Mike Gianakos Articles - Page 11

The Seattle Seahawks fell just short of reaching the playoffs in their first season under new head coach Mike Macdonald. The team had been consistently successful in 14 seasons with Pete Carroll at the helm, making the playoffs 10 times, winning two conference championships and one Super Bowl title. But the team is at an […]

The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t the only team in the NFL that runs a tush push-type play. They just do it better than anybody else. After the Eagles tush pushed their way to a Super Bowl title the Green Bay Packers had had enough. The team submitted a proposal to get the play banned. Packers’ GM […]

After a 5-12 season in 2024, it was clear the Chicago Bears weren’t getting the most out of first overall draft pick Caleb Williams. This offseason, the Bears made it a priority to pair the passer with an offensive-minded head coach. Chicago ultimately landed highly-coveted former Detroit Lions’ OC Ben Johnson, making him one of […]

The Tennessee Titans earned the first pick in the upcoming draft with a 3-14 record in the 2024 season. Unfortunately, the first pick in the 2025 draft isn’t quite as valuable as the overall selection in past years. While two quarterbacks are considered worthy of high first-round picks, the Titans could opt for a generational […]

With the NFL Scouting Combine kicking off this week, speculation on all 32 teams’ selections in the upcoming draft is in full swing. The Cleveland Browns have drawn a great deal of interest – more than they generally receive during the regular season – given the team’s second-overall pick and needs at multiple positions, including […]

The Green Bay Packers went a respectable 11-6 in 2024, reaching the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years. However, the team fell in the Wild Card round to the Philadelphia Eagles, continuing a trend of disappointing postseason play. The Packers are 3-5 in the postseason since Matt LaFleur was named head […]

The Cincinnati Bengals hit the jackpot, drafting franchise quarterback Joe Burrow in 2020 and pairing him with elite wideout, and former college teammate, Ja’Marr Chase in 2021. And then the Bengals nearly set their winning lotto ticket on fire. Cincinnati failed to sign Chase to a long term extension prior to the 2024 season, resulting […]

The Cleveland Browns went 3-14 in the 2024 season, finishing in last place in the AFC North. It was the sixth time the Browns have missed the playoffs in Myles Garrett’s eight-year career. And apparently it was the breaking point for the former Defensive Player of the Year as Garrett requested a trade. While some […]

When Didi Gregorius was at his MLB peak he produced back-to-back 4.5+ WAR seasons with the New York Yankees in 2017 and 2018. Known for his reliable glove at shortstop and decent pop at the plate, Gregorius seemed like a lock for a long career. However, just four years after producing a 4.9 WAR campaign […]

The Chicago Cubs elected to sign veteran infielder Justin Turner after their pursuit of Alex Bregman in free agency proved unsuccessful. After making the move, the Cubs were forced to designate Alexander Canario for assignment in order to create space on the 40-man roster for Turner. The decision to DFA Canario could pay off for […]

The Dallas Cowboys took a chance and traded for failed 49ers’ first-rounder Trey Lance in 2023, giving up a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for the talented but inexperienced signal caller. At the time, the trade blindsided Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. But now, nearly two years later, Prescott received the big-money deal he was after […]

After a tumultuous offseason in which the Jacksonville Jaguars very nearly botched their head coach hire, the team appears to have found some stability. The Jaguars have landed on their feet as the team finally filled its general manager position by hiring James Gladstone. Both Gladstone and new head coach Liam Coen have ties to […]

The Seattle Seahawks realize they need to upgrade the offensive line to improve their chances at contending in 2025. Unfortunately, GM John Schneider dumped cold water all over any hopes fans had that the team would be spenders in free agency this offseason. Still, after hiring Klint Kubiak as the team’s new offensive coordinator, Schneider […]

The Detroit Tigers enjoyed a surprise 86-76 season in 2024, reaching the playoffs for the first time in a decade thanks in large part to one of baseball’s best pitchers, Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. The Tigers swept the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card Series before pushing the Cleveland Guardians to the brink […]

In the NFL, you really only know the long snapper’s name if they didn’t do their job (quick, name five long snappers… OK, obviously that’s impossible… Just name three… No?). Most NFL fans can name at least one long snapper. First of all because his name is Taybor Pepper, which is fun. And secondly because […]

Throughout their long and storied history, the Green Bay Packers have never been known as a team that made big, splashy free agent signings. Since the biggest free agent addition in franchise history, when the Packers acquired Hall of Fame DE Reggie White in 1993, Green Bay has been reserved during the offseason. But perhaps […]

While major league clubs have fought and scratched to sign the biggest names in free agency this offseason, smart franchises realize the importance of quality depth. While such signings aren’t flashy, they can prove the difference between overcoming an injury to make the playoffs and getting an early jump on vacation. The Milwaukee Brewers lost […]

New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux has never lacked confidence. Following a modest rookie campaign in 2022 during which he notched four sacks, Thibodeaux got to the quarterback 11.5 times in 2023. This jump in productivity led him to boldly proclaim he was coming for Giants’ legend Michael Strahan’s single season sack record of 22.5 […]

Mookie Betts delivered the go-ahead run in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, helping secure the title for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a gentleman’s sweep of the New York Yankees. There’s never been any doubt regarding the talents of the 11-year veteran. But now Betts will embark on his most challenging endeavor to […]

The Philadelphia Eagles relied on their defense to help deliver one of the most dominant Super Bowl performances ever. The team managed to prevent a hat trick for Patrick, preventing the Kansas City Chiefs from three-peating as champs. And while Philly’s ferocious front four deserves a great deal of credit for consistently pressuring Mahomes without […]

