What’s More Likely: Rich Talks Eagles, Patriots Cowboys, Chiefs, Broncos, Jags, Giants & More

Chris built this week's What's More Likely around teams that just played, which meant Rich spent the segment picking between coin flips he did not particularly want to pick between.

First one out of the gate: which West Coast team wins more games this year, the 49ers or the Chargers? Rich took the neighbors across the street, then talked himself into the reasoning afterward. Justin Herbert is going to get dialed up and plused up behind a better offensive line, and Daniel Jeremiah has been quietly pushing a Chargers back as a rushing title candidate. Jeremiah does not float things just to get buzz. San Francisco, meanwhile, is banged up. Rich conceded the whole answer might be recency bias.

Philadelphia against New England for the more dangerous offense went to TJ, who took the Patriots and admitted part of the appeal was zagging when everyone expected a zig. Drake Maye throws a better deep ball than anybody, the receiver room is deeper, and TreVeyon Henderson looks ready to form a two-headed monster in the backfield. Saquon Barkley, in TJ's read, needs a bounce back first.

The South champ question, Panthers or Jaguars, got Rich moving in two directions at once. He took Jacksonville, crediting Liam Coen with unlocking something in Trevor Lawrence that produced one of his best seasons and might produce a better one now. He also went out of his way to say the NFC South is stronger than people think, which is Terron Armstead's sneaky Saints argument getting a little airtime.

Broncos or Packers for the better pass-catching corps was the easiest call of the day. Denver, on the strength of Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle and a Green Bay receiver room that always seems to be hurt. Rich also worked in Oregon Duck Troy Franklin, purely to make TJ throw up the O on camera, which prompted a small side debate about how a man who just accepted free Ducks shoes still holds on to Florida State.

Fantasy came next: Travis Etienne or Kyren Williams in the second round. Rich went Etienne while volunteering that Williams gets slept on badly, then noted the vulture risk in Los Angeles with Blake Corum, and the opposite situation in New Orleans with Alvin Kamara out for what is being called a month. He also admitted he does not know if the choice will even reach him at 19th overall in his poker league.

The Giants question was aimed squarely at Rich. More likely that Jaxson Dart visits the blue tent this weekend, or that Tua Tagovailoa picks up two first downs on the opening drive? Rich took Tua and asked the room to speak positivity into the universe. He also wanted the record clear on the other half of the question. "There's no big blue tin foil hat here," he said, waving off the independent neurologist conspiracy theory. Tighten up the protection, get the ball out, get Malik Nabers healthy, and let Odell Beckham keep cooking people the way Rich saw on his timeline.

On preseason week two, asked whether J.J. McCarthy or a Browns quarterback looks more impressive, Rich picked Deshaun Watson on the logic that a second-half start against twos and threes should make anybody look good. Shedeur Sanders may play the whole first half against Buffalo, but the schedule favors Watson. "He better," was the response from the room.

Last one, and the best one: which team missing the playoffs a second straight year would surprise you more, the Chiefs or the Cowboys? Rich said the Chiefs, and he meant it. Patrick Mahomes is coming back with a massive chip on his shoulder, the roster feels the same way, and there are lion-hearted guys in that building who will not allow it. Dallas got its own compliment on the way by. Rich thinks the Cowboys have turned a corner and cleared out whatever bad karma they had.