The start of the 2024-25 NFL season also meant the return of the weekly gambling segment on The Herd with Colin Cowherd called Blazin’ 5.
For a second straight year, Cowherd failed quite miserably to correctly predict the right side of the Week 1 spreads.
For those unaware of the longstanding segment, Cowherd essentially gives his viewers five picks each week during the NFL season to cover the betting spread against their opponent.
Cowherd’s five Week 1 spread picks last season all ended up being incorrect, with his worst being his prediction that the Giants would cover the +3.5 spread, only to lose the game 40-0 to the Dallas Cowboys.
His predictions this season weren’t quite as bad. But Cowherd’s pick in the NFC South showdown between the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints ended up very similarly to last year’s Giants-Cowboys game.
“I like the Panthers +4. In fact, I think they can win. You may want to be bet moneyline. They’ve got a new head coach, Dave Canales. He’s the one that gave Baker Mayfield that great season last year. They have upgraded on the O-line, edge rusher, wide receiver. Bryce Young in the last month last year was not terrible. Completed 65 percent of his throws, mid-80s passer ratings with a bad O-Line and bad receivers.
“Dennis Allen, I think argument worst coach in the league. On the hot seat. Their offensive line was second worst in the league and they didn’t generate a pass rush. The Panthers’ defense, even last year, though it was on the field constantly, was top five and six in many categories. The Panthers win this game outright. Take the points, 24 to 20.”
Just about everything Cowherd stated in this prediction ended up being entirely incorrect. The Panthers “upgraded” offensive line allowed four sacks in the game. Their own pass rush recorded just one sack. And Bryce Young looked entirely lost in the first game of his second season, throwing two interceptions and recording just 161 passing yards.
The Saints had largely won the game by halftime, ending up with a 47-10 blowout victory.
To be entirely fair to Cowherd, he did have some accurate predictions in there. The Detroit Lions were able to cover the -4.5 spread with an overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football. The Seattle Seahawks pushed on their -6 spread with a 26-20 win over the Denver Broncos.
However, when it came to Cowherd’s prediction on the Panthers and Saints, he simply couldn’t have been more wrong.
Cowherd still has one final pick (New York Jets +4.5) to get his Week 1 record to .500 on Monday Night Football. But given his track record, you may want to consider taking the San Francisco 49ers…