One of the more depressing sports stories from 2024 involved a string of burglaries in which an organized group of criminals targeted athletes’ homes while they were playing away games. The robberies became so prevalent that both the NFL and the NBA issued warnings to players, imploring them to safeguard their homes when away. While […]

Fans aren’t the only people who take fantasy football incredibly seriously. Baseball players are deeply invested in fantasy sports as well. That notion was made particularly evident after veteran starter Chris Bassitt faced a punishment for finishing last in the Blue Jays’ fantasy football league last season. Bassitt was forced to serve as Toronto’s ball […]

After an 81-81 finish last season, in which the Boston Red Sox missed the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years, the team made several key additions this offseason. While the Red Sox added Alex Bregman in free agency, the team primarily improved its starting rotation with the additions of Garrett Crochet […]

One day after a report surfaced that the St. Louis Cardinals had eased off efforts to find a trade partner for Nolan Arenado, a new wrinkle in the saga to find the third baseman a new home for 2025 has emerged. The Cardinals have reentered talks with a team that appeared out of the running […]

Legendary Dallas Cowboys right guard Zack Martin has decided to retire after 11 seasons in the NFL. The former first-round draft pick played his entire career with the Cowboys, entering the league in 2014. Martin helped his team reach the playoffs six times and Dallas won the NFC East five times during his tenure. Unfortunately, […]

The St. Louis Cardinals entered the offseason with the intention of trading third baseman Nolan Arenado. While the Cardinals engaged in talks with several teams in an attempt to move the 10-time Gold Glove winner, they’ve been unable to find a trade partner. Multiple roadblocks stand in the way of an Arenado deal. Despite his […]

After a promising season in which the Los Angeles Chargers finished with an 11-6 record and reached the playoffs, the team suffered an embarrassing blowout loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round. Fifth-year quarterback Justin Herbert experienced an epic meltdown, throwing four interceptions in the 32-12 defeat. Still, Jim Harbaugh’s debut campaign […]

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. First he defended the Los Angeles Dodgers’ aggressive free agency spending. And then he handed down a timeline for the Athletics’ move to Las Vegas. Now Manfred is ending MLB’s association with ESPN. The commish has grown increasingly frustrated with the […]

The New York Jets are facing the consequences of being guided by a win-now mentality for the last two seasons before officially giving up on the Aaron Rodgers experiment. The team has a number of players hitting free agency this offseason after they were handed short term deals aimed at getting New York over the […]

The Philadelphia Eagles came into Super Bowl 59 prepared to blitz the Kansas City Chiefs. But as it turned out, the Eagles just didn’t need to send extra pass rushers as Philly’s ferocious front four were able to consistently pressure Patrick Mahomes, sacking the quarterback six times in the lopsided contest. While the game eventually […]

The Los Angeles Rams are a conundrum. After a slow start to the 2024 season, the team came together winning nine of their last 12 games to capture the NFC West. Helmed by former Coach of the Year Sean McVay, the Rams combined a strong offense featuring veteran passer Matthew Stafford and wideouts Puka Nacua […]

The Detroit Lions won the NFC North in back-to-back seasons, finishing with the third-best overall offense in 2023 and the top scoring unit in 2024 when the team averaged 33.2 points per game. Now the Lions will attempt to claim the division for a third straight season with a revamped coaching staff after losing defensive […]

The Buffalo Bills once again fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason in 2024. The team’s heartbreaking three-point AFC Championship Game defeat marked the fourth time the Chiefs eliminated the Bills from the playoffs in the last five seasons. Buffalo will make yet another attempt at getting past the AFC gatekeepers in […]

The Kansas City Chiefs emerged from their failed attempt at a three-peat in Super Bowl 59 with a clear mandate. The Chiefs need to protect Patrick Mahomes. After the Philadelphia Eagles made the All-World passer look mortal for the first time since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ had Mahomes running for his life in Super Bowl […]

It’s that time of year when quarterback-needy teams are paired with just about every passer available in the free agent market. And the Las Vegas Raiders are no exception. The Raiders made perhaps the offseason’s most unexpected coaching hire, bringing in 73-year-old Pete Carroll as the team’s next head coach. His presence immediately led to […]

There is no question that Mike Tomlin is an exceptional football coach. His 18-year (and counting) run with the Pittsburgh Steelers is highlighted by the team’s victory in Super Bowl 43 and noteworthy for sustained excellence. Tomlin’s consistency is best exemplified by his record 18 consecutive years without a losing season to start a head […]

The biggest story of the NFL postseason, aside from the Kansas City Chiefs attempting, and failing, to get Patrick the hat trick, was the perceived favoritism the Chiefs enjoyed from officials. Some fans around the league (outside of Kansas City) felt the Chiefs benefited from borderline calls that other teams, including the Houston Texans, simply […]

The Detroit Lions proved a resilient bunch during the 2024 season. The team dealt with a slew of injuries, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, and still finished 15-2. Despite losing third-year defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to a season-ending leg injury in Week 6, the Lions rallied, finishing as the league’s seventh-best scoring […]

After a highly successful run with Pete Carroll at the helm, during which the Seattle Seahawks made the playoffs 10 times in 14 years, reaching the Super Bowl twice and winning one championship, the team moved onto Mike Macdonald in 2024. And despite a 10-7 record in Macdonald’s debut season as head coach, Seattle missed […]