Rich: Why the Minnesota Vikings QB Competition is the MOST Exciting in the NFL

Put two quarterback competitions side by side, Cleveland and Minnesota, and ask Rich which one is worth watching. He does not need a second to decide.

"Oh, it's Minnesota. Come on now," Rich said.

His case starts on the sideline. The Vikings are run by a quarterback whisperer of a head coach, a man just one year removed from being named coach of the year. Into that situation walks a young passer drafted in the first round, handed the keys to the point that Minnesota let Sam Darnold walk rather than stand in the way.

What makes it fascinating to Rich is not the talent so much as the vibe. This is not a competition built on camaraderie, the kind where the two guys go out, hang out and play video games together. It is the opposite.

"It's like two teachers in a classroom," Rich said. "I'm on one side of the class, he's on the other side."

Cleveland's situation, by contrast, follows a more familiar script. A fifth-round rookie with a chip on his shoulder pushes a veteran the team is already heavily invested in. Interesting enough. Just not Minnesota.

The stakes are what tip it. Rich sees a Vikings roster good enough that the quarterback is the only variable left. "There's no doubt about which is more interesting," he said. Get that decision right, in his view, and Minnesota can win its division and go deep, if not further.