Hour 2: ‘What’s More Likely,’ Rich’s Top 5, plus Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans

0:00Rich Eisen:Study and play. Come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the Unreal College Deal. Everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with a custom color Xbox Wireless Controller. Learn more at windows.com slash student offer. While supplies last, ends June 30th. Terms at aka.ms slash college pc. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. You know those friends who support your preference for podcasts over music on road trips?

0:38Rich Eisen:That's the energy State Farm brings to insurance. With over 19 ,000 local agents, they help you find the coverage that fits your needs. So you can spend less time worrying about insurance and more time enjoying the ride. Download the State Farm app or go online at statefarm.com. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney +, from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast, so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel.

1:17Rich Eisen:Subscribe at youtube.com slash richeisenshow, and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. The quarterback threw a backward pass. This is recovered in the end zone. From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. I've never quite seen anything like what happened on the two-point conversion. The rest of the worst. Earlier on the show, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. Coming up, Texans head coach D 'Amico Ryans. Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald. and now Rich Eisen Hour number two of the Rich Eisen show is on the air two more hours to go here on the show just one more here on ESPN2 two National Football League head coaches going to join us coming up in 20 minutes time D 'Amico Ryans of the red hot Houston Texans once upon a time 0-3 now 9-5 nine and five and uh the proverbial uh team that you may not want to face well there's a lot of folks in the afc thinking we need to keep them out and uh the vegas raiders are the ones trying to beat them this weekend and then the texans after that have the chargers on nfl network on the week 16 saturday week 17 saturday here in la I'll be in the booth in SoFi with Kurt Warner for that one.

2:47Rich Eisen:And then the Texans finish up against Philly River in the Colts. And so lots to talk about with D 'Amico Ryans, who's going to join us here again right in the middle of this hour. And then Mike McDonald, the coach of the moment, is going to join us at the top of hour number three. 844-204-RICH, number to dial, whether you're watching us on ESPN2 today or on the Disney Plus app, where we are every day between 12 and 3 Eastern. Same with the ESPN app. Same with ESPN radio presented by Progressive Insurance. Same with Sirius XM Channel 80. Just telling you how to take it all in. What's more likely Friday?

3:24Rich Eisen:We'll get to that in a second. But Gabriel in Washington State's been hanging on since jump. What's up, Gabriel? How are you, sir? What up, man? Good morning, gentlemen. I'm doing great. I'm getting ready to sip on some tea to soothe my throat after being at the game last night. All right. All right. You're one of the horse-throated 12s. Are you, Gabriel? Yes, sir. Okay. I don't go to many Seahawks games, but when I do, they are legendary. Oh, it's you? I didn't know that. So, hold on a minute. Let me reintroduce you. The last one I went to was the NFC Championship game against Green Bay Packers.

3:59Rich Eisen:Wow. I'm 16. Dude. He came back and won in overtime. So, let me reintroduce you. Here on the Rich Eisen Show is the guy who makes the Seahawks go legendary, Gabriel in Washington. That's right. That's right. I need season tickets. I'm draining a savings account. I need season tickets. I got to get to every game. Okay. But speaking of getting to games and putting in some effort, shout out to NFL International. The guy I sat next to was from London. Okay. Dan, the man from London, he came by himself just for the Seahawks game. He was in town for three days, and he's flying back to London today. So I think NFL International is a great thing, getting the game around the world.

4:38Rich Eisen:Look at you. Shout out to Chris Brockman. I remember hearing the story about Chris Brockman, what he did for that Seahawks fan in Germany buying him a jersey. Shout out to Pavel. Shout out Pavel. But, yeah, anyways, I just want to say the Seahawks, we're like an NBA team that has a bad shooting night when we play the Rams. Like we'll shoot 28%, 30 % and still have a chance to win that game. So on a good night when we're shooting our average, we'll be any way in the league. Every time the Seahawks are the one seed, they've done it three times in their history. All three times they've gone to the Super Bowl.

