Going into Sunday’s AFC championship game, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable to expect both the Patriots and the Broncos to top 30 points in a dual of high-octane offenses, but the two teams were able to combine for just 42 points. At the end of the day, the Broncos were able to put together a […]

The top of the NFL draft order is littered with teams that have a big problem at the most important position in football. Quarterbacks that have the ability to carry their teams into the postseason year after year are rare, and teams like the Texans, Jaguars and Browns will have the first shot at this […]

Regardless of how this weekend’s games turn out, the dynamic of Super Bowl XLVIII has already been determined. A high-octane offense with much to be desired on defense will take the field from the AFC side of the bracket, and the NFC will field a staunch defense with an offense powered by an athletic quarterback […]

Not too long ago, Chris Johnson looked to be on a Hall of Fame track. The guy ran for 2,006 yards as a 24-year-old in his second year with the Tennessee Titans. He had an insane 3,997 yards from scrimmage and 26 touchdowns in his first 31 games. Only two players in NFL history had […]

It's so easy to forget about running backs nowadays. This league is a quarterback-centric one. Passing numbers are up and running numbers are down. The emphasis has never swayed this far away from the run, and as a result, backs are forgotten. Only 13 of them hit the 1,000-yard mark during the 2013 NFL regular […]

Rex Ryan got the contract extension that he wanted Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported on Thursday. The extension ensures the Jets will avoid fielding a lame duck coach, but it does little in the way of ensuring long-term continuity. In essence, the extension was a one year reprieve for Ryan, but it’s little more than […]

"Upon further review" is a new recurring segment in which This Given Sunday analyzes quirks and fascinating tidbits from the NFL's history books.  This weekend in Denver and Seattle, two teams will be eliminated from the NFL playoffs. On Monday, those teams will clean out their lockers and go their separate ways before preparation starts […]

To say that Jim Caldwell’s personality is the opposite of former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz’s isn’t doing the contrast justice. On the sidelines, Schwartz was always a fiery coach. Nothing epitomized that more than his postgame run in with Jim Harbaugh following a 49ers win over the Lions. The now infamous handshake nearly sparked […]

The Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers meet Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake. Here's what you need to know about the NFC championship game: 1. The Seahawks have beaten the 49ers by a combined score of 71-16 in their last two meetings in Seattle and are 16-1 at home […]

The Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots meet Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake. Here's what you need to know about the AFC championship game: 1. If the Patriots win, they'll play in the Super Bowl for the eighth time, tying Pittsburgh and Dallas for the most Super Bowl appearances […]

It’s no coincidence that the four teams left in the NFL playoffs are also led by four of the best coaches in the game today. Each coach meshes well with his team. The Patriots are a stoic group that goes onto the field as if it’s business as usual each and every week. The 49ers […]

NFL officials had another rough weekend during the divisional round of the playoffs, highlighted by inconsistency, a botched replay and general incompetence. Officiating has been under intense scrutiny for much of the year, but is it really fair to expect part-time officials to get everything right? Here’s five ways the league can help improve the […]

They seem to get stupider every week, guys, which is weird because you'd think the smartest players, coaches and officials would be those still working in mid-January. Let's reflect on another NFL weekend in stupidity.  The stupidest attempt at logic  Hate to tear Dan Dierdorf apart in his last game as an NFL analyst, but […]