Steve Silverman Articles - Page 33

The Minnesota Vikings remain in the NFC playoff structure as they prepare for their Week 15 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, Kevin O’Connell’s team will like quite a bit different when they take the field at Paycor Stadium than they did a week earlier in their 3-0 victory over the Raiders in Las Vegas. […]

When it comes to the Minnesota Vikings defense, it is doubtful that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah or head coach Kevin O’Connell had any reason to believe that the hiring of Brian Flores would have the type of impact on the NFL rankings that has resulted. The numbers are sensational this season as the Vikings are […]

The Vikings may have put their 2-game losing streak to an end when they defeated the Raiders 3-0 in Week 14, but head coach Kevin O’Connell has a boatload of problems to deal with immediately. The once-formidable offense has fallen apart, and while much of it is due to injuries, that’s not going to satisfy […]

The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders did not set football back 80 years, but the two teams came close to playing a game that had not been seen in the NFL for that length of time. The Vikings scored a 3-0 victory over the homestanding Raiders, breaking the tie on a 36-yard field goal […]

The Bears (5-8) appear to be turning their season around. After starting the season with 4 straight losses, the Bears have responded by winning 5 of their next 9 games, including 2 games in a row. When they defeated the NFC North-leading Lions in Week 14, it was their first win coming off the bye […]

The Baltimore Ravens have prided themselves on excellent special teams play for years. They have largely been successful in that area because of the remarkable right leg of placekicker Justin Tucker. However, unheralded Tylan Wallace was the special teams star in the Ravens 37-31 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in overtime. Lamar Jackson on […]

The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders have engaged in an epic defensive struggle that was scoreless well into the fourth quarter. One of the reasons that Minnesota was able to keep the Raiders off the scoreboard was a fumble recovery deep inside of Minnesota territory in the third quarter. On the play, Raiders wideout […]

The Chicago Bears are suddenly moving in the right direction. After blowing a late double-digit lead against the Lions earlier in the season, they dominated for much of the game against their NFC North rivals and earned a 28-13 victory. The win was the Bears second victory in a row, and it marked the first […]

The Atlanta Falcons had an opportunity to cement their position atop the NFC South when they met the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their home field, but they failed to take advantage and dropped a 29-25 decision. Baker Mayfield threw a late TD pass to Cade Otton that gave the Bucs a late lead, culminating a […]

The Indiana Pacers have shocked much of their competition by playing sensational basketball during the NBA’s initial In-Season Tournament, and the team’s confidence level has improved as a result of going undefeated in 6 games. Once the tournament is complete, the Pacers will get back to the regular season, and ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski is […]

The Las Vegas Raiders have a huge task in front of them as they prepare for their Week 14 game against the Minnesota Vikings. While they would appear to have a huge mountain to climb if they are going to make the AFC playoffs, they have not been eliminated from contention at this point. That […]

College football has been going through dramatic changes that even the most connected insiders are having a hard time understanding. One of those insiders includes former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, who has questioned why Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord has placed his name in the transfer portal. McCord earned the Ohio State QB1 position […]

As the 2023-24 NHL season got underway, the Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the favorites to lift the Stanley Cup at the end of the season. Top rivals like the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning appeared to be losing ground in the race for the vaunted trophy, while the Maple Leafs had players […]

The New York Islanders got off to a customary slow start this season, but they have been building with a solid run in their last 10 games and they have risen to 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. That may be decent upturn, but the Islanders are not satisfied and they […]

As Brock Purdy continues to establish himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, he is going to be the subject of heightened scrutiny. That includes being criticized over the silliest and most mundane issues. Purdy recently found out that national sports talk show host Colin Cowherd took issue with the second-year player […]

The 49ers are peaking as they prepare for their Week 14 game against the Seahawks. They are coming off a dramatic and one-sided victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, demonstrating that they are in the same category as the defending NFC champions, and perhaps even better. By going on the road and pulling off a 42-19 […]

If the Raiders are going to record a home victory over the Vikings in Week 14, one of the keys will be making sure they put adequate pressure on Minnesota quarterback Josh Dobbs. The Raiders’ top attribute in that area is defensive end Maxx Crosby, who already has 11.5 sacks this season. However, Crosby did […]

There is a war of words going on between Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and Eagles center Jason Kelce following the meeting of the two teams in Week 12. In that game, the Eagles registered a late rally and overcame the Bills by a 37-34 margin in overtime. Bills DT Jordan Phillips claps back at […]

After 1 1/2 seasons of flailing about and failing miserably, the Chicago Bears have started to play a much more competitive level of football. As they reach Week 14, the Bears have won 4 of their last 8 games. Chicago is coming off a bye week, and head coach Matt Eberflus will have a chance […]

