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Winning is Kon-tagious: The Rise of Kon Knueppel

The Rise of Kon Knueppel Kon Knueppel made a name for himself last season at Duke University. As a freshman, he averaged 14.4 points, four rebounds, and just under 3 assists. He played the role of Robin for the Blue Devils, as number one overall pick Cooper Flagg was Batman. It was clear Knueppel had a ton of talent, but the question coming in was whether he could handle a bigger role in the NBA. Although we’re just halfway through his rookie season, he has quickly answered the question, and it appears to be a resounding yes. Selected fourth overall by the Hornets, Knueppel was put into one of the most unique positions in the NBA. All summer long, there were rumors that star point guard LaMelo Ball would be traded away. The Hornets opted to keep Ball, forcing Knueppel to play on the wing rather than bring the ball up. He has thrived so far in this position, as it has allowed him to be in a spot to quickly knock down threes off a catch-and-shoot. (image via nba.com website) While Kn...
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NFL Divisional Round Predictions

Last weekend, I went 4 for 6 on my Super Wild Card predictions. Not bad, but I am not satisfied with anything less than perfect. After digging deeper into the matchups this week, I have a much clearer picture of how the Divisional Round is going to go. Let’s go 4 for 4. AFC Divisional Predictions Bills @ Broncos (image via @FDSportsbook on X) As I predicted, Josh Allen put on the Superman cape last weekend, leading his team to a gritty win in Jacksonville. Allen injured his hand, twisted his knee, and was even examined for a possible concussion, yet still managed to get the job done. Allen is not the only Bill banged up right now. Starting safety Jordan Poyer likely will not play this Sunday due to a hamstring injury, and both Gabe Davis and promising rookie Tyrell Shavers tore their ACLs in Jacksonville. Meanwhile, the Broncos got another week of rest, with Drew Sanders being the only starter on the injury report. In terms of the matchup, this is yet again a difficult one for the Bill...
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New Era in New York

We got him.  Late last night, NFL Insider Adam Schefter confirmed rumours that former Ravens Head Coach, John Harbaugh, would indeed be signing with the NY Giants. For those unfamiliar, during his 18-year tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, Harbaugh had just three losing seasons and led the team to the playoffs 12 times. Along the way, he also captured Super Bowl XLVII. This signing truly feels like a tide change for Big Blue. For the first time in a long time, the Giants have a vocal, respected leader who can establish a real culture in the Big Apple, something this franchise has been desperately missing for quite some time. For the better part of the last 15 years, the Giants’ legacy has been tarnished. They've been a complete laughingstock around the league, and this finally feels like the end of that era. Now, I don’t expect Harbaugh to walk in and immediately turn Jaxson Dart into an MVP candidate or win a Super Bowl in year one. But I do believe that he puts the Giants back on ...
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AFC Super Wild Card Weekend Predictions

 After breaking down the NFC yesterday, it’s time to turn the page to the AFC Super Wild Card Weekend. The conference is wide open this year, and the team I ultimately believe can emerge may surprise you, so let's get right to it.  Bills @ Jaguars  (image via @billsonreal on X) In what I believe to be the game of the entire weekend, the Bills travel south to face the red-hot Jacksonville Jaguars. This is the matchup I’m most excited for, as it’s the most even across the entire slate. The Jags come in on an eight-game winning streak, having not lost since November 16th. Since then, their defense has established itself as one of the top units in the sport, specifically against the run, where they’ve allowed just 1,455 yards all year long, the fewest in the NFL.  On the Buffalo side of things, they've been up and down all season long. When facing middle-of-the-pack defenses, they have scored with ease, but against the league's best, like Houston and Philadelphia, Buffal...
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NFC Super Wild Card Weekend Predictions

This weekend marks the start of the 6th annual NFL Super Wild Card Weekend, my favorite stretch of the entire football season. With so many legitimate contenders in this year’s playoff field, the margin for error has never been smaller, especially in the NFC. To give each team and matchup the attention they deserve, I’m splitting my Wild Card coverage into two parts, starting with the NFC. I’ll break down every NFC Wild Card matchup with my analysis and final score predictions as the road to the Lombardi officially begins. Rams @ Panthers  (image via Mark J. Terrill-AP) The NFL is kicking off the weekend with the Rams and Panthers in the early window on Saturday, and rightfully so, as this game feels like it won't be close. Funny enough, these two teams already matched up this season, with the Panthers squeaking out the W in the fourth quarter. This time around, I don't foresee the same result. The Rams are getting healthy at the right time, their defense is heating up, and the...
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streak snapped!

This week was the perfect ending to the Giants’ season, no matter which outcome you preferred. With a loss, Big Blue would’ve secured a top-two pick in the NFL Draft. With a win, they’d finally snap a nine-game losing streak to the rival Dallas Cowboys. When the final whistle blew, it was the latter. The Giants routed the Cowboys 34–17 in a commanding performance, snapping not only Dallas’ nine-game winning streak in the rivalry, but also Dak Prescott’s personal reign over the Giants. Prescott had won 14 straight against the Giants dating back to his rookie season in 2016. And I don't want to hear that Dak didn't play the second half, so it didn't count. He was losing in the first half, so the streak's over in my book.  (image via nygiants.com) But isn’t it funny how the Giants always seem to win when it doesn’t matter? It's truly comical.  Over their last 38 games, Big Blue is 8–30, and somehow four of those eight wins have come in the final two weeks of the season...
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sin city statement

In what was the Giants’ most important game in three years, they took on the Raiders in the 2025 Tank Bowl, a matchup where the loser would control the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. In typical Giants fashion, with the top pick on the line, they played their best football of the season. The win drops New York to the number two pick in the draft order, but there is still a path back to the number one selection. A loss to Dallas next week for the Giants, paired with a Raiders win over a suddenly lowly Chiefs team, could still flip the order. While a loss might have helped the Giants add draft capital, this win still mattered. Even against a flawed Raiders team, there were legitimate positives. Jaxson Dart looked comfortable, the defense made timely, game-changing plays, and the special teams unit had its best performance of the year. As I mentioned last week, since the firing of Brian Daboll, Dart had struggled to rediscover the rhythm he showed earlier in the season. Yes...
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