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For a sport that involves so much speed, power and raw athleticism, the game of football is a deceptively subtle one. Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the game can revel in the excitement of a last-gasp Hail Mary pass or bulldozing touchdown run. But diehard fans can learn to appreciate devious dummy plays and moments of defensive inspiration just as much. But it’s best to start with the basics. Football can be intimidating for newcomers, with its complex plays, laundry list of rules and constantly evolving metagame. On the one hand, there’s always something new and exciting to learn when watching the NFL, but on the other, a solid grasp of the fundamentals is an absolute necessity for anyone who wants to get the most out of their…

Today, the National Football League is a sight to behold. A many-headed sporting beast with 32 franchised teams spread across the United States, over 1,600 active players at any one time and a divisional setup that culminates in the one of the biggest sports spectacles in the world: the Super Bowl. The league has come a long way, too – from humble beginnings in the 1920s to the grand unification in 1960, the sport of gridiron has also grown, adapted and revolutionised itself over those 90 years. Every corner of the sport has been overhauled or tweaked as fans, officials and teams edge it forward towards its perfect self – ball sizes, equipment types, rule infringements, stadium sizes – everything has been reborn at one point or another. It’s not…

For years the rest of the world has pointed out, with much glee, that Americans are the only sports fans on Earth to crown the winners of sports that only they play as ‘world champions’. Baseball’s winner-takes-all grand finale, the World Series, is another prime example. But, with football at least, that joke doesn’t really ring true any more. By the close of the 2015 season, 14 NFL regular season games have been played under the ‘International Series’ banner at Wembley stadium, with the league committed to another six in London and one in Mexico. In addition to the International Series games, regular and preseason matches have taken place in Mexico and Canada, along with dozens of exhibition games in Japan, the UK, Sweden, Germany, Spain, Ireland and Australia. Such…

“ Winning the Super Bowl quickly became the ‘be all and end all’ for a team” Ever since Super Bowl I on 15 January 1967, the showpiece game of the football season has gone from strength to strength. Proving itself to be one of the most popular sporting events on the planet, the ongoing battle between the champions of the NFC and AFC is one that will undoubtedly rage for years to come. The world just wouldn’t have it any other way. From the NFL’s inception in 1920, it faced constant threats from other leagues wanting to rise up and take its place. With the sport still in its relative infancy, other organisations had ambitions to become the dominant power as its popularity started to increase, but no one was…

The 97th NFL season is already shaping up to be one of the best. With the St Louis Rams returning to LA – the team’s home from 1946 to 1994 – and Super Bowl LI heading back to Texas at the NRG Stadium on 5 February 2017, it’s bound to be another crowning success. And while history has taught us that there are no sure things, there’s still plenty of evidence to suggest who may be in line to secure a Super Bowl ring at the end of the season. As has become the case year in, year out, it would be foolish to write off the New England Patriots. A dominant and consistent force for the last five years, their unwavering and solid foundation is enough to make them…

The NFL is the sum of many parts – the organisation, the culture, the fans, the media – but ultimately it comes down to the teams competing on the field, week in, week out. It’s here that individual skill and collective excellence combine to produce some of the fiercest, most competitive, and most entertaining contests in sport. The teams are the heart and soul of the NFL, and each has its own strengths, weaknesses, legendary figures and fierce rivalries. From storied franchises that have fallen on hard times, to promising teams built around a core of bright young talent, football is home to championshipwinning juggernauts, plucky underdogs and everything in between. In this section, we’ll shine a spotlight on every single one of the NFL’s 32 franchises. We’ll provide key…

Such are the standards set by the New England Patriots in recent years that last season’s run to the conference championship was considered something of a disappointment for the erstwhile NFL champions. In truth, it’s a credit to the indefatigable work of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady that the Patriots got there in the first place. 2015 was a season in which the team was riddled with injuries to key players, but they kept winning, as has become the theme for what is the most dominant NFL dynasty of the last two decades. As ever, Brady will be at the heart of everything the Patriots do this season, but the supporting cast is just as formidable, especially on offense. Rob Gronkowski will be joined by Martellus Bennett…

