What’s More Likely: Rich Talks Jags, Broncos, Ravens, Saints, Packers, Rams, Bengals & More

Chris Brockman opened Friday's What's More Likely with something close to sincerity. "Welcome back," he told Rich, fresh off his appendectomy. "I actually do mean it."

Then he got down to business with nine questions for Week 2.

The first was built for the moment. Josh Allen is on pace for 70-plus total touchdowns, so who is more likely to lead the NFL in total touchdowns: Allen, or any quarterback and receiver or quarterback and running back combo? The counterpoint from across the desk: Allen is only one man. Rich had an answer ready. "No, he is two people," he said, doubling down on the Ohtani comparison he made to open the show.

Rich ran the math. Give Allen 14 rushing touchdowns like last year and 40 through the air, and that's 54. Names flew around the desk: Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, Chase and Burrow, Dak and CD. Rich stuck with Allen and proposed a weekly tote board to track it. Allen sits at nine. The Jackson and Henry combo is at five.

Next came the NFC North. Rich asked for a mulligan on his preseason Lions pick. "I've seen two Lions games and one Bears game," he said, and he would love to keep his finger on the chess piece. His new pick: Chicago. Chris and TJ both had the Bears too.

For last year's AFC title game teams looking for a home win, Rich took the Patriots in the rain against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers over the Broncos, who host the Jaguars. Jacksonville is in his new top five, and the Broncos "have got their hands full this weekend, pal." The Jaguars punked Denver last year, and Rich expects them to walk in believing it's not a problem.

Baltimore's whiteout game brought the most predictable answer of the segment. Asked who is more likely to repeat a monster Week 1, Tyler Shough and his 410 yards and three touchdowns or Derrick Henry with 144 yards and three scores, Rich took Henry. "What do you think I'm going to say?" he asked. He did give Shough credit for a dynamite debut, but he likes the Ravens' improved defense. And he took a victory lap. "I'm so glad I called his Hall of Fame obviousness years before anybody else," Rich said.

In Jets-Packers, Rich picked Breece Hall's rushing yards over Christian Watson's receiving yards, because it's easier for the running back to get the ball, especially with rain expected on the East Coast.

On which running back posts more total yards and touchdowns, D'Andre Swift or Ashton Jeanty, Rich went with Jeanty. When a colleague complained about Swift's week-to-week swings on two fantasy teams, the desk delivered the line of the segment. "You know who does not care about your fantasy team?" Ben Johnson.

For the surprise 2-0 team, Rich picked the Jets over the Cardinals. He loved the picture of Jacoby Brissett after beating the Chargers, a look that said "did you just see what we just did," but facing the defending champion Seahawks and their lights-out defense is a tall order. "Seahawks defense, pal. That's no joke," Rich said. "But I am looking forward to seeing the Cardinals every week."

Asked which LA team faces more of a must-win, Rich first argued nobody wants to be 0-2, so they need it equally. Pressed for the right answer, he landed on the Chargers. Lose at home to the Cardinals and the Raiders, and "you're not only 0 and 2, you're 0 and 1 in division then." His prediction for the weekend: both LA teams win.

The final question asked for the more likely AFC Championship preview: Bengals-Texans or Jaguars-Broncos. Rich chose Jaguars-Broncos, "because their defenses are better. Collectively," while noting the Bengals have improved and Joe Burrow took full practice. Chris and TJ agreed.

"You've heard three experts," Rich said, before the desk turned to ribbing a colleague who is flying somewhere tonight for a concert he apparently can't name. "He just knows his wife says, 'Get on the plane.'"