With the new season upon us, what better time than now to talk about the playoffs? There are 31 fan bases across the country full of high hopes that their favorite team will make the playoffs. For New England fans, it’s become basically an annual occurrence, so they probably aren’t too concerned. Enjoy it while…
Does anyone really know what Allen Robinson’s going to do this year? There are a host of outstanding football analysts who do their best to project player performance from year to year using advanced scouting and statistical models, but even the best methods aren’t perfect, as every player reacts differently to new situations and to…
Having installed some of our basic passing plays in Part One of this three-part series, it is time to turn our attention to the run game, as well as the play-action passing game. As a reminder, this three-part series on “my game script” was inspired by the great Mark Bullock, who you should definitely be…
The Cover 3 defense has been a staple of some of the best defenses in recent memory. It’s a basic coverage that relies on 3 players eliminating the deep thirds of the field, while the remaining 4 players focus on underneath coverage (assuming 4 defenders are rushing). There are many variations to Cover 3, but…
Over the past few years for NFL teams that are rebuilding, the blueprint for potential success has been to draft a quarterback while also having a proven veteran signal-caller ahead of them. It is a method that has had both positive and negative results for many teams. Some of the most successful examples have been…
Everything closes fast in the NFL. Pockets collapse, running lanes shrink and the window to win the Super Bowl can be wide open today and nailed shut tomorrow. A good quarterback improves those Super Bowl chances. He might help to give you a couple of windows instead of just one. Longevity with a team is…
In 1999, Paul DePodesta was hired by the Oakland Athletics as an assistant to the then GM Billy Beane. DePodesta, and his trusty sabermetrics, led the A’s to unprecedented success given their budgetary restrictions. Along with the help of a successful novel and film adaptation, Beane and DePodesta helped usher in an era of analytics…
Welcome on in my friends to the latest installment of “Check With Me,” my semi-regular column addressing quarterback issues at both the NFL and collegiate levels. Today we’ll dive into some NFL teams that need to address QB2, some reader questions, highlight another cause to support in “Helping One Another” and stay away from any…
It happens every winter. First, it comes, as Ned Stark warned us. Then, the questions are raised regarding the crop of quarterbacks: Can they make all the throws? Do they have enough velocity? Last year the 49 miles per hour number dogged Deshaun Watson through his draft day and into his rookie season (more on…
There have been interesting discussions lately about how teams in need of a quarterback should go about improving the position this offseason. Whether it’s through free agency, the draft or both – all options come with caveats. Depending on your team’s organizational philosophy there will be different ways decision makers go about filling the need…
The major takeaway from the Alex Smith trade, other than the fact that Patrick Mahomes is going to be the starting quarterback in 2018 for the Kansas City Chiefs, is that Kirk Cousins is going to be able to test the free agent market. For the last two seasons Cousins has played on the franchise…
“Death is certain. The time is not.” The words of Jaqen H’ghar (courtesy of HBO’s Game of Thrones) could not more perfectly describe a situation than that of Alex Smith’s. When the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to the 10th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and drafted Texas Tech quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, Smith knew…
After five games, the Philadelphia Eagles stand atop the NFC East with a 4-1 record and their only blemish is a road loss to the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. A big reason for their success has been the play of second-year quarterback Carson Wentz. The young QB has been dazzling this season, completing 62.1% of…
The New England Patriots lost a 42-27 game to the Kansas City Chiefs to open the NFL regular season on a night that was supposed to be a celebration for the Patriots. However, the Chiefs were able to play spoilers as they moved the ball down the field with ease – mainly due to the…
The NFL season is upon us, and after another whirlwind offseason of coaching changes and player movements, I’m pleased to present the 2nd edition of my NFL Roster Valuation model. For those not familiar with the previous iteration, the goal of my roster assessment isn’t to fall in line with others that put together individual…
Mechanics in any sport is a tricky subject. There are usually distinct differences between what is considered the right way and the wrong way of performing an athletic task. Yet, sometimes players find a way to succeed in their own unconventional way. You’ll find examples that aren’t exactly textbook from every sport. For some reason…