By John Sarianides Western Michigan was the surprise mid-major last season going 12-0 and getting to the Cotton Bowl before losing to Wisconsin. So, who will be this year’s surprise mid-major program? Here are five teams that could end up in the New Year’s Six. 1. Wyoming Cowboys: The Cowboys are seemingly everyone’s sleeper mid-major team it seems. Why not? Head coach Craig Bohl has coached at Nebraska and he built…
NCAA Football: Pre-Season Heisman Watch
By John Sarianides The 2017 season has already kicked off but it kicks off in earnest this weekend. That begs the question. Who are the top Heisman Trophy contenders? There are several players to watch this season. Here is my list by position. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Louisville: The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has a good chance to be the first repeat winner since Ohio State running back Archie Griffin in…
Opinion: Matthew Stafford is Worth $27 Million a Season
By John Sarianides The Detroit Lions signed quarterback Matthew Stafford to a five year, $135 million dollar extension last night. The deal includes $50 million in bonus money and $92 million guaranteed. Not bad for a quarterback who has never won a playoff game. The deal makes Stafford the highest paid player in league history at $27 million per season. Naysayers will immediately point to Stafford’s playoff record and say…
3 Key NFL Preview: An Improved Defense Could Be the Key for the 2017 Packers
By John Sarianides Packers general manager Ted Thompson made it a point this off-season to upgrade a Packers secondary that was brutal last season. Between injuries and inconsistent play, Green Bay’s secondary was the single biggest reason the Packers failed to reach the Super Bowl once again. Thompson addressed the problem in April’s draft by taking Washington cornerback Kevin King in the second round and strong safety Josh Jones in…
3 Key NFL Preview: The Vikings Look to Contend After AP
By John Sarianides For ten years, Adrian Peterson was the center piece of the Vikings offense. Now Peterson is in New Orleans. The Vikings decided to move on from Peterson after last season and signed veteran Latavius Murray and drafted Dalvin Cook to fill the void. Both backs will have ample opportunities to replace the future hall of famer, particularly Cook. The Vikings revamped their offensive line this off-season adding…
Patriots Pulse Blog: 3 Ways the Patriots Could Minimize the Loss of Julien Edelman
By John Sarianides The Patriots found out this morning that wide receiver Julien Edelman is indeed done for the season with a torn ACL. So, how do the Patriots replace so much production? Here are three ways. 1. Use 20 Personnel More: 20 personnel in football is two running backs and three wide receivers. By using 20 personnel more, the Patriots could get James White and Dion Lewis in the…
Patriots Pulse Rewind: Patriots 30 Lions 28
By John Sarianides Game Rewind: After going up 24-0 in the first half, the Patriots rallied to beat the Lions 30-28 on a last second field goal. Of course, the story of the night is the injury suffered by Julien Edelman. Here are five thoughts from last night’s game. 1. Edelman Injury: The Patriots fear that Julian Edelman may have a torn ACL could be confirmed today after the star…
Patriots Pulse Preview: New England Patriots (0-2) at Detroit Lions (2-0)
By John Sarianides The Patriots will be playing their third pre-season game tonight when they travel to Detroit to battle the Lions. The third pre-season game is traditionally the game in which the starters play the most. Expect to see the starters play at least a half tonight. Here are three things to watch for in tonight’s pre-season game. 1. How Long Will the Starters Play? I asked the same…
3 Key NFL Preview: The Lions Must Prove They Can Contend
By John Sarianides The Detroit Lions are out to prove that they are indeed a contender in the NFC. Detroit made the playoffs last season but lost to the Seahawks in the Wild Card round. After making changes to their uniforms and personnel this off-season, the Lions are out to prove that they are indeed a contender in what a stacked conference. As always, Detroit’s success will hinge on the…
Nickel Defense: 5 Things That Are Pissing Me Off In the Football World
The Patriots don’t need six people working their pre-season coverage. It’s absurd! By John Sarianides Here are five things that are really pissing me off right now in the world of football. 1. The Patriots Pre-Season Broadcast Annoys Me: Do the Patriots really need to have six people involved in their pre-season broadcast? Isn’t Dan Roche and Christian Fauria enough? Why is Matt Chatham a part of the broadcast? Seriously. He…