by Cory Woodroof | Oct 28, 2014 | Opinion, Sports
Hello, fellow NFL fans! Cory Woodroof here. The NFL season is half-way over, and we’ve got some awards to give out. The players and teams below are the ones I designate the “Midseason fill-in-the-blank” winner so far this year. These players or teams may not hang on for the rest of the year, but I’d bet in their favor. MVP: DEMARCO MURRAY – RB, COWBOYS To me, the best player in the NFL comes down to three players: DeMarco Murray, Peyton Manning and J.J. Watt. Manning is playing at an incredibly high level on the best team in the NFL, and Watt is wrecking opposing offenses on a regular basis. But, can we really say anyone is having a more impactful year than Murray? The running back has rushed for over 100 yards in eight consecutive games and has seven touchdowns on the season. Murray is also reportedly on pace to top former Rams great Eric Dickerson’s all-time season rushing yard record of 2, 105. The Cowboys are the surprise team of the NFL this year, and Murray’s big year is one of the huge sparks that has gotten them there. If Murray keeps up this pace and breaks Dickerson’s record, he’s the MVP. No questions asked. OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: PEYTON MANNING – QB, BRONCOS After winning MVP last year, the Sherriff has not slowed down. Manning has thrown for 22 touchdowns and has a 90.1 QBR so far this season. After getting settled in the season, he’s got the Broncos offense playing at such a high level right now that the team looks to be unbeatable. Having...
by Cory Woodroof | Sep 23, 2014 | News Slider, Opinion, Sports
This week in the NFL, an age-old truth was once again proved: the better team always wins. We saw it when Baltimore got a last-minute win against Cleveland. We saw it when the Bears held off the Jets. We saw it when Philadelphia fended off Washington. We saw it when the Patriots got the best of the Raiders by game’s end. The NFL regular season isn’t always the kindest to the underdog, which can make things fairly predictable. But, what happens when Goliath stumbles? So far this season, three NFL powerhouses, the Packers, the Saints and the 49ers, are all staring a 1-3 record in the face if they all lose in week four. With the Pack traveling to Chicago, the Saints heading to Dallas and the Niners hosting the Eagles, there’s a distinct possibility these three teams could quickly be headed in this direction. The NFL can be predictable, but it can also be full of surprises. Rookies can emerge to have huge games. Veterans can struggle at all the wrong moments. The Browns can prove to be competitive without their top offensive weapon. Sometimes, you just don’t know what professional football will have in store. Here are the 10 things I’m thinking after week three. 1. The Broncos and Seahawks’ Super Bowl rematch was the game we needed back in February. Despite being bullied by Seattle for three quarters, the Broncos put up 17 points on Seattle’s defense, including a late-game drive by QB Peyton Manning that looked like the kind of football that usually closes out a movie. Ultimately, the Seahawks were able to pull out...
by Cory Woodroof | Sep 9, 2014 | Opinion, Sports
Hello, NFL fans! Football nerd Cory Woodroof here. I’d like to welcome you into The Film Session, a new recap of the week in the NFL that will be published every Tuesday here on the site. I’ll always offer you 10 of my takeaways from the week, go over the power rankings and give my player of the week. Also, I’ll highlight five games that have me excited for the week ahead. Shall we begin? Week one in the NFL is always one of the sports’ best times, but it’s also one of the worst times to be gauging a team’s future success (or lack-thereof). Think back to last year. Could any of us predict that, after week one, the Chiefs were back in business? How about that the Texans were on track to pick number one in the 2014 draft? We may get small hints of this and that, but there’s still a long season ahead. So, if your team won a big one, congrats, but don’t get too comfortable. And, if your team is struggling, don’t lose hope. The best coaches can always make adjustments and get their teams back to business. This week, a few teams got back to playing like they’re known for playing, a few surprise teams handed defeats to some of the league’s best and Peyton Manning was Peyton Manning. Here are my top 10 takeaways from the first week of the season. If there’s such a thing as the “Super Bowl Slump,” don’t tell the Seattle Seahawks. In a complete home field pummeling of the Green Bay Packers, the reigning champions proved...
by Cory Woodroof | Sep 2, 2014 | Opinion, Sports
Hello, football fans! Lumination Senior Editor and self-described NFL nut Cory Woodroof here. We’re just around the corner from the start of the 2014 NFL season – a season that is sure to be filled with all the patented drama, excitement and intrigue that always accompanies another installment of professional football. Will this be the year Broncos QB Peyton Manning finally gets his second Super Bowl ring? Will Aaron Rodgers take his Packers back to the top after being sidelined for most of 2013? Will the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, become the first team to win two top titles in a row since the heyday of the Belichick-Brady Patriots? All these questions and more lay ahead in what is shaping up to be a stellar year in the NFL. Below, I’ve broken down each division, picked a winner and have provided even more speculation into some of the league’s top awards. So, without further ado, down, set, hut, hut, hike! AFC PREDICTIONS AFC NORTH With the AFC North, it’s all about who can stop the Bengals. With one of 2013’s most potent offenses in the NFL remaining largely intact, Andy Dalton and company should be able to produce the same results as last season. Their defense is also one of the more feared in the NFL. But, the Ravens, with added weapon Steve Smith on offense and Alabama great C.J. Mosley now at linebacker, could cause some noise. The Steelers need a little more help on offense before returning to the postseason, and the Browns are still in the middle of an identity crisis at the...
by Aaron Schmelzer | Jan 30, 2014 | Opinion, Sports
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, not Christmas, but the Super Bowl. This year’s 48th matchup is a rarity, pitting the two number-one-seeded teams in either conference against each other. The Denver Broncos (15-3) and the Seattle Seahawks (15-3), will square off at Metlife Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 2. This is the first time the New York metropolitan area has hosted a Super Bowl, and the first time the big game has been held in an outdoor, cold weather venue. The first question raised might be whether or not Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning can play in cold weather, much less win. Manning is 3-7 in outdoor games in which the temperature is, or is less than, 32 degrees. Actually, the weather does not seem to be an issue. The Weather Channel predicts that the forecast for Sunday’s game will consist of a low chance of precipitation, low wind speeds and relatively warm weather for winter in New York, so low 40’s to 30’s. The weather is most likely the least of any teams’ worries, though the cold most definitely will affect the passing game. Because of this, both teams may look to establish the running game early. The Seahawks defense is ranked first in total defense during the regular season, as well as first in passing defense and receiving defense. Seattle allows almost 102 yards per game, which is ranked eighth in rush defense. Denver’s running game is ranked fifteenth in the league with 117 yard per game. As cliché as it is to say it, the rushing game opens up opportunities for the passing game....
