Don’t look now, but the Carolina Panthers are 4-1 and in first place in the NFC South. Cam Newton got off to a slow start but over the past few weeks, Newton and the Panthers’ offense have started to click. One aspect to their recent success is how they have used rookie running back Christian…
On Sunday Carolina Panthers rookie running back Christian McCaffrey scored his first touchdown in the National Football League. The delay was a bit surprising considering McCaffrey’s unique abilities in the run, pass and return game, but nonetheless the Stanford product has finally scored. Prior to Week 5, McCaffrey had been limited in the Panthers offense…
“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…
I write about the entire NFL for Inside the Pylon, but I’m a New England Patriots fan. My columns have spanned the schemes, players, and team-building strategies of all 32 franchises, but I spend more time watching and thinking about my hometown team than any other. I know the good Twitter follows, I know who’s…
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 second instalment of The Option Route series now takes a closer look at New York Giants wide receiver, Sterling Shepard. If you’re not familiar with the purpose of this series, it is to focus on a chosen wide receiver and illustrate what he does well. I’ll be demonstrating his traits, including athletic ability, route-running,…
Golden Tate was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks where he spent four seasons, winning a Super Bowl in 2013 before leaving for Detroit in the 2014 offseason. Tate played running back in high school, but was mostly used as a WR while at Notre Dame. During…
The Cleveland Browns made the right decision staying with Myles Garrett and not taking Mitchell Trubisky. In the end, I believe the Trubisky hype was all media-driven and that the Browns were locked in the entire time, which is what I maintained throughout the process. Cleveland allowing teams to come up around them for Deshaun…
Series Introduction: A scheme fit is when a player’s traits and abilities line up with a certain coach’s style and scheme. Imagine if every NFL team could draft a player that fit perfectly into their scheme. That would benefit both the teams and the players simultaneously, as general managers and coaches wouldn’t be putting a…
You can count on one hand now the days remaining until day 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft. Over these next few days, teams will be finalizing their strategies and big boards if they haven’t already. Who do these teams want on day 1? Are they looking to draft the best player available (BPA)? Or are…
Seattle’s 2016 NFL season contained detrimental elements that had not previously been seen from a Pete Carroll-led Seahawks team. Additionally, existing factors continued, such as the Seahawks’ poor red zone offense. Their inability to convert good opportunities is something that has plagued the team. Jimmy Graham Jimmy Graham had 65 catches for 923 yards and…
One of the toughest challenges to overcome offensively is facing a good man-to-man defense. They can disrupt the timing of your passing game, suffocate your receivers, and, worse, they can crush your team’s psyche. Essentially, the defense is telling you: You aren’t good enough to beat them. It could be demoralizing, so how do you beat…
With six seconds remaining in the second quarter, the Green Bay Packers led the New York Giants 7-6. In a half where points came at a premium, Aaron Rodgers took the snap at New York’s 42-yard line and heaved a ball into the end zone to that was grabbed by Randall Cobb for a devastating…
Author’s Note: The title of this piece has been changed. This is not a list of my top candidate’s for the position of GM, but reflective of research into GM hiring dating back to 2006 and the clusters of candidates that Owners seemingly gravitate towards. As of this publication, all 32 General Managers are still…
After a week hiatus, fantasy football bold predictions are back! And in arguably the most crucial week in fantasy so far, it’s go big or go home. Let’s get to it. Third-string quarterback for the Chicago Bears, Matt Barkley, burns the 49ers with 275 yards and two touchdowns. In a surprising 316 yard, three touchdown…
Part of the fun of watching a football game is second-guessing the play calling. From the comfort of their couches (or Twitter), fans will criticize an offensive coordinator for running too much or too little, not helping a struggling lineman enough, not using a dangerous weapon, or any number of other sins. One curious play…