5:11We're about to go on a run. Coach McDonald's going to be the coach of the year, and John Snyder, the executive of the year. Everyone doubted him trading DK away, getting rid of Geno Smith. The readers should have learned from the Broncos. You don't trade for quarterbacks from Seattle because it doesn't go well.

5:29Rich Eisen:Wow. Gabriel in Washington, everybody. Thanks for the call. There he goes. Thanks, brother. By the way, Kenneth Walker, I didn't even mention him off the top. He was stupendous. Yeah. I mean, his. Waiting all year for that. Well, his. Right. His big play in the first drive of the game set up Charbonnet to start the scoring for Seattle. Usually how that goes. After McVay went for it on fourth down and didn't get it by inches to start the game. And then his 55 yard run is what put Seattle up in the second half. You know, the Rams made so many mistakes at the top of that game in the first half of the game.

6:02Rich Eisen:They should have been up by two scores. Instead, it was just a six-point lead at halftime. Or, yeah, it was a one-score game at halftime, 13-7. And then Kenneth Walker, not even, you know, about three minutes into the second half, just popped one. And it was on. Game was on. The big interception by Donald seemed to flip the table. Certainly on top of all that, Puka was going off. And then the comeback started. Mike McDonald's joining us later on in this program in hour number three. I mean, Gabriel in Washington said he sat next to a fan of the Seahawks who flew all the way from London. That's amazing.

6:43Rich Eisen:That's a long flight. And the man. By himself. And the man. So I guess we should take this call before we do what's more likely. Sam in Australia, line two. Sam, are you literally calling in from another continent across the globe right now, Sam? G'day, guys. Yes, I am. It's about 4 o 'clock in the morning over here. You guys keep me awake and keep me spruced up. Thank you, guys. G'day, mate. Yes, g'day. G'day. I just want to quickly say that I agree with you, Rich, about the two-point conversion. I don't think there was conclusive evidence to overturn it. Even as a Seahawks fan, I don't think there was enough evidence to overturn that decision, to be honest with you.

7:27Rich Eisen:I'm also rooting incredibly hard for the Indianapolis Colts for Monday Night Football as well, for sure. But I just wanted to say that, and it's so exciting that you guys are about to talk to him in Hour 3, Mike McDonald, he's so close to entering the top three of being Coach of the Year, probably even top two for me. I know Mike Frable is there, Mr. McFay as well, but I wanted to ask all you boys, Hello, Brock, TJ, everybody. I just wanted to ask what you guys thought about Mike McDonald as head coach of the best coach of the year. Is he in your top three? Yeah, of course he is. I mean, they're up.

8:10Rich Eisen:I mean, he's got the top-ranked team in the NFC, if not the entire National Football League. What they keep doing on the road. And again, I mean, Charbonnet picked the ball up. I'm sure we'll talk to McDonald. I'm sure he'll say he 100 % tells players, ball on the ground, pick it up. You never know. And what he's got this team doing right now is playing dynamite complementary football, which means all phases, sir. And I appreciate your fandom from Australia. Awesome. And I do believe it's McDonald and right now what Vrabel are in the mix here. Yeah, McDonald is second in odds right now. He's slightly behind Mike Vrabel.

8:52Rich Eisen:It's kind of a neck-and-neck race. Kyle Shanahan right there as well at 3-1. Sam, I appreciate the fandom, and I appreciate the call, sir. Thank you, guys. Ladies and gentlemen, Sam in Australia. Enjoy your day, man. I love it. Is it me, the cynical portion of me? Because, again, you know my default is I'm a glass-half-full, right, guy. I always talk about the positives around here, but I still have that streak in me of cynicism. Could it be just like a guy down the street? calling up in an Australian accent saying I'm from Australia my name's Sam like literally the guy's around the corner he messes up it's a security guard from around the way he tells Adam awesome man thanks for the call it's 5am in Sydney so yeah the whole conversation tracked yeah tells his friends he pulled himself do you want him to call back No, I should just sit here and say, that's awesome.

