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?
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
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
Hey guys! I’ve written a lot of series over the years, and their names have ranged the spectrum from cringy (Professor Sports) to clever (Varsity Letter) to fitting (Nostalgia Blast). Today, as I kick of the college era of Johnriker.com, I’m resurrecting one of my favorite formats/names, the Read Option. Quick history lesson -- my … Continue reading Read Option: On the ‘Cats, Cubs, Ravens and Cowboys
Set the Browns aside, and the NFL team that has captured the most media attention this offseason has been, as usual, my Dallas Cowboys. 2019 figures to be a pivotal season for the Boys, with arguably the most talented team since the dynasty of the 1990s, but success is far from guaranteed. Already, star running … Continue reading State of the Franchise: Dallas Cowboys
The following paper is my Senior Independent Project (SIP) from my senior year in my school's Humanities and Arts program. The paper focuses on the career and impact of Dallas Cowboys' general manager and owner Jerry Jones and was awarded the meritorious designation by the H&A judges/panel. Given the nature of this project as a … Continue reading SIP: Lone Star- Jerry Jones’ Impact on the Dallas Cowboys and NFL
Even with championship games that pitted the best teams in their respective sports, this football season has had its fair share of intrigue and unpredictability. While all of the new developments have been exciting in the NFL and NCAA, they’ve also torn apart many of my predictions. These are the best and worst of my … Continue reading The Best and Worst of My 2018 Football Predictions
Commentators often call player-team pairings as “matches made in heaven,” a statement especially true for the star-studded New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams heading into this Sunday’s Super Bowl LIII. But sometimes, it doesn’t take excellent plays on game tape to give us evidence of a perfect fit; sometimes, you can just hear it. … Continue reading Peter Boulware? Robbie Gould? Most appropriate NFL names of all-time
The 2018 NFL regular season has been one of the more interesting in recent memory, with a plethora of potential Super Bowl teams, four or five viable MVP candidates, and emergences of young players such as the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and the Browns’ Baker Mayfield. Before the playoffs kick off, I am going to explore … Continue reading First and Ten: 2018 NFL Regular Season
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