What a time to be an NFL fan. The game is as flexible and multiple as ever and the lines have been blurred in regards to once extremely rigid concepts such as scheme, philosophy and the concept of players having defined positions. Defensive fronts also fall into that category, as the once unique and scheme…
New head coach Pat Shurmur brings a lot to the historic organization of the New York Giants. On the offensive side of the ball, the conversation starts with two time Super Bowl winner Eli Manning. His career is nearing its end, and he is coming off a disastrous 2017 season. Without diving into the drama…
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has ranked near the top of the MVP race all season, but it doesn’t seem like anyone is too excited about his candidacy. First, Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz was the front-runner, but his season was cut short by a knee injury. Pundits next turned to Seattle Seahawks signal-caller…
It was an odd last couple months for Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys offense. Prescott wound up going through the most difficult stretch of games in his short career. During the Ezekiel Elliott suspension, Prescott was sacked 17 times – eight of those came against Atlanta while LT Tyron Smith was inactive – and…
In the Building Blocks series, writers from Inside the Pylon will discuss the current roster of those teams on the outside looking in of playoff contention in 2017. In a roundtable format, the writers will talk about what players currently look like keepers for the long term, with the potential for being key contributors to…
If the NFL season ended today, the AFC and NFC playoff picture would look like this: Steelers 1. Eagles Patriots 2. Vikings Chiefs 3. Rams Titans 4. Saints Bills …
The Miami Dolphins followed a disastrous trip to London with an uninspiring 16-10 victory over the Matt Cassel-led Tennessee Titans in Week 5. Over those two weeks quarterback Jay Cutler struggled at the quarterback position. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 164 yards and an interception against the Saints at Wembley Stadium, then followed…
We broke the huddle and walked to the line of scrimmage. It was third and goal, and we were trailing Hamilton College on the road. We needed points late in the third quarter, and opportunities were becoming scarce. My parents, who made the eight-hour drive to see this game, stood nervously near the end zone.…
“Daddy, where do fumbles come from?” Startled, I nearly spit out my coffee. “Well … when a mommy and daddy fumble love each other very much …” I stammered. He interrupted me, “Dad!” I fixed a sober gaze on my son. “Do you really want to know?” He nodded. “Sacks, mostly.” “What?” “Look at 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…
This is a multi-part series covering several areas of offensive line play in 2017; predictions on the five best OL units, top 3 OL at each position based on tape study, surprise OL unit, top backup OL, and a Q&A session with Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz – covering different aspects of his career and OL…
The New England Patriots fascinate me. They have been the class of the NFL for a long time. Depending on your definition of a dynasty, you could state that New England’s has spanned the last two decades. Or they had one in the early 2000s and we’re presently living in the second iteration. Either way,…
The Chicago Bears quarterback situation heading into the 2017 season might just be the most interesting in the entire league. The Jay Cutler era is officially over. In comes Mike Glennon from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and, of course, there was the NFL Draft day 1 surprise as the Bears traded up from the #3…
Joe Williams should have been included in the 2017 Inside the Pylon Draft Guide. That’s what I was saying in January. As it was, my fellow running back scouts and the big four of Jon Ledyard, Jeff Feyerer, Shane Alexander, and Dan Hatman decided he was not a top 100 player in this draft. By…
The speed with which the defender exhibits moving from Point A to Point B to decrease the distance between themselves and the ballcarrier is known as closing speed. Acceleration, foot speed, and the angle the defender takes to get to the ball all factor into whether a defender displays great closing speed or not. These…
Every spring, NFL teams meet with prospects for the upcoming draft in the months leading up to the draft itself. There are many opportunities for players and teams to meet with one another, including all-star games, pro days, the NFL Scouting Combine, workouts, and private visits. Each type of meeting has different rules that govern…