You’ve heard of the announcer jinx, but do you know about the studio panel jinx? The Cleveland Browns were the recipients of that on Saturday when every single analyst on NFL Network picked them to defeat the Houston Texans in the opening game of the NFL Wild Card round.
Cleveland once led 14-10, but that only lasted 18 seconds, as Brevin Jordan caught a 76-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud, culminating in Houston’s longest offensive play of the season. The Texans would go on to score 35 unanswered points to knock off the Browns, who were 2.5-point road favorites, 45-14.
Everyone on the studio show, including Rich Eisen, Steve Mariucci, Kurt Warner, Gerald McCoy, Michael Irvin, Kimmi Chex, and Cythnia Frelund, picked Cleveland to win. To be fair, they all seemed to realize they were tempting fate by doing so, especially Eisen, who made it easier for someone in Houston to grab a screengrab as they all smiled and posed for a photo with their unanimous predictions at the forefront.
“At least we look good,” the NFL Network host quipped.
That may be true, but where was Mike Tirico when you needed him? Talking into a freezer for three hours, apparently.
Every NFL Network panelist picked the Cleveland Browns to win on Saturday… pic.twitter.com/pRbeerAw5V
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 14, 2024
“Man, I love Houston, but I’m going to take Cleveland to win this game,” said Irvin, the Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer, who should’ve stuck with his gut.
“I’m gonna make this a clean sweep,” said Chex. “We don’t know what yours (Frelund) is yet, but I’m also gonna go with Cleveland Browns. Joe Flacco, all aboard.”
The 39-year-old Flacco went 34-of-46 for 307 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions (both were pick-sixes).
It’s just the latest instance of a media outlet’s unanimous predictions going wrong. Be wary the next time it happens, but it also begs the question of why we are still making pregame predictions in 2023.
