The NFC South was a one team race last year as Atlanta ran away with the division. The Falcons are probably still the cream of the crop, but the league is done punishing the Saints for the so-called Bounty-gate scandal and with Sean Payton back, they should be much improved over the disappointing 2012. The Bucs and Panthers also look to be up and coming. The NFC South could be tightening up in 2013. (more…)
After chasing Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts for so long, Houston fans had to be thinking it was their turn to reign supreme over the AFC South for a few years when Manning missed the 2011 season due to his neck injury and subsequently moved on to Denver last year. And the Texans are a solidly run organization with the talent to be competitive for some time to come. But the Colts have come storming back. Under the leadership of Chuck Pagano, Bruce Arians and Manning’s replacement Andrew Luck, Indy returned to prominence much faster than expected. It’ll likely be a two-team race at the top of the division for at least another year or two, as the Titans and Jaguars are sorting, yet again, through some growing pains. The battle for the top should be one of the more interesting races of the 2013 season. (more…)
We’re going from a not very impressive list of players who are competing to be the Best #25 in NFL history to one of the most storied numbers in league history.
The #80 rivals the #81 as perhaps the deepest and most competitive jersey digit the league’s teams have ever handed out.
Of course one stands out: Jerry Rice. But with the induction of Cris Carter later this summer, there will be eight players in the Hall of Fame that wore #80 as their primary number, which appears to be the most for a single number.
And there are several more on the list who might eventually find their way to Canton.
The best players in NFL History to wear #80 include: (more…)
Photo credit: Wikipedia user Tim Monaghan
When we wrote our first By the Numbers post a year ago, it was intended to become a regular feature until we hit all 100 numbers (0-99…sorry, we’re not differentiating between 0 and 00). One thing I wanted to hold true to, though, was a random selection of the numbers. I don’t even totally know why—I just did.
Unfortunately, unlike our first selection, which had several players all viable choices as the best #81 of all time, research into our second number consistently came back with one player—the best #25 in NFL history appears to clearly have been Fred Biletnikhoff.
With 589 career receptions, 8,974 receiving yards, 76 touchdowns, a Super Bowl MVP (XI), six Pro Bowls (two of them AFL only), two first-team All-Pro selections, and Hall of Fame induction in 1988, he seems a cut clear choice.
Given the anti-climactic nature of the selection, we sat on it…for a year.
Other names that came up on the list:
From the quotes offered up by Pro Football Hall of Fame Vice President of Communications and Exhibits Joe Horrigan this may technically be in the category of “Non-News News,” but the Hall of Fame appears to be considering changing the process for the election of Contributors to the game.
The change would presumably remove owners, broadcasters and other personnel (and possibly even coaches) from the regular voting process that elects players into the Hall. This would remove the need to figure out how to compare a Steve Sabol or Paul Tagliabue to a Ray Lewis or Ronde Barber, a difficult (if not impossible) task. Only three of the last 40 modern era inductees elected since 2006 have been “Contributors”–Ralph Wilson Jr. in 2009, Ed Sabol in 2011, and Bill Parcells in 2013.
What may make this non-news, though, is that it appears it isn’t the first time the idea has come up:
“I can’t tell you we’re real close to a solution, but as we do every year, we do discuss the possibility,” Horrigan told Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
This could make for an interesting scenario where in theory an individual could come up for election as both a player and as a contributor–Mike Ditka and Dick LeBeau being two players inducted who some might argue could gain election as coaches. However, whether the “Contributor” label was technically a separate wing in Canton, or the individual just got a second bust (one in their youth as a player, one more aged as a coach (just envision Ditka’s bust with a cigar and/or Ricky Williams dreadlocks), would seem amenable to me.
What say you, Zoneblitz faithful? Separate category for contributors, or leave well enough alone? Vote below and give us your thoughts in the comments…
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