Latest news with #BradGagnon
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where do the Buccaneers two Super Bowl wins rank among the best since 2000?
The Super Bowl remains the greatest game and prize in all of sports, sorry to everyone and everything else that has a favorite in something else. It is the most watched game, paired with the best teams and players in the world, all while competing for a legendary trophy and ring to go down in history. Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon took up the monumental task of ranking each Super Bowl-winning team and discussing why they landed where they did. For the Bucs, they have two teams to rank with wins in Super Bowls XXXVII and LV. The Bucs' victory over the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII earned them the seventh spot in the rankings done by Gagnon. He writes up the team's ranking, saying, "The defense was right there with the 2000 Ravens and 2008 Steelers in terms of points allowed (second to only 2000 Baltimore at 196) and yards per play allowed (second to only 2008 Pittsburgh at 4.2). Four members of that unit went on to make the Hall of Fame: Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Ronde Barber. And like Baltimore, they obliterated the postseason competition with three blowout victories." Meanwhile, the Bucs' victory over the Kansas City Chiefs buzzsaw in Super Bowl LV got the 11th spot in the rankings. While it is still a respectable number, it falls outside the top ten. Gagnon writes up the positive reasoning behind the rankings, citing, "Only they and the 2009 Saints averaged more than 30 points per game (30.8), as this Tom Brady-led Bucs squad felt a bit like an NFL superteam at times." As for the cons, he explains the Bucs regular season ups and downs held them back from being higher. "Still, they lost a handful of regular-season games and posted a mere 1-4 record against opponents with winning records. And only two defenses on this list (2011 Giants, 2006 Colts) allowed more points per game (22.2), although that unit did get it together down the stretch. They had just one Pro Bowler (Jason Pierre-Paul) and no All-Pros." Interesting argument against the LV team but it is an argument nontheless.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dak 'Jeopardy' Prediction Exposed as Cowboys Haters Gone Wild
Dak 'Jeopardy' Prediction Exposed as Cowboys Haters Gone Wild originally appeared on Athlon Sports. FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys are heading into the 2025 season with hopes of a new identity and culture after a miserable 2024 campaign. Dallas posted a 7-10 record and lost multiple starters to injuries throughout the season - including starting quarterback Dak Prescott. Advertisement Prescott enters this season with plenty to prove after ending last season on a sour note. Prior to tearing his hamstring in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons, Prescott threw eight interceptions in eight games and led the Cowboys to a 3-5 start. How bad was it? 'Put simply, the league's highest-paid quarterback was one of the worst quarterbacks in football on paper, and he again failed to stay healthy. If Prescott doesn't separate himself from all of that in 2025, his future as a starter will be jeopardized,' Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon wrote. Whoa. Wait a second. "Worst quarterback''? "Jeopardized''? Slow down, Cowboys haters. … You're going wild! Advertisement After nine seasons as head signal-caller for the Cowboys - and a 2023 season that saw him finish second in NFL MVP voting - Prescott is used to playing under a microscope and constant pressure. And, if he doesn't perform this season, valid questions about his future with the organization might be raised by critics ... But the inescapable nature of his contract (for two years) makes the phase "his future as a starter will be jeopardized'' hyperbolic. The Cowboys have done an admirable job building a rock-solid offensive unit around Prescott, especially considering his $60 million per year salary. Prescott is surrounded by playmakers such as CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jake Ferguson, and Jaydon Blue. Prescott also has a young offensive line that features three first round picks protecting him. Advertisement With a coaching staff committed to developing a system that maximizes the strengths of their players, Prescott should have every opportunity to succeed this upcoming season. Prescott has shown resilience throughout his entire NFL career and we say Cowboys Nation should expect a bounce-back season for him and the Cowboys. ... as opposed to buying into buzzwords like "worst'' and "jeopardy.'' Related: Cowboys Lineman Signs With New Team Amid 'Sabotage' Accusation Related: Cowboys' CeeDee and Pickens Tandem Defined By One Dak Word Get more Cowboys inside the Fish Report. - This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills See History Repeat Itself In 'Nightmare' Season Scenario
