#jimmy garoppolo one shot

[boltupbitches]

Kiss it Better - Jimmy Garoppolo (fluff)

Jimmy felt the bed shift as he lay there. It had been over a week since his foot surgery and it had been a hell of a time recovering from it. Once the anesthetic wore off and the initial pain medication given to him at the hospital, he was in agony.

He was thankful his fiance was a registered nurse who took time off to help him at home in his recovery, especially given how private he wanted to be in his recovery. It was bad enough the media was speculating his downfall with the Raiders before he even had a chance to step on the field.

He felt her lean down over him and press a kiss to his cheek. He pouted slightly, knowing it was time for him to get up and take his meds. The same meds that gave him a killer stomach ache the first few days on them - combined with the post-anaesthetic reaction he had. Thankfully, his fiance realized right away that he needed an anti-nausea pill to help him deal with adjusting.

“Baby, I got your medicine and a yogurt to take it with. Also, I made your breakfast. I’ll bring it up to you.” 

He shifted and sat up with her support, wincing at the barest of moments sending pain down his leg and into his foot. He looked at the contraption his foot was in and wanted to cry at the sight of it. It fucking sucked.

It seemed like no matter how much time he put into playing and recovery, he was constantly getting injured. He heard and read the comments from fans, sports analysts, ‘journalists’, and even his former coaches at the 49ers. After the debacle last year with Shanahan insulting him, he couldn’t help but feel a pit in his stomach at the idea of his new head coach getting on his ass.

What started as a good relationship in the Bay turned sour at the end. His teammates supported him, and poor Lance was stuck in the middle of the shift, not having a say in replacing him. Then, Lance got injured and Purdy had to step in.

He remembered feeling many days of dread and disappointment when his foot got broken while playing. His fiance took time off - thankfully working at a practice that was supportive and friendly with the soon-to-be Mrs. and Mr. Garoppolo - and cared for him. His mother had flown down from Chicago as well to help out.

When all was said and done, he felt a mix of relief and sadness at leaving the 49ers organization. A place he considered his home and family the last few years. He made amazing friends and connections with so many. He even met his fiance while running a kids camp (she was there with her nephew). 

Yet, as he laid in bed, observing his foot between bites of yogurt, he couldn’t help but want to cry. It was just fucked how his luck was these last few seasons.

His fiance came back in moments later, carrying a food tray with an assortment of delicious breakfast food. He could see a southern omelet, fresh sliced fruit, and bacon on it. Next to it was a large water bottle of iced water, filled up to the 8am line. ‘You should drink 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day. This water bottle will help you keep track.’ She told him once.

She was meticulous in her care and Jimmy knew she was also the type of nurse who would rip you a new one for not following instructions.

He was eating silently as she took a seat in bed next to him, her smoothie pull looking just as appetizing. He leaned over slightly and said, “Can I have a bite?”

She smiled at him and rolled her eyes playfully. “Don’t you have an entire plate of food in front of you, Jimmy?”

“Yeah, but yours look just as good.” He said back.

“Hmm..” She pretended to think about it before lifting a spoonful up to him. She brought it to his lips and just as he leaned in for a bite, she pulled the spoon back quickly and stuck it in her mouth instead, making a loud and exaggerated, “hmmmm” sound. 

Jimmy stared at her in mock outrage, swatting her thigh, “That was cold, babe. Just cold and cruel.”

“It was tasty though.” She responded cheekily. She held up another spoonful, “Forreal this time, here, try a bite.”

He did so and just as he was taking a bite, he somehow managed to bite his lip when chewing up the berries. “Fuck… I bet my fucking lip.” He groaned, touching the spot and hoping it wasn’t bleeding. “How the fuck did I do that?”

His fiance giggled at him and responded, “Because you’re impatient. I swear, James..” She sat her bowl down on the nightstand next to her and gently crawled closer to him, taking his face in her hands and inspecting his lip. “It’s not too bad. Just a bit swollen and red. You’ll live.”

“It hurts,” He pouted.

“Want me to kiss it better?” She teased.

He pretended to think about it before nodding.

She giggled and leaned in to press her lips to his. “I love you, you silly manchild.”

“I love you too, my perfectionist soon-to-be wife.”

They looked at each other with big smiles, just happy to be with one another after the chaotic last few years they experienced. One thing Jimmy knew for certain, a kiss from her was a kiss that made everything better.

[lafbnetwork]

Jimmy Garoppolo Takes Shot At Former Teams; Rams "Do It In The Right Way"

Jimmy Garoppolo‘s journey through the NFL is a circuitous one. From backing up the GOAT to starting for the San Francisco 49ers to the IR and back, and then back to the IR, then benched in Las Vegas. Now, Garoppolo finds himself on the Los Angeles Rams, (a team he has beaten 8 of 9 times) returning to a backup role behind Matthew Stafford. Garoppolo really has seen it all. Having been a part of…

[anthonybialy]

That’s Better As Buffalo Bills Shelve Flubs

You can still order Bills gear.  Nobody needs to know after which game you shopped.  Look for apparel that appears to have been antiqued for a week.  If you order something from Fanatics, it’ll fall apart in no time.  Fans might be again panicking after the next outcome, but at least there will be a precedent of competence this season to encourage levelheadedness.  Brace for surprises like Matt Milano being Buffalo’s best cornerback.

Getting infuriating drives out of the way is efficient in retrospect.  The second outing’s opening felt like enduring a rough 2018 in order to shed unwanted contracts.  Anyone who feared a sequel of the opener experienced the dread of spotting patterns.  But the perspective of characters changed as gradually as in a Whit Stillman film.

Hulking Ken Dorsey is now raging out of happiness. He’s passionate about outsiders noticing suspect play-calling, which also coincidentally has taken place during a dip in the quarterback’s decision-making.  Whether he’s motivated by fury or adapting to the job, improvement in action beats inaction.

If you can’t start off good, at least learn from what goes badly.  Dawson Knox’s touchdown was as clever as the earlier fourth-down throw in double coverage to him was not.  The second half’s first score reflected an ability to improve both the call and execution after seeing what doesn’t work.  The Bills learned from what failed like they were Run Lola Run’s titular character. 

Some incompletions bring hope.  You’d get it if you cheered for a team with Josh Allen.  It’s heartening to see him take acceptable risks such as the throw he tried to fit in to Dalton Kincaid near the half’s end.  An incompletion knocked down by the defender was nonetheless worth the shot.  The ball hitting the turf means the down didn’t even end in disaster.

Seeing the youngest of the group’s options integrated so soon is itself heartening.  The Bills are beginning to enjoy the benefits of doubling up on tight ends, which should assuage those who were nervous about drafting a player at a spot where they already had someone good.

Waiting for Jimmy Garoppolo to screw up is an okay plan.  An active scheme aided the passive concept.  Greg Rousseau has been finding enlightened ways to disrupt passing attempts.  His emergence doesn’t make up for missing on Boogie Basham, but a the roster featuring a sufficient quality of talented edge players seems like a nearly adequate excuse.  By contrast, the inactive Kaiir Elam is a Naked Gun 2 1/2-style kind of bust.

