The Friday Five: Gil Brandt
As VP of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys from 1960-88, Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt revolutionized the...
Author Posts
Sanchez: Rookie QBs Need a Vet to Lean On
Former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, and head coach Rex Ryan...
Giddings: Penei Sewell Was Wrong Pick for the Detroit Lions
Mike Giddings of ProScout Inc. joined the 33rd Team Call this week to share his thoughts on some of his...
How Will Dak Prescott Deal Affect Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson?
Now that the Cowboys have taken care of quarterback Dak Prescott, what does that mean for the future of two...
The Friday Five: Sal Paolantonio
Sal Paolantonio has been a mainstay of ESPN's NFL coverage since 1995. “Sal Pal” has covered 26 Super Bowls. He's...
Joel Bussert on the Evolution of NFL Rules
When Joel Bussert retired from the NFL in 2015, his title was senior VP of player personnel and football operations....
The Remaining Free Agents and Where They May Fit
More than 200 veteran NFL free agents have new deals this offseason – some re-signed with their 2020 team while...
Questionable Draft Strategy: Right Picks, Wrong Time
By Ben Elsner and Peter Engler At the conclusion of each NFL Draft, there is always the inevitable rush...
NFL Draft: Best Available Prospects Entering Day 2
By Cyril Penn Based on the 33rd Team’s Big Board, here are the best players still available heading into Round...
The Friday Five: Elle Duncan
It’s a busy week for Elle Duncan. Her Thursday started early as a fill-in co-host (with Kevin Negandhi) for ESPN’s...
NFL Draft: Best Fits From Round 1
By Cyril Penn The NFL draft isn’t always about the best players. It’s about the best fits for players with...
Eagles Have the Most Picks (11) in 2021 NFL Draft; Seahawks (3) Have Fewest
As you follow the NFL Draft from its start on Thursday night through the end of Round 7 on Saturday,...
The Friday Five: Jim Nagy
Jim Nagy was an NFL scout for nearly two decades, having worked for the Packers, Washington, Patriots, Chiefs and Seahawks....
Video: The Pros and Cons of Stanford QB Davis Mills
Stanford quarterback Davis Mills is one of the most intriguing players in the 2021 NFL Draft. Some draft experts consider...
NFL Draft: Complete Prospect Rankings By Position
With the NFL Draft kicking off one week from Thursday, the 33rd Team's series of positional rankings is complete. Here's...
Revisiting the NFL Draft Trade Chart Using Approximate Value
By Sydney Robinson Projecting NFL success from the time a player is drafted is never easy. Before we get into...
The Friday Five: Adam Schefter
After three decades of covering the NFL, Adam Schefter has risen to the ranks of perhaps the most informed and...
Video Breakdown: Geoff Schwartz on Draft’s Top O-Linemen
Former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz joined this week's 33rd Team Call to provide detailed scouting reports on three of...
Tannenbaum: 49ers Know Exactly Who They Will Draft At No. 3
On this week's 33rd Team Call, former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum was asked his thoughts about the San Francisco...
NFL Behind the Scenes: The Team Within the Team
By Yves Batoba As the excitement of the new league year is upon us, with plenty of free-agent activity and...
Video Breakdown: Why Kyle Pitts Is Such an Attractive NFL Prospect
Offensive and defensive coaches alike are singing the praises of Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, who some think could be...
The Week Ahead: Plenty of College Action On Tap
These are the notable events this week that NFL teams will be keeping an eye on: April 14 Pro Days...
The Friday Five: Field Yates
Before he became an NFL insider, Field Yates was literally an NFL insider -- having worked for both the New...
Doctor’s Take: Medical Evaluations for Key 2021 NFL Draft Prospects
Dr. Jessica Flynn is a sports medicine physician at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Mass., and she writes...
Who Are the Top Under-the-Radar Assistant Coaches in College and the NFL?
By Peter Engler and Robert Simpson Over the last two weeks, we released our list of top offensive assistants and...
The Week Ahead: Early Start for New NFL Head Coaches
These are the notable events this week that NFL teams will be keeping an eye on: April 5 NFL teams...
Dean Blandino Reviews the 2021 NFL Rule Change Proposals
Former NFL VP of Officiating Dean Blandino joined the 33rd Team Call this week to review some of the rule...
