Overreaction Tuesday: Rich Talks Steelers, Bears, Ravens, Rams, Jags, Luka Doncic & More

Overreaction Monday ran on a Tuesday this week, and Chris opened with the obvious one after Monday night. "With Simmons and Caleb playing top five, the Bears are the best team in the NFL."

Rich didn't flinch. "I don't think that's an overreaction at all," he said. He had Chicago fourth in last week's power rankings with Seattle right in front of them, and he made clear that pecking order will not survive Wednesday. Then he went sarcastic. The Bears didn't beat the AFC champions the week before? "Oh, wait a minute." They didn't beat last year's Super Bowl winner in its house "with a right cross of a run game and a left cross of a defense"? "Oh, wait a minute. They did." His conclusion: "Bears fans should rightfully crow about this."

Will Chicago be No. 1 on Wednesday? Rich is toying with it. "Since it's election day, I elect to not answer that question right now," he said.

Next, Chris said that either the Seahawks or the Rams are missing the playoffs. Rich didn't call that an overreaction either. Both teams are 4-4, and the rest of the NFC North is above .500. If three teams come from the North, Rich explained, only two make it from another division, and if it isn't the East or the South, it will be the West. Asked to put a percentage on it, Rich joked about pulling a Peter King with "19.5%," then admitted he had no idea with half a season left.

Chris then suggested the Ravens trade for Jacoby Brissett to save the season, with Brissett now demoted to third string by the Cardinals. Rich liked it. "Look at you spotting dimes from your Overreaction Monday on a Tuesday seat," he said. "That's not a bad idea." The thinking in the room was that the Cardinals would take whatever Baltimore was willing to cough up.

TJ's NFC East got its turn. Chris said the division will be decided in Week 10 on Thursday night, Giants versus Commanders. Rich called that one an overreaction. Saying with certainty that the winner of that game wins the division is too much, he said. When someone argued "they might have the best quarterback in the division," Rich's reply was simple: "Moving on."

That led to a detour. Rich said Suzy, who worked at Real Sports and watched Bryant Gumbel say "moving on" over and over, uses it in conversations at home, with their children and with him.

Then came Pittsburgh. The next take rode with Kurt Warner: the Steelers are a game-breaking receiver away from being a legit AFC threat. Rich disagreed, and not because he thinks the offense is perfect. He acknowledged it seems more difficult than it needs to be, and that Rodgers was not pleased at the podium after the win over the Browns, trying to lead by example. "But you're already a legit AFC threat when you're six and two," Rich said, adding that this is better than "the Russell Wilson mirage of being eight and two." Would he pick Pittsburgh to win a playoff game right now? "I would right now, sure," he said. "I think the defense does enough and the offense can do enough."

Chris also pushed Trevor Lawrence, TJ's guy, as a top five quarterback. Rich was cautious. "You can make an argument. I don't know if he is," he said, pointing out that Caleb is now in that conversation and that Mahomes and Allen are still there. "He's been superb. He's been great," Rich allowed.

The last take was for TJ: Luka Doncic is winning MVP this year. The room agreed he has been superb, and Rich said this is exactly what the Lakers wanted when they decided to move on from LeBron and build around Luka. That means the fruit basket from El Segundo, he said, still needs to be sent to the former general manager of the Dallas Mavericks.