It’s nice having numerous options in multiple groups.  Running backs with complementary skills aren’t just more thrilling than having three guys who play similarly.  Deploying the James Cook/Damien Harris/Latavius Murray triumvirate didn’t just mean Allen only had to dash three times himself.  The alliance of players with different powers resembles a Marvel superhero team.  Their story is more character-driven like the Defenders rather than some garish special effects-laden production involving that other group.

Buffalo’s most prominent resident took what the Raiders gave him, which is way more fun than giving the Jets what they desired.  Allen didn’t need to attempt foolish throws that weren’t heroic, either.  Our scolding shamed him into behaving, so keep up the fine social media work.  Remind him that it’s ultimately helpful to not make regrettable decisions.

Take comfort in having more examples by percentage.  This is the one occasion per year when there are twice as more.  The second game balanced out rough opener like a yin-yang symbol a spring break drunkard regrettably chooses as a first tattoo.  Was your astrological sign unavailable?

Mid-September is the strange time of year when we’re stuck with a quite limited sample where each has dramatically less of an effect.  We get one comfortably sweet result to accompany that rather bitter one.  The example poll will be down to one-third during the next game and so forth.

An upward trend brings value even if the wins are worth the same.  Students hope professors recognize progress over the semester’s course and weighs recent grades more heavily than when you were clueless at the semester’s opening.

There’s a tradeoff to time advancing that it turns out is unavoidable by current understandings of physics.  Each game played of course means fewer chances left to influence the overall makeup.  Followers are trying not to fret too much after experiencing two tries.  At the same time, you may have heard how few teams have made the playoffs after starting 0-2 during the 14-team tournament era, namely one team.

An infinitely more welcome result offers distractions from other hassles, including getting to the stadium itself.  The short-term aggravation of having nowhere to store cars is part of the tradeoff with forcing taxpayers forced to fund another stadium in a remote location.  Well, that’s not a super deal.

Realizing in reality what a horrid decision repeating the stadium mistake has become was just the week’s unpleasant start.  A Bills-employed reporter thought this would be the perfect week to criticize the team’s best and most sensitive receiver.  The team worker has disappeared like Kelvin Benjamin. But at least there was a good result on the field to cancel out off-the-field drama.  Football is about the people within the stadium, whether they’re competing or enjoying.  It’d be nice to have a closer place paid for by the owner.  But methodical domination after a shaky start is welcome occurrence no matter what’s around.

[jackinalex]

In honor of today being the first day of fall, I’m making a very short fic rec list. These are my favorite football-themed fics (American football, of course, since it’s a fall sport lol). Speaking of football, go hogs and 49ers!! (the latter is not bc I want to d***t***** Jimmy Garoppolo, though that is also true)

Anyway sorry here’s the fics. Interestingly enough, they’re all smut lol. I’ll add the ones that aren’t on the main fic rec list to it ASAP.

In Those Dark Sweaty Rooms + sequel Touchdown Boy

Ready?! Okay!

Gives You Hell

Violet (technically not a football fic but it also is? just read it lmao it’s my fave smut one shot of all time)

[moviejersey]

[ad_1] The Cleveland Browns have been seen as a possible suitor for Jimmy Garoppolo if Deshaun Watson winds up being suspended, however it feels like they've a special contingency plan in thoughts.Mark Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote this week that the Browns will signal a quarterback to again up Jacoby Brissett if Watson is suspended for a prolonged time period. Cabot mentioned the Browns are hoping for a decision previous to the beginning of coaching camp on July 27, however they already view Brissett as their potential “interim starter.”That will seemingly take the Browns out of the working for Garoppolo. The one approach they'd commerce for the San Francisco 49ers veteran can be to make him their starter whereas Watson is out. Garoppolo will not be open to that association, anyway, particularly if Watson is suspended for lower than a full season. Matt Barrows of The Athletic just lately talked about Cleveland as a logical touchdown spot for Garoppolo. He cited the Browns’ wage cap house and the offense they run, which is one which Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan helped implement. Barrows says two different groups which have been linked to Garoppolo — the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans — look like “long-shot commerce locations.”So the place does that go away Jimmy G? Tony Romo just lately supplied a prediction for when Garoppolo is likely to be traded. If the 49ers are actually dedicated to Trey Lance, each they and Garoppolo could must be affected person. (function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.5&appId=125075807517358"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); [ad_2] Source link

[junker-town]

The Bucs only have 2 options after Tom Brady’s retirement

Set Number: X163913 TK1

This decision will define the next few years for Tampa Bay

With Tom Brady’s official retirement announcement Tuesday the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now in a lurch. The team mortgaged its future for a win-now approach with Brady’s arrival in 2020, and it worked. The plan won a Super Bowl, and nobody can fault them for it — but now it’s time to face an uncertain future.

So much of Tampa Bay’s ethos over the last two years has centered on Brady’s mystique, using him as a catalyst to bring in other aging superstars looking for a ring late in their career. To the team’s credit, they didn’t give up draft capital to put themselves in a winning position, but it has prevented the team from locking up young free agents to longer contracts as a result.

The team has an astonishing 25 free agents set to hit the market, and while the bulk are rotational role players, there are some key pieces like WR Chris Godwin, DT Ndamukong Suh, and C Ryan Jensen also hitting the open market. Couple this with the presumptive retirement of Rob Gronkowski, and he sails off into the sunset with Brady, and the Bucs are setting up for a huge drop-off in 2022. Or, at least, it should be. There are really two scenarios moving forward, and it’s going to be fascinating which path Tampa Bay goes down.

The first is the traditional rebuild, letting the majority of the high-profile free agents go. In this case one has to believe the team would want to re-sign Godwin, because you don’t let a 26-year-old, 1,000-yard receiver walk if you can possibly avoid it. From there you build through the draft, sign some promising young rotational players, and roll some cap space into 2023 when you’ve had a better chance to evaluate the roster.

In this scenario a lot falls of second year QB Kyle Trask. The Buccaneers selected him in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he went utterly ignored all year, because playing behind Tom Brady will do that. However, there are some glimmers of hope. Trask was given extensive playing time in the final preseason game of last season, and he absolutely shined — completing 12 of 14 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. Yes, he was playing against the Texans’ backups. Absolutely nobody should read too much into a preseason game, but it’s on the Buccaneers who have seen him week-in-week-out to determine if he can shoulder the load in year two.

This really is not a bad path, because the NFC South is an absolute flaming dumpster fire. There is no doubt that it is the worst division is football, and really by quite a large margin. The Saints are in cap hell and just lost Sean Payton, the Falcons are floundering around with no real direction, and the Panthers are so profoundly dysfunctional right now it’s going to take years to fix their mess.

The point is: Even with a rebuild, the Buccaneers could still win the damn division. That’s how bad the NFC South is. At the very least the retained talent on their roster should be able to push the Falcons, and I guess maybe the Saints, assuming New Orleans has some sort of plan in place.

