Author: nfltalk

The NFL has created plenty of confusion by balancing a stream of “thou shalt nots” regarding gambling against “oh yes we shalt” when it comes to profiting from it. The confusion extends to ownership.

Consider this Super Bowl-week sound bite from Falcons owner Arthur Blank to Daniel Kaplan of FrontOfficeSports.com: “Once the Supreme Court made its decision, gambling is here. The league’s position on it has been: Protect the game at all costs, which obviously is absolutely critical. And all the ramifications of that in terms of club personnel, players, betting—I haven’t even walked into a casino [in Las Vegas this week]. I don’t want to be seen there. Theoretically, if I wanted to go to the slots I could—I’m not even sure. . . . But it is what it is. The league will be a participant, and they are a participant in all the economics that have come out of it. Hopefully, the league is being sensitive and promoting responsible betting, because we all know that some of these things can become addictions.”

Did you catch that line in the middle? If I wanted to go to the slots I could—I’m not even sure.

If the owners of the teams aren’t sure about what they can and can’t do, how can the players or other employees be expected to chart a path through an unforgiving minefield that puts livelihoods on the line?

Again, the NFL didn’t have to jump in bed with sports betting. It could have said, “Yes, it’s legal now, but we will continue to shun it.” It would have been much easier to make and to enforce the rules applicable to everyone, if the NFL had opted to continue its strong opposition to sports wagering.

No gambling, ever, while you work for the NFL or any of its teams, in any capacity.

The league has instead opted to profit from gambling and to allow owners to own up to five percent of any company that has sports betting operations while also having a convoluted list of do’s and don’ts aimed at protecting the integrity of the game.

It’s not just the actual…

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With the Super Bowl now in the rearview mirror, we are officially out of the 2023 season and gearing up for 2024. Over the next several months, 31 teams are going to do their best to catch up to the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

That process begins in earnest with free agency, which opens next month. With that in mind, we’re taking space this week to highlight some of the best available options. In the space below, you’ll find the top 25 offensive free agents available this offseason. On Friday, we’ll do the same thing for defense.

(To check out the top 25 defensive free agents, click here).

Without further ado…

Jackson didn’t have his best season in 2023 and he missed a few games due to injury along the way, but he has shown the ability to reach a Pro Bowl level of play at guard, and has consistently been an important part of what has been a very good Detroit offensive line. He probably benefits to at least some extent from playing between Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow, and he’s a better run-blocker than pass-protector, but he’s a quality starter on the…

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It’s no surprise that NFL officials look the other way on holding all too often. Former NFL defensive lineman J.J. Watt has an idea for getting more yellow flags to fly.

Appearing recently on Pat McAfee’s show, Watt suggested reducing the penalty from 10 yards to five.

“I think the refs understand that a 10-yard penalty is a massive penalty in the NFL,” Watt said, via SteelersDepot.com. “So I think if you made [it] a 5-yard penalty, I think it’s going to be called much more fairly and much more realistically. Because it’s not as crippling to the offense.”

It’s an intriguing idea, but it potentially overlooks the reason for the failure to call holding. The officials aren’t trying to avoid taking away 10 yards of field position; they’re trying to let offenses operate effectively by giving offensive linemen an edge when it comes to defensive linemen who keep getting better and better — and who can inflict significant damage onto a quarterback if they hit him.

Illegal procedure is only a five-yard penalty, but the officials don’t call it like they should when a tackle takes off a split-second early. That head start helps him keep the edge rusher from hitting the quarterback. Ditto for the habit of tackles who line up too deep into the backfield.

If the rule were to change from 10 yards to five, there’s actually a chance it would be called even less frequently.

Regardless of whether it’s five or 10 or 15 yards, the NFL wants offenses to gain yards and score points. Currently, defensive linemen are collectively better than offensive linemen. Not calling holding or illegal procedure help balance out the disparity.

I’m not defending the practice, especially since it results in holding being called inconsistently. It’s frustrating for fans and teams and defensive players. All too often, officials fail to call holding. It can’t just be incompetence; the officials don’t want to bog the game down by calling holding whenever it happens. And it’s very possible they don’t call it by…

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NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis got underway on Friday night with the Celebrity Game and Rising Stars Challenge. In the opener, Team Shannon held off Team Stephen A. for a 100-91 victory. Later on, Team Jalen defeated Team Detlef in the championship of the Rising Stars Challenge to claim that title.  

With the first of three exciting nights now in the books, here’s a look at some of the moments that defined All-Star Friday. 

Parsons steals the show in the Celebrity Game

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons finished third in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting earlier this month, but on Friday night he made sure he got his hands on a trophy. The three-time Pro Bowler stole the show at the Celebrity Game and was named MVP.

Parsons was a two-sport star in high school, and once competed against Brooklyn Nets guard Lonnie Walker IV. On Friday, he showed that he still has some skills on the court, as he poured in 37 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead Team Shannon to victory. 

This is the second consecutive year that an active NFL player has taken MVP honors in the Celebrity Game, and the fourth time overall. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf earned the honors last year, while Hall of Famer Terrell Owens went back-to-back in the 2008 and 2009 events. 

Mathurin has fascinating night that ends with MVP

Indiana Pacers swingman Bennedict Mathurin was named MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge, giving the hometown fans something extra to cheer about. He earned the honor after a truly fascinating night filled with impressive highlights, embarrassing bloopers and a surprising amount of trash talk. 

Here’s a quick rundown of Mathurin’s best and worst moments:

‘You can’t guard me’

In the middle of the first game between Team Jalen and Team Tamika, Mathurin suddenly got serious when he confronted Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey and told him, “Even in the Rising Stars game…

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