2017. A no. 2 overall pick just a year before, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz lights up the NFL. Wentz, who finishes the campaign with 33 touchdown tosses, leads the MVP race until a season-ending injury in Week 15 and the Eagles to the number 1 seed in the NFC. Philadelphia goes on to win … Continue reading 2020 NFL Preview: State of the Quarterback
The concept of a "Golden Age" is fun to debate, and there are few applications more apt than the 2010s being a Golden Age of quarterback play. Some of the game's greats, like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, battled it out late into the winter, while transcendent talents like Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson took … Continue reading The 20 Best Quarterbacks of the 2010s
When I traveled to Soldier Field to see my Dallas Cowboys take on the Chicago Bears last December, I braced myself for a lot of taunts and aggressive fan behavior. Bears fans did not disappoint, and as the Bears’ lead grew each demoralizing drive, so did those fans’ voices. The taunts were pretty unimaginative (but … Continue reading Should the Cowboys Pony Up for Dak Prescott?
A quick scan of my Goodreads profile will reveal a clear trend — I read a lot of sports books. That should come as no surprise, as I hope to be a sports journalist and have goals of writing books in the future. Reading about sports was as formative to my fan experience as watching … Continue reading Sports Pantheon: My Favorite Sports Books
10 NFL megafans. 32 first round selections. 10 trades. 60 minutes. Zero Jordan Love. Unlimited fun. In the barren landscape of professional sports, the NFL Draft, which starts this Thursday on ESPN, is a tantalizing oasis. But even though the draft goes on, it will be a draft like no other. To prepare for the … Continue reading Where’d the Love Go? The Ultimate Quarantine NFL Mock Draft
One of the core characteristics of the New England Patriots dynasty was their inevitability. You knew that when they lost a great player, another would step in. You knew that when your team had a superstar talent, they would have a sobering answer. You knew that when you stepped on the field, you were the … Continue reading Brady and the Bucs: Tom Terrific sets sail with Tampa
About an hour after the ultra-exciting Super Bowl LIV between the Chiefs and 49ers, I had the pleasure of joining my good friend Harrison Larner on his Slice of Sports podcast to recap the game and discuss some of the major storylines from the game. Harrison did a great job, and I'd highly recommend taking … Continue reading Slice of Sports: Super Bowl LIV Recap
Every NFL team has “burn the tape” games. The games where the only positive takeaway is that the game is over. But not every team has a “burn the tape” game in the playoffs. Not every team has a “burn the tape” game after winning 12 straight games and clinching the one-seed. Not every team … Continue reading Catastrophe
Patriots dynasty, you impressed me. Your dominance spanned two decades in the most competitive era in NFL history. The scores, records and highlights are a testament to greatness, and from your reign legends were made. But even you, New England, though you may be one of the best sports dynasties of all-time, nothing lasts forever. … Continue reading In Memoriam: The New England Patriots’ Dynasty
I’d be hard-pressed to find two NFL teams that had different trajectories this season than the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys. They also happen to be my favorite teams. As Baltimore established itself as the best team in the NFL and unbelievably fun to watch, the Cowboys became the most excruciating. For every … Continue reading A Tale of Two Teams
Riker's Block 