(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) By John Sarianides Game Rewind: Tom Brady and the Patriots took control early and never looked back on route to a 36-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots will be going to their record ninth Super Bowl when they battle Matt Ryan and Atlanta Falcons on February 5th in Houston. Here are five thoughts from the game. 1. Brady the Magnificent: Tom Brady was once again…
AFC Championship Game Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers (13-5) at New England Patriots (15-2)
By John Sarianides The Patriots and Steelers are meeting for the third time in an AFC Championship game. The winner of this game will be playing in a record ninth Super Bowl two weeks from today. The Lead: The Pittsburgh Steelers will face off against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. This is the third time the two teams are meeting in the AFC Championship game. The Patriots…
NFC Championship Game Preview: Green Bay Packers (12-6) at Atlanta Falcons (12-5)
By John Sarianides The Green Bay Packers will look to extend their winning streak to nine games as they battle the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game. The Lead: The Packers enter this NFC Championship game winners of eight straight. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is playing about as well as any quarterback has over an eight game stretch in league history. Rodgers has thrown 21 touchdown passes and 1…
Scouting Report: Counter Trap Plays Are the Foundation of the Steelers Running Game
By John Sarianides The Pittsburgh Steelers run a variety of counter trap plays designed to take advantage of LeVeon Bell patient running style. Here are four examples of how the Steelers use counter plays out of compressed formations as staples of their running game. Tackle Wrap With a Built in RPO: The Steelers are big, strong and athletic along the offensive line. The tackle wrap play is a staple spread…
NFL Draft: 20 Players to Watch For In the East West Shrine Game
By John Sarianides The pre-draft process starts today with the East West Shrine game. There are several quality prospects playing in today’s game and a handful of them could be among the first one hundred players taken in April’s draft. Here are my top twenty prospects to keep an eye on in this game. 1. Cooper Rush, QB, Central Michigan (East): Rush has terrific size at 6-3 230. He is…
NFL: Five Key Match-Ups to Watch in the AFC Championship Game
Photo courtesy of Jared Wickerham/AP The Patriots and Steelers will be facing off for a second time this season. The Patriots won the first match up in Week 7, 27-16. Pittsburgh was without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger so needless to say, this should be a different game. Pittsburgh’s defense has vastly improved since that first match-up as well and they could pose problems for the Patriots come Sunday. Here are five…
NFL: Five Key Match Ups To Watch In The NFC Championship Game
The Packers and Falcons will be meeting for the second time this season in the NFC Championship game. The Falcons won the first match up 33-32. Here are five key match up to watch for in this game. Matt Ryan Vs. The Packers Secondary: Matt Ryan threw for 288 yards and 3 touchdown passes in the first meeting between these two teams. Ryan should put up similar numbers in this…
Vallee’s View: Patriots Stumble into the AFC Championship Game
Feature image courtesy of Jim Rogash/ Getty Images By Michael Vallee -Send In the Clowns: It was supposed to be easy. A laugher. A joke. Another gift from the AFC South. The NFL equivalent of the proverbial walk in the park. A mere tuneup before the real playoffs begin next Sunday. In a week when most of the talk centered around such questions as, “How much will New England win…
AFC Championship Week Means It is Officially Whining Week in New England
It is AFC Championship week in New England. That means Patriots fans are going to whine about how their team is not getting any respect nationally and that Roger Goodell is a piece of excrement for not coming to New England. By John Sarianides It is AFC Championship week in New England. You know what that means right? It’s whining week! That’s right. It is the yearly rite of passage…
What Marshfield High School Has Done to Coach Silva is Unacceptable
By John Sarianides The administration at Marshfield High School recently informed long time football coach Lou Silva that they were going to be opening the head football position for next season. The administration cited a desire to have the football coach in the building. Silva has been the head football coach at Marshfield for 36 years. In that time, he has complied a record of 236-144-7 and won five Super Bowls….