468d681c8f (scored 0) - Colin Cowherd on Los Angeles Chargers: Cowherd unveiled his top 10 NFL teams entering next season, with Seattle first, the Rams second and the Chiefs tenth, and separately picked the Chargers to win the AFC West. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/78de302a-c2f9-41b4-8897-87943ca44caa (scored 0) - Rich Eisen on Jacksonville Jaguars: Eisen 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/34345186-876a-4c4b-9567-9c289a6cbace (scored 100) - Rich Eisen on Jacksonville Jaguars: 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 100) - Rich Eisen on New England Patriots: Eisen 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ae722f6b-44e2-42bb-a847-4435f539db5b (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=chris-brockman