# Kyle Brandt: Brandt picks Jalen Hurts as 2025 NFL MVP, predicts the Seahawks win the NFC West, has the Steelers, Patriots and Chargers in the AFC playoffs and the Lions as an NFC wild card, and takes Maxx Crosby as Defensive Player of the Year. He also says Saquon Barkley won't reach 2,000 rushing yards again but will score more. **Claimed:** Sep 3, 2025 **Pundit:** Kyle Brandt — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/kyle-brandt **Outlet:** Move the Sticks (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/move-the-sticks-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview **Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/nfl-good-morning-football/gmfb-wednesday-hour-2-playoff-teams-reactions-brandon-graham-and-defensive-poy-predictions 10 checkable claims — 6 playoff picks, 2 award picks, 1 division winner and 1 super bowl pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 11 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 10 have settled, averaging 40 out of 100, against 20 for a naive guess at the same calls. > The NFL's best player leads the NFL's best team. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Seattle Seahawks to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Baltimore Ravens to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Detroit Lions to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Los Angeles Chargers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **New England Patriots to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: New England Patriots - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Pittsburgh Steelers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Philadelphia Eagles to win the Super Bowl** - Kind: Super Bowl Picks · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Jalen Hurts to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Maxx Crosby to win Defensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers - New England Patriots — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/patriots - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Jalen Hurts — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/jalen-hurts - Maxx Crosby — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/maxx-crosby - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders ## What others said about the same people - John Maakaron on Joe Bachie: Maakaron suggests several Lions players could be cut and land on other rosters: linebacker Joe Bachie, defensive linemen Ben Stille and Chris Smith, and running back Sione Vaki. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6cc7cac4-1a70-4e0a-a762-8c280319c3af (scored 100) - Michael Hanich on Seattle Seahawks: Hanich argues the Week 2 road game at Arizona is not a true trap game, citing Seattle's long winning streak in the series, Mike Macdonald's preparation and injuries in the Cardinals' secondary, and rates his confidence in the Seahawks at 7. He also suggests safety Nick Emmanwori may miss a second straight game. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/735e7874-81a3-4bde-8c8f-d718cadf6e33 (scored 100) - John Middlekauff on Philadelphia Eagles: In a Week 2 preview, Middlekauff argued Matt LaFleur is under enormous pressure in Green Bay, predicted blowout wins for the 49ers over Miami and the Eagles over Tennessee, and offered season win-total views on the Saints, Buccaneers, Texans and Jaguars while backing Dallas to win the NFC East. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/6b74ac24-5cde-4063-b243-78341ac76343 (scored 100) - Jeff Kerr on Philadelphia Eagles: Kerr frames the Week 2 trip to Nashville as a game Philadelphia should win, moving the Eagles to 2-0 before a tougher stretch against the Bears and Rams. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/90fdbe23-0880-4177-a75c-2784aeecf209 (scored 100) - Cory Nidoh on Philadelphia Eagles: Nidoh expects Jalen Hurts to have another big game against Tennessee and for the Eagles to come away with their first-ever win in Nashville over the Titans. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/17f67cbb-f466-4d2f-b138-69e366c94a58 (scored 100) - Chris Broussard on New England Patriots: Brew stood by the Lions as division winners and playoff team, picked the Texans over Cincinnati, the Bears over Minnesota, the Patriots to beat Pittsburgh with a solid Drake Maye game, flagged Jacksonville over Denver as his upset alert, and said he still feels good about the Ravens winning the AFC. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/a54915e0-49e6-427b-a7a5-4feb5d0f3cbb (scored 100) ## More playoff picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - 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) - Rich Eisen on Minnesota Vikings: Eisen argues Ohio State will produce multiple top-10 picks — Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs — becoming the first school with three defensive players in the top 10, and that Styles will not be available at No. 12 to the Cowboys. He also thinks Fernando Mendoza is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick and expects the Raiders to draft him, and picks Trey Lance over Anthony Richardson to start a game first, Micah Parsons to fetch a bigger trade return than Maxx Crosby, Kirk Cousins as the released QB most likely to reach the playoffs, and J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings' Week 1 starter. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/29ea2738-79a2-4be9-aa45-e794cd3848fb (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) - Rich Eisen on Carolina Panthers: 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 Green Bay Packers: Eisen agreed the Bears are a team of destiny who will win the NFC, insisted the Packers will make the playoffs and won't lose at home to the Ravens, said the Steelers should make the playoffs, and endorsed the view that Trevor Lawrence is playing like a top-five quarterback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1f7633c5-427b-4993-8849-3f53865241bd (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=kyle-brandt