Coaches Corner: Do You Want the Pocket Passer or the Mobile QB?
Veteran offensive coordinator and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter joined this week's 33rd Team Call to share...
The Friday Five: Peter King
Peter King has been one of the most prolific and respected NFL writers for decades. His weekly Football Morning in...
Who Are the Top Defensive Assistants in the NFL and College?
By Peter Engler and Robert Simpson Last week, we released our list of top offensive assistants based on specific...
The Big Board: The 33rd Team’s Top 75 NFL Draft Prospects
Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne have celebrated a lot of wins together at Clemson in recent years. There's a chance...
Trade Talk: Breaking Down a Pair of Blockbuster Draft Deals
The NFL world is still abuzz over the wheeling and dealing that saw the San Francisco 49ers jump up to...
The Week Ahead: Pro Days Dominate the Calendar
These are the notable events this week that NFL teams will be keeping an eye on: March 30 Pro...
Video: Mark Sanchez Breaks Down the Top Safety Prospects
Quarterbacks always have to know where the safeties are on the field, so who better than a veteran QB to...
Who Knew Zach Wilson Would Be the Next Joe Burrow? (We Did)
The eyes of the NFL world Friday will be on BYU quarterback Zach Wilson as he takes part in BYU’s...
The Friday Five: Andrea Kremer
Sports media legend Andrea Kremer, who calls Thursday Night Football games for Amazon Prime, was the 2018 recipient of the...
Emmanuel Sanders Signing Could Be Big for Bills’ Locker Room
The Buffalo Bills' signing of veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders may not have been one of the big splashes of...
The Salary Cap’s Greatest Hits
Now that the 2021 league year has officially begun, which players count the most toward their teams' salary cap? It's...
On the Clock Mock Draft
Last week marked the conclusion of our On the Clock series, in which we presented multiple options for every team’s...
Who Are the Top Offensive Assistant Coaches in the NFL and College?
By Peter Engler and Robert Simpson An assistant coach’s impact on his team can be difficult to quantify. If...
The Friday Five: Jay Glazer
Few NFL insiders are as well connected as Jay Glazer. In addition to his role with Fox Sports, Glazer trains...
Video: Ben McAdoo Breaks Down the Draft’s Top Three QB Prospects
Having worked closely with the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning, offensive guru Ben McAdoo knows what to look...
Front-Office Perspective On Early Moves in Free Agency
There was plenty of action in the two days of “legal tampering” before the official start of free agency, and...
Top 20 EDGE Prospects in 2021 NFL Draft
By Cyril Penn With so many pass rushers getting signed early in free agency, there may be less of...
Updated: Top 5 Free Agents By Position
With free agency set to begin at 4 p.m. Wednesday, here is the 33rd Team's updated rankings of the top...
The Friday Five: Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and earned a place in the Pro Football Hall of...
Jaylen Waddle Might Be the No. 1 Wide Receiver in the 2021 NFL Draft
According to a random sampling of recent mock drafts, the first wide receiver off the board this year will be...
Film Breakdown: Don’t Call Kyle Pitts a Tight End. Call Him a Pass-Catcher (and a Great One)
Former NFL head coach and long-time offensive coordinator Chris Palmer joined the 33rd Team Call this week to break down...
On the Clock: San Francisco 49ers
Things have not been the same for the San Francisco 49ers after losing Super Bowl LIV. What looked like the...
The Friday Five: Amy Trask
Amy Trask began her Raiders career as an intern in 1983 and eventually became one of the most prominent women...
Giddings: Don’t Spend Your Free Agent Money All At Once
Mike Giddings, owner/president of ProScouts Inc., is an industry leader when it comes to evaluating NFL personnel. so with free...
When Does an NFL Prospect’s Behavior Outweigh His Talent?
This week's 33rd Team Call featured Dane Brugler of The Athletic presenting his top cornerback prospects for the NFL draft,...
Film Breakdown: Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
Draft expert Dane Brugler of The Athletic joined the 33rd Team Call this week to break down the top cornerbacks...
Now That J.J. Watt Is a Cardinal, What Does That Mean for the Future of Haason Reddick?
