What’s More Likely: Rich Talks Jameis, Jayden, Broncos, Bears-Packers & More

Friday's edition of What's More Likely had division math, fantasy grudges and a Hall of Fame argument that Rich did not see coming. Chris ran the questions. Rich answered, mostly.

The opener came straight from Thursday night: which NFC division is more likely to send more teams to the playoffs, the East or the South? Rich went South, while admitting the pick was "an overreaction wrapped in a what's more likely." He thinks two South teams get in and maybe only one from the East right now, given how the Falcons and Panthers are playing. The Eagles are banged up and headed to London to face a Jacksonville team that jumps all over mistakes. If Philadelphia falls to 2-3 like Dallas, the Giants, already 2-0 in the division, could be 4-1 with a win in Washington. Or the Commanders get Jayden Daniels back, protect their home field and pull to within half a game.

That set up the next one: does the Jameis experience roll on, or does Daniels get the Commanders back in the mix? Rich went Commanders, assuming the left elbow holds up after Daniels practiced fully all week. The way he played in the fourth quarter at Philadelphia in Week 1 and the first half at Dallas in Week 2 looked like the Commanders of a couple of years ago, even with concerns about Stefon Diggs and Terry McLaurin and with Austin Ekeler back running the ball.

On whether Lions-Cardinals total points would top Sunday's longest field goal, Rich took the points without much hesitation. He expects a fun game, as all Cardinals games have been, and noted that Kelvin Sheppard's press conference is now reverberating nationally. It would be good for Detroit, Rich said, if the defense's one-third "shows up here." The total sits at 54 and a half and is creeping up.

The 49ers-Seahawks question pitted Christian McCaffrey and birthday boy George Kittle against Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Emanuel Wilson. Rich went with "the Pro Bowlers," McCaffrey and Kittle, while insisting it was not a pick on the game itself.

The more surprising 4-1 team on Monday, the Browns or the Raiders? Rich called it an easy answer and took the Raiders, who he thinks are better than Cleveland. It did not hurt that Mike Vrabel had already ruled out five Patriots, including four defensive backs, among them Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis. The studio wondered whether Asante Samuel or Ty Law might be walking through that door. As for the Jets, Rich said they have got to win this one after going 0-3 on their tour of the NFC North.

Things got personal on Colston Loveland's receiving yards against the Packers' total rushing yards. Rich took the Packers, who need to commit to the run. Loveland went as the second tight end off the board after Trey McBride in a fantasy draft and has 11 catches in four games, which set off an argument over who hyped him up enough to get him taken that early. It ended, roughly, with hate the game, not the players.

On which coach taking back play-calling has the better Sunday, Sean Payton or DeMeco Ryans, Rich went Ryans. That was not a knock on Payton, who Rich thinks can breathe confidence into Bo Nix with his voice alone. It was the matchup. As Daniel Jeremiah said earlier in the show, it is a good time for Ryans to take over against a Titans offense led by a still-struggling Cam Ward.

Chris was proudest of the JH question: who gets their mojo back first, Jalen Hurts or Justin Herbert? Rich ran through the Eagles' injury list, from the right side of the line to the running back, both top receivers, the tight end and the green-dot linebacker, and took Herbert.

The finale was the fireworks. Asked whether Bijan Robinson or Frank Gore is the more likely future Hall of Fame running back, the crew pushed Robinson, and Rich pounced. "Did you really just say these words over Frank Gore?" He remembered the pushback he got for calling Derrick Henry a Hall of Famer at 7,000 or 8,000 yards. "Both of you," he said. Then, after all of that, Rich took Bijan anyway. He just would not let anyone write the headline that he doubts Robinson. "I say Frank Gore is a Hall of Famer, too."