After countless years in the doldrums, the Bengals have made huge leaps in the past five years, turning their fortunes around and capturing the AFC North division title in 2015. Head Coach Marvin Lewis made a pretty quick impact upon his appointment in 2003, bringing home a division title within his first two years on the job, and through decisive tactics and a commitment to strong defense, has helped cement the Bengals as playoff mainstays, after spending huge parts of the previous century languishing in the lower portions of the league. Clearly, the addition of quarterback Andy Dalton in 2011 has been a catalyst for the team’s recent success, with the Bengals hitting the playoffs in every season since his signing – clear evidence if any was needed of the…

In predictable Texans style, the 2015 season was a roller coaster full of tight performances and embarrassing defeats. Under the guidance of head coach Bill O’Brien, the Texans started the season with a 2-5 record, with a 44-26 loss against the Miami Dolphins (where the Texans were a startling 41-0 down at the half) proving something of a turning point for the franchise. With a renewed sense of focus, the Texans started playing a much tighter game and bounced back to finish the regular season 9-7. The Texans ended up using four different starting quarterbacks, with each one helping the team win matches to proceed through the league. The release of QB Ryan Mallett, who was benched in favour of Brian Hoyer during a loss against the Indianapolis Colts, caused…

When you begin a campaign with a 1-6 record, as a head coach, you can probably expect to find yourself on the unemployment line. This is exactly what happened to Ken Whisenhunt on 3 November last year, after the awful first half of a season threatened to send the Titans into freefall. Replacement and former tight end coach Mike Mularkey only fared slightly better, with the Titans ending up with a brutal 3-13 record, tying the Cleveland Browns for worst overall in the NFL. The fleeting mercy of a first round draft pick isn’t enough to satisfy a rampant fan base, who have taken the team into their hearts since its relocation from Houston in the late 1990s. Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Titans. Along with…

For years, the once-great Oakland Raiders have struggled to emulate past glories. Events became so bad in 2014 that the team fired longtime coach Dennis Allen after losing four straight games at the start of the regular season. After crashing out of the playoff hunt following a week 11 loss to the Chargers (the earliest a team had done so since 2004), the team was ready to start afresh the following year. In 2015, the season went much the same way but some great performances and an exciting tactical approach from new head coach Jack Del Rio unearthed a new glimmer of hope for the Raider Nation. Khalil Mack had an incredible season, cementing his position as one of the league’s outstanding players. The fact he was named first team…

For the first time in 13 seasons the New York Giants will be led to the field by someone other than Tom Coughlin, the twotime Super Bowl-winning head coach who resigned at the end of last season Filling those gargantuan shoes is Ben McAdoo, Coughlin’s offensive coordinator for the last two years. Similar philosophies lead to similar strategies, so the team could be left in good hands. The 6-10 record for the 2015 Giants can be misleading. Six of those losses were decided by less than a touchdown, including a 52-49 shootout against the New Orleans Saints and a 38-35 result against the Carolina Panthers. A few more completions could have changed the conversation to a 12-4 powerhouse. The Giants offense is led by star receiver Odell Beckham Jr, whose…

No team in the National Football League was bitten worse by the injury bug in 2015 than the Chicago Bears. Many of the Bears’ major starters on offense – including quarterback Jay Cutler, running back Matt Forte, and All-Pro wide receiver Alshon Jeffery – missed at least one game due to medical issues, with Jeffery missing seven games total. The inability to stay healthy cost the Bears in 2015, resulting in a 6-10 record for coach John Fox in his first season with the team. Jay Cutler missed the least amount of time of those listed above, and he threw for 3,600 yards and more than 10 touchdowns in the 15 games he did play. Jeffery led the team in receptions and receiving yards despite missing almost half of the…