On Monday afternoon, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport broke news that J.J. Watt would sign with the Arizona Cardinals on a...
The Friday Five: Albert Breer
Few NFL Insiders are as tuned in to what's happening around the league than Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated and...
How NFL Front-Office Execs Should Be Approaching the Franchise Tag
We've talked a lot this week about the NFL's franchise tag and how teams should use it. The tag became...
Top 5 Free Agents By Position
As teams start considering their needs and how to go about filling those needs, they will break down the list...
The Friday Five: Chris Canty
Chris Canty was one of five front-seven defensive players drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2005 (more on that below)....
Coach Flats Breaks Down a Pair of NFL Draft EDGE Prospects
It's an offensive line coach's job to know everything he can about the pass rushers that his line is going...
The Friday Five: Bobby Carpenter
Like most in the sports media business, the pandemic meant that Bobby Carpenter traveled much less than usual during the...
Wade Phillips: How Todd Bowles Took Down the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV
On this week’s 33rd Team call, veteran defensive coordinator Wade Phillips broke down how Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd...
Washington Football Team Signs Taylor Heinicke to 2-Year Extension
The next domino in the NFL’s QB carousel of 2021 dropped Wednesday, with the Washington Football Team signing Taylor Heinicke...
Inflection Point: When Is It Time to Pull the Trigger On Trading Your Star Player?
On a recent 33rd Team call, we talked about the Deshaun Watson situation in Houston and posed the question: What...
The 33rd Team’s Sydney Robinson Among NFL’s Big Data Bowl Finalists
The NFL’s Football Operations department last week announced the finalists of its fourth Big Data Bowl – its annual competition...
The Most Important Matchup of Super Bowl LV
This week’s 33rd Team call featured an in-depth discussion about some of the key matchups that will decide Super Bowl...
If Super Bowl MVP Isn’t Brady or Mahomes, Here Are the Top Candidates
Quarterbacks get all the attention in the Super Bowl no matter who’s playing. So when the matchup is Patrick Mahomes...
Senior Bowl Week Winners and Losers
By Ben Elsner and Robert Simpson After a very productive week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, several college prospects had...
Senior Bowl Notebook: Matt Rhule Relishing His Opportunity to Work With the Prospects
With the NFL Combine and so many other scouting and draft prep routines changed due to the pandemic, having a...
Senior Bowl Notebook: Several Receivers Making an Impression
It’s only fitting that Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith is in Mobile, Ala., this week for the Reese’s Senior Bowl....
Senior Bowl Week Gets Underway
With the 2021 Reese's Senior Bowl set to be played this Saturday, a full week of practice in Mobile, Ala.,...
Centers of Attention
The sports mantra about having strength up the middle is usually reserved for baseball, but it can just as easily...
Conference Championship Game Notes
Some interesting nuggets from this weekend’s action: Kansas City 38, Buffalo 24 Top Passers: KC- P. Mahomes, 29-38, 8.6 ypa,...
On the Clock: Every Team’s Top NFL Draft Options
Here is the 33rd Team's look at what each team might be thinking with their 2021 first-round draft picks: NFC...
Divisional Round Playoff Game Notes
Packers 32, Rams 18 Top Passers: GB- A. Rodgers, 23-36, 8.2 ypa, 2:0 TD:INT LAR- J. Goff, 21-27, 6.4 ypa,...
Keys to the Game for NFC Divisional Playoff Matchups
The NFC's final four will take the field this weekend in a pair of NFL Divisional Playoff matchups. Here's a...
Keys to the Game for AFC Divisional Playoff Matchups
The AFC's final four will take the field this weekend in a pair of NFL Divisional Playoff matchups. Here's a...
Who Will Be the Top Head Coaching Candidates in 2022? Here Are 10 Names to Remember
By Peter Engler and Robert Simpson The 2021 coaching carousel is in full swing and several top candidates have already...
An Offensive Line Guru Evaluates the 2020 First-Round Tackles
Cleveland’s Jedrick Wills was one of four offensive tackles taken in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, joining...
Draft Takeaways From the College Football Playoff National Championship Game
The 33rd Team’s Mike Tannenbaum was at Monday night’s national championship game between Alabama and Ohio State and came away...