The second scenario for Tampa Bay, and the far more dramatic one, is that they try to roll this all forward. The team makes another big play for an established QB to go all-in again. What that looks like is difficult to envision right now. Perhaps the Packers could be convinced to trade Aaron Rodgers to an NFC team, though that seems unlikely. Maybe Russell Wilson decides he wants out of Seattle, but that also feels like a long shot.

There are some weird potential half-steps too, like making a play for Kirk Cousins if the Vikings decide to rebuild, or getting Jimmy Garoppolo from the 49ers — though it’s difficult to envision either of them being able to lead Tampa Bay to a championship. Really, this is about getting an established QB in the system. Someone who has a similar aura to Brady where players are going to want to come to Tampa Bay because of them, and try to recreate the magic of 2020 once more.

For the record, I think this would be a bad move. The bold all-veteran approach worked once, and it was a paradigm shift for the NFL. I’m not sure the Rams would have traded for Matthew Stafford and signed their veterans had Brady and the Buccaneers not won the Super Bowl, but catching that lightning in a bottle is such a risky proposition. The Rams were in a very, very different situation when they traded for Stafford than the Buccaneers are in now. They were younger on defense, had dozens of established developed talent in the fold, and were really just a QB away from competing.

Instead Tampa finds itself needing to plug so much positions across both sides of the ball that it really would take an Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson to make free agents want to come to the Buccaneers, even taking pay cuts in the process to make it all fit together. It’s possible, sure, but I wouldn’t take it to the bank.

If that didn’t happen or pay off, and the Buccaneers settled for a half step, they’d just be miring themselves in mediocrity for a season or two, while young players didn’t have time to get reps or be evaluated, and there would be nothing to show for it. Instead the incredible weakness of the NFC South should be leveraged into rebuilding and competing at the same time, a luxury almost no teams in the NFL ever have. You can keep fans happy, and get a chance to see what Trask has to offer before needing to make a long-term decision on the QB position.

As a whole the NFC is on the brink of huge rebuilds across some of the conference playoff stalwarts. The youth shift in the AFC happened far earlier, which is why we’re seeing teams like the Bills and Bengals in the mix. Meanwhile the NFC is very much in limbo, waiting to see while rebuilding team got it right and is ready to ascend.

The Buccaneers owe it to themselves, and their fans, to see if they can be one of them.

[boltupbitches]

Football *NFL Fanfiction Masterlist

UPDATED 08/18/2024

You can find my work over on Wattpad under ForzaAzzurri. I’m dual posting my one shots/imagines here and there for my Honeymoons and Heartbreaks series.

Wattpad link: ForzaAzzurri

Layla Herbert Series - Justin Herbert

Part 1 One Day at a Time (angst -> happy ending)

Part 2 Today's the Day

Part 3 Cheers to Us

Part 4 My Daughter Thinks I'm Ugly

Part 5 Birthday Boy

Part 6 Three of Us

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Honeymoons and Heartbreaks Collection

Jimmy Garoppolo

Joe Burrow (no longer write for)

Her Name? Effie Burrow (fluff)

What Was I Made For? (Angst)

--> What Was I Made For? Part 2

Joey Bosa

Anti-Hero

Justin Herbert

Coffee Spills (fluff)

The One That Got Away (angst -> fluff)

We Can't Be Friends (angst)

Nick Bosa (no longer write for)

Never Really Over [Part I]   [Part II] (angst -> happy ending)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sliding in the DMs - Joey Bosa Fic*

*Inspired by She-Bear

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

Part Nine

Part Ten

Part Eleven

Part Twelve

Part Thirteen

Part Fourteen

Part Fifteen

Part Sixteen

Part Seventeen

Part Eighteen

Birthday one shot for Joey with Arty

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lover -Nick Bosa (Spin-off of Sliding in the DMs)

(Indefinite Hiatus)

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One Kiss - Nick Bosa Fic

(Indefinite Hiatus)

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One shots, Blurbs, and Imagines

Jimmy Garoppolo

Kiss it Better

Joe Burrow (no longer write for)

Damsel in Distress

#1 Fan -> Sequel: Biggest Fan

Clingy

Green Isn't Your Color

Enemies to Lovers

Joey Bosa

Comfort (18+ content)

Less Than Zero

Hotel Workout (18+ content)

She-Bear

Come In (18+ content)

Safeword (18+ content)

Gonna Make You Sweat (18+ content)

Josh Allen (no longer write for)

Blanket Fort

Justin Herbert

Baby Herb

Jealousy (18+ content)

Bad Habits

Self-Deprecating Losers

The Great Outdoors

Workaholic

Team Photographer

Nick Bosa (no longer write for)

We’re Live!

Welcome to the Family

Black Ties

Tee Higgins

Exclusive?

Sam Hubbard

A #94 Jersey

[onceuponaprincessworld]

CaptainSwan One-Shots Recs p.11

Hello there! This is a new list of some astounding new and old One shots. There are all worth a read and a re-read. Hope you enjoy! 

If you are intrested you can find my other lists here.

No More Running, @ilovemesomekillianjones

What happens when Emma doesn't seize her opportunity to tell Killian exactly how she feels about him? Based on the prompt, “you’re in the hospital for the holidays so i came in while you were sleeping to decorate your room i love you merry christmas” - from this post: http://nadiahilker.tumblr.com/post/133627477715/im-always-a-slut-for-a-christmas-au-i-know-we 

anonymous swan, @swanandapirate

A Google Docs AU where Emma and Killian both get asked to beta-read something of David’s and start anonymously bickering about every conceivable grammatical and lexical and any other feature of the English language in the Google Docs Comment section but what happens after David decides to intervene? 

Love Is A Ghost You Can't Control, @xemmaloveskillianx

We slept together once and I ran because I was scared you didn’t feel the same way I did. Now I’m the Maid of Honor at my brother’s wedding and you’re the Best Man and I can’t stop thinking about what happened between us.

The One With the Blackout, @imhookedonaswan

What can happen when two strangers are stuck in an ATM vestibule together during a black out?

For Practical Purposes Only, @tnlph

Emma convinces (it didn't take much) Killian to marry her so that she can adopt Henry. This is a fuller version of a short one shot that is probably buried somewhere in the "TNLPH Drabbles" story. People asked for a longer version. So... a year later... hope you enjoy reading a little more of the story.

Shelter from the Storm, @initiala

“Emma.” Mary Margaret’s got her ‘teacher voice’ on, which is really intimidating to the ten-year old living in Emma’s brain most days. “When did we forget to pay the gas bill?”

Luckily, while Mary Margaret goes to stay with David, Killian is more than happy to offer Emma shelter three days before Christmas.

Keep On Fallin', @resident-of-storybrooke

Emma Swan may be a successful bail bondsperson, but when it comes to her love life not so much. After several failed blind dates Emma is ready to give up, but Mary Margaret convinces her to give it one more shot. Is Mr. One Shot going to be the one? Or is she willing to risk taking a chance with her blue eyed gorgeous neighbor?

