The former USA coach failed to hit upon a consistent formula at Swansea City but his status as an outsider in the Premier League hastened his downfallBob Bradley had little reason to know how quickly he would be proved right when ruminating, at his first press conference as Swansea City manager, upon the modus operandi of his new bosses.“I don’t think they’d have got where they are by making decisions with the heart,” Bradley said of the club’s owners, Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien. And while on this occasion he was second-guessing the logic of his own appointment, it would be less than three months before he discovered just how harsh the Premier League can be. Related: Bob Bradley had...
The Carolina Panthers quarterback lit up the NFL last season. But it’s hard to maintain such excellence when you’re let down by your supporting castNo two quarterbacks in the NFL have the same supporting cast. Playbooks, offensive lines, receivers and coaches all affect how easy it is for a quarterback to do his job, and have a huge impact on his statistical output because it creates the margin for error that he is afforded. Take Aaron Rodgers for example. Rodgers hasn’t changed his level of play much this year. But how he is perceived has changed because his receivers have recently been getting open more consistently and, most importantly, are catching the ball more consistently. Over the first eight games...
A blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs has officially ended the Super Bowl title returning to Denver – and there’s more to blame than just the quarterbackThe Denver Broncos season unofficially ended shortly before half-time during Sunday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Down 21-10 with time running out in the second quarter, they lined up as if they were going to attempt a 53 yard field goal. Instead, kicker Brandon McManus took the ball, ran ... and failed to pick up the first down. The Broncos wouldn’t score again as the Chiefs would go on to win 33-10, securing a return to the playoffs while eliminating the reigning Super Bowl champions from postseason contention. Related: 350lb lineman...
What could be jollier on Christmas Day than a fresh instalment of one of the NFL’s most bitter rivalries?Merry Christmas everybody! The NFL’s Christmas calendar is looking very jolly indeed, but if you’re taking part in our Pick Six contest then please do remember to get all your picks in early - since the majority of games take place on Saturday this week. Before that, though, do join me in congratulating cpg1978, Fatsamurai, Kperson and Lekeg, each of whom called all six games correctly in week 15. I’ll post the full standings in the comments section below as soon as I can - although please be advised that they might be a little later this week than usual. Related: Is it...
The warning was introduced in the league’s early years to help teams manage the clock. But in the modern game it can be frustrating for fans and playersThe Detroit Lions had just blocked a punt and appeared to be in business against the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon in a game with big playoff repercussions. But first the NFL and the Fox network had to take care of their business, and, as everyone well knows, the league and the networks come before the teams and the fans.Brandon Copeland had given the Lions good field position by getting in the way of a Brad Wing punt. But the play happened with one minute and 53 seconds left in the second...