No good, wide left. Four words that could send any football fan into hysterics, but they don’t ring more true today than they do in Minnesota, where an errant field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter was the catalyst for the end to the Vikings’ season. An 11-5 record and the franchise’s first division title in six years were instantly marred by the devastating early playoffexit, and the team will look to get back to the playoffs in 2016. The 2015 Vikings offense rode on the back of star running back Adrian Peterson, who had the most productive year of his career with over 300 carries for nearly 1,500 yards. Teddy Bridgewater continues to settle into his starting role, throwing for nearly 3,300 yards in his second season. The…

A second straight 7-9 season made for some discontent in New Orleans at the end of last season, with both head coach Sean Payton and starting quarterback Drew Brees unsure if they would return to the Saints for another year. Cooler heads prevailed however, and the duo are once again going to take the field together. Offense was the least of the Saints’ issues in 2015 with Brees throwing for almost 4,900 yards and over 30 touchdowns, including seven scores in a single game against the New York Giants. Despite losing superstar tight end Jimmy Graham to the Seattle Seahawks, the Saints receiving corps produced well with Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead leading the way. Mark Ingram continued to run the ball effectively, but the addition of C.J. Spiller helped…

After 20 seasons in St Louis that included a Super Bowl victory and ‘The Greatest Show On Turf’, the Rams have returned to LA with a new outlook and a new quarterback. Trading up to the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft brought University of California QB Jared Goff to the team, filling a desperate need for the 7-9 squad. 2015 was a roller coaster season for the Rams, with many issues focused on the offense. The QB position was one of constant turmoil, as both Nick Foles and Case Keenum could not consistently perform at high levels. The wide receiver corps also failed to play well despite Tavon Austin having his best season yet, as fellow receivers Stedman Bailey and Kenny Britt did not share the same…

“Statistics aren’t just interesting morsels of information for fans to bring up during arguments; they’re an integral part of the way teams operate” Numbers – whether they’re yards, touchdowns, receptions or sacks – play a hugely important role in football. They’re the metrics by which players and teams are judged and compared, and they form the basis of the sport’s most incredible collective and individual achievements. It’s also a well-known fact that NFL fans are stats junkies. Coverage of football is increasingly geared towards delivering instantaneous information on the performances of teams, players and coaches. The incredible popularity of fantasy football is an emphatic testament to this. And statistics aren’t just interesting morsels of info for fans to bring up during arguments and debates; they’re an integral part of the…

In the beginning, football was mainly a running game. It meant old-fashioned running backs were units, huge men built to go mostly through people. Nowadays, with the passing game a much bigger part of football, a running back must be multitalented. Not only must he either be able to outmuscle or outrun a defender, he must also have a good pair of hands – the best running backs are those who offer an extra option as a receiver. They must also be able to block, as they can act as a blocker when the QB finds himself under blitz. This makes running back one of the hardest-working positions on the pitch and one of the most injured. Most franchises will keep a stock of four or five RBs on their…

Today the NFL is a mega-brand; an incredibly lucrative product – not just America’s biggest sports league but one which is recognisable in almost every country. But in 1920 professional football lived in the shadow of not only baseball, then indisputably the nation’s favourite sport, but also that of college football. Without a strong league structure, as was enjoyed by baseball, pro football wilted as its few independently-owned organisations – mainly in the Midwest and New York state – struggled to turn a profit. On the night of 17 September, in Canton, Ohio, the same town that the game’s hall of fame now calls home, representatives from the 11 pro teams from Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and New York gathered in a Jordan and Hupmobile car dealership belonging to the owner…

The National Football League draft exists to inject new life into football before a new season begins. While on paper, to someone unfamiliar with its inner workings, it seems like an overly complicated puzzle, it is in fact a fantastic system to ensure that you never know quite what to expect from a team. A single draft pick has the potential to boost an entire squad, meaning that everyone involved competes from the very first round to the very last. Evolving with each passing year, the key has always been to try and maintain a fair draft. Unlike other sports where the most successful teams can usually swallow up the best talent, the NFL’s aim is to always keep both fans and players guessing. A struggling side from the previous…