The Bookshop Around the Corner, @polarbearmorgan

For the past five months, Emma Swan has been talking to RollyJoger online, little does she know, he's actually the man that just might run her small bookshop out of business.

Prompt, @nowforruin

My favorite trope! ‘Enemies’ who secretly love each other forced to come to terms with their feelings. Smooching fluff ensues. Bonus if their friends had a bet on when they’d finally get together.

Scar of the Heart, @curiousthingdarkness

Emma Swan hunts alone. Except on nights when Killian Jones, fellow demon hunter and pain in her ass, insists on joining her. When dealing with a particularly troublesome beast, they discover that perhaps there is more to each other than meets the eye. Captain Swan soulmate/demon hunter AU, one shot.

A Cat By Any Other Name, @msgenevieve447

It's midnight on her first night in her new place and there's a cat in her kitchen. Which would be fine, but she doesn't actually own a cat, especially one that looks like it's planning the best way to get rid of her body without getting caught. (warning - there are shameless allusions to a certain sci-fi show in this fic)

fish out of water, @captainswanouat

Killian Jones truly just wanted to live a normal life. Go to class, come home, finish his education, and hide the fact that he is, in fact, a merman. He was into his final year of school and so far, nobody had caught on to his charade; but all good things must come to an end sometime and truly, it was his own fault it happened.

Based on the prompt: “I know it's late and I don't know you but I hear you can talk to fish and I'm worried my goldfish is depressed”

Half the world away, @ladyciaramiggles

Emma and Killian's friendship has grown from work colleagues to best friends and as Christmas approaches they intend to keep each other company, there's just a small matter of an ocean between them.

The Holiday Season(s), @once-uponacaptain

Emma Swan is not fond of holidays. But maybe a routine encounter with a local bartender could change that.

Untitled,@emmasinthebooknow

Captain Swan modern celebrity!AU: Emma is a famous actress, Killian is the (not famous) guy she just started dating. Because of Emma’s fame, the press is making things difficult, but Killian finds an unexpected way of reassuring Emma that he isn’t going anywhere.

Prompt,  @awkwardnessandbaseball

Secret prince/princess.

Another Cliched Mountain Lodge Romance Novel, @spartanguard

Emma Swan, avid reader of romance novels, appreciates them for their vapid characters and incredibly unrealistic settings. She never imagined that she'd ever stumble into one—or that the man she'd find living alone in a mountain lodge would be the male lead in her own story. (Or how quickly it would escalate—and how okay with that she was.)

What a Year (for a New Year), @high-seas-swan

Killian Jones, Boston Bruins right winger, needs a break from the questions and concerns over his career-threatening injury. He thought Storybrooke would be the perfect place to escape to. What he didn't expect was Emma Swan, her kid and a holiday season he never knew he needed.

And I Don't Want To Go Home Right Now, @hollyethecurious

CS Hiatus Challenge Prompt - 'Iris' by the Goo Goo Dolls: Modern AU; Killian Jones had not left his apartment in two years, four months, and thirteen days. Not since he'd finally decided to shut himself away from the whole blasted world after a freak accident had left him without his hand, and for all practical purposes, his heart.

The Bench, @startswithhope

So, I’ve never attempted an AU before, so be gentle. I wanted to write a NYE fic and this is where my muse led me.

Prompt, @captainswanatk

city man/woman returns home to small town after being away. 

Plan B, @lassluna

It’s New Years Eve and Emma has plans. It’s a good plan, she’s going to bring her boyfriend to a New Years Eve party where her brother won’t be able to kill him.

Except now Emma is inconveniently boyfriend-less, and all her friends are expecting him.

Emma Swan needs a new plan.

kiss me (on this cold december night), @jennifer-morrison​

Maybe asking your best friend to pretend to be your boyfriend as you make a trip back home isn’t the smartest idea Emma’s had in a while. then again, how smart is Killian for actually saying yes?

The Unofficially Official Most Handsome Man in Storybrooke, @blowmiakisscolin

So, the prompt for this fic came about during a conversation with my dear friend Kristin last night. We were talking football, specifically about how the commentators of the 49ers-Texans game were very openly swooning over the hotness of our new quarterback for the 49ers (former NE Patriot Jimmy Garoppolo). They repeatedly brought it up throughout the game, even going so far as to do a “Handsome-Off” between him and Tom Brady. E-Network-style comparison clips of them running out of their respective tunnels and dreamy-soft-lit-close-ups of their faces included. It was borderline ridiculous and I loved it. K and I were highly amused by the swooning NFL commentators verbally drooling over Jimmy G. And then she had to go and plant the seed of:

“Yo, why did I just picture Leroy and the dwarves staging a Handsome-Off for David and Killian?”

Amas Veritas,  emmaofmisthaven

“What’s your price?”

He opens his mouth, but no word come so he closes it. He tries a second time, “I don’t know. Isn’t the first born a thing or…?”

Emma makes a face. “No, gross. Something else.” She pouts, then she adds. “How about your happiest day? Does it seem like a fair trade to you?”

[tkmedia]

Legacy of pressure: Playing quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers

6:00 AM ETSANTA CLARA, Calif. -- For San Francisco football fans, the names roll off the tongue like fog rolls off the Bay: Y.A. Tittle, John Brodie, Joe Montana, Steve Young.They are the Mount Rushmore of Fog City signal callers, the quartet that took the job of professional quarterback and elevated it to a bigger title for all who would follow: San Francisco 49ers quarterback.It's a job that comes with perks for those who can handle it and chews up and spits out those who can't. Of late, the latter has been just about everyone who has tried.The 49ers haven't had a quarterback earn a Pro Bowl berth since Jeff Garcia in 2002. That 19-year drought is the second-longest in the NFL, trailing only the Miami Dolphins, who haven't had one since Dan Marino in 1995.It's a jarring stat given the team's rich history at the position. It might also be a window into how difficult it is to live in the shadow of so many quarterbacking giants.2 Related"To be the No. 1 overall pick obviously comes with a lot of expectations," said Alex Smith, the only quarterback the franchise has selected first overall. "But then to come to a franchise like the 49ers, where you think of offense and quarterback play and it embodies that. No question, that kind of hangs over you a little bit. That certainly is there."As the 49ers prepare for Sunday night's meeting (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) with the Green Bay Packers -- another franchise with a distinctly high profile quarterback job -- they do so with veteran Jimmy Garoppolo as the starter and rookie Trey Lance in waiting. Someday relatively soon, Lance will likely seize the role from Garoppolo and take his shot at becoming the first true franchise signal caller the team has had since Young.The job, already hard for any quarterback, comes with plenty of pitfalls. One need only to see it through the eyes of three former 49ers quarterbacks from three different eras -- Steve Spurrier, Steve Young and Alex Smith -- to understand how it has evolved.

