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Articles by Ben Kotwica
Special Teams Wins Championships? A Look At The Importance Of The Third Unit
During the course of the 2021 season, we have highlighted key special teams plays that have impacted games in order to demonstrate the importance of this phase of the game. As we get closer to The Big Game, the margin of victory becomes smaller and smaller and the difference that is often overlooked is the discipline and special teams play of one team over another.
Most Important In-Season Additions
In the NFL, it is essential to always keep adding to your team in whatever ways possible, and this year’s playoffs have proven exactly that. These players that we will be focusing on were able to quickly adjust to new surroundings and make immediate impacts to help their team win and reach the Conference Championship Round. Read below for a look at the five most consequential in-season additions and a breakdown of their impacts.
The Eagles and 49ers Are Intriguing Playoff Underdogs
The 2021 regular season is in the books as the NFL’s wild ride moves into Wild Card Weekend. With seven teams from each conference making the playoffs for the first time in history, 14 teams have Super Bowl aspirations. Two of the most fascinating games this week are a Week 6 rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers along with a rekindling of the legendary rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys.
Kotwica's End of Season Special Teams Report
With the NFL regular season coming to a close, we wanted to once again take a deep dive into Special Teams play and provide an objective analysis on those units that are helping their teams win games and those whose lack of production is hindering their team’s ability to reach their goals.
Ja'Marr Chase Is Historically Great, and the Rookie Of the Year Slam Dunk
In a draft which saw 5 quarterbacks drafted in the first 15 picks, 3 of whom became immediate starters, it would’ve been bold to predict anyone other than a QB would win Offensive Rookie of the Year for 2021. Quarterbacks have been dominating this award recently as the league continues to lean more towards valuing that position well above the rest. Trevor Lawrence had long been heralded as a “generational prospect” who would light up the NFL immediately.
Should Players Opt-Out of Bowl Games? From the Perspective Of Players, Coaches and Scouts
When Matt Corral went down with a leg injury early in the Sugar Bowl and returned on crutches with tears in his eyes, many around college football had disparate takes on the events that brought him to this moment. Despite being considered as a potential first-rounder in the 2022 draft class, Corral decided to play out the Sugar Bowl with his teammates.
Kotwica's Week 16 Special Teams Report: Berrios Proves He Is a Pro Bowl Snub
Having worked in the NFL for 15 years in the special teams realm, each week we will discuss the most impactful moments from in the kicking, punting or return game. Often special teams can be overlooked, but the critical nature of a reliable and effective special teams unit cannot be overstated. This week, we will take a closer look into game-changing returns for TDs, an epic fake punt and the clutch kick of the week.
Started From The Bottom: Team Building From The Practice Squad Up
One of the most enjoyable parts of the job as General Manager of a football team is scouring for talent to improve the depths of your team down the stretch. Undoubtedly, the headlines will come from the prized free agents or the top draft picks, but the teams that remain sustainable and successful are able to find prime contributors for cheap. Ultimately, the way to do this throughout the season is by poaching from other teams practice squads as well as your own.
Domo's Week 15 Power Rankings: Packers Jump to No. 1 as Tampa Bay Slides
1) Packers (11-3) Previous: 2 Last week: W31-30@BAL This week: v. 7-7 Browns Good news: Aaron Rodgers is in MVP mode. He’s thrown 13 touchdown passes and no interceptions in the last four games. Bad news: Packers’ special teams problems continued against the Ravens. The unit committed three penalties in the one-point win. 2) Chiefs (10-4) Previous: 5 Last week: W34-28@LAC This week: v.
There’s A New Big 3 In Dallas: Parsons, Gregory, and Lawrence
At 9-4 the Dallas Cowboys hold a three game lead in the NFC East, and as everyone expected it’s been their defense has most recently led the way. Over the past 5 weeks, the Dallas defense has held 4 of their opponents to under 20 points, including allowing only 3 points to the Atlanta Falcons. Across that same stretch, their defensive expected points has outperformed their offensive expected points on 4 occasions, with the Week 12 OT loss to Raiders on Thanksgiving being the lone exception.
New England’s Throwback Rushing Attack Is A Modern Day Mismatch
One of the most captivating games in recent memory was this past Monday night’s matchup between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills given the difficult weather conditions. I was fascinated by Bill Belichick’s offensive approach and kept wondering if he would have taken the same offensive approach if the weather was not an issue. While we won’t know the answer for sure, the Patriots ended the game with three passing attempts, which was the fewest in a game by a winning team since 1974.
Behind The Line: How The Short Passing Game Has Changed The NFL
Ron Jaworski played quarterback in the NFL for 15 years, from 1974 to 1989. Was pretty damn good. Started 143 games. Threw for 179 touchdowns and more than 28,000 yards. Had a 53.1 career completion percentage. “In my era, if you completed 60 percent of your passes, you had a fantastic year,” said Jaworski, who topped out at 58.4 in 1982. “I was with Dick Vermeil a few weeks ago.
Kotwica’s Week 13 Special Teams Report: Seahawks ST Unit Soars
Having worked in the NFL for 15 years in the special teams realm, each week we will discuss the most impactful moments from in the kicking, punting or return game. Often special teams can be overlooked, but the critical nature of a reliable and effective special teams unit cannot be overstated. This week, we will take a closer look into game altering moments, extra point mishaps, and a tip our cap to the top performers.
