Category Archives: NFL

Media Rushes to The Panic Button Over New England Patriots

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By Kaleb Page

In week five of the NFL season, the New England Patriots beat the Cincinnati Bengals to the score of 43 to 17. However, if you flash back to the week leading up to the game you would find that the story surrounding the Patriots was not one of triumph but rather one of panic.

In week four the Patriots went into Arrowhead Stadium to face off with the Kansas City Chiefs in a Monday night clash. What ensued was a thorough demolition of the Patriots at the hands of the Chiefs, with the final score being 14 to 41. This demolition came as a big surprise due to how lackluster of a performance was put forth by Tom Brady and the rest of the team.

After the game was over it seemed like all of the sports media outlets from ESPN to FOX had developed the “Chicken Little” mentality that the sky was falling for the Patriots. Immediately after the game Trent Dilfer of ESPN went on to say, “The New England Patriots, let’s face it, they’re not good anymore.” Even Stephen A. Smith on First Take went on to say that “They (Patriots) are in a world of trouble.” For much of the week following the game, speculation loomed all around the team even going as far to ask: Is it time for a quarterback change from Tom Brady to Jimmy Garoppolo?

Step back into the now and it seems like that horrible game in Arrowhead is a thing of the past. Tom Brady went out and handled his business, the Patriots defense showed up stopping an emerging Cincinnati offense, and the sounds of madness surrounding the team seemed to fade away.

I think that this just shows, as anyone should do when looking at any sport early in the season, is to in the words of Aaron Rodgers “R-E-L-A-X.” It is early in the NFL season and to write off the football minds of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick probably is not the smart move to make. Especially when this AFC East division is still there for the taking, and the Patriots have had such success winning division titles (11 of the last 13 divisional titles dating back to 2001).

It also should go to show that from time to time we all just need to step back and give credit where credit is due. The Chiefs played a great game that night and were just the better of two good teams that came out to play. The NFL is always evolving week to week and sometimes a bad game is bound to happen, which in the case of the Patriots came in the prime-time slot Monday night where they were the only game on television.

It is easy to freak out when the consistent franchises like the Patriots do terrible on the big stage. However, you should look to step back and realize that it will take time and things will shift back to where they have been. So before this week comes and a new opportunity presents itself to press the panic button, don’t do it!

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Well Deserved Media Praise Follows Peyton Manning Throwing 500th Career Touchdown Pass

By Matt Rogers

During the Denver Broncos match-up against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Peyton Manning became one of only two quarterbacks in NFL history to throw at least 500 touchdowns, the other being Brett Favre.

Merely seconds after the play that resulted in Manning’s 500th touchdown, social media exploded with analysis from fans, professional journalists and even the Denver Broncos themselves. In this day and age, social media sites like Twitter and Facebook have become a popular source for getting news, especially when a milestone is reached in the NFL. Twitter is filled not only with fans of the NFL, but is used as a medium to deliver current news by the journalists that cover the league.

In the days leading into the Broncos’ game in Week 5, there were questions being posed on social media. “In what quarter will Manning achieve the milestone?” and “Which receiver will be the recipient of Manning’s 500th touchdown pass?” were two of the most prevalent. These types of posts have become a minute-by-minute occurrence, when Twitter was ushered in as a way to reflect on things that have happened in the sporting world that day or recently.

This could definitely be attributed to the expansion of media, especially as it pertains to how sports are covered. Without these social media sites, fans and followers would have either waited to find out happenings in the newspaper or wait to see the highlights on shows like ESPN’s SportsCenter. This can also be attributed to the rapid increase in the general public’s interest in sports.

Social media sites are not  the only type of media that continues to expand. Coverage of sports, mainly the NFL, has expanded to a point where all important weekend time slots are filled by most of the nationally televised networks, such as CBS, FOX, NBC and ESPN. Now, to find out about things like Peyton Manning’s 500th touchdown pass, a person can choose from so many different types of media that provide updates as frequently as every second.

Peyton Manning has become one of, if not the face, faces, of the NFL and one of the league’s most beloved players because of his personality and demeanor. He appears in various commercial ads for large companies, like Papa John’s Pizza, Nationwide and Buick. Anytime Peyton Manning reaches a milestone or breaks a record, which happens on a weekly basis it seems, the fans of the league are going to find out about it the second after it occurs.

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Media Recognizes a Humble Peyton Manning After Record-Breaking Day

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By Nicholas Muhl

Before the first kickoff of the 2014 NFL season, fans, analysts and even his peers knew that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning would break the 500-career touchdown mark this year. Barring a serious injury, the NFL veteran now in his 16th season, would become only the second quarterback in league history to throw for over 500 career touchdowns, finally joining Brett Favre in that exclusive club.

This past Sunday, Manning finally completed the highly anticipated moment, throwing for the record-breaking touchdown pass with 4:43 remaining in the first quarter.

Peyton celebrated the touchdown connection to Broncos Tight End Julius Thomas the same way he has always celebrated throughout his career: a couple helmet nods and slaps with his teammates, and a humble walk back to his sideline. Manning was met with cheers from the Denver fans and many handshakes by his teammates when he reached the sideline. For a few moments he accepted praise but then Manning did as he has always done, rushed to meet his offensive coaches and break down the next offensive series.

Manning has always been known for his work ethic and the way he carries himself. Following the record-breaking moment the game’s TV analysts, Joe Buck and NFL Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, took a moment to speak of not just how great a player Peyton Manning is, but congratulate him on such a great achievement as a person. They noted how humble Manning has always remained.

David Dechant, Digital Media Coordinator for the Denver Broncos interviewed Manning following the game. Manning commented on receiving a game ball after the victory, “anything that comes the way, I really accept it on behalf of a number of players.”

Dechant noted to include this is his article on DenverBroncos.com.

Woody Paige, writer for the Denver Post and a ESPN contributor, also made note to comment in his own article on Manning’s character. This time referring to the ball he threw to break the record.

“After the game, Manning was his normal humble self. When asked if he keeps the footballs that set records, Peyton said: “You know what. I’ve never kept a football .”

In recent weeks the NFL has been the topic of many headlines, many highlighting the leagues recent issues with players being in trouble with the law. In an NFL season that so far has been shrouded by negativity in the media, it was a great moment for the analysts and writers to take a moment to highlight a man that has been nothing but a positive influence for the NFL and a celebrated figure in the eyes of fans around the world.

It’s obvious the NFL prefers for the media to highlight players like Manning that portray the league in a positive light. While it’s the job of the media to keep the public informed, I think many fans too, prefer to hear more stories like this one.

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