AUDIBLE Before a play begins, the quarterback will survey the defense’s formation. If he decides to change the play, a new play – an audible – will be communicated to his team through predetermined code words. BACKFIELD The area behind the line of scrimmage where the quarterback and any running backs line up before the play commences. A team’s unit of running backs may also be referred to as a ‘the backfield’. BLITZ A defense will split between attempting to put pressure on the quarterback and covering his pass. Players running at the quarterback are called blitzers and a play with more of them is called a blitz. BLOCKING Blocking is a crucial part of the football game. Linemen, or sometimes wide receivers, will stop the tacklers from getting to…

Few will forget the road to Super Bowl 50. Filled with all the usual twists and turns you’d expect from an NFL season, it also threw up plenty of surprises that no one could have called before the opening day. Maybe the most eyebrow-raising of these was the roaring success of the Carolina Panthers. Winning 14 consecutive games, they soon stood out as the team to beat. It took until week 16 until they’d slip up – a feat within itself. Falling foul to the Atlanta Falcons, the Panthers still won the NFC South comfortably, with quarterback Cam Newton proving to be one of the year’s standouts. Not every team had it so easy, though, in particular the New York Jets. Fighting for a wild card spot, their destiny was…

2015 marked another season in which the Bills missed out on the NFL playoffs, continuing the longest postseason absence of any major American sports team. The fact that Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs this century is indicative of a team that has struggled to match the consistency of its divisional rivals, and a record of only two winning seasons in that time underlines the Bills’ shortcomings. But despite the long-running negativity surrounding the team, last season did produce a number of positives. The Bills finally seemed to solve their persistent quarterback problems with the acquisition of former Ravens backup Tyrod Taylor, who broke out to secure a place in the Pro Bowl, and the team boasted the number one rushing offense in the entire league last year. The Bills also…

So near, and yet so far. That was the story for the New York Jets in 2015, when the team embarked on a five-game winning streak to put themselves on the brink of the playoffs, before a weak 17 loss to the Bills saw them narrowly miss out. It was tough way to finish the season, but the overall mood was one of positivity, as the Jets recorded their best season since 2010 with ten wins. Going into 2016, things are looking optimistic; though big questions remain over the Jets’ quarterback situation. Journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick had a standout season in 2015, defying all expectations to lead the team to the verge of a first playoffs appearance in six years. However, it is unclear whether he will resign with the team.…

It’s difficult to talk about the current prospects of this Cleveland Browns squad without first delving into the history books, as while this team shares the name, location and colour scheme of one of the league’s oldest franchises, it isn’t exactly the same side. In the mid 1990s, Browns owner Art Modell wanted to relocate the team to Baltimore. After protests and threats of legal action, Modell ended up establishing the Baltimore Ravens, but acquired all Browns personnel in the process, leaving the original team in a state of flux – in fact, it was considered suspended by 1997. The team returned in 1999, but has largely had to start from scratch and, quite frankly, has not got going, returning only two winning seasons and a sole playoff appearance way…

For the Indianapolis Colts, 2015 proved a promising year brought low by injuries and careless losses. For three straight seasons, the team had finished with a record of 11-5, winning a string of close-call matches that saw them muscle their way to a respectable final position. In 2015, the season began with high hopes and many pundits speculated that the strength of the team’s offense and defense (especially in quarterback Andrew Luck) could make them a favourite to go all the way to the Super Bowl. Sadly, the reality was far more cruel. Injury after injury hit the Colts hard, especially the loss of Luck part way through the season. Without their star QB the Colts sagged, and their offense failed to find its feet in games where the team…

After defeating the Carolina Panthers and claiming their first Super Bowl win in 17 years at Super Bowl 50, the Denver Broncos became one of top teams in the modern NFL. Even now, with star quarterback Peyton Manning retired and a new generation of players stepping up to replace him, the Orange Crush have only one thing on their mind for the season ahead: back-to-back Super Bowl championships. Before the 2015 season began, the Broncos underwent some serious changes. Four years of being knocked out at the Divisional round of the playoffs had taken its toll on morale – the answer was a massive overhaul of its coaching staff, with head coach John Fox mutually splitting from the club in January 2015. In came former Broncos QB Gary Kubiak, along…