It's Time to Say Joe Mixon is An Elite Running Back
The Cincinnati Bengals currently sit at 7-4 and control their own destiny within the AFC South with a big matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers this Sunday. Over the last two weeks, the Bengals have recorded impressive wins against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers. An offense that began the year spearheaded by a Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase aerial attack owes their latest success to the impressive play of running back Joe Mixon.
Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson Are Taking The 'Dual Threat' Archetype To The Next Level
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the explosion of running quarterbacks in the league. As we head into Week 11, seven quarterbacks are on pace to have 75 or more rushing attempts. Ten already have 15 or more rushing first downs. And five are in the top 50 in rushing yards. But two – the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts – have clearly separated themselves from the pack when it has come to their running exploits this season. For Jackson, the 2019 NFL MVP, this is nothing new.
Kotwica's Week 11 Special Teams Report: Kicking Will Play a Huge Part in Playoff Race
Having worked in the NFL for 15 years in the special teams realm as an assistant and as a Coordinator, each week we will discuss the most impactful moments from the kicking game. While special teams can be overlooked at times, the critical nature of a reliable and effective special teams unit cannot be overstated. This week, we will take a closer look at the week’s impactful plays, tip our cap to the top performers, AND take a deep dive into kicking success rate.
Fantasy Football Week 12 Starts/Sits
It’s time for our Week 12 Starts and Sits! Remember, we’ll do our best to predict outcomes based on what’s given to us. That’s diving into the numbers, digging through the juicy matchups, examining trends, watching the film, and collecting data that should lean towards certain players being better starts than others. While it won’t always play out that way, fantasy is a game of what’s most “likely” to happen and we need to attack it that way.
BEWARE: Week 12 Starters Set to Underperform
Houston Texans defensive end DeMarcus Walker (55) puts the pressure on Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) during the third quarter at Nissan Stadium Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 in Nashville, Tenn. Titans Texans 3207 This NFL season has been nothing short of surprising. There have been injuries to top running backs, unexpected breakouts from tight ends, and upsets happening weekly. This is no different for fantasy.
Ben Kotwica's Mid-Season Special Teams Rankings
With the NFL entering the second half of the 2021 season, we wanted to take a deep dive into the Special Teams play and provide an objective analysis on those units that are helping their teams win games and those whose lack of production is hindering their team’s ability to reach their goals.
Titans' Four Man Pass Rush Is the Key to Their Success
The Tennessee Titans reside atop the AFC at 7-2 after a five game win streak that has seen their defense play excellent football. Tennessee’s last four games have been impressive victories over the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, and most recently the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football.
Kotwica's Week 9 Special Teams Report: Late Round Rookie Dazzles on Special Teams
Having worked in the NFL for 15 years in the special teams realm as an assistant and as a Coordinator, each week we will discuss the most impactful moments from the kicking game. While special teams can be overlooked at times, the critical nature of a reliable and effective special teams unit cannot be overstated. This week, we will take a closer look at the week’s impactful plays and tip our cap to the top performers.
Domo's 2022 NFL Draft Preview
(Editor’s note: This is the first of several positional previews of the 2022 NFL draft) Once upon a time, NFL wide receivers had to learn how to walk before they could run. It took most of them, even those taken at the top of the draft, a year or two to get acclimated to the nuances and speed of the pro game. Now, not so much. Last April, five wideouts were taken in the first round of the draft, including three in the top 10.
Bills' Penalties Are Holding Them Back
Once again, the Los Angeles Rams have been dethroned from the top of the Discipline Index after suffering a loss at home to the Derrick Henry-less Tennessee Titans. Despite also suffering a loss in Week 9, the Green Bay Packers were able to take over the top spot with a strong effort against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fantasy Football Week 10 Starts/Sits
It’s time for our Week 10 Starts and Sits! Remember, we’ll do our best to predict outcomes based on what’s given to us. That’s diving into the numbers, digging through the juicy matchups, examining trends, watching the film, and collecting data that should lean towards certain players being better starts than others. While it won’t always play out that way, fantasy is a game of what’s most “likely” to happen and we need to attack it that way.
The Evolution of Running Quarterbacks
When Dick Vermeil took the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl in 1980, his quarterback was Ron Jaworski. Jaworski was a classic drop-back passer. Speed wasn’t his forte. His nickname was the Polish Rifle not the Polish Roadrunner. He averaged 1.4 rush attempts per game and 3.3 yards per carry during his 15-year NFL career. Nearly two decades later, when Vermeil won the Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams, it was with another seven-step-drop, stay-in-the-pocket quarterback, Kurt Warner.
Domowitch: Spencer Rattler Scares NFL Scouts
The NFL draft still is six-plus months away. But NFL scouts, particularly those who are employed by teams that are expected to be in the market for quarterback help next spring, are trying to figure out what’s going on with Spencer Rattler. Two months ago, the University of Oklahoma quarterback was being mentioned as a possible candidate to be the top pick in the 2022 draft. If not No. 1, then certainly in the top five or ten. Now?
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