9:55Rich Eisen:The NFL is international. So is this show. It's great. But a little part of me is just like, is that just a guy named, you know, Antony sitting there in Brooklyn saying, you know, I'm going to do it again on the show. Great accent. I mean, it's fantastic. What if it's the same guy who does like the Morgan Freeman and he's just a person? It could be in Ohio. Wow. You've got people doing voices. but by the way the video that we popped up of the actor jason clark who is from australia who plays jerry played jerry weston in um in winning time and plays alec murdoch and in the the the murdoch show that's on on uh on hulu a lot of people in the comments were like i had no idea he was australian oh yeah what if that's really jason clark who's called it could have been jerry he said he was going back to australia he did he seemed like he had a good time he called us mates Not likely.

10:44Rich Eisen:Let's find out what is more likely. It is a Friday segment. Hit it. What? What's more likely? Never say never, but never. All right, Christopher, what do you have over there? All right, guys. Happy Friday. Great to see you. Still buzzing from the game last night. Unbelievable. Who's more likely to win the NFC? Rams or Seahawks or the field? Oh, God. Well, I mean, the Seahawks, all they got to do is go to Carolina. win that game and all they do is go to the east coast and win football games um and then go to san francisco and win that one i'm talking about going to the super bowl one of those two teams we saw or anybody else oh man how do i not take the field here man oh i thought you'd go the other way no but i mean the packers can can absolutely be the one seed not if josh jacobs isn't healthy the 49ers could absolutely be the one seed that's true they could are they going to go to the Super Bowl I just got to take the field it's too deep it's too deep it's too deep it's too deep but I think the Seahawks are going to take the one seed though I do believe unless the Niners go unless it's not over yet And I'm sure Mike McDonald is going to say that in the top of our number three.

12:13Rich Eisen:But what they've done is beyond impressive. And I can't imagine they're not going to.

12:24Rich Eisen:I mean, if Denver eviscerates Jacksonville, do I make them atop my power rankings? Probably. Because I have Denver above Seattle right now. That's pretty good. Mike McDonald has done an outstanding job in his first forays as Seattle head coach. After winning 10 games last year and missing the playoffs. What else you got over there, Chris? I'm going to need a huge day from this guy to survive guillotine this week. Josh Allen, guys. What's more likely? Josh Allen has more total yards and touchdowns or the entire Browns offense has more total yards and touchdowns? You know what? The Browns defense is no joke, pal.

13:00Rich Eisen:I know that they just got beat up in Chicago. I understand that. That's Josh Allen, though. I understand what it is. Superman. MVP.

13:13Rich Eisen:How do I not go an entire National Football League team at home? I'm just going to. Because it's Josh Allen. I understand. I'm zagging today. You think I'm zagging, I'm zagging. You are, you are. I'm kind of. I'm going entire Browns offensive yards and touchdowns. All right, can't quit Shador. I get it. So we're not including James Cook in this? No, this is just literally Josh Allen. Very good. I'll take an entire team against one guy. Josh Allen passing in rushing yards and how many touchdowns against the whole Browns? I will take an entire team against one guy. All right. So you go the other way.

13:43Rich Eisen:Go the other way. That's fine. That's fine. You're probably right. You're probably right. But the fact that you've got to think this hard about it tells you something. It's respectful of Josh Allen or Brockman being disrespectful of the Browns. Both things could be true. Both things are happening right now. Chris. I can't lie to that. All right. A massive Sunday night game. It's got flexed. Our first flex of the year, right? Patriots, Ravens. Massive flex. Future Hall of Fame running back to have the longest run on Sunday night. Travion Henderson or Derrick Henry? Good one, Chris. I'll go Travion Henderson.

14:18Rich Eisen:Future Hall of Famer, Travion Henderson. Jeez, this guy over there. It says it right on the graphic. I'm not making this up. Hold on a second. Do you understand? It does say that. Oh, my God. future hall of fame running back to have longest run this is around the graphic i had nothing to do with that chris we're not often on linear cable but you need to make a best first impression or second impression or this is going to get aggregated anyway so it's totally fine future hall of fame running back then i'll go derrick henry unless you want to remove that if you already gave your answer mike hoskins no no bill's mafia honk of the rich eyes and show according to producer mike hoskins who has control of the graphics put appropriately quotes around future you answered travion already so i know i will say travion henderson will have the longest run and you being mass holy about it is not the reward i deserve for me to go ohio state and give you what you want at the same time that's not goodbye you guys But Trevion Henderson has been a home run hitter.

