# Matt Verderame: Verderame's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. **Claimed:** Sep 9, 2026 **Pundit:** Matt Verderame — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/matt-verderame **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/2026-nfl-week-1-staff-expert-picks 16 checkable claims — 16 game outcome picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 16 players and teams, each linked to their own record. All 16 have settled, averaging 62.5 out of 100, against 62.5 for a naive guess at the same calls. ## The claims - **Kansas City Chiefs to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Baltimore Ravens to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Pittsburgh Steelers to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Houston Texans to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Houston Texans - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Philadelphia Eagles to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Philadelphia Eagles - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Green Bay Packers to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Green Bay Packers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Detroit Lions to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Detroit Lions - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Los Angeles Chargers to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Las Vegas Raiders to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Tennessee Titans to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Tennessee Titans - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Dallas Cowboys to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Cincinnati Bengals to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Jacksonville Jaguars to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Jacksonville Jaguars - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Chicago Bears to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Chicago Bears - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Los Angeles Rams to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Seattle Seahawks to win** - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess ## Who this take is about - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans - Philadelphia Eagles — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/eagles - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/packers - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/lions - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/titans - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/jaguars - Chicago Bears — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bears - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/rams - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/seahawks ## What others said about the same people - Tyler Sullivan on Drew Lock: In 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. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/8a14b5e6-066b-457f-b409-a3ddbd512aca (scored 0) - 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) - John Shipley on Jack Kiser: Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/c0a52b7c-63b2-4e18-b7da-9342dbbc111f (scored 0) - 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) - Jared Dubin on Daniel Faalele: Dubin grades the Faalele trade, predicting Faalele has a decent chance to be Jacksonville's Week 1 starting right guard in competition with Wyatt Milum, and that Evan Neal's odds of making the Giants' 53-man roster improved while Jon Runyan and Francis Mauigoa hold the Giants' starting guard jobs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/aae46267-fc6d-44c1-a96c-7355b3db857b (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) ## More game outcome picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Danny Parkins on Denver Broncos: Parkins picked the Giants to upset Dallas, the Steelers to beat Atlanta by two scores, the Bears to beat Carolina, the Bills to beat Houston and Denver to beat Kansas City outright; he also said Justin Herbert will win an MVP and had the Bengals as AFC North champs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/36c480cc-6b54-4cea-8204-3fc00ea6493c (scored 0) - Eric Mangini on Denver Broncos: 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 0) - Shannon Sharpe on Denver Broncos: Sharpe predicted Matthew Stafford would throw four touchdowns in the Thursday night game against the 49ers, picked Tampa Bay to beat Cincinnati at home, took the Broncos over Kansas City on Monday night with Bonitto getting 2.5 sacks, and expects big fantasy value from kicker Brandon Aubrey. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/7f7bf5cf-1f4a-4432-beab-5ec7c9549fc7 (scored 0) - Tyler Sullivan on Denver Broncos: An unsigned CBS Sports piece flags five Week 1 underdogs as upset candidates: the 49ers over the Rams in Melbourne, the Texans over the Bills, the Panthers over the Bears, the Jets over the Titans, and the Broncos over the Chiefs on Monday night. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/cd6c3269-8c90-4044-9c48-0b1fc3537699 (scored 0) - Mitch Goldich on Denver Broncos: Goldich's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/643de3da-467f-48c2-a141-4656c392ab89 (scored 0) - Conor Orr on Denver Broncos: Orr's Week 1 straight-up picks, including several upsets (Patriots, Buccaneers, Browns, Dolphins, Commanders, Broncos). — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/54ae8d21-7621-4c3d-816c-e879aed9b5c2 (scored 0) --- 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-verderame