Steve Spurrier: 'It's so much different now'

The 49ers took Steve Spurrier with the No. 3 pick of the 1967 draft, but he sat behind 49ers great John Brodie for seven years. Focus on Sport/Getty ImagesWhen the 49ers used the No. 3 overall pick on Steve Spurrier in the 1967 NFL draft, Spurrier was taken aback. Those Niners already had Brodie, himself the third choice in the 1957 draft, and there wasn't much indication Brodie would move on any time soon.Spurrier, the 1966 Heisman Trophy winner at Florida, was told he would sit on the bench for a few years and when Brodie retired, the job was his. Brodie and Tittle had already created sizable expectations for any quarterbacks who would follow, something Spurrier was aware of but not quite ready for as he reflects on it now."I wasn't a very self-motivating person, I don't think, at times," Spurrier said. "Some people need somebody to really push you hard and this, that and the other. ... But it was my fault. It wasn't anybody else's fault."Although the occasional Brodie injury forced Spurrier into action, his primary job as a rookie was actually punter. Spurrier played offense sporadically his first three seasons as it became increasingly clear Brodie wasn't going anywhere.In today's NFL, the idea of using the No. 3 overall pick on a quarterback to someday replace your previous No. 3 pick who had been a second-team All Pro and led the league in passing yards would draw criticism. Back then? Not so much.• Game picks from our NFL experts » • PickCenter » | ESPN Chalk » More NFL coverage » "That far back, there wasn't a whole lot of pressure," Spurrier said. "Pro football wasn't like it is today. I was a first-round pick and all that, I just didn't play enough to have a lot of pressure on me."Spurrier spent most games and practices observing what the defense was doing and passing those notes along to Brodie. Spurrier says there wasn't much complicated about the game back then, as the Niners didn't have many plays and opposing defenses' idea of a wrinkle was playing zone coverage.As it turned out, Brodie only got better after Spurrier's arrival, winning league MVP in 1970 and sticking in the starting role for the first seven years of Spurrier's career. There were a few bright moments for Spurrier along the way, including a five-touchdown game -- tying Tittle and Brodie for a then-franchise record -- against Chicago in 1972. Spurrier left the 49ers after the 1975 season and left the NFL after 1976.When Spurrier, who would go on to coach the Florida Gators to a national championship before a brief stint in charge of the Washington Football Team, returned to the Bay Area in 2019 for a reunion with some of his teammates from the 1970 team, he approached Brodie and offered him a thank you for what took place decades before."I told him, 'Brod, I want to thank you for being the starter those seven years because I got 10 years in the NFL, so my pension is real good thanks to you and I didn't even have to play,'" Spurrier said, laughing. "Backup quarterbacks last a long time. Those who have to play right away, especially on a bad team, they don't last very long."

Steve Young: 'Playing great football is not enough'

Steve Young had the added pressure of following four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana. Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty ImagesAfter a stint in the USFL and a 3-16 record as a two-year starter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Young arrived in San Francisco as the backup to a franchise legend in 1987. Joe Montana had been the epitome of cool at the position (so much so that it became the surname in his nickname), and led the 49ers on a dynastic run that included four Super Bowl championships.It took Young about half a decade to really understand what his job entailed. In 1992, Young started all 16 games for the first time, going on to win his first of two MVP awards, posting a 107.0 passer rating and Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993.MontanaYoungBrodieTittleMVPs2211Pro Bowls7724All Pro (1st)3311Despite Young's breakout season, the Niners lost in the NFC Championship Game to rival Dallas. It was then that Young grasped the all-or-nothing expectations."You have to have a mentality that playing great football is not enough," Young said. "I learned being the MVP is not enough. Going deep in the playoffs is not enough. It's a Super Bowl city. Take it in and own it."Once Young came to that realization, he never looked back. He won another MVP in 1994 and led the Niners to their fifth Lombardi Trophy, famously having the invisible "monkey" removed from his back after a six-touchdown performance, beating the Chargers, in Super Bowl XXIX.Young acknowledges playing quarterback for the Niners does come with more pressure than it might in other places. But he also points out playing quarterback in the NFL is a challenge regardless of the franchise."There's expectations, there's pressure," Young said. "All that stuff goes with it. But in the end to play franchise-type great quarterback football, I don't care where you are, it's hard. It's hard enough to not have you distinguish that it's extra hard. It's probably extra hard, I'll admit it, but so what? It's already so hard, it doesn't matter."

Alex Smith: 'You definitely know the history'

Alex Smith was chosen No. 1 overall by the 49ers in the 2005 NFL draft, 23 picks before the Packers selected Aaron Rodgers. Mike Roemer/AP PhotoAs Young's career began to wind down leading into his 1999 retirement, the 49ers repeatedly swung and missed at finding his replacement. The likes of Jim Druckenmiller, Giovanni Carmazzi, Tim Rattay and Ken Dorsey tried and failed to fill Young's giant shoes. Only Garcia had anything resembling a consistent run of success for any post-Young Niners quarterback, starting the majority of games from 2000 to 2003.Finally, after a brutal 2-14 showing in 2004, the Niners selected Smith, choosing him over lifelong Niners fan Aaron Rodgers with the top pick in the 2005 NFL draft."You definitely knew the history and the expectations," Smith said. "It was such a rebuilding process my first few years. There was a ton of turnover, trying to get the building right and get the locker room right. In the midst of that, you are just trying to do your job as best you can. No doubt, those banners hang there and you can't miss them. The rich history, so much of the alumni is still around and you get to meet them and get to know them. So, you definitely know the expectation level."• Legacy of pressure: Playing QB for 49ers • Giants' Kadarius Toney off to slow start • Jimmy Graham reflects on Gronk rivalry • Raiders' defense real or a mirage? • Bucs S Mike Edwards comes up big • Texans hope QB Davis Mills turns corner Smith faced constant questions about whether he could translate his college success in Utah's wide-open offense to the NFL while the league was exploding in popularity and the internet was suddenly offering a platform for anyone who wanted one.As though that weren't enough, Smith had seven offensive coordinators and three head coaches in his first seven seasons. It wasn't until Jim Harbaugh arrived in 2011 that Smith settled in and played up to his draft status."To be faced with those kinds of expectations and pressures, certainly it was a steep learning curve for me," Smith said.Unfortunately for Smith, he suffered a concussion in a Week 10 tie with the Rams, interrupting what was shaping up as his best NFL season. Colin Kaepernick, the team's second-round pick in 2011, stepped in for Smith, adding an even more dynamic rushing threat to the offense. Smith never regained the job, as the Niners shipped him to Kansas City in an offseason trade. Kaepernick went on to lead the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII.Looking back, one thing that helped Smith handle it was Montana and Young reaching out on Day 1 and letting him know they'd be available as a resource. It's something they have continued to do with every quarterback that attempts to bring the Niners their sixth Lombardi Trophy."I'm so thankful looking back that they were both so open," Smith said. "Whenever they were around, it was such a mentoring kind of relationship. It was calming for me." Read the full article

[junker-town]

The Cowboys’ chaotic final play can be blamed on everything but the refs

The Dallas Cowboys won five of their last six games to run away with NFC East crown heading into the 2022 NFL Playoffs. Dallas had plenty of reason to be confident as they faced the San Francisco 49ers in the opening round: quarterback Dak Prescott had been excellent all season in his return from a torn ACL, the team had the best turnover ratio in the league, and Dallas had some game-breaking weapons on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys were a three-point favorite entering the game, and most experts were picking them to win.

