Danny Parkins· Sep 4, 2026
Guest-hosting for Colin Cowherd, Parkins laid out his full NFC playoff field: Giants, Bears, Buccaneers and Seahawks as division winners, with the Rams, Cowboys and Lions as wild cards. He also gave his own top-six ranking of coach-quarterback duos.
“So the division winners, the Giants, the Bears, the Bucks, and the Seahawks, wildcard teams out of the NFC, the Rams, the Cowboys, and the Lions.”
said on air or in an interview · The Herd with Colin Cowherd (podcast) · read the original →
8 checkable claims — 4 division winners, 3 playoff picks and 1 head coach ranking — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
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
8 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 PicksDetroit LionsSep 4, 2026
Detroit Lions to make the playoffs
“the schedule is too easy for me to overlook. The Detroit Lions... wildcard teams out of the NFC, the Rams, the Cowboys, and the Lions.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersSeattle SeahawksSep 4, 2026
Seattle Seahawks to win the division
“I think they come out of the NFC West... the division winners, the Giants, the Bears, the Bucks, and the Seahawks”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersNew York GiantsSep 4, 2026
New York Giants to win the division
“We begin in the NFC East with, yes, my spiciest pick. But I like the Giants... So the division winners, the Giants, the Bears, the Bucks, and the Seahawks”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersChicago BearsSep 4, 2026
Chicago Bears to win the division
“I have the Bears coming out and winning the NFC North.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Division WinnersTampa Bay BuccaneersSep 4, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division
“NFC South, I still think it's Tampa's division... I think they're the best team in the NFC South.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksDallas CowboysSep 4, 2026
Dallas Cowboys to make the playoffs
“i do have the dallas cowboys making the playoffs”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Playoff PicksLos Angeles RamsSep 4, 2026
Los Angeles Rams to make the playoffs
“But in a tightly contested division, the top wildcard team is the Rams.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Head Coach RankingsSep 4, 2026
“McVay, Stafford, Reed Mahomes, Harbaugh, Herbert, Mae Vrabel, Purdy, Shanahan, Williams, Johnson would be my top six.”
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.
- Chris BrockmanTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100Brockman'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.
- Mike MoraitisTrade and Signing Calls · DaRon BlandHit · 100Moraitis 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.
- Jon GrudenTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100The 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.
- Joel CorryTrade and Signing Calls · Baker MayfieldHit · 100The 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.
- 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.
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.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · Los Angeles ChargersMiss · 0Cowherd 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.
- Colin CowherdDivision Winners · Baltimore RavensMiss · 0Cowherd likes Jacksonville, Chicago and Pittsburgh (with DK Metcalf back) in the wild-card round, ranks the league's head coaches with McVay first and Ben Johnson seventh, and predicts Lamar Jackson has about two strong years left. He also names the Rams as a possible team to draft a receiver and floats next year's draft having seven first-round quarterbacks.
- 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.
- Cynthia FrelundDivision Winners · Houston TexansMiss · 0Freeland's model has the Chargers winning straight up in Dallas, the Texans winning big over the Raiders and going on to win the AFC South, the Lions beating the Steelers by six, the Saints beating the Jets, and the Packers beating the Bears; she also sees the AFC's Super Bowl representative being either Denver or Houston.