The Packers punished the Patriots for minding the gaps and quarterback Aaron Rodgers carved up the defense whether there was a spy or not. This is no surprise – Rodgers is the best quarterback in football. But 11 seconds? Brian Filipiak explains what happened. In a showdown between two elite offenses, the Green Bay Packers…
Beautiful offensive football takes teamwork and execution. The Green Bay Packers demonstrated this to perfection against the New England Patriots featuring the “Rodgers to Rodgers” of Aaron and Richard. What’s The Rush? Outside of a handful of occasions during the Packers’ 26-21 victory on Sunday, Aaron Rodgers had more than enough time to survey the…
Playing defense in today’s NFL is difficult. Trying to stop skilled offenses while simultaneously battling harsh rules regulating defensive contact is a tough task. When a defense suffers a breakdown, even one as minor as a defender being a step out of position, the offense is likely to make them pay. The following plays are…
The NFL, as America’s favorite entertainment, is at the forefront of many societal issues. In Week 13, the Rams Hands Up protest drew the ire of the St. Louis Police, who erroneously interpreted Kevin Demhoff’s statement as an apology. On Sunday, five St. Louis Rams players ‒ Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Kenny Britt, Jared Cook…
The marquee matchup this Thanksgiving was the NFC West showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. The visiting Seahawks posted a decisive 19-3 victory thanks to a stifling defense and an opportunistic offense. One play in particular demonstrated the elusiveness of quarterback Russell Wilson: a 63-yard pass play to Tony Moeaki. For…
The New England Patriots have faced a number of the NFL’s top receivers this year, such as A.J. Green, Demaryius Thomas, and Calvin Johnson. Using offseason signees Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, the defense has employed different tactics and combinations to slow down these pass-catching weapons. There are number one receivers, and then there are…
Each week, Inside The Pylon tracks the New England Patriots by the numbers and key statistics about the offense and defense. Offense – Areas of Emphasis Keeping Brady Upright: 1 sack in 36 dropbacks – 2.8% sack rate. The sack was costly, coming on the Patriots’ final offensive play of the game and ending a…
Sitting atop the AFC with a 9-2 record, the New England Patriots travel to Lambeau Field to face the 8-3 Green Bay Packers for the marquee matchup of the season. The two teams are strikingly similar to each other in makeup and performance, so finding a matchup advantage for either team is difficult. Some digging…
The big Patriots vs. Packers game has three brave(?) souls going with Rodgers & Co. The great Thursday Seahawks vs. 49ers contest is a split among our experts. It’s the Week 13 NFL Power Picks, Thanksgiving edition! Dr. Geary finally catches up with Super Dave and we now have a tie at the top of…
Thanksgiving and football are intertwined; backyard games with family, the college and NFL rivalry games ‒ pigskin and turkey go together. But don’t forget that America’s favorite sport has also been plagued by this season by a domestic abuse scandal that is a small part the NFL’s biggest problem – players with brain injuries. Junior…
Thanksgiving Day’s crowning game features the best rivalry in the NFL today. The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks face off with their arch-enemy San Francisco 49ers – who have advanced to at least the NFC Championship game each of the last three seasons – in a showdown with massive playoff implications. Having not battled…
The 169th meeting of Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions qualifies as the NFL‘s longest running annual rivalry, with a meeting every year since 1930. Detroit has hosted a Thanksgiving day game since 1945, and a victory in this edition will either keep the Bears in the playoff race or get the Lions one step closer…
The next three weeks will see the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles meet twice. Both these longtime NFC East rivals sit at a solid 8-3 and yet neither is assured even of the playoffs, let alone the division crown. Philadelphia currently holds the narrowest of edges in the division via tie breakers – a sweep…
The New England Patriots posted 34 points on the Detroit Lions and the Lions still lead the NFL in fewest points allowed. Before the game, Mark Schofield previewed the Lions scheme and talent combined to make opposing offenses miserable. Brian Filipiak reviewed the Patriots film to find out the keys to taming the Lions pass…
Football is a game played with eleven players on each team. All NFL and college football fans know this. Aunt Sally knows this. So how do the Arizona Cardinals not know this? Chuck Zodda looks at the Seattle Seahawks punt block and renders a verdict. Math is an important skill for a number of professions.…
Spectacular plays happen every week in the NFL. Colin Kaepernick‘s throw. Rob Gronkowski’s slalom through the Colts secondary. The Rams’ fake punt return. Julian Edelman’ s wall of doom. The greatest route ever run. But the race for Play of the Year probably ended last night, as Odell Beckham Jr. became a household name. Facing…