Instead, the 49ers came out as the aggressor, using a very good running game and consistent pressure on Prescott to take control of the game. San Francisco led 23-7 entering the fourth quarter, and that’s when things got bizarre. The Cowboys picked up a first down on a fake punt (and then tried to run a second fake punt?) that eventually led to a field goal, they picked off Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo to set up a Prescott touchdown run, and they had a chance to steal a victory on the final drive of the game.

The Cowboys were down six points with 32 seconds left when they started their final possession on their own 20-yard-line. Dallas pulled off a textbook hook-and-ladder to move up the field. With 14 seconds left, the ball on the Niners’ 41-yard-line, and no timeouts remaining, Prescott ran the ball for 17 yards. As Dallas frantically tried to spike the ball to stop the clock, umpire Ramon George bumped into Prescott while trying to set the ball, and time expired.

Watch the wild final sequence here:

did this seriously just happen pic.twitter.com/MmUk8E1XSL

— SB Nation (@SBNation) January 17, 2022

The officials eventually ruled the game was over, and the 49ers walked away with a 23-17 win. The Cowboys were eliminated in their first playoff game for the seventh time in the last 10 years.

After the game, Cowboys fans appeared to throw garbage at the players as they exited the field.

#Cowboys fans throwing things at their own players. Got this sent to me by one. Be better fans wow! pic.twitter.com/mlVttbFlpg

— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 17, 2022

There was a report that the fans were really trying to hit the refs, not the players. Prescott credited the fans for doing it after the game.

Prescott continued to take clear shots at the refs in his post-game press conference:

Dak Prescott, after first talking about the beer bottles that may have hit some Cowboys players, when informed that the beer bottles thrown by Cowboys fans were targeted at the refs, not Cowboys players: “Oh, well, credit to them, then.”

— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) January 17, 2022

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: “The fans felt the same way as us. I guess that’s why the refs took off and got out of there so fast. I think everybody is upset with the way this thing played out.” https://t.co/39p4x4itkE pic.twitter.com/bj1nHCuIfu

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 17, 2022

It wasn’t just the final play that fans were upset about, though it was mostly that. The Cowboys were called for 14 penalties on the afternoon. That isn’t exactly unusual for Dallas, because they were the most penalized team in the NFL this season.

While an umpire running into a QB as the final seconds ticked away makes it seem like the Cowboys were jobbed by the refs, broadcaster (and former Cowboys QB) Tony Romo astutely pointed out on the broadcast that the ref has to the touch the ball. Prescott didn’t seem to realize this, and apparently intended to call hike without the ref’s necessary participation. Maybe we should be crediting the ref for doing everything he could to fight over Prescott to touch the ball.

the ref in question trying with all his might to touch the ball while the entire cowboys offense boxes him out pic.twitter.com/iAOMvnPf9q

— alyssa (@deanoruu) January 17, 2022

According to the initial referee pool report, there was no error made by George on the final play.

Kemp said in a pool report George was trailing the play at a proper distance and acted appropriately to get the ball spotted correctly. The umpire has to touch the ball before another play can happen.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said after the game that it was a designed QB run by Prescott on the final play. That seems like an awfully strange play call given that the team had no timeouts. McCarthy thought the Cowboys would have time to spike it and run another play, but he was wrong.

Mike McCarthy said the QB draw on final play with 14 seconds remaining is practiced each week and he was surprised they didn’t get another snap. He was told NY review was likely to put more time on the clock.

— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) January 17, 2022

The Cowboys seemed to blame everyone but themselves for how the game ended. McCarthy deserves blame for a strange final play call. The coaching staff deserves blame for apparently not teaching their team a ref had to touch the ball despite McCarthy saying they practiced the play often. Prescott deserves blame for throwing the refs under the bus when it seems like he didn’t know the rule either. The fans also shouldn’t be throwing garbage at anyone.

RJ Ochoa of Blogging the Boys had a great post tying up the Cowboys’ lack of accountability.

If the Cowboys have really practiced this play and trained for it then how were they unaware of the fact that the ball had to be given to the official to place and not Tyler Biadasz? This sounds like excuse-making from the Cowboys and like they are trying to place the blame for their loss on the referees as opposed to their own errors.

Obviously officials aren’t perfect, but the Cowboys were at fault on Sunday and hardly some sort of victim. Fans were displeased with the way that the game ended and chose to throw debris at officials as they ran off of the field which was an ugly thing to see.

Sunday was really disappointing in that the Cowboys completely collapsed as a football team. Seeing them point fingers and blame officiating in the aftermath only solidified some of our worst fears in that they don’t believe they were in the wrong in any real way.

Ochoa also put it like this:

At every turn this season when it was time for accountability (including with their own roster like with Greg Zuerlein) the Cowboys staff and players pointed fingers and blamed things like officiating. That starts with Mike McCarthy. He created this culture.

— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) January 17, 2022

*Cowboys commit 14 penalties* *They still somehow wind up with the ball and chance to win the game late in the fourth quarter* *They turn the ball over on downs on said chance* Cowboys: OFFICIALS SCREWED US

— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) January 17, 2022

This one is going to sting for the Cowboys for a long, long time.

[boltupbitches]

Writing Schedule - UPDATED 7/1/23

7/1/23

Green Isn't Your Color - Jealous!Joe Burrow (fluff) one shot Completed

Kiss It Better - Jimmy Garoppolo (fluff) one shot

7/2/23

One Kiss - Nick Bosa (older woman love interest - smut) one shot

Only You - Joe Burrow (Bengali female love interest - fluff) one shot

7/3/23

Keeping Secrets - Justin Herbert (angst -> happy ending) one shot

Rest and Relaxation - Tee Higgins (fluff) one shot

At this time, I am not taking anymore requests for a while. I'll announce again sometime in a month or so when I do another summer writing week. Thx for those who participated! Schedule is above for the next few days!

[perfectirishgifts]

How The San Francisco 49ers Can Earn Surprise NFL Playoff Appearance

New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/how-the-san-francisco-49ers-can-earn-surprise-nfl-playoff-appearance/

How The San Francisco 49ers Can Earn Surprise NFL Playoff Appearance

Star WR Deebo Samuel is one of the reasons the 49ers could earn a surprise playoff appearance. … [] (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The San Francisco 49ers’ 2020 season started out with high expectations after the team blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV this past February. Now, there’s questions about whether San Francisco will even be playing playoff football in January.

To say that the 2020 NFL season has not gone according to plan for Kyle Shanahan and Co. would be a dramatic understatement. It started out with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 and continued with the likes of Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas suffering season-ending knee injuries the following week.

