The San Francisco 49ers offensive issues have been plentiful this season: Colin Kaepernick has disappeared into quicksand and the running game has been inconsistent. Dave Archibald explores what might happen when the 49ers Carlos Hyde meets the New York Giants defense. The 49ers and Giants meet in a matchup hearkening back to battles for NFL supremacy…
Chuck Zodda is our special teams expert. Mostly because we don’t let him do anything else. But whether kickoff returns, fake punts, or fire calls, Chuck has you covered in the third phase of the game. Today we examine the critical role that punters have in determining field position, in Bryan Anger vs. Pat McAfee. Locked…
The Denver Broncos defense continued it’s dominance in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, sacking quarterback Teddy Bridgewater seven times for a total loss of 57 yards. Using a medley of pressure schemes in an attempt to harass and confuse the second-year QB throughout the tightly contested game, Brian Filipiak shows how the Broncos overload blitz…
The San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers meet in NFL Week 5, and the Chargers sputtering run game has a chance to get back on track against the Steelers average run D. When reviewing the film, Mark Schofield noticed one way San Diego could set up a big day for Melvin Gordon. When the Chargers…
Washington‘s quarterback situation has been of particular interest to Mark Schofield over the past several seasons. Because Kirk Cousins pulled one out, the ITP Editors forced him to write about it. Ahab had Moby Dick. David had Goliath. I have Kirk Cousins. A little over a year ago, a fledgling football site was in…
The Baltimore Ravens captured their first win of 2015 in Week 4, overcoming a 13-point deficit before squeaking it out in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Twice, the Ravens defense delivered key fourth down stops in their own territory during the extra quarter. Brian Filipiak looks at how the Ravens defense cracks down on the…
The team that wins the turnover battle usually wins the game, and it’s no mystery why: whether a strip-sack to end a drive, a giveaway that shifts momentum, or a game-saving pick, few plays make more of a difference in winning and losing. Dave Archibald looks at the St. Louis Rams three takeaways, which led…
Big gains can happen anytime, but it takes efficiency and consistent execution to move the ball down the field on a long scoring drive. The St. Louis Rams won the turnover battle, and Mark Schofield‘s efficient drive of the week, as he breaks down how the Rams rode Todd Gurley and Tavon Austin to the…
A quarterback can do his job and still lose the game. Mark Schofield reviews the film each week, looking for the throw of the week, and despite Cleveland’s loss, Josh McCown to Duke Johnson takes this week’s award. The Cleveland Browns dropped to 1-3 after their 30-27 loss in San Diego to the Chargers. However,…
A big gain isn’t always a scoring play, or even a game-winning play. But when C.J. Spiller ended the proceedings Sunday night, Mark Schofield ran to the film room to break it down. Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints were desperately wanting their first win of the season Sunday night when they hosted the…
Last May, Chuck Zodda examined the rule change that pushed extra points from the 2-yard line to the 15-yard line, and the data analysis showed a likelihood that kickers would connect at a 92.7% rate. Through four weeks of the season, NFL kickers are on track to make 94.1% of the longer extra points. Will…
The NFL passing game is complex. Mark Schofield shows how quarterback Derek Carr finds Amari Cooper, and why that’s a reason for fans to be excited about the future in Oakland. Next to the back-shoulder throw, the deep comeback route is perhaps the hardest to defend in the NFL. Similar to the back-shoulder throw, a deep comeback route, when executed well,…
The New England Patriots have coasted into their bye week with a spotless record, largely due to their passing attack. However, the team still knows how to run the ball effectively. Brian Filipiak shows us how the effective Patriots wham schemes helped them amass a large amount of yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars in just a…
Each week, Mark Schofield watches a lot of tape. This makes him a force to be reckoned with in fantasy football, as he always knows who to sit and who to start. This week he looks at the Washington defense ‒ and how Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton is an IDP superstar. Here is a secret…
Through the first three weeks, the 2015 NFL season has been full of exciting special teams plays. Week 3 included a successful fake punt run by Colts punter Pat McAfee, and a fake attempt by the Jacksonville Jaguars that was diagnosed and attacked perfectly by the New England Patriots. Chuck Zodda breaks down the error…
The Houston Texans and all-world defensive lineman J.J. Watt travel to take on the undefeated Atlanta Falcons in NFL Week 4. Dave Archibald has a two-part preview, focusing on the unstoppable Julio Jones in Part 1 and here, on the matchup between Devonta Freeman against the Texans linebackers. Freeman of the Hour While the back end of the Texans defense is…