Bills See History Repeat Itself In 'Nightmare' Season Scenario originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Bills appear to be one of the genuine Super Bowl contenders in 2025, boasting a well-rounded roster and an MVP quarterback at the helm. Advertisement Josh Allen and the offense were blistering last season, but defensively, the team struggled. Hence, this offseason, that side of the ball was heavily targeted in free agency (Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht) and in the draft (the first five picks were defensive players). So Sean McDermott's team is a lock for the playoffs, it seems, and one can easily envision a deep run, too, but what would make the 2025 season one from hell? For Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon, in what he calls a nightmare season, Buffalo again falls to the Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason. "Considering it's happened four times in the last five years, another playoff loss to the Chiefs likely qualifies here," Gagnon writes. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen reacts to the Kansas City Chiefs' AFC Championship Game Medley-Imagn Images Considering the Chiefs are thought to be trending downward, and Buffalo upward, plus how each team's roster looks, if the Bills were to see their season end, for what would be a fifth consecutive time in the postseason by Kansas City, then that is the true definition of a nightmare. Advertisement And it is one that Allen likely won't ever be able to recover from when being talked about among the best quarterbacks. Even now, with four straight losses, it's hard, but make that five? It might be even tougher. Everything seems in place for the Bills to finally break through and win what would be their first Lombardi Trophy, while the Chiefs appear to be starting to regress. Which is why if the Bills stumble to their rivals again on the biggest stage, when they really shouldn't, that is nightmare fuel for the franchise. Related: Tre'Davious White Thrilled To Be Back With Bills Related: Fans Are Saying The Same Thing After Josh Allen And Hailee Steinfeld's Wedding This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills' QB Remains Boogeyman For AFC East Rivals
Bills' QB Remains Boogeyman For AFC East Rivals originally appeared on Athlon Sports. First it was Tom Brady. Now, it's Josh Allen. The AFC East as a division has had a "boogeyman" of sorts over the last few decades. And the Buffalo Bills' signal-caller Allen has been the man man in the division for the last five seasons. Advertisement Buffalo is looking for a sixth-straight AFC East title this year. Allen, as the reigning league MVP going into 2025, is a key reason why. How "scary'' is he? Allen is 23-11 against the rest of the division as a starting quarterback. Those may not be Brady-like numbers, but they certainly show how good Allen has been over the last few years in the division. It's also why Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report highlighted Allen as the "main obstacle facing every NFL starting quarterback in 2025," for the Miami Dolphins specifically. While he acknowledged that health was a major concern for Miami, the Bills and Allen were a big part of it. Advertisement "Kind of obvious, right? But it's got to be that or the Buffalo Bills," Gagnon said. Miami, incredibly, is just 2-15 in their last 17 games against Allen and the Bills. It won't get any easier this season, either. Oh, and note this: It's also not like the rest of the division hasn't struggled against Buffalo. As the Bills prepare for a run at a Super Bowl this season, winning the division is always the first step. And with where Allen stands, it seems like he's in a position to win a sixth-straight division title going into the 2025 season. ... because he's the new bogeyman. Related: Bills Coach Admits To Being 'Scarred' Toward New Experience on Defense Related: Bills Reveal New Plan In Search Of More Consistency from Defense This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Commanders Jayden Daniels Ranked Among NFL's Best Quarterbacks
No rookie quarterback in NFL History enjoyed the kind of success and turnaround that Washington Commanders star Jayden Daniels enjoyed last season. In 2023, Washington won just four games and had one of the worst teams in the league. The arrival of Daniels gave the Commanders a 12-win season and their first trip to the conference title game in 30 years. Advertisement So great was Daniels' rise to dominance that he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and is now considered a top 10 quarterback going into the 2025 season. Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon ranked the top 12 starting quarterbacks in the league, and Daniels clocked in at No. 8, behind the likes of Jared Goff, Jalen Hurts, and Justin Herbert. "After an OROY season in which he posted similar numbers to Stroud in 2023 while leading Washington to the playoffs, Jayden Daniels is essentially the Texans QB without the sophomore slump," Gagnon wrote."Only Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow posted higher QBRs, and Daniels was consistently the man in clutch situations despite a good-not-great supporting cast. "That said, we can't assume the LSU product will keep it rolling in 2025. He could encounter obstacles just as Stroud did, even though the Commanders have smartly added to his arsenal as well as his offensive line this offseason." Advertisement It's very rare to see a quarterback ranked in the top 10 after their first year in the league. No one deserves that more than Daniels at this point, though. And he has the Commanders thinking Super Bowl for the first time in decades. Related: Commanders Reign Of Terror Finish Reveals Key NFL Fact Related: Commanders Protecting 'Greatest Asset' Earning Power Ranking Praise