2015 was not a good year for the Chargers and one that’s summed up the situation in San Diego for quite some time. A team with a decent roster of players simply failing to find form when it’s most needed. Last year proved a downer for the team in more ways than one – a devastating loss to the Oakland Raiders that saw them go 30-3 down at halftime before clawing back a less embarrassing defeat at 37-29 being one example. A string of losses at the start of the season didn’t help things get off to a great start, but the team was hopeful as it went into a week five home meeting with Pittsburgh. However, a struggling Steelers somehow pulled a comeback out of nowhere, with veteran QB…

The Eagles are a team in flux, recovering from a tumultuous and disastrous reign of Chip Kelly as head coach. After trying out Kelly’s radical system and ideas for three years the team has re-evaluated its approach. The retooling starts with a new head coach in Doug Pederson, the team’s starting quarterback in 1999 and a disciple of longtime Eagles coach Andy Reid. After two straight 10-6 seasons, one earning an NFC East division title and the other keeping the team out of the playoffs, Kelly’s final season in Philadelphia resulted in a 7-9 record and a complete overhaul of the team from top to bottom. Former GM Howie Roseman re-assumed the front office position and immediately made waves, trading away most of Kelly’s acquisitions, like DeMarco Murray and Byron…

Losing a top producer is always hard for a pro football team, but the Lions have been down this road before. Losing star wide receiver Calvin Johnson to retirement feels like when Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders hung up his cleats in 1998. The Lions’ offense has a tall task ahead in trying to replace 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns-worth of production that is no longer with the team, but they have the personnel to make a serious run at it. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is entering his eighth season since being drafted by the Lions, coming off of a mixed year that still saw him reach 25,000 career passing yards in his 90th career game, setting a new league record. The rest of the Lions’ offense were also…

Dan Quinn’s first season as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons started wonderfully, with the team stringing five straight wins together right out of the gate. That momentum did not last forever, though, as a 3-8 record for the rest of the season turned 5-0 into 8-8 and yet another season of the Falcons outside of the playoffs looking in. One of those three wins did make them the only team to defeat the Carolina Panthers in the regular season, so it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some bright spots on the Falcons offense from that 2015 campaign. Quarterback Matt Ryan had a serviceable year under centre despite some interception issues; star wideout Julio Jones posted personal records for reception and receiving yards; and second-year running back Devonta…

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a team on the rise. The head coaching position has been a carousel, but first-year coach Dirk Koetter should bring stability to the job as he leads the 2016 Bucs. As the offensive coordinator for last year’s team, Koetter is familiar with the locker room in Tampa, which gives him a major coaching advantage from the start. The Buccaneer offense found new life in 2015 thanks to number one overall draft pick Jameis Winston, whose 4,000-plus yards passing and over 20 touchdowns earned him a spot in the 2015 Pro Bowl. Receivers Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson combined for 1,700 yards receiving and six touchdowns, while starting running back Doug Martin earned a lucrative contract extension by rushing for 1,400 yards and playing in all…

One of the most successful franchises in NFL history has fallen on hard times, and it’s up to one of the most controversial coaches in the league to cure what ails them. Chip Kelly brings his innovative offense to the Bay Area after three years in Philadelphia. Kelly has a tough task ahead of him, as the 49ers ranked second to last in total offense last season, ahead of only division rival the Rams. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick struggled to find a rhythm throughout the season, getting benched for second-stringer Blaine Gabbert in week nine, winning the job back, then losing it again due to season-ending shoulder surgery a few weeks later. The marquee offensive free agent signings of running back Reggie Bush and wide receiver Torrey Smith also failed to…

While a quarterback may get most of the praise should his team be victorious, they would be nothing without top-quality wide receivers and tight ends to catch their passes. More often than not the fastest players on the field, WRs are – without doubt – the key to 99 percent of all passing plays. If they’re not in the right position at exactly the right time, a forward drive can fall to pieces – worse than that, possession can be lost. Any receiver worth his salt is going to aim for touchdown after touchdown, but the number of yards they can gain is just as important, and these numbers are tracked religiously by the football community. Being able to continually move your way up the field thanks to a solid…