15:21Rich Eisen:Home run. I just don't need him hitting home runs this week. Oh, because you're going against him? Oh, interesting. I picked up Derrick Henry. What else you got? Backup quarterback thrust into the starting role, more likely to throw for more yards and touchdowns. Gardner Minshew or Quinn Ewers this week? Oh, my gosh. Those guys are starting games in 2025. I think that's an easy one. I'm going Gardner Minshew. I knew you would.

15:49Rich Eisen:Come on, this man shows up in Arrowhead with a Burt Reynolds. I mean, I do. I am very jealous of that T-shirt. With that look. I'm very jealous. How do you not say this? I'm very jealous of that whole look. How do you say this man is not going to go ball out? How dare you? How dare you? Well, I mean, Feli saw him with the Raiders. How dare you? I got behind him. And plus, how dare you? Gardner Minshew started way more games in the National Football League than Quinn Ewers. Come on. He's a backup. Okay. What else, Chris? I think I'm going to mince you with the Chiefs. I say Quinn, Brockman. Huge game in the AFC this weekend.

16:22Rich Eisen:Team you have the more faith in to win multiple playoff games, Jaguars or Broncos. Jaguars. Oh, come on now. You're going to make me disrespect Duvall? Is that what you're going to make me do here? I did kind of set you up for that. The Denver Broncos are the one seed in the AFC, and they have played the terrific football. Trevor Lawrence has won a playoff game. I understand that. I think the Okay I think the Broncos will win the one seed And they're going to get They're going to have to play fewer games But that's not the question I understand what your question is I will just say the Broncos And the answer to that question Okay But I've been really good to Duvall This week And now You've ruined it I didn't ruin it You had a choice You made a choice You made a choice You put me in this box You could have said Jacksonville Put me in this box Put me in the box I'm in a box.

17:15Rich Eisen:Now you are. All right, a few more. I was on one. More likely to be the higher total. Bears rushing yards or Jordan Love passing yards. I'll go Jordan Love passing yards just because Bears fans think I'm dead set against them. You are not popular with the Chicago Police Department. Yeah, you are not popular. I'm the Jack Walsh of sports. Bears fans think you hate them. Son is on the midnight run like De Niro. I'm going to do the litmus configuration. Is that from the movie? Yes. Oh, yes. Very funny scene. Yeah, that's what I'm going to do. Well, I think the Packers win this game. You do? Wow. So disrespectful.

17:52Rich Eisen:I'm not being disrespectful. Packers fans think I'm right. Bears fans think I'm wrong. All right, let's finish strong. Is it more likely the Eagles play a completely normal game and win going away? Or the Raiders upset the Texans? Oh, the Eagles play a completely normal game. I don't think the Raiders upset the Texans at all. They are in for it. Gino has not been protected all year long. Ashton Gentry can't run a foot without getting hit. Everything is yards after they capture him. I know, but the Eagles don't do anything normal. Or yards after getting hit, man. And the Texans, all they do is hit people.

18:33Rich Eisen:Come on now. Eagles are going to play a completely normal game over the Texans losing to the Raiders. What else you got over there? empty the empty the all right let's empty here more likely to be the bigger number jameer gibbs rushing yards or dk metcalf receiving yards oh i'll go jameer gibbs rushing yards sneaky good game i i think the lions is their last home game and uh i'm i'm i like the lions in this game a lot a lot so i could yeah i don't think the steelers are going to run away with the afc north i think that they're going to be within hailing distance of the ravens before week 18 rolls around again I don't think that division's over by a long shot.

19:11Rich Eisen:And DK Metcalf is just... He's coming on. I know he's coming on for touchdowns, but in terms of receiving yards, he hasn't strung together triple digits. And he didn't have triple digits last week either. It's been catch as catch can. I mean, to put it this way, they're going to need more than two rushing touchdowns from tight ends to keep up with the Lions offense at home. All right, last one. More likely Monday headline. Chargers have a real shot to win AFC West or Cowboys playoff hope still alive. Oh, Chargers have a real shot to win the AFC West. I'm flat out telling an NFL game day morning right now because our producers frequently watch the show, and I know Mooch has no idea how to stream anything.

