# Eric Mangini: 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.

**Claimed:** Sep 11, 2026
**Pundit:** Eric Mangini — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/eric-mangini
**Outlet:** First Things First (podcast) — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/first-things-first-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us
**Original:** https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/FOXM4135153507.mp3

7 checkable claims — 5 game outcome picks, 1 award pick and 1 division winner — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

5 of 7 have settled so far, averaging 20 out of 100, against 80 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> The Washington Commandments... in week one, where everybody thinks Washington is pretty much dead, dead on arrival, they're gonna show some life.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Denver Broncos to win**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Denver Broncos
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Washington Commanders to win**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Washington Commanders
  - 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
- **Houston Texans to win**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Houston Texans
  - 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 the division**
  - Kind: Division Winners · About: Cincinnati Bengals
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Joe Burrow to win MVP**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Denver Broncos — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/broncos
- Washington Commanders — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/commanders
- Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/bengals
- Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/texans
- Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/cowboys
- Joe Burrow — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/joe-burrow

## 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)
- Seth Walder on Kayshon Boutte: Walder proposes five trades he believes should happen before Week 1 of the 2026 season: Jessie Bates III to the 49ers, Kayvon Thibodeaux to the Patriots, Keon Coleman to the Colts, Walker Little to the Cardinals, and Kayshon Boutte to the Commanders, where he says Boutte would immediately be Washington's No. 2 receiver. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/0263bd78-6c5c-41c5-8615-0467d8ef521a (scored 0)
- Garrett Podell on Stefon Diggs: An unsigned CBS Sports report frames Stefon Diggs as filling Washington's vacant No. 2 receiver role opposite Terry McLaurin after his reported one-year deal, expecting him in that spot in the 2026 passing game with Jayden Daniels. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/bc79861b-dbde-474e-9d55-bf50f7b766d2 (scored 100)
- Bucky Brooks on Stefon Diggs: In a quarterback rapid-fire segment and later discussion, Brooks named starters for several clubs (Kyler Murray over JJ McCarthy in Minnesota, Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland, Tua in Atlanta, Jeremiah Love as Arizona's starting running back), called Chris Olave a No. 1 receiver, backed Stefon Diggs landing with the Commanders and Aaron Donald returning to the Rams, argued Baker Mayfield belongs among the top 15-17 quarterbacks, and published a top-five defensive tackle list topped by Jeffrey Simmons. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/9538b827-fc12-4c2e-8e32-eaa69edc6c2d (scored 100)
- Joe Marino on Stefon Diggs: Marino projects DJ Moore to bounce back in Buffalo's offense with over 1,000 receiving yards (talking up around 1,200), and expects rookie cornerback Davison Igbinosun (IGB) to win a starting job opposite Christian Benford. He also thinks free agent Stefon Diggs ends up signing with Washington. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/eef9205a-1efb-4b83-821d-a7553d3ad6b4 (scored 100)
- Gregg Rosenthal on Stefon Diggs: Rosenthal picked rookies he expects to start right away — a Steelers left tackle and Colts linebacker — said Terry McLaurin is Washington's clear No. 1 receiver, and said he wouldn't be surprised if the Commanders signed Stefon Diggs as a solid No. 2. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/2ea758f8-ab4d-4480-aaf9-ab24fd822c3f (scored 100)

## More game outcome picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- John Pluym on Kansas City Chiefs: Pluym's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e7e5c159-21f2-4766-92de-857294ef51cf (scored 100)
- Matt Verderame on Kansas City Chiefs: Verderame's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/e4f51f97-310d-4665-a47e-fdab93ff1fd1 (scored 100)
- Mike Kadlick on Kansas City Chiefs: Kadlick's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/934613ff-97e3-4894-a383-faa755bdfc35 (scored 100)
- Nick Wright on Kansas City Chiefs: Nick Wright lays out his 2026 season picks: all eight division winners, the Ravens as the AFC's No. 1 seed with 13 wins and a 6-0 start, Chiefs and Eagles in the Super Bowl with Kansas City winning, plus value picks on the Seahawks and Eagles to win the NFC. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/28eb6893-6945-42b1-970e-c8647881f733 (scored 100)
- Richard Sherman on Kansas City Chiefs: Sherman previewed the AFC, picking the Bills, Chiefs, Ravens and Texans as division winners with Denver, New England and Jacksonville as wild cards, called several individual early-season games, and predicted a big year for Travis Hunter at cornerback. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/72ff16c2-b2aa-4bf7-aad7-0cdabfa8a999 (scored 100)
- Nick Wright on Kansas City Chiefs: Nick Wright locked in his preseason picks: the Ravens as the AFC's No. 1 seed with 13 wins, eight division winners, Eagles/Broncos/Chiefs to make the playoffs, Eagles and Seahawks to come out of the NFC, and a Chiefs win over the Eagles in the Super Bowl. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/fce97149-84fb-4412-88c5-84a696e7905f (scored 100)

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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=eric-mangini
