When Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I was in absolute shock. The look of 20-year New England Patriot and owner of a record six Super Bowl rings in the red and black of the Buccaneers was jarring, the rare instance of an all-time legend joining a small-market, side note of a team. When … Continue reading Bucs stop here: Brady completes legendary season in Tampa Bay with Super Bowl win
Option 1, 2020’s Burning Question: Which 10-win team is left out in the AFC? The NFL voted to expand the playoffs from six to seven teams per conference during the offseason. Yet entering Week 17, one double-digit team was guaranteed to miss the playoffs, a rarity even in a six-per-conference year. Baltimore left little doubt … Continue reading Week 17 Read Option: The Final Column
Option 1, Week 16’s Burning Question: Who clinches a trip to the playoffs? The penultimate week of the season presented a couple teams the opportunity to punch their ticket to the playoffs. The Browns and Bucs looked to end playoff droughts of over a decade, while a couple of division leaders, including Washington and Pittsburgh, … Continue reading Week 16 Read Option: Miami survives thanks to Mack Hollins, Fitzmagic
Option 1, Week 15’s Burning Question: Will Drew Brees return to Pro Bowl form? Drew Brees has earned his reputation as a generational quarterback, but with his team reeling off four straight wins with Taysom Hill at quarterback after Brees went down with an injury, his absence didn’t seem to be the worst thing in … Continue reading Week 15 Read Option: Josh Allen lifts Buffalo to first AFC East title since 1995
Option 1, Week 14’s Burning Question: How will the AFC Wild Card race shake out? The addition of a seventh playoff team for each conference has made one of the best parts of the NFL season, the playoff hunt, even better. And with multiple games between playoff contenders on the slate, Week 14 promised to … Continue reading Week 14 Read Option: Lamar’s return helps Ravens edge Browns
Option 1, Week 13’s Burning Question: How does the weekend shake up the MVP race? I don’t believe the MVP award means all that much. I was thrilled when Lamar Jackson became the first Raven to take home the honor last year, but I would trade it in a heartbeat for playoff wins. And it’s … Continue reading Week 13 Read Option: Mayfield downs Titans with near-perfect performance
Option 1, Week 12’s Burning Question: What does a post-quarterback NFL look like? The marquee afternoon matchup pitted the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks, all-time legend Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against MVP favorite Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs. The lesser afternoon matchup pitted two teams who weren’t starting quarterbacks. A couple years … Continue reading Week 12 Read Option: Denver Welcomes Fans to a Post-Quarterback NFL
Option 1, Week 10’s Burning Question: Who comes out on top in Tennessee-Baltimore? One of the most significant results of last year’s playoffs was the 1-6 matchup out in the AFC, with the visiting Tennessee Titans upending the 14-2 Baltimore Ravens and MVP Lamar Jackson. Back in Baltimore but in the day time slot and … Continue reading Week 11 Read Option: Taysom Runs (And Passes) Wild
Option 1, Week 10’s Burning Question: Do the Patriots of old show up in primetime? Cam Newton’s New England Patriots barely escaped the winless Jets with a victory. Going up against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens? Simply put, the game did not look worthy of a primetime slot, but when the New England Patriots … Continue reading Week 10 Read Option: Alex Smith lights it up
Option 1, Week 9’s Burning Question: Can the Ravens’ offense get on track? After a 14-2 campaign and the NFL’s top record in 2019, Baltimore has struggled to find its unstoppable rhythm. Even when the Ravens doubled Pittsburgh’s offensive yardage output and tore the Steelers apart on the ground, Lamar Jackson racked up four turnovers … Continue reading Week 9 Read Option: Mack Hollins a Hero as Fins Slide By Kyler Murray
Riker's Block 