The Vikings have made it to Week 14 and they are in a good position to determine their own fate for the season. They bring a 6-6 record into their meeting with the Las Vegas Raiders, and they are fairly healthy and rested since they are coming off their bye week. Of course, they could […]

Backup quarterbacks have always played a key role in the NFL, but it seems the plethora of quarterback injuries this season has made them even more prominent than ever before. Historically speaking, Earl Morrall was the starting quarterback for the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins in nine games in place of Bob Griese. Morrall was also […]

The San Francisco 49ers traveled to Philadelphia determined to make a statement concerning the 2023 season. After a slow start that saw them fall behind 6-0 to the defending NFC Champions, the Niners stepped on the accelerator and registered a 42-19 triumph at Lincoln Financial Field. While the Niners had advantages in multiple areas, no […]

Jim Leyland had a lengthy and legendary career as a Major League manager, and he was rewarded for his 22 years of service leading four major league teams Sunday as he was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Jim Leyland received 15 of 16 votes from the Committee. Lou Piniella (11) fell […]

The Montreal Canadiens have had high hopes of contending for a playoff spot this season. After a decent start to the 2023-24 season, the Canadiens have been hit by a number of key injuries that have slowed them down in recent games. The Canadiens (10-11-3) are fading a bit in the early part of December […]

The College Football Playoff will feature two of the most well-known and popular programs in the history of the sport facing off in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day when top-ranked Michigan faces Alabama. Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh described the matchup against Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide as “iconic.” The Michigan-Alabama matchup almost certainly […]

The Houston Texans have authored one of the most remarkable stories in the NFL this season. This is a team that completely cleaned house after a disastrous 2022 season, but after hiring DeMeco Ryans as their head coach and drafting quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick, they have become a winning team […]

Los Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua has had a fantastic rookie season, and he put his name in the Rams record book with a reception early in the team’s Week 13 game against the Cleveland Browns. Nacua caught a 13-yard pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford in the first quarter, and that play gave […]

The Washington Commanders hope to get back in the win column in their Week 13 game against the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins. It appears to be a most difficult assignment. The Commanders had high hopes when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons 24-16 in Week 6, raising their record to 3-3. At that point in the […]

Connor Bedard continues to pile up the notable achievements during his rookie season with the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored the opening goal of the game in Chicago’s 3-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets Saturday, and that gave the 18-year-old phenom an 8-game road scoring streak. Connor Bedard extended his road point streak to 8️⃣ games […]

The Tampa Bay Lightning are in a deep rut as the NHL season has progressed to the 25 percent mark. Considered a legitimate threat to fight for the Stanley Cup at the start of the year, the Lightning have a losing record after 25 games (10-10-5). The most troubling aspect of their season has been […]

There’s little doubt that the Carolina Panthers are a mess this season. They bring a 1-10 record into their Week 13 road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it seems unlikely that the team will win more than one more game the rest of the season. The most obvious issue has been the consistent […]

The Kansas City Chiefs will renew acquaintances with a historic opponent in their Week 13 Sunday night game when they travel to the not-yet frozen tundra to take on the Green Bay Packers. These two teams met a lifetime ago in Super Bowl I, and while the Chiefs lost that famous battle, they lead the […]

Justin Fields is entering the home stretch of his third season with the Chicago Bears. He has played 35 games in a Bears uniform, and he has had his share of highlights and key mistakes. ESPN analyst and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman has observed Fields throughout his career, and he saw him up […]

If there is one characteristic that makes the Atlanta Hawks a solid team and one that has a chance to assert itself this season, it is their ability to outscore opponents. They have an excellent offensive team, as they are averaging 123.2 points per game, which is second in the NBA to the Indiana Pacers. […]

Former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson was a big-play specialist during his tenure with the team. He certainly had the speed and instincts to give the Eagles an advantage when the game was on the line, and he was one of the team’s most valuable players during his 8 years with the team. DeSean Jackson on […]

The Raiders thought they were getting one of the best coaches in the NFL when they hired Josh McDaniels to serve as the team’s sideline leader. While he had failed in a previous effort with the Denver Broncos, he had been the right-hand man to Bill Belichick and had played a huge role in leading […]

The Detroit Lions are looking for a lift on defense after that unit has been struggling in recent weeks. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has seen his unit give up 38, 26 and 29 points in each of the last 3 games, and those numbers are going to have to improve if the team is going […]

The Detroit Lions hope to get back on the winning track in Week 13 when they face the New Orleans Saints on the road. The Lions lost their Week 12 home game on Thanksgiving Day, and needed a late miracle to beat the Chicago Bears in Week 11. Star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was […]

Injuries have had a brutal impact on the Cleveland Browns season, and while most of the notable injuries have been on the offensive side of the ball, neither superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett or defensive back Denzel Ward participated in practice Thursday for the team. Still no Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward or DTR at today’s […]