Bills in the playoffs? Browns 0-16? The most captivating storylines from the NFL season

January 4, 2018 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

After seventeen fun-filled, exciting, memorable weeks, the 2017 NFL regular season is in the books and only twelve teams remain alive. To recap the regular season, I’ll tackle the seven captivating storylines that caught my attention this fall, plus reveal my playoff predictions. Playoff droughts end in Los Angeles, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Buffalo 2017 was marked … Continue reading Bills in the playoffs? Browns 0-16? The most captivating storylines from the NFL season

Eagles, Vikings lead star-studded NFC

December 4, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ 1 Comment

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

Why I’m stuffed with gratitude this Thanksgiving

November 22, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ 3 Comments

How could a holiday top Thanksgiving? All you’re asked to do is eat delicious food, meet with relatives, watch football games, and be thankful! I’m grateful for so much this year, and what better way to express my gratitude than a column on my virtual man cave? These are some of the reasons I’m smiling … Continue reading Why I’m stuffed with gratitude this Thanksgiving

Road to Super Bowl 52: Week 2

September 21, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

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

Road to Super Bowl 52: Week 1

September 20, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

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

NFL Preview: 17 Burning Questions for 2017 with Christian Clark

August 2, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ 2 Comments

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

Colin Kaepernick, Baltimore Raven?

July 29, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

I haven't paid much attention to the Colin Kaepernick drama that has played out over the last year. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback went from a near Super Bowl champion in 2013 to unemployed this off-season. Along the way, he started a firestorm unlike any we've ever seen by opting to kneel for the … Continue reading Colin Kaepernick, Baltimore Raven?

NFL Preview: Playoff + Super Bowl LII Predictions

July 29, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

My predictions for the 2017 postseason and Super Bowl VII in Minneapolis.

NFL Preview: Patriots, Raiders kings of the AFC

July 23, 2017 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

AFC East New England Patriots 2016 Record: 14-2, won Super Bowl LI Outlook: The reigning Super Bowl champions had a busy offseason and return to defend their title with a roster that might be even better than last year’s. Quarterback Tom Brady (28 TD, 2 INT) will get a new Pro Bowl receiver to throw … Continue reading NFL Preview: Patriots, Raiders kings of the AFC

Five Toughest NFL Losses I’ve Ever Experienced

December 28, 2016 ~ jrike10 ~ Leave a comment

As a die-hard fan of two NFL teams, the Ravens and Cowboys, I’ve experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. On Christmas Day this year, I watched one of the lowest of lows as the Ravens wasted two leads to the Steelers. Where does this rank? It was bad, but there’s been … Continue reading Five Toughest NFL Losses I’ve Ever Experienced