Category: football

Having a model helps. I did not use most of the research I conducted prior to last week’s column. I did not know what the column would be, I had an idea but no clear way of executing it, and when the time came, I had to find my way as I went. Stuff got left out. Other stuff was included hastily.

I think the biggest question for this Patriots Offense will be who the Rams will use to cover Gronk in man coverage. Last year, we thought we’d see Malcolm Jenkins on Gronk, but instead we got Malcolm Jenkins on James White. Do we something drastic again in this Super Bowl? The three possible scenarios

The Bears need to address their kicking situation this offseason, but re-signing Robbie Gould is not the answer, even if he is a fan favorite.

Former Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward called the state of the Steelers “embarrassing,” and he said the franchise would benefit from being more like the Patriots. “I look at what happened with Malcolm Butler, being late for a meeting and missing the Super Bowl,” Ward told Barstool Sports. “That’

Percy Harvin’s kickoff return for a touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks. Consecutive kickoff returns for touchdowns by the New York Giants’ Ron Dixon and the Baltimore Ravens’ Jermaine Lewis. Linebacker James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Pittsburgh Steelers

The New England Patriots defense has certainly come a long way this year: after an inconsistent start into the season, the unit grew into one of the NFL’s better units — one that stood its ground going against two high-powered offenses in the divisional and championship playoff rounds: the Patriots

OFF THE BAT Jazz pregame warmups were interrupted Friday when a bat flew into the arena and buzzed the court. “That was scary,” Donovan Mitchell told reporters. “I was not cool with that at all.” That goes for nearly tanking a 23-point lead against Minnesota, too. CONSISTENCY CALLING Bill Vinovich, who

Caption Close Texans assistant coach Wes Welker has interviewed for a pair of jobs. The offensive assistant and former Pro Bowl wide receiver interviewed with the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly. The interviews were first reported

Robey-Coleman wasn’t holding back in a Bleacher Report profile.

The NFL has yet to publicly acknowledge the blown call late in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s Rams-Saints game. The NFL has come dangerously close to making that concession in court papers filed over the weekend. At page 2 of the league’s 22-page response to the lawsuit filed last week in New Orleans

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Pro Bowl has long been considered a laughable representation of the NFL game. It reached a new level of comedy Sunday as several players swapped positions during the annual all-star game. Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey caught a touchdown pass in the final minute

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Pro Bowl has long been considered a laughable representation of the NFL game. It reached a new level of comedy Sunday as several players swapped positions during the annual all-star game. Sign up for Home Turf and get exclusive stories every SoCal sports fan must read, sent daily.

New York Jets safety Jamal Adams says he wasn’t intending to hurt Pat Patriot when he leveled the New England Patriots mascot with an unexpected, blindside hit during Pro Bowl practice Wednesday. But he isn’t exactly sorry, either. In an interview Thursday afternoon, Adams told ESPN’s Dianna

Throughout the Patriots’ run of playoff success under Bill Belichick, one of his best-known attributes has been his ability to craft game plans that have stumped their opponents. He’s at it again. This postseason New England’s best offensive weapon has been finding ways to keep the ball out

Behind the cashier at the Canal Street tourist trap I had wandered into was a wall of sports-themed Mardi Gras necklaces. I originally walked in searching for a T-shirt for extra layering because it was unusually cold, but one of the trinkets caught my eye so I thought: why not? “Could I get the Rams

This year Super Bowl ticket prices are already plummeting. Blame it on Patriots fans, who have been to the Super Bowl so many times that they know how this all works and are waiting to buy.

The last thing the NFL wants is for an officiating mistake to decide the Super Bowl. On Sunday, the league might have made enough errors to determine both teams that will play in the title game Feb. 3. The most egregious gaffe came in the NFC Championship Game in New Orleans. The Saints were in position

Patrick Mahomes was forced to watch Tom Brady dissect a tired Chiefs defense in OT without being provided the opportunity to return the favor.

If the game was still going on, Tom Brady might have been called for a penalty. “Un-f—in’-believable, bro!” Brady shouted when an interviewer sought his reaction after the New England Patriots defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, 37-31, in the AFC Championship Game. WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

A game the Saints had dominated for multiple quarters was squandered, not simply because of an official’s miscalculation, but because of their own inability to adjust, to regroup, to call better plays and to seize the moment.

The Saints took the lead in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game when they kicked a field goal to cap the opening drive of the game, but they are no longer in front with just over five minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The Rams used a pair of big gains by tight end Gerald Everett and wide receiver

The Latest on the conference championship games (all times EST): 5:30 p.m. Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. and defensive tackle Danny Shelton are inactive for their AFC championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Both are a bit of a surprise. Wise has been dealing with an ankle injury

Marcus Peters talks a huge game, but it’s been a while since he came within an area code of backing it up. In anticipation of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game meeting with the Saints in New Orleans, the Rams cornerback tweeted “It’s gumbo week let’s eat” on Monday, with an attached

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — One way or another, the NFC Championship between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints will be won by a coach named Sean — with an Irish surname — who designs and calls plays for one of the most innovative and productive offenses in the NFL. The ties between the Saints’ Sean

Rams vs. Saints Cheerleaders Who’d You Rather?! 1 1/19/2019 12:05 AM PST The New Orleans Saints take on the L.A. Rams on the field in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday … but the REAL battle is actually going down on the sidelines … Yeah, we’re talking cheerleaders, baby!!! The 2 cheer squads

The NFC and AFC championship games. The Saints versus the Rams. The Patriots versus the Chiefs. The old world versus the new. If you take a step back a moment from New Orleans-Los Angeles and Kansas City-New England, you see two familiar threads emerging from the tapestry of matchups and hype — and,

NFL Conference Championship Week has nearly come to an end. Just two days from now, the Rams and Saints will meet in New Orleans to decide which side will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIII. Immediately thereafter, some 13 hours’ drive north in Kansas City, the AFC crown will either be given to

Out with the old and in with the new? This Sunday’s AFC Championship Game featuring the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs is fascinating for so many reasons, but the most intriguing storyline centers on whether Patrick Mahomes can usurp Tom Brady in a battle between the likely NFL MVP and