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
March 11, 2020 will go down as one of the most important days in the history of America. And of all aspects of American life to serve as an announcement of the arrival of the coronavirus to American shores, it was sports that took center stage. In the early evening hours, news broke that Utah … Continue reading 10 Burning Questions for the sports New Year
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 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 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 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
Option 1, Week 8’s Burning Question: How will Tua Tagovailoa perform against Los Angeles? A rookie quarterback relegated to the bench the first seven weeks of the season was primed to kick off his career in his debut and launch a Hall of Fame career. No, I’m not talking about Dallas third-stringer Ben DiNucci. It’s … Continue reading Week 8 Read Option: Steelers Stay Undefeated in Baltimore
Option 1, Week 7’s Burning Question: Are the Raiders for real? Las Vegas broke onto the scene with wins over the Saints in their Allegiant Stadium debut and the Chiefs on the road in Kansas City. A game against the Bucs, flexed out of the primetime slot at the last second, offered another chance for … Continue reading Week 7 Read Option: The Patriots tumble again!
Option 1, Week 6’s Burning Question: Will any undefeated teams crumble? Week 5 produced some shocking results and handed losses to a couple of undefeated teams, including the loud and proud Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the resurgent Buffalo Bills. By the closing of Week Six, the fraternity of undefeated squads took another … Continue reading Week 6 Read Option: Derrick Henry takes down Texans
This fall I have been working on a variety of projects, from the Read Option column to film reviews for The Daily Northwestern. Today, I wanted to share the most recent episode of Coast 2 Coast, a weekly sports commentary show that I host with John Volk for 8 in the Box Productions. 8ITB is … Continue reading Coast 2 Coast Episode IV