Deep Dive: Reasons for the NFL’s Scoring Explosion in 2020
By Peter Engler and Robert Simpson The 2020 NFL season saw a record-setting offensive explosion. The 12,692 points scored was...
NFL Success Hasn’t Come Easy for College Football Coaches
With the reports this week that Urban Meyer has met with the Jacksonville Jaguars about their vacant head coaching position,...
Wild Card Weekend Game Notes
Some interesting nuggets from all of this weekend’s NFL Wild Card games: Buffalo 27, Indianapolis 24 Top Passers: BUF- J....
Baltimore Ravens Finish No. 1 in the Big Play Index
The Kansas City Chiefs gave Patrick Mahomes and other key starters a rest in Week 17, and that cost them...
Keys to the Game for NFC Wild Card Matchups
With two extra playoff teams this season, the NFL's Wild Card weekend features back-to-back triple-headers. Here's a look at the...
Keys to the Game for AFC Wild Card Matchups
With two extra playoff teams this season, the NFL's Wild Card weekend features back-to-back triple-headers. Here's a look at the...
Week 17 Game Notes
Some interesting nuggets from all of this weekend’s Week 17 games: Top Passers: BUF- J. Allen, 18-24, 9.0 YPA, 3-1...
Chiefs Still No. 1 in the Big Play Index… But Look Out for the Bucs
The top five and bottom five teams in this week's Big Play Index are unchanged from last week, though the...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Have Shown Improved Discipline At the Right Time
With the way Tom Brady has been playing the last few weeks, NFL observers are wondering if he and the...
What Is The 33rd Team?
In addition to the content you can find here at The33rdTeam.com, our members get together every Wednesday afternoon for a...
NFL Week 16 Game Notes
Some interesting nuggets from all of this weekend's Week 16 games in the NFL: New Orleans 52 (11-4), Minnesota (6-9)...
AFC Teams Dominate the Big Play Index
If you're of the opinion that the AFC is where most of the excitement's at in the NFL this season,...
Bills-Patriots Will Be Interesting Test of the Discipline Index
Despite their 6-8 record, the New England Patriots remain No. 1 in this week's Discipline Index, the 33rd Team's formula...
5 ‘Other’ Reasons for the Buffalo Bills’ Resurgence
The Buffalo Bills have won their first AFC East title in 25 years. A win over the Patriots next Monday...
NFL Week 15 Game Notes
Some interesting nuggets from all of this weekend's Week 15 games in the NFL: Top Passers: BUF- J. Allen, 28-40,...
Week 15 Matchups to Watch
Here are key matchups we've got our eyes on in Week 15 of the NFL season: Chiefs (12-1) at Saints...
Kansas City Chiefs Take Over Top Spot in the Big Play Index
Last week, the Kansas City Chiefs took over the top spot in the AFC playoff seeding and now they've jumped...
Bill Belichick Coaching Tree Well Represented in This Week’s Discipline Index
Despite losing to the Rams last Thursday, the New England Patriots jumped three spots in this week's Discipline Index to...
NFL Week 14 Game Notes
Some interesting nuggets from all of Sunday's Week 14 games in the NFL: Dallas 30 (4-9), Cincinnati 7 (2-10-1) Top...
NFL Week 14 Matchups to Watch
Here are some notes regarding five games on this week's NFL schedule that we've got our eyes on: Steelers (11-1)...
Updated Big Play Index: Rams Still No. 1, Chiefs and Packers Tied for Second
The 33rd Team introduced the Big Play Index to show how NFL teams stack up in terms of big plays...
NFL Front Office Roundtable: How COVID-19 Will Affect the 2021 Salary Cap and Free Agency
The COVID-19 pandemic will have a profound effect on NFL free agency in the offseason, as the salary cap is...
NFL Week 13 Game Notes
Cleveland 41 (9-3), Tennessee 35 (8-4) Top Passers: CLE- B. Mayfield, 25-33, 10.1 ypa, 4-0 TD-INT TEN- R. Tannehill, 29-45,...
Las Vegas Raiders Plummet 14 Spots in This Week’s Discipline Index
Remember back in the day when the Raiders were always the most penalized team in the NFL? If we had...
Rams Have NFL’s Best First-Down Success Rate
There’s so much focus in NFL analysis these days on third-down success that we forget to evaluate the importance of...
