Longform

League in Review: Are We Actually Seeing More Penalties? Are There Coverage Trends? Which Players Stand Out?

We're a substantial way through the season. This is as good a time as any to check in on how the league is different this year than other years, including in how they're handling penalties, pressures and punts.

9/11 and How I Discovered I Was Brown

Kyler Murray is a Litmus Test for Vikings' Future

The Minnesota Vikings have named Kyler Murray the starting quarterback for the 2026 NFL season. What better way to mark this occasion than a 10,000-word breakdown? Matt Fries delivers.

Why Was That Picture of MetLife So Bleak?

A post of mine recently went viral, earning over 100,000 likes across two platforms and over 7 million views. Why? And what can it tell us about civic design?

250 Years — What Is America?

We're about to — officially — celebrate 250 years of the United States. As the World Cup has engendered a new appreciation of Americana, it's worth asking what we're celebrating and what America really is

One Does Not Simply Replace Harrison Smith, Part 3: About Cover 4

Luke Braun goes into the pattern-match rules of the aggressively modern Brian Flores defense, how Harrison Smith knows exactly how to break those rules, and why that's rare

One Does Not Simply Replace Harrison Smith, Part (Cover) 2

Luke Braun continues his series on the challenges the Vikings face replacing Harrison Smith with Part 2 of 3, an explanation of how safeties in Brian Flores' system are supposed to handle Cover 2 (and how they actually handle it).

One Does Not Simply Replace Harrison Smith: A Three-Part Series

Luke Braun begins the first of a three-part series discussing the irreplaceability of Harrison Smith. First, we talk technique and how his potential replacements stack up.

The Cowardice of Political Incuriosity

The Athletic's Dan Duggan wrote about not writing about Jaxson Dart's appearance at a Donald Trump rally. It's journalistic abdication.

Caleb Banks is a Swing for the Fences

The Vikings produced one of the biggest surprises of the NFL draft. By selecting Caleb Banks, they may have drafted the highest-ceiling rookie in the NFL. Or, they may have crashed their defense.

The Kwesi Konundrum: Why Did It Play Out Like This?

The Minnesota Vikings, bafflingly, let go of their general manager in late January. It may have made sense to let him go at season's end, but the timing and reporting is puzzling. We break it down.

Vikings’ Offseason Plan, Part 2: Should They Stay Or Should They Go?

In Part 1 of this series, we looked at how the Vikings can create enough salary cap space to operate in 2026.

Vikings' Offseason Plan, Part 1: How to Create $49 Million in Cap Space

The Vikings are projected to be $50 million underwater against the cap. Is it as bad as it seems? What can the Vikings do to get out and is it that disastrous?

Can Philip Rivers Defeat Time?

It has been reported that the Indianapolis Colts are meeting with Philip Rivers to see if they can coax him out of retirement. Alex Katson has thoughts.

J.J. McCarthy and "Waiting for the Cement to Dry"

The Minnesota Vikings have pushed their chips into a quarterback who needs to develop. We explore if its remotely possible and why it is such a problem.

SumerBrain Claims to Revolutionize Football Analytics. I Will Not Be Using It

SumerSports released a new product last week claiming to change the way we watch, report on and consume football. They want to democratize access to football data. I don't think it can.

Entering Mythical England, the Vikings Comeback Win Over the Browns Befit Their Folklorish Past

The Vikings beat the Browns, coming back from behind in London, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The seeds of this victory were sown centuries ago; both leaned on their cultural heritage to close the day

Croke Park Disaster: History Haunts the Vikings, Rewards the Steelers

The Vikings lost to the Steelers 24-21. What does that have to do with the bloody history of Croke Park? Enough.

God Did Not Want Me to Go to Brazil

Neither did the NFL. Wide Left sent me anyway.

Sports Journalism Is Dying — And ESPN and the NFL Are to Blame

The NFL sold off elements of its NFL Media arm to ESPN in exchange for a 10 percent stake in the Worldwide Leader's equity. Could this kill sports journalism?

Guaranteed Money, the NFL, and What It Means for Labor Politics

A deep dive into the recent confidential decision regarding the NFLPA’s claim of NFL collusion to keep guaranteed money down.

History Fatigue

“Just once, I’d like to live in precedented times”

How Catapult Sports is Killing Football YouTube

There's been a scourge slowly killing football analysis channels on YouTube. Unless something changes, football fans and creators will find a landscape barren of content.

Justin Herbert and the Imprecision of Elite Quarterbacking

Alex Katson looks at whether Justin Herbert can learn to color outside the lines in 2025 and finally live up to his "elite" billing.

Do Pass-Rush "Bags" Actually Matter for NFL Success?

James Foster charted 2,797 QB pressures from 2023 and 2024 to determine which pass rushers have the most diverse skill sets.