It’s the last minute of the Super Bowl and you need one point to secure victory. You’re within 45 yards of the opponent’s end zone. What are you going to do? Sure you could try rushing those yards, or even unleash a hopeful hail Mary, but your best bet is always going to be rely on your special teams. The kicker position has evolved significantly throughout the years – they would often double up positions right up until the 1960s. They’re usually brought onto the field of play for the kick-off, punt returns and field goals. A well-oiled special team can chalk up points that decide games and championships for teams. A solid kicker is especially important. Knowing there’s someone in your squad who can reliably secure three extra points…

Football is a lot like a game of chess: two teams strategically trying to pick the other apart, each looking to find and exploit weaknesses in their opponent. Although on paper some may dismiss it as nothing more than a group of human beings hurling themselves at each other, it is in fact a thinking man’s sport. Inspired by the likes of rugby and association football, it was the latter that established the initial set of rules in 1869. Fast-forward to the mid-1870s, however, and colleges still playing association football followed in the footsteps of rugby union, mainly because doing so allowed the ball to be carried. It wasn’t until 1880 until the laws we’re used to today started to establish themselves. Drawn up by Walter Camp – who’s often…

While some sports and professional leagues around the world have been resistent to change and wary of new technologies, the same can’t be said for the NFL. Throughout its history, the league has consistently been on the cutting edge of sporting innovation, a practice that continues to this day. An instant replay system was first introduced to the NFL all the way back in 1986, while the current version of the tech was implemented in 1999 – allowing teams to challenge on-field rulings with video evidence should they choose. The technology available to players on the field has evolved significantly in recent years as well. While in the early days of the NFL, players would converse on the touchline with their coaching staff before carrying out plays, now the advent…

“No one ever sits down on Super Bowl Sunday thinking that they won’t be entertained” Super Bowl 50 was watched by 115.5 million viewers. It’s a mind-boggling figure, but it also highlights just how much of a phenomenon the NFL’s biggest occasion has become. Attracting fans from all corners of the world each and every year, it’s now far more than just the culmination of the NFL calendar. It’s a must-see event with mass appeal, able to boast the biggest stars in pop culture who are privileged to perform during its half-time show. More important, though, is the stage it sets for aspiring NFL teams. Serving as both a proving ground and a place where legacies are secured, the Super Bowl is overflowing with moments that football fans consider to…

The NFL treated Super Bowl 50 with so much importance that, for the first time, it dropped the Roman numerals. This wasn’t some grand gesture in order to generate more headlines or find a different way to market the event – although the latter was a definite plus – The National Football League simply wanted to emphasise the name of the annual showcase to highlight just how important this occasion was. One of the biggest sporting events of all time, Super Bowl 50 saw the Denver Broncos take on the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium in California on 7 February 2016. Packed with over 70,000 fans, it attracted 111.9 million viewers the world over and even tempted the likes of Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars to perform during the half-time…

There’s a reason the NFL is one of the world’s most watched sporting leagues. Showcasing an athletic spectacle that manages to capture the imagination of even the most casual fan, it has been responsible for some truly memorable moments since its inception in 1920. Year after year in the NFL, heroes are made and legends are born, and the actions of individuals and teams have contributed to some truly stunning contests. From records being broken to underdogs upsetting the odds, the NFL has played host to some truly spectacular games down the years. They’re milestones of the sporting world that deserve recognition, not only because of the outstanding skill on display, but because of the emotional resonance that these sporting achievements hold for so many people. With all that in…

What a difference a year makes. Prior to the 2015 season there were plenty of people tipping the Dolphins for a run at the playoffs following a couple of promising years and some big acquisitions. Instead, they promptly began the season 1-3, with a series of limp performances ultimately costing head coach Joe Philbin his job. Interim replacement Dan Campbell fared slightly better, with the Dolphins going 5-7 during his tenure, but nevertheless 2015 was a tremendous disappointment. And 2016 isn’t shaping up to be much better. The Dolphins face a brutal opening two weeks when they play the Seahawks and the Patriots on the road, and they’ll also travel to Cincinnati and Baltimore during the season, while welcoming the EXPERT REVIEW KEVIN NOGLE, MANAGING EDITOR, THE PHINSIDER The 2016…

