The WireThe desk is 841-584 in 2026 · 2459-1445 all-time (63%) · 3,904 picks graded in public — every one posted before the line closed

Trip NickNFL · Updated Jul 24, 2026 · 12:12 PM

PLAYS+94.5uATS 173-148-3 · 333 plays · every pick, posted before the gameW1 streakLast 10: 8-2
2026: 20-8 (71%) · All-time 377-191 (66%) · 568 graded picks
A play is a star-sized spread bet, staked by stars at −110. Everything else on the card is a tracked lean for calibration, never bet.
THE RECORD377-191 (66%) · 568 picksPlays 227-106 (68%)ATS 282-260-5 · plays 173-148-3ATS vs baseline 274-280-5 (+2.6 pts)Units +94.5u (n=198)
SU vs baseline model +0.4 pts (all picks)Backlog 198 pendingUnits basis: star-sized ATS plays at -110
Star-tier performance — is bigger sizing earning its keep?
TierPicksPlaysSUATSUnits (plays, -110)
9.5★111-01-0+9.5u
8.0★110-11-0+8.0u
7.5★333-02-1+6.8u
7.0★552-33-2+5.6u
6.5★553-23-2+5.2u
6.0★553-22-3-7.8u
5.5★131310-38-5+13.7u
5.0★11117-47-4+13.0u
4.5★12129-38-4+16.2u
4.0★11117-45-6-6.4u
3.5★252517-814-11+6.6u
3.0★13139-46-7-5.1u
2.5★303019-1121-9+27.8u
2.0★333323-1018-14-1+5.2u
1.5★303020-1014-15-1-3.8u
Overall198198133-65113-83-2+94.5u
Team power ratings — Trip Nick's adjusted power board with offseason notes (32 teams)
#TeamAdjustedBaseBookOffseason note
1NE Patriots1639.41599.4+1.6consensus most-improved — Vrabel/McDaniels regime, ~$128M spree (M.Williams/Landry/Davis/Diggs/Moses), Campbell/Henderson draft, year-2 Maye leap projected
2HOU Texans1636.61606.6+1.2rebuilt-on-the-fly OL after Tunsil trade, Diggs gone, Mixon on NFI; Kirk/Chubb/Robinson patches + new OC Caley; small step back on the lines
3SEA Seahawks1633.61673.6-1.6Geno->Darnold skeptic-lateral; DK/Lockett out + new Kubiak scheme; Kupp/Lawrence + A-grade Zabel/Emmanwori draft
4LA Rams1624.11609.1+0.6Adams-for-Kupp swap + Humphries; Stafford August disc flare + A.Jackson blood clots health asterisk
5BUF Bills1611.21606.2+0.2MVP continuity, Allen locked up; Bosa/Palmer + A- defensive draft; minor losses, Ogunjobi/Hoecht suspensions
6DEN Broncos1610.81610.8+0.0trendy riser — year-2 Nix growth, Payton continuity, Hufanga/Greenlaw (both injury-flagged) + Engram + Barron onto a top-3 defense
7JAX Jaguars1580.41572.9+0.3Coen a clear coaching upgrade, Lawrence bounce-back priced in, all-in Travis Hunter trade + OL vets; sleeper in a weak AFC South
8SF 49ers1579.71559.7+0.8mass exodus Deebo/Greenlaw/Hufanga/Ward/Banks/Hargrave; Saleh back + health snap-back partial offset; Aiyuk PUP
9LAC Chargers1579.41529.4+2.0Harbaugh year-2 optimism + Najee/Becton/Hampton; Bosa/Ford/Dobbins/Samuel out, Slater season-ending knee, M.Williams retired in camp
10PHI Eagles1569.01559.0+0.4champion erosion: Sweat/M.Williams/Slay/CJGJ/Graham out + first-time play-caller Patullo; core intact
11DET Lions1557.71555.2+0.1lost BOTH coordinators + Ragnow retired + Zeitler/Davis out; roster ran back off 15-2 base
12CHI Bears1546.91534.4+0.5Ben Johnson hire + Thuney/Jackson/Dalman OL rebuild + Loveland/Burden B+ draft; consensus best offseason