19:54Rich Eisen:Oh, but we're on ESPN2. Anyway, I'll just come out the front. I'm taking the Chargers in this game with all due respect. That doesn't sound respect. So Chargers have a real shot to win the AFC West is a Monday headline. We're keeping hope alive, okay? Okay, there you go. Ladies and gentlemen. Good luck, DJ. Ladies and gentlemen, keep that hope alive. What's more likely right here on a Friday? The likelihood of us taking a break is high because I'm in charge of it and we've got to go. Tomiko Ryan's next for the Houston Texans. Head coach, their team's on, and Fuego, as another guy who used to work around the ESPN parts might say.

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22:05Rich Eisen:the rich eisen show podcast back here on the rich eisen show we're here on uh the espn radio feed if you will uh presented by progressive insurance six wins in a row for the houston texans once upon a time oh and three and now the real deal getting set to take on the raiders back here on the rich eisen show let's welcome the houston texans head coach domiko rines how you doing coach hey rich doing fantastic man great to have ready to be on again with you thank you very much and i can confirm you're doing fantastic i can confirm it how does how does this feel to you i mean you you've taken teams to the playoffs before um and you've taken them um into the playoffs and won playoff games before how does this one feel to you right now coach yeah i mean each one is uh Each one has its own little beauty with it or within it, right?

22:57And I really love this one because of how we started. It's just so reflective of life. You can start down. Things aren't going well. You got a lot of problems. It's not looking great, but it's about how you keep battling. How do you keep pushing through whatever adversity you face? And I'm so proud of this team for a lot of people would say we were down and out. No chance of making it. and here we are playing meaningful games in December with an opportunity to make it. This one feels very special.

23:28Rich Eisen:What do you draw on when your team is 0-3? Like, what do you draw upon as a head coach in that instance? Yeah, I go back to the film, right? A lot of people can tell you who you are and what you're not doing, what you can't do, but I look at the film and I look at, you know, who we were playing, how we were playing, what actually happened in the game. And when I look back at those first three games, it's simply like one or two plays. We're in those games in the fourth quarter. It's one or two plays where if we make them, now we're 3-0 and we're the best team in the NFL. So I go back to the just let's be realistic and let's analyze things with a clear mind and see exactly where we are, what can we correct, how can we as coaches help the players to be in better position to make the plays we need to make to flip that so we're winning those games in the fourth quarter and that's what we did.

24:25Rich Eisen:But there's a belief issue in a locker room as well that you're going to have your finger on that pulse. What about that aspect, not just the X's and O's? And the belief factor, that never wavers for me. We put so much work in, and I saw the team that we had in training camp. I saw the guys we had on our team, and that belief in what they're capable of doing and what we can do collectively as a team, that never wavered because I know we have the right men in our locker room, guys who've been there with me before in our previous two years, and we found a way. So I know we have the right leaders.

25:02We got the right guys. So the belief never leaves me. That's why I put in all the work I put in, and I truly believe, And I know truly that, you know, God has his hand on our team as well.

25:14Rich Eisen:Well, I mean, take me to week 10 now, or I'll take you to week 10 now. You're down 19 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. You're staring at getting swept by the team that did beat you back in week three to send you to an 0-3 start. Somebody taps you on the shoulder and say, you're not only going to win this, but you're going to win five more in a row after. What do you say to that person, Coach? Thanks for keeping it positive.

25:41I love it. Oh, man, I truly believe, Rich, you have to have a positive mindset, man, no matter how bad it looks. And that game will always be the – I think that's the focal point of our season. That's the turning point, so to speak, where we have our backup quarterback in, Davis Mills, and without Davis making such an inspirational comeback in that game and leading us to victory, I don't know where our season would be right now. So that is the turning point for our season, and it's all credit to Davis and what he was capable of doing.