Despite the franchise’s relatively short history, the Ravens have been a dominant force in recent NFL seasons, collecting a pair of Super Bowl trophies, including one in franchise hero Ray Lewis’ final season in 2012. Which is why the Ravens’ 5-11 record last year is all the more harrowing. Simply put, 2015 was one of the worst campaigns the team has suffered in its recent history. In truth, though, it wasn’t just a dip in form, although the post-Lewis blues almost certainly had a part to play in such a disappointing term. The Baltimore Ravens were mercilessly decimated by the injury bug, losing star quarterback Joe Flacco, as well as Justin Forsett, Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith Sr and Eugene Monroe, all to season-ending injuries. With the spine of the team…

As the oldest member of the AFC and one of the oldest teams in the entire NFL, the Steelers have the kind of rich history that few franchises can boast. The team has existed through all the major eras of football and still maintains a strong presence in the current league. More recently, events became so bad in 2014 that the team fired longtime coach Dennis Allen after losing four straight games at the start of the regular season. After crashing out of the playoff hunt following a week 11 loss to the Chargers (the earliest a team had done so since 2004), the team was ready to start afresh the following year. The Steelers have been remarkably consistent throughout their history, capturing multiple Super Bowls in the 1970s and…

As one of the most recent additions to the NFL, the Jaguars have never really managed to make a mark in the game. The Florida-based team has finished the past five seasons with a losing record, rarely troubling the playoffs despite an early flourish in the late 1990s where the team won the now defunct AFC Central division twice. Head coach Gus Bradley has looked to turn things around with some sharp draft picks. Young quarterback Blake Bortles has the makings of a superstar, and the team is blessed with some skilled wide receivers, but with a defense that is best described as shaky and at worst described as pretty awful, it doesn’t really matter how good your offense is if you can’t keep the ball out of your own…

At the start of 2015, things didn’t look good for the team formerly known as the Dallas Texans. A promising opening win against Houston led to a crushing five-game losing streak. The fifth of those losses, a demoralising 16-10 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings, was made all the worse when star running back Jamaal Charles tore an ACL, putting him out for the rest of the season. It seemed the Chiefs’ season had already stalled before it ever got going, but then something amazing happened – the team rallied behind its remaining troop of running backs and started pounding defences like a crazed animal. That five-game losing streak was transformed into a ten-game winning streak as the Chief’s crushed the rest of the teams they faced. With their record reforged…

Things don’t get much worse in Jerry World than they did in 2015. Injuries to the starting QB Tony Romo, wide receiver Dez Bryant, and linebacker Sean Lee left the team in disarray for much of the season, culminating in a 4-12 record and a firm spot in the cellar of the NFC East. Despite their medical mishaps, they are primed for a resurgence if their stars stay healthy. Romo will again take the reins of the Cowboys offense, looking to throw to either his favourite target Bryant or his longtime tight end Jason Witten. There is a new face lining up behind him in Ezekiel Elliott, the lauded running back from Ohio State selected fourth overall in the 2016 draft. He’ll be protected by one of the most durable…

The reigning NFC East division champions know there’s still room for improvement. The 2015 team was able to take the crown with only a 9-7 record, capitalising on a weakened division on its way to the playoffs. With the other teams regrouping Washington knows it has to be ready. Washington’s offense looks identical to last season, and Kirk Cousins is once again leading the charge. With Cousins under centre the offense scored 39 touchdowns and only turned the ball over 17 times throughout 2015, scoring twice for every turnover. The biggest loss to the team’s attack is running back Alfred Morris, who has moved to division rival Dallas, but Matt Jones and Chris Thompson will try to make up for his absence. The potent wide receiver core featuring DeSean Jackson…