Since then, the 49ers have seen Jimmy Garoppolo, Richard Sherman, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Raheem Mostert, among others, miss extensive action. Heading into Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills, both Garoppolo and Kittle remain sidelined. Heck, it was late last month that the 49ers had 31 players on various reserve lists, including the COVID-19/reserve list.

Despite all of this, San Francisco is 5-6 on the season and just one game out of a playoff spot in the NFC. Here’s how the team can earn a playoff spot and what that might mean moving forward.

San Francisco 49ers Can Take Advantage Of Lesser Teams To Earn NFL Playoff Spot

A Week 15 game against Mike McCarthy and the struggling Cowboys should propel San Francisco to … [] playoff contention. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Three of the 49ers’ final five games come against squads with winning records. In order for them to have a shot at the playoffs, the 49ers must win two of those outings against the Bills, Cardinals and Seahawks.

Even then, none of that will matter if San Francisco lays an egg against two teams in the disastrous NFC East.

49ers Schedule: VS- Washington Football Team (Week 14)

MORE FROM FORBESKyle Allen’s Injury Paves Way For Two Different Comeback Stories On The Washington Football TeamBy Emily Iannaconi

Ron Rivera and his Washington Football Team sits at 4-7 on the season and in a first-place tie in the NFC East. It will have something to play for in this Week 14 game. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in the San Francisco Bay Area, the 49ers will play this “home game” in Arizona. At the very least, that should benefit Washington to an extent.

The team’s season turned around when former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith took over as the start under center. Riding that feel-good story, Washington has won two consecutive.

Even then, this is a game the 49ers should win. Washington ranks in the bottom nine of the NFL in points scored. The team’s four wins have come against opponents with a combined 11-31-2 record.

49ers Schedule: AT- Dallas Cowboys (Week 15)

Speaking of having a disappointing season, Dallas is in the midst of its worst stretch since all the way back in 1989. The season-ending ankle injury Dak Prescott suffered back in Week 5 helped derail the Cowboys this year.

Through 12 weeks, Dallas has lost eight of 11 games and is giving up nearly 33 points per outing. For the lack of a better term, this team just has not been competitive. San Francisco must take advantage of that in Week 15.

Get Jimmy Garoppolo And George Kittle Back

It’s not a secret that the 49ers need Jimmy Garoppolo back to make a run to the NFL Playoffs. (Photo … [] by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

To say that San Francisco has missed this star tandem would be an understatement. They have played a total of five games together in 2020. While the 49ers are 3-2 in those five games, they are also averaging 27 points per outing.

Simply put, San Francisco’s offense is a completely different monster when Kittle is on the field catching passes from Garoppolo. That has not been the case the majority of the 2020 season.

Jimmy Garoppolo Injury And Potential Return

“I’m holding out hope for the last couple of weeks. They’re just starting to get into where they get on the field and not with us but on their own to do some stuff,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said about potentially getting Garoppolo and Kittle back toward the end of the season.

A lot of the narrative here changed when San Francisco upset the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12. A loss in that game would have sent the 49ers to 4-7 on the season and pretty much out of the playoff race. At that point, Garoppolo returning from his high-ankle sprain would not have made any sense.

What we do know is that Garoppolo is out at least the next two weeks. The hope, more than anything, is that he can return for the final two games of the regular season against Arizona and Seattle. For this to happen, San Francisco will have to win two of its next three.

Despite some of his struggles, Garoppolo has proven to be a consistent winner since joining the 49ers midway through the 2017 season. They are 22-8 in his 30 starts since the start of that season. All other 49ers quarterbacks boast a combined 6-23 record. You can do the math here.

George Kittle Injury And Potential Return

George Kittle returning to action will depend a lot on what the 49ers do over the next two weeks. … [] (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

The fractured bone Kittle suffered in his foot during a Week 8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks was initially going to cost him the remainder of the season. San Francisco’s status as a playoff contender coupled with Kittle’s toughness has changed this. If it were up to the game’s best tight end, he’d be on the field Monday night against Buffalo. Alas, that’s not going to be the case.

With all due respect to Deebo Samuel, Kittle is the engine that makes this offense go. He’s caught a whopping 122 passes for 1,527 yards while hauling in 79% of his targets over his past 20 games. If Kittle can go and the 49ers are in playoff contention come Week 16, he will be on the field.

Young Guns Step Up

Even after getting reinforcements back in that of Raheem Mostert in Week 12, the 49ers still need their youngsters to step up on offense. That won’t change once/should Garoppolo and Kittle return to the mix.

Primarily, I am talking about wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. Both have shown flashes of absolute brilliance thus far in their young careers and will be the faces of the 49ers’ offense moving forward.

However, they must act the part of veterans here over the final five weeks of the season.

Brandon Aiyuk, A Secret Weapon For 49ers Playoff Hopes

Rookie WR Brandon Aiyuk must continue to emerge if the 49ers have a shot at the NFL Playoffs. (Photo … [] by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

A rookie first-round pick from Arizona State, Aiyuk has caught 21 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns over the course of the past three games.

Much like what we saw from Samuel as a rookie a season ago, Aiyuk creates a ton of mismatches in the passing game. Despite this, he’s been limited to eight games due to both injuries and a COVID-19 scare. If healthy, Aiyuk could be a major weapon for the 49ers down the stretch.

A Healthy Deebo Samuel Would Be A Boon

Limited to just five games this season, Samuel continues to perform when he’s on the field. The second-year pass catcher has hauled in 27 passes for 318 yards in those five games. He’s also catching north of 77% of his targets.

Having both Aiyuk and Samuel on the field creates mismatches that opposing defenses have a hard time defending. They can do pretty much the same thing on the field. That’s not hyperbole. Coming off an 11-catch, 133-yard performance against the Rams, Samuel seems prepared to shine. If so, the NFL Playoffs are not out of the question for these 49ers.

From SportsMoney in Perfectirishgifts

[wsmith215]

NFL’s 12 best betting seasons of the Super Bowl Era

8:45 AM ET

NFL NationESPN

The NFL season is still a ways away. We know the 2020 schedule, and opening lines have been released for Week 1, Monday Night Football games and some other key matchups.

But while we wait for the real action to begin, why not take a look back at some of the best betting seasons in NFL history?

Our NFL Nation reporters give their perspective on the best individual seasons against the spread, using research from ESPN Stats & Information.

