If the sporting year of 2017 is remembered by one moment, it will be the lopsided, otherwise forgettable score of 28-3. That was the score midway through the third quarter of Super Bowl LI, with the red-hot Atlanta Falcons demolishing the powerhouse New England Patriots. It was all for naught, as New England quarterback Tom … Continue reading Year in Review: 2017 a whole lot more than 28-3
Most sports fans follow traditional, logical patterns when picking their favorite teams. They choose the local teams, or their parents’ favorite teams, or, many times, the best teams. Not me. Across all the different professional and college sports, my favorite teams share no similarities or ties, which makes rooting for each one a unique experience. … Continue reading How it feels to root for my favorite teams
We’re entering the fourth quarter of an NFL season that has been loaded with surprise and excitement. The playoff picture and seeding has been far from settled, meaning that there’s a lot up for grabs and nearly every game for the top teams will have playoff implications. For me, the NFC playoff picture has been … Continue reading Eagles, Vikings lead star-studded NFC
The following column was published in my sports column in Wootton High School's Common Sense newspaper. Think back to the last time you watched or played in a sports game that you considered a classic. The thrill and drama that a classic game entails brings out the best of sports and sticks in the … Continue reading Varsity Letter: Constructing a Classic Sports Game
Typically at the halfway point of the NFL season, I look back at all of the best performances, biggest surprises, and hot topics from the year’s first eight weeks. But instead of looking back, today I’m looking forward and projecting the teams that will challenge for the coveted 12 playoff berths. AFC Current Playoff … Continue reading Projecting NFL playoff teams at halfway point
The injury bug has derailed the seasons of multiple playoff contenders and is shaping the playoff picture in both conferences. The loss of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay effectively ends their chance at a Super Bowl, while injuries to Arizona’s David Johnson and Houston’s J.J. Watt could prove devastating. 1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-1, last … Continue reading Road to the Super Bowl: Week 6
Week 3 provided me with the most thrilling slate of NFL games that I’ve seen in a long time. In a span of just a couple minutes, multiple games came down to the wire and ended on epic plays. From Eagles rookie Jake Elliott’s game-winning 61-yard field goal over the archrival Giants to Jordan Howard’s … Continue reading Road to Super Bowl LII: Week 3
In Week 2, we saw a lot of matchups between teams on this list (Broncos-Cowboys, Falcons-Packers), but the results were not close. The Broncos and Falcons were boosted by blowout victories at home that put them near the top of their conferences, while Dallas and Green Bay took tumbles. Judging from the first two weeks … Continue reading Road to Super Bowl 52: Week 2
Note: This article was written prior to the Week 2 NFL games. So much for an undefeated season. In the first game of the 2017 NFL season, the reigning Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, were shown up by the Kansas City Chiefs on the Patriots’ home turf, falling to KC by a score … Continue reading Road to Super Bowl 52: Week 1
Note: This article is the edited transcript of a recent collaboration between me and my good friend Christian Clark, a Panthers fan from NFL Updates Express. John Riker: Hey guys! I was recently down at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus for the Carolina Sports Journalism camp. It was one of the coolest … Continue reading NFL Preview: 17 Burning Questions for 2017 with Christian Clark
Riker's Block 