The Green Bay Packers are coming off their seventh consecutive playoff appearance, yet the 2015 season still felt like a failure. The Packers defeated the Redskins in Washington in the wild card round of the playoffs, only to fall to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime the following week. This was a team that had Super Bowl aspirations but fell short by just two games. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers tried to lead the Pack back to the Super Bowl, throwing for nearly 3,900 yards and over 30 touchdowns in 2015. His primary target, Jordy Nelson, missed the season with an ACL tear, but Randall Cobb and Davante Adams combined for over 1,300 yards and seven touchdowns. The 2015 running game was highlighted by the bruising Eddie Lacy, who pounded his way to…

The Carolina Panthers enjoyed a storybook season in 2015, finishing with an astonishing 15-1 record and rolling right through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, this story does not have a happy ending, as the vaunted Denver defense crushed the team’s dreams of its first NFL championship in Super Bowl 50. The Panthers will attempt to return to the promised land at the beck and call of Cam Newton, the team’s confident quarterback and unopposed leader. Newton was a cornerstone for the team’s success, but he received major contributions on offense from veteran running backs Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert, wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr, and 1,100 receiving yards from tight end Greg Olsen. All of those players are returning in 2016, which should mean a quick return…

The Arizona Cardinals are steeped in football history, being one of only two franchises that chartered the NFL back in 1920 to still be playing in the league today. Last season saw a division title and an impressive 13-3 regular season record spoiled by a blowout 49-15 loss to the Carolina Panthers in the NFC championship game. A loss like that is bound to leave a sour taste in the losing players’ mouths, and the Cardinals are a group hungry to get back to that game and right that wrong. Carson Palmer is the general of the Arizona offense and coming off of his most successful season yet, with 4,600 passing yards and over 30 touchdowns. He’s throwing to a receiver group including names like Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd,…

It’s not common for a team to make the playoffs, win a game and still have a disappointing season, but when it’s the Seattle Seahawks that’s a perfect summary of 2015. They needed a missed field goal to beat Minnesota, before losing to the Carolina Panthers one week later. The first order of the business in 2016 is to win back the conference crown, but they’ll have to make some changes to get it done. The high-powered Seahawks offense was supposed to receive a major boost with the addition of tight end Jimmy Graham, but he underwhelmed in his first season in Seattle. The running game will now be in the hands of Thomas Rawls and rookie CJ Prosise. Luckily the receiving corps has remained unchanged, so Doug Baldwin, Jermaine…

Few wannabe quarterbacks ever make it to the pocket, and fewer still make it to the NFL. Those who take a snap from a center in the NFL represent the very cream of the crop. In the early days of quarterback (QB) play, when the position was so called because of its placement relative to the fullback and halfb ack, conditions and equipment – including a heavy, slippery ball – forced the game to focus on less risky rushing plays. However, as technological advancements and rule changes made passing the ball feasible, a QB became someone who would throw more often. But even up until the 1960s, rushing plays were more common than passing ones. In fact, it was a number of rule changes in the late 1970s stopping defensive…

Given that football is two opposing teams trying to strategically outmanoeuvre each other, it’s no surprise that equal focus is given to defense and offense. No team in history has been able to achieve success without a solid resistive unit, and as the Denver Broncos proved in Super Bowl 50, it can lead you to the biggest prize of them all. A team’s linebackers act as the arguably the most important part of any defensive barrier. Having to read plays quickly and respond accordingly, even the slightest misstep can put them out of position to make an essential tackle. Also required to expose any and all gaps, a good linebacker is always on the lookout for an out-of-nowhere run. It’s no wonder why anyone in this position is considered a…

There is no better time to shine than in the Super Bowl. Watched by millions of people across the world, a good football player can become great just by performing on the biggest stage of all. Names such as David Tyree and Joe Montana will always live on, thanks in large part to their Super Bowl moments or highlights that are still shown today. Given its importance in the legacy of both players and teams, it’s no surprise that the statistical breakdown of the Super Bowl is so popular. There are dozens of individual and team factoids just waiting to be absorbed, be that through the internet or the huge number of books dedicated to the subject. Most people know the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys are…