The Drew Brees-led Chargers had only one losing game against the spread in 2004. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

In a stark turnaround from a 4-12 record in 2003, the 2004 San Diego Chargers finished 12-4 and won the AFC West. Rookie quarterback Philip Rivers watched from the sideline as Drew Brees set out to prove the Chargers didn’t need to take a QB in the first round. Brees passed for 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions as he — along with running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates — earned Pro Bowl honors. Tomlinson scored a league-best 17 rushing touchdowns and Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer was named the NFL Coach of the Year as the Chargers capped the season with their first playoff appearance in nine seasons … a wild-card loss to the Jets. — Lindsey Thiry

1 Related

This was when Tom Brady the sixth-round pick was starting to become Tom Brady the star. The 2003 season was his fourth in the NFL (third as a starter) and came after a 9-7 year in which the Patriots had missed the playoffs. Bill Belichick had shockingly cut safety Lawyer Milloy before the season opener and the Patriots lost their first game 31-0 to the Bills, who had signed Milloy. But after a 2-2 start to the season, the Patriots never lost again, as Brady’s star began to shine brighter en route to a second Super Bowl championship. — Mike Reiss

Success for the Colts in 1968 seemed like a long shot after quarterback Johnny Unitas — league MVP in 1967 — was injured in the final preseason game. However, backup quarterback Earl Morrall stepped in and threw for 2,909 yards and 26 touchdowns while going 13-1 as a starter during the 1968 season. Don Shula, the coach at the time, had a defense that was ranked first in the league and an offense ranked No. 2 that helped the Colts get to the Super Bowl, where they were double-digit favorites over Joe Namath and the New York Jets. Namath and his “guarantee” were this team’s downfall, as the Jets upset the Colts 16-7. — Mike Wells

NFL: Best bets on win totals, playoffs NFL draft: Prop bets that cashed CFB: “The Bear’s” best bets for 2020 Conference bets: SEC | Big Ten | ACC Heisman: Value bets, early picks

The 1975 Houston Oilers went 10-4 but finished one game behind the Bengals for a wild-card spot. All four of the Oilers’ losses came against the Bengals and Steelers. The Oilers’ season was highlighted by a four-game winning streak starting in Week 4 and capped by a three-game winning streak that included a victory over the Raiders. It was the franchise’s first winning season in seven years and its first season under coach Bum Phillips. Billy “White Shoes” Johnson was the team’s most dynamic player, returning three punts for touchdowns. — Turron Davenport

Dolphins fans shouldn’t have a hard time remembering why the 1972 season is their best against the number — this is the only team to go undefeated in NFL history. Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris became the first pair of teammates to rush for more than 1,000 yards each in a given season, and the Dolphins won 11 of their 14 regular-season games by double digits. The No-Name Defense never got the love that offense did, but it was the best defense in football that season, securing three shutout victories (including a 52-0 win over the Patriots) and allowing opponents to score more than 17 points only three times. This was the first Dolphins title in what ended up being a mini-dynasty from 1970 to 1974 with five division titles, three AFC championships (1971, 1972, 1973) and two Super Bowl wins. — Cameron Wolfe

Behind quarterback Steve Bartkowski and running back William Andrews, the Falcons won the franchise’s first division title (NFC Western Division) with a 12-4 record. That season included a nine-game winning streak, which was a franchise best. Individual franchise records were established, too, with Bartkowski (3,544 passing yards, 31 touchdowns), Andrews (1,308 rushing yards) and receiver Alfred Jenkins (1,025 receiving yards) all hitting high-water marks at the time. Linebacker Al Richardson created a turnover in nine consecutive games out of the 3-4 scheme. And the Falcons had six Pro Bowl selections. — Vaughn McClure

It should be no surprise that the 1989 team, which went 14-2, was so good against the spread given that it was one of the best and most complete teams in NFL history. That juggernaut of a squad was first in the league in points scored, third in points allowed and had a plus-189 scoring margin on its way to a 45-point victory in Super Bowl XXIV.

Quarterback Joe Montana put together one of the best seasons in history, posting a passer rating of 112.4 in the regular season before a red-hot postseason run in which he improved that passer rating to a whopping 146.4 as he collected the NFL’s Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards and was named Super Bowl MVP. The star-studded Niners had six Pro Bowlers and five first- or second-team All-Pros. — Nick Wagoner

Perhaps this was a sign of things to come for the Cowboys, who went on to win three Super Bowls in four seasons from 1992 to ’95. They went 11-5 in 1991, just two years removed from a 1-15 campaign. This was a young team, growing together and learning how to win. And they won their last four games without an injured Troy Aikman. The Cowboys found their formula with Emmitt Smith running the ball at least 25 times per game and a stifling defense allowing more than 14 points just once in Games 13-16. Jimmy Johnson won his first playoff game, a wild-card victory against Chicago, as his young team started to come of age. — Todd Archer

The 1999 “Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis Rams were an impressive 13-3 ATS in the regular season. James A. Finley/AP Photo

The 1999 Rams coached by Dick Vermeil were dubbed the “Greatest Show on Turf,” as they outscored opponents 526-242, produced an 8-0 record at home and finished the season 13-3 with a Super Bowl XXXIV title.

The offense was led by four future Hall of Fame players: quarterback Kurt Warner, running back Marshall Faulk, receiver Isaac Bruce and left tackle Orlando Pace. The defense also was among the best in the NFL. It ranked first against the run, allowing only 74.3 rushing yards per game; was tied for the lead in sacks with 57; and produced seven interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. — Lindsey Thiry

The Lions were still rebuilding from their disastrous 0-16 season in 2008 and were starting to build for the future with wide receiver Calvin Johnson in his prime and a first-round pick ready to take over the league in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and a dynamic young running back in rookie Jahvid Best. Detroit also had a young starting quarterback in Matthew Stafford — and his shoulder injuries are a likely reason why the Lions were able to do so well against the spread. Stafford was limited to three games in 2010, but the combination of Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton — though not imposing as quarterbacks — could get Detroit out of a game.

The way the season unfolded — starting 2-10 before winning four straight to end the season — did two things: It set expectations low on the Lions toward the end of the year to pick up games against the spread and in a bigger picture helped set up the team’s run to the playoffs in 2011 with a healthy Stafford. The Lions played all but four games — losses to New England, Minnesota and Dallas, along with a win over St. Louis — incredibly close, again helping the spread numbers. — Michael Rothstein

Mike Zimmer’s second season in Minnesota featured a four-game improvement from his first. The Vikings finished 11-5, winning their first NFC North title since 2009 and clinching a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2012. Teddy Bridgewater showed promise in his first full season as a starter (3,231 passing yards, 14 TDs, 9 INTs, his first Pro Bowl) the same year the Vikings got Adrian Peterson back from suspension. Peterson led the NFL in rushing with 1,485 yards in his All-Pro/Pro Bowl season.

But all the excitement and hope built during the regular season came crashing down in a 10-9 wild-card loss to the Seahawks when kicker Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the game. — Courtney Cronin

2016 Patriots (13-3, .813)

The four games without Tom Brady to open the season, as Brady served a suspension handed down from the NFL, were a big part of the Patriots’ success in 2016. They went 3-1 in those games, winning with Jimmy Garoppolo and then Jacoby Brissett after Garoppolo was injured. When Brady returned, he didn’t miss a beat, helping carry the team all the way to a Super Bowl championship in the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history — trailing the Falcons 28-3 in the third quarter before charging back to win 34-28. — Mike Reiss

Source link

The post NFL’s 12 best betting seasons of the Super Bowl Era appeared first on The Bleak Report.

from WordPress https://bleakreport.com/nfls-12-best-betting-seasons-of-the-super-bowl-era/