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The AFC's weak wildcard round could provide the underdog QB we need

There are plenty of underwhelming quarterbacks lining up this weekend but that could provide some upsets to liven up the playoffsA few days before the start of Christmas and Hanukkah signalled the merciful end to 2016, it was announced that a spring developmental football league was slated to debut in April. Unaffiliated with the NFL, the four-team league will feature free agent players instructed by experienced coaches, and is designed to give fringe players a chance to open some eyes and latch on to NFL teams. But the NFL is not one to let any competitor leagues pop up unopposed, so this Saturday and Sunday we will see the debut of the NFL’s own developmental league, one they’re calling “the...

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How Oakland Raiders punter Marquette King became the NFL's breakout star

The breakthrough star of football season is a punter who is breaking stereotypes while giving the increasingly stolid NFL a much-needed injection of funThe breakout star of this football season may very well be a punter. If that sounds like some sort of backhanded compliment of a 2016 NFL season that has seen poor reviews and declining ratings, maybe it is. But it’s not intentional because, well ... have you seen Marquette King punt? The guy has legitimately made punting fun. Punting. Fun. We could be on the verge of seeing a punter’s jersey on the backs of NFL fans without a single one being purchased ironically.The Oakland punter’s breakthrough into mainstream awareness came on Sunday in a nationally televised...

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Oakland Raiders' progress hidden behind a blizzard of flags

It’s never good for interest in a league when it seems like everyone is talking about officiating, and the NFL is struggling with the subject once againThe perfect illustration of the NFL wallowing in their own ratings decline could be seen as the Oakland Raiders set the league record for penalties on Sunday and still won. In what should have been the most exciting battle of the early-afternoon – a wild montage of huge catches, flying tackles and drama that trickled through nearly five quarters of football – America was treated to a endless blizzard of yellow flags.The Raiders beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 when Seth Roberts caught a Derek Carr pass, slipped through two tackles and raced to...

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NFL Week 3 predictions: will Trevor Siemian grind out another win?

The Broncos look to continue their flawless title defense, while the Falcons look to soar in the Superdome. Plus, take part in our tipping contestWhat a week it has been in the NFL. First we learned that the Vikings might not have been crazy to trade for Sam Bradford, then that Matt Forte does an alarmingly good Arnold Schwarzenegger impression. I would ask who could ever have predicted such a thing, but in fact I already know the answer - grafhamboy - the one and only person to call every game correctly in week two. Related: Patriots make light of Brady and Garoppolo absences to beat Texans Continue reading...

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