Hmmn… Why is Michigan Alum Rich So High on the New York Giants to Win the NFC East???

Rich will admit his bias up front. He likes talking about "my Michigan man JJ McCarthy," he's from New York City, and he's "partial to Harbaughs." But on The Rich Eisen Show, he insisted he could be fair and balanced about the Giants. And by his fair and balanced read, he thinks the NFC East is theirs.

CBS Wants the Giants

The segment started with a schedule note. Jaguars at Giants in week 11 is moving to CBS's late window, while Eagles-Steelers, a game that looked like a marquee matchup before the season, is going to a 1:00 Eastern window.

Rich wasn't surprised about the Jaguars, who won their division last year, came back stronger and added Jessie Bates III and Davon Godchaux to their defense that day. With Houston in their rearview mirror and one of their two losses to the Texans, the Jaguars are looking at the conference.

The Giants, meanwhile, are looking at their division. At 5-2-1, they just won in Philadelphia for the first time since 2013.

A Buckeye Rich Will Praise

To prove he isn't only talking about the offense, Rich went to the defense and a player from "that school down south." Arvell Reese, the Ohio State product the Giants drafted fifth overall, "is a problem."

Reese had three sacks of Joe Milton. Rich noted he became the second player in the last 25 seasons with four or more sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in his first eight career games. The other one? Nick Bosa.

"So I can talk about the Ohio State, that school down south," Rich said. "I have no problem doing it, man. 'Cause the Giants have a defense too."

The Other Conversation

Rich didn't want to hear that the Eagles aren't the same. He laid out how the conversation would have gone if the Giants had lost: they're "fugazi," Joe Milton wasn't even starting two weeks ago, Saquon shouldn't have been let go, the defense tore McCarthy apart, and the Cowboys are going to win the division.

"That could easily have been the conversation today, and it is not," Rich said. Instead, the Giants are three days from kicking off week 10 against Washington with a chance at "essentially taking this division and saying it is blue."

McCarthy's Hip Pointer

McCarthy took a hip pointer and was knocked out of the game. Rich had fun contrasting it with Patrick Mahomes, who "damn near has his arm ripped off" like a G.I. Joe and kept playing. Jameis Winston came in and found Isaiah Likely for a score, and then McCarthy came back.

His coach said McCarthy "insisted on playing," even when the staff thought about putting Winston in for the last drive. "We weren't pushing him back out there," the coach said. "It says a lot about him for sure."

McCarthy explained it himself. "At the end of the day, no matter what, it's about my brothers and do whatever I can to help them," he said. "Put it all on the line for this organization and everything I can to help go get a win."

"Since When?"

Rich anticipated the counter: the Giants just beat a team they should have beaten. "Since when are the Giants in that category of beating teams that they should beat?" he asked. This is only the second time in the last 10 seasons they've won five of their first eight games, and in Philadelphia they snapped the longest losing streak against a single opponent in franchise history.

He pulled up the schedule. The Giants beat Dallas to open the season, tied Washington and won in Philadelphia. Beat Washington Thursday and they're 3-0-1 in the division, with another Eagles game in week 18. Meanwhile, Dallas hosts San Francisco.

Chris Isn't Buying It

Chris Brockman asked if Rich was already handing the Giants a win Thursday. Rich said no, he was describing what should happen. Chris countered that Rich was putting the Giants in a category of teams that should win games "when they couldn't tie their own shoes for damn near the last decade," and that the Eagles are one of the worst teams in the league.

Rich pushed back that Philadelphia's defense still has everybody. Chris held firm. "This Giants team just doesn't do it for me. I'm not convinced."

Rich's reply was a familiar one: "You are what your record says you are." A 6-2-1 Giants team while the Cowboys fall to 4-6? "I'd sign for that." Even 5-3-1 with Dallas at 4-6, he said, "I'd sign for that too."