football
Talking about college and professional football daily. Chances are we hate your team.
CFL Week 20 Recap: Collapses and Completion
I was honestly hoping that we would see some playoff drama continuing into the final week of the season. Week 20, of course, is the penultimate week of the CFL season, and while the East picture is completely locked in, the West still had a few things to settle. I did figure that Week 21 would be needed to fill in those final pieces.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
History of the NFL Playoffs (Part I: The NFL Championship - 1920-1959)
Ever since I finished writing about the history of the MLB postseason, I had been wanting to do the same regarding the NFL playoffs, because I find the NFL's postseason so fascinating. For one, unlike the other three main leagues, the NFL doesn't do the whole "playoff series" thing--it's one game and done, though it feels like you're watching a playoff series all in a three hour span. Another thing I can't help but love is how similar the MLB and NFL playoff formats are, even back in the earliest of days.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 19 Recap: Who Wants it Less?
The 2023 CFL season is coming down to the home stretch, and usually, those last moments are full of nail-biting playoff races. The number of them is a variable; there could be a plethora of teams competing for about two or three spots, or all could be settled and the teams are just ready to either prepare for next year, or get ready for the postseason. In the case of this CFL season, a lot is settled, especially entering Week 19...except for one thing.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
NFL Week 6 Recap: Not So Purdy
Entering the sixth week of the NFL season, two unbeaten teams remained, and they were the last teams standing in the NFC last year: the defending conference champion Philadelphia Eagles, and last year's NFC runners-up, the San Francisco 49ers. To the surprise of no one, both teams stood standing as the remaining teams unbeaten in a not-so-deep NFC. As we all know, when there's one left, that's when the 1972 Miami Dolphins mentions come in. The 1972 Dolphins stand tall as the NFL's only perfect team; the originators of "run the table." Few teams have come relatively close. As we all know, the 2007 New England Patriots almost did it, but lost Super Bowl XLII late in the fourth quarter. So how would the 49ers and Eagles fare in Week 6? Let's find out.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
NFL Week 5 Recap: Down and Out in Santa Clara
The Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. If you grew up in the 1990s like I did, then hearing that gives you goosebumps. The rivalry actually dates back as early as "The Catch," but during the 1990s, the Cowboys and Niners were the NFC's two biggest Super Bowl threats. Even as a Green Bay Packers fan who spent my childhood in the 1990s hoping that we'd get a leg up on either team, I was very excited for this matchup on Sunday Night Football.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 18 Recap: Thanks a Bunch
Week 18 was the last holiday week of the CFL season, taking place on Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Similar to America, Canada's Thanksgiving celebration does include football, and the featured game on Thanksgiving Monday was an East Division battle between the Montréal Alouettes and the Ottawa Redblacks. For Montréal, they entered Week 18 looking to get home field in the Eastern Semifinal against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, while the Ottawa Redblacks were looking to keep their very slim playoff hopes alive.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 17 Recap: Pieces Coming Together
I want to apologize for being so late with this; the NFL and especially postseason baseball kept me tied up, but I clearly have been watching and following the CFL as well. The 2023 CFL season is at the home stretch, with Week 17 occurring at the very end of September. Entering that week, three teams have locked in spots in this year's Grey Cup Playoffs: the Toronto Argonauts, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and the BC Lions. During Week 17, two more spots can be clinched, and because of this, I'll start this recap with the Saturday games.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
NFL Week 4 Recap: Swift, Yet Steady
The game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets was originally highly anticipated. It was originally a battle between the GOAT himself, Aaron Rodgers, and the heir apparent to Rodgers' GOAT throne, Patrick Mahomes. Sadly, Rodgers' injury reduced the game's status big time--to the point where football fans wanted this game flexed off NBC's Sunday Night Football slot.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 16 Recap: Kings of the Jungle
Detroit's Lions aren't the only ones making an impact. Week 16 featured a pair of clinching scenarios, with one of them involving the British Columbia Lions. They had the simplest of scenarios: win and in. Even better for BC, they were facing the Edmonton Elks on the road, which seems quite easy. After all, the Elks had severe problems winning at home, even though they did end their long home victory drought this season. The Elks didn't make it easy on their West Division foes, it was pretty close throughout, but in the end, the Leos emerged victorious. 37-29 was the final score.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
0-3: The Kiss of Death
One of the many things I love about the NFL season is that it's a sprint. Also, because it's a sprint, this brings me to another of the things I love about football: every game matters. Football is the only sport where what a team does in the first game could either help or hurt big time by the final game. It is always important to get off to a good start, but even if a team drops the first game, it is not the end of the world. But they have to make up for it fast, because not doing so could be costly. 0-1 is not a big deal. 0-2 is surmountable, but it could take some doing.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
CFL Week 15 Recap: A Puncher's Chance
You know the old saying: time flies when you're enjoying a version of football that has all sorts of amazing perks. The home stretch of the season, the final seven weeks, the last one-third, has arrived, and for one team, everything could be settled and determined in just one fell swoop. The Toronto Argonauts locked in a playoff spot a week prior, and regarding Week 15, they were one win away from locking up first place in the East Division. All they had to do was defeat the Montréal Alouettes yet again, but it looked a bit iffy for the Boatmen.
By Clyde E. Dawkins12 months ago in Unbalanced