Small-School College Stars of Week 13
Thanksgiving week is typically a time in football where the NFL dominates the headlines as families prepare fantastic feasts and...
Week 12 NFL Matchups to Watch
Here are some interesting Week 11 matchups that are worth watching: Chiefs (9-1) at Buccaneers (7-4) The Chiefs have the...
Rams Continue to Dominate the Big Play Index
The 33rd Team introduced the Big Play Index to show how NFL teams stack up in terms of big plays...
AFC Teams Dominate the Discipline Index
The top five teams and seven of the top 10 in this week's Discipline Index are from the AFC. Does...
NFL Week 11 Game Notes
Some interesting nuggets from each of Sunday's Week 11 games: Cleveland 22 (7-3), Philadelphia 17 (3-6-1) Top Passers: CLE- B....
Rams Continue to Rule Big Play Index
The 33rd Team introduced the Big Play Index to show how NFL teams stack up in terms of big plays...
New England Patriots Climb to No. 3 in the Discipline Index
While the New England Patriots are still in danger of suffering their first losing season in the NFL in two...
Playoff Trait No. 3: High-Powered Passing with Solid Defense
By Robert Simpson and Peter Engler This is the third cluster of teams in our study of traits associated with...
Playoff Trait No. 4: Elite Passing with Mediocre Defense
By Robert Simpson and Peter Engler This is the fourth cluster of teams in our study of traits associated with...
Playoff Trait No. 6: All Defense
By Robert Simpson and Peter Engler This is the sixth cluster of teams in our study of traits associated with...
Playoff Trait No. 7: Inefficient Passing and Turnovers
By Robert Simpson and Peter Engler This is the seventh cluster of teams in our study of traits associated with...
Playoff Trait No. 5: Pounding the Rock with Elite Pass Rush
By Robert Simpson and Peter Engler This is the fifth cluster of teams in our study of traits associated with...
Playoff Trait No. 2: Efficient Offense and Opportunistic Defense
By Robert Simpson and Peter Engler This is the second cluster of teams in our study of traits associated with...
Playoff Trait No. 1: Dominant Defense and Run Game
By Robert Simpson and Peter Engler This is the first cluster of teams in our study of traits associated with...
NFL Week 10 Game Notes
Some interesting nuggets from each of Sunday's Week 10 games: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 46, Carolina Panthers 23 Tampa Bay was...
Updated Big Play Index: Rams Still No. 1
The 33rd Team introduced the Big Play Index to show how NFL teams stack up in terms of big plays...
Study: Impact of Special Teams on NFL Success
By Robert Simpson and Peter Engler For NFL fans, the punter is one of the least popular players any given...
Houston Texans Remain Atop Discipline Index
Not a lot of week-to-week change in the Discipline Index, the 33rd Team's measure of how few -- or how...
Week 9 Game Notes
Here are some interesting nuggets from each of Sunday's Week 9 games: Giants 23, Football Team 20 Despite winning the...
Big Play Index: Rams Remain On Top
The 33rd Team introduced the Big Play Index to show how NFL teams stack up in terms of big plays...
Houston Texans Take Over Top Spot in Discipline Index
As the 2020 NFL season rolls along, teams that are making fewer mistakes are working their way up the standings,...
Trade Deadline History … and What It Might Mean for 2020
Tuesday, Nov. 3, will surely be an historic day for America. And yes, that’s got more to do with Election...
Rams Remain No. 1 in the Big Play Index
The 33rd Team introduced the Big Play Index to show how NFL teams stack up in terms of big plays...
Discipline Index Update: Green Bay Packers Back On Top
For the second week in a row, an undefeated team that had the NFL's best Discipline Index -- the 33rd...
Rams Take Over Top Spot in The 33rd Team’s Big Play Index
The 33rd Team introduced the Big Play Index to show how NFL teams stack up in terms of big plays...
Packers-Bucs Will Be a Big Test for the Discipline Index
We here at The 33rd Team often talk about how important it is for NFL teams to avoid beating themselves....
Packers Top The 33rd Team’s Big Play Index
The 33rd Team is introducing the Big Play Index to show how NFL teams stack up in terms of big...