13WAS Commanders1543.01463.0+3.2Tunsil + Deebo + Von Miller all-in on Daniels window; McLaurin extended Aug 26; full staff continuity
14BAL Ravens1537.21544.7-0.3preseason AFC favorite on continuity — Lamar/Henry back, Hopkins/Alexander added, Starks/Green value draft; Tucker cut for rookie kicker
15MIN Vikings1529.41554.4-1.0Darnold->McCarthy zero-snap QB (-1.8; widest variance +/-1.5) vs A+ trench spree Kelly/Fries/Allen/Hargrave
16PIT Steelers1514.51514.5+0.0splashiest AFC North offseason — Rodgers in, DK/Ramsey/Jonnu/Slay imported, Pickens/Minkah/Najee out; previews still 9-11-win Tomlin band
17CIN Bengals1512.11482.1+1.2Chase/Higgins extended keep elite passing attack; Hendrickson holdout to late Aug, Stewart holdout, defense lost Hubbard/Pratt — same top-heavy team
18DAL Cowboys1510.31457.8+2.1Parsons traded + Martin retired + Lawrence/Lewis out; Dak health snap-back + Pickens/Clark partial offset; first-time HC
19GB Packers1502.61530.1-1.1Parsons acquired Aug 28 (elite non-QB +2.7); minus Clark/Jaire; Watson starts season out
20NYG Giants1492.51430.0+2.5Wilson/Winston fix historically bad QB room + Adebo/Holland + Abdul Carter A-grade draft; off 3-14 floor
21NO Saints1478.21443.2+1.4Carr retired May 10 -> Rattler named starter Aug 26; rookie HC Moore; league-worst ~4.5 total
22CAR Panthers1476.31436.3+1.6worst-2024-defense rebuild (Moehrig/Wharton/Brown) + McMillan WR1 + Canales continuity; low base
23TB Buccaneers1474.01481.5-0.3Reddick + Egbuka vs 4th straight new OC and opening without Godwin/Wirfs/J.McMillan
24ATL Falcons1470.61475.6-0.2Penix full season modest upgrade + Walker/Pearce edge dip; Jarrett/Dalman/Judon/Simmons out; 2026-1st cost panned
25TEN Titans1451.11363.6+3.5Cam Ward #1 overall + rebuilt OL (Moore/Zeitler) real upgrade on 2024 QB disaster; still bottom-two roster, ~3-14 projections
26KC Chiefs1448.21490.7-1.7Mahomes/Reid untouched but Thuney traded, LT bet on Moore vs rookie Simmons, Rice suspension cloud; still priced a 13-win contender
27IND Colts1445.81470.8-1.0Daniel Jones over banged-up Richardson = lateral atop most-mocked QB room; Bynum/Ward + A- draft (Warren) offset interior-line losses
28CLE Browns1419.71427.2-0.340-yo Flacco named QB1 mid-Aug (mild upgrade on 2024 carousel); praised Graham/Judkins draft; Watson cap albatross, 4.5-win total, worst AFC roster
29LV Raiders1418.91356.4+2.5Geno a 'colossal upgrade' + Carroll/Kelly credibility jump + Jeanty at #6; heavy secondary losses (Moehrig/Hobbs), defense still bottom-ranked
30NYJ Jets1410.71365.7+1.8full reset — Rodgers/Adams/Reed out, Fields in (lateral), Glenn culture + Membou/Taylor draft respected; 5.5 win total priced it a wash
31ARI Cardinals1401.21396.2+0.2Sweat/Tomlinson/Campbell defensive spree + Nolen-W.Johnson draft; Nolen PUP Wks 1-4 haircut
32MIA Dolphins1352.21459.7-4.3quiet teardown — Ramsey/Jonnu traded, Armstead retired, Campbell/Holland gone; Minkah + Grant/Savaiinaea partial offset; McDaniel/Tua hot seat