Archives 2025

With parity as high as ever in the NFL, a few unlikely clubs could have their best chance to get rings

Coming into the NFL season, predictions were made on who could win the Super Bowl in February, and there’s still a good amount of time to see if those views play out. The majority of those views probably had what one could call the usual contenders: the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens topping the list in the AFC, while the Philadelphia Eagles (defending champs), Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions gathered the majority of votes from the NFC. After that’s determined, the next question centers around teams who can announce themselves as a threat in their own right. The Houston Texans (who went home after the divisional round each of the last two seasons) were a trendy pick, but have been underwhelming to this point. The Green Bay Packers, particularly after they acquired linebacker/defensive end Micah Parsons in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys, became the team everyone is supposedly chasing, but many questions remain if they can even win the NFC North (let alone make a championship run). One thing (and perhaps the only item) we have learned is there isn’t a stand out team playing right now. As a result, three squads who weren’t looked at as serious contenders may have as good a chance as ever to emerge as the top dog.

The first of this trio is the Indianapolis Colts. It would be interesting to see if even the biggest Colts fan living within the Indianapolis city limits had this on their bingo card, but this team is tied for the best record in the league at 5-1. Somewhere along the line, it was forgotten how good running back Jonathan Taylor was and is. Taylor is reminding everyone up to this point, as he leads the NFL in rushing yardage (603) and touchdowns (seven). Combine that with the efficient play of quarterback Daniel Jones (yes, that guy who flamed out with the New York Giants), and the offense is on a level that makes them hard to stop. The Colts defense has been good enough to bend, but not completely break, and they have forced nine turnovers in their six games. Complementary football has been a strength for Indy, and Shane Steichen has cooled off talk of being on the hot seat to lose his head coaching job. In other words, the Colts have the ingredients to stay in the fight for a while.

Second on the list is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who is the team tied with Indy for the league’s best record. The Buccaneers could be at least 2-4 if a play or two doesn’t go their way, but they have found a way to make those plays, and the scary thing with this squad is they can become much better as the season moves on. If there is one reason why Tampa Bay sits where they are, it probably starts and ends with QB Baker Mayfield, who would probably be the MVP if the season ended today. Mayfield has been the definition of clutch, as he has been the architect of a few game-winning drives. It’s even more remarkable when considering Mayfield is playing at this level without the team’s top-two receivers (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr.). There was a little talk about the Bucs being a contender going into the season, but the combination of how good they can be and the league being up for grabs could see them become a favorite before too long.

Finally, the Denver Broncos find themselves on the list of teams who could walk up to a championship this season. With the Broncos coming off of a wild card appearance last year, the prevalent thinking was they could continue to ascend, and perhaps, knock the Chiefs off from the top of the AFC West. The main reason is their defense, led by cornerback Pat Surtain II (the defensive player of the year in 2024) and linebackers Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper. Most people would say Denver’s defense is at championship-level, but what could make or break their visions is whether or not quarterback Bo Nix can consistently stay on the same page with coach Sean Payton, and bring the offense close to par with the other side of the ball. Throughout the year, Nix has been hit or miss with the execution of plays. If he can provide more of the good version, the Broncos could be on the cusp of a high on the Rocky Mountains.

There are other teams that could have made this list (the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots among them), but at this time, the Colts, Buccaneers and Broncos seem to have more in their favor to continue the upward trend. Of course, things can escalate quickly in the NFL, and what looks good one week might not the next, and vice versa. Who knows? Those teams who were listed as favorites might ultimately end up there come January. The beautiful thing about sports is games will be played, and everyone will get to find out as it happens. What we know is the gap between contenders and pretenders doesn’t seem to be as wide, and if that continues to be the case, don’t be surprised if this year’s Super Bowl winner is someone not exactly on the radar from the beginning.

Author: bestkeptsecret19

I’m just a man trying to be listened to. Hopefully, I can motivate and inspire people on the way to making a widespread positive difference.
View all posts by bestkeptsecret19

The result on the field speaks louder to the ever-changing landscape of college sports.

