What’s More Likely: Rich Talks Broncos-49ers, Bengals-Jags, Jameis vs JJ, Drake Maye & More

Before Chris could even start the Friday edition of What's More Likely, the Browns were already the story. Rich credited "the Browns is the Browns" line with sparking Cleveland's three-game win streak, and noted that Sean McDermott had said earlier in the show that the comment was a gift to Todd Monken. "Well, it's a rallying cry," Rich said.

Naturally, the first question was about the AFC North. Which team wins more games this year, the Steelers or the Browns? Rich pointed out that Joe Manganiello had the Steelers going 12-5, and he does not see that now. He looked at the rest of both schedules and found them equally tough. In the end, he stayed loyal to his preseason call and took Pittsburgh. Asked whether that meant 9-8 or 8-9, Rich admitted he did not have an answer, but he did offer this: "These kids are all right in Cleveland," and they now have a game up on the Steelers.

The next one was a setup, and Rich knew it. Which team would he not count out for the playoffs if it loses Sunday, the Cowboys or the Rams? Rich, a passionate Rams fan, worked through the injury list first: Myles Garrett coming back at some point, the sore back, the question mark around Puka, and DeVonta Smith apparently out for Philadelphia. His final answer was a dodge with a point. "Rams are going to win, and if the Cowboys lose, I won't count you out."

Buffalo's question had more bite. With New England missing Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore for the big game in Buffalo, is it more likely that Drake Maye has more touchdowns than turnovers, or that Josh Allen personally outscores the Patriots? Rich went with Allen. He believes Maye will find his footing eventually, and the shoulder injury only adds to that case, but "it's just not going to be this weekend."

Rich thinks Buffalo wants this one more than almost any other. The Bills christened their new stadium with two straight wins, and now they get the franchise that produced the guy who watched the old stadium come down and joked that he lost two games there, which would have been tough to swallow if he had not won 33 other times. "They want to lay it on thick," Rich said. "They might score 50." The studio math on Allen's day landed at two in the air and two on the ground, and nobody saw the Patriots reaching 24.

On Derrick Henry's rushing yards versus the Titans' total yards, Rich took the Titans, even with Henry chasing the rushing record and even with Jeffery Simmons on the other side. Nobody, he insisted, cares more for Derrick Henry than he does. He just thinks Tennessee has 300 yards in it.

Next up, the backup quarterback question, Marcus Mariota or Jayden Daniels getting a win, split Rich in two. "My head says Mariota, my heart says Jayden Daniels." That sent the conversation to Tampa, where the Bucs say they want to use Kenny Gainwell more. The idea got instant approval, and not only for fantasy reasons: "The guy was quite literally the best offensive player on the Steelers last year."

Then came the Giants. Is it more likely that Jameis Winston throws three touchdowns or that JJ McCarthy starts next week for New York? Rich took Jameis. "I don't think JJ's going to start so damn fast," he said, even though he likes seeing McCarthy dapping people up and having fun in practice. McCarthy is wearing 18, and everyone is making the double nine joke. Rich's response was a plea on the kid's behalf: "Can he back off this kid? Back off him."

On the bigger threat to the Bills in the AFC, the Jaguars or the Bengals, Rich went Jacksonville "based on what I've seen so far." Neither team is on Buffalo's schedule. Rich ran it out: at the Rams, at Vegas, the bye, Baltimore, plus Miami, Kansas City on Thanksgiving night, New England again and a big one with Denver.

For the AFC West, Rich picked Kenneth Walker to match his season average of 145 total yards and two touchdowns over Brock Bowers matching his 10-catch game, though he warned against overlooking Spags at your peril.

Then a Monday headline question pitted another slow-start Broncos comeback in San Francisco against Brock Purdy being your MVP through four weeks. Rich did not need long. Purdy is the NFC offensive player of the month for September, and Rich has been "caping for him well before I adopted Iowa as my new home state." Purdy it is.

Last up was pure Minecraft. Which current NFL coach would be the most shocking Minecraft addict, Jim Harbaugh or Mike Macdonald? Rich went Jim. Then again, as someone noted, nobody saw Mike Tomlin coming either.