There are cases where people say “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” That in and of itself sounds contradictory, but there are a few items that stay consistent through all of the additions and subtractions. In other cases, if an individual isn’t willing to evolve with the times, they will get left behind, and eventually, become obsolete. Just like many things in life, college sports (football specifically) is an example of this, and there was a game that directly speaks to a case where one team is moving with the times, while the other is stuck in the 2010s. The contest (if anyone wants to call it that) under the spotlight was between Oklahoma State and Oregon, played last Saturday afternoon in the Pacific Northwest.

The Ducks demolished the Cowboys 69-3, and even with that score, the game might not have been that close. Not many should be surprised at the result, as Oregon is a national title contender ranked fourth in the country, while Oklahoma State is careening off a cliff to uncertain times. What sparked more conversation than the actual game were pregame comments made by Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy, in regard to how much money Oregon has spent to assemble their roster. Gundy made reference to his program spending “around $7 million over the last three years,” and Oregon spending “close to $40 (million) last year alone.” Apparently, the Ducks took those comments as a shot at their coach, Dan Lanning, and they were ready to administer a blasting of epic proportions.

After a little analysis, it’s logical to believe Gundy’s comments added fuel to the Ducks’ fire, but listening to what he said points to something much bigger than just this game. As mentioned earlier, college sports is evolving at a daily rate, and the items leading constant change are name, image and likeness (NIL), and the transfer portal. Once NIL kicked in during the summer of 2021, the college sports landscape went through (and is still absorbing) a seismic shift. Now, the players are allowed to build income through third parties, and the evolution has reached the point where athletes can negotiate NIL deals with the university itself (House settlement). Combine this with the transfer portal, where players can essentially enter a glorified free agent pool, and the influence head coaches have on a program isn’t nearly as large as it once was. In other words, the days of amateurism can be declared a distant memory.

This brings us back to Gundy and his program at Oklahoma State. While there is still a lot to be said about the recruitment of high school athletes, NIL and the transfer portal is here to stay, and if a coach can’t evolve with the times (just like anything else in life), he or she will drift into irrelevancy. Money will have to be spent if a school wants to stay competitive, and this is something Lanning and Oregon clearly understands. Even with the money that’s spent, it’s the coach’s responsibility to have the team ready to play week after week, and there have been performances in the last couple of years where one could wonder if Gundy has lost touch with the current athlete. Sure, the Ducks have the better team, but the Cowboys came in uninspired and lethargic, basically defeated before the game even kicked off. When Gundy made those comments (and try to clarify after the fact), they sounded more like built-in excuses for the ensuing beatdown.

From the outside looking in, it appears the time for Gundy to step down from his position is overdue. The stubbornness to stick with tools that worked in 2015 is showing they won’t work in 2025 and beyond. The head coach doesn’t have all of the power anymore, and there’s a need to understand players could potentially make as much money as they do. It’s no coincidence Nick Saban, who apparently didn’t want much to do with the changing dynamics, decided to retire from Alabama after the 2023 season. For Gundy, there’s two choices to pick from. Either move aside for someone with a fresher mind, or get with the evolution. If his answer is the former, housings like the one Oklahoma State received from Oregon will become the norm, and the choice for Gundy to stay will be made for him.

Author: bestkeptsecret19

I’m just a man trying to be listened to. Hopefully, I can motivate and inspire people on the way to making a widespread positive difference.
View all posts by bestkeptsecret19

L’accueil de ces délégations a également eu un impact positif sur la région de Besançon, attirant l’attention des médias et des amateurs de sport. Cela a permis de mettre en lumière les capacités d’accueil et les infrastructures sportives de la ville, renforçant ainsi sa réputation sur la scène sportive. Durant notre passage au club, des medias comme France télévision, peu habitué à interviewer des haltérophiles sont venus pour mettre en lumière la discipline à travers du contenu photo, vidéo et textuel.