Gridiron

Gridiron is a UK-based magazine that takes its readers inside America’s game. We bring you exclusive interviews with players and coaches, sharing the thoughts and opinions from all of your favourite pundits and keeping you up-to-date with all the latest news from the NFL, college football and Britain’s domestic American football scene.

HE’S BACK!

Gridiron

PICK SIX • Liam Blackburn provides the lowdown on Issue 66 of Gridiron, which focuses on Allen, Tagovailoa, Jackson and Moss’ Minnesota misery.

IN FOCUS

Five Stories of the Month

THE GRIDIRON Sunshine TOUR • Six games. Some 1,800 miles. And a fair few Hand Grenades and Hurricanes on New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street... This was The Gridiron Sunshine Tour in Florida and Louisiana. We went along to join the fun on Touchdown Trips’ latest American sojourn.

MAN-TO-MAN • Our man Neil Reynolds catches up with one of the biggest stars in the NFL today in Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen, a player who emerged from humble beginnings to become a touchdown machine in Minnesota.

THE PLAYBOOK

NUMBERS TO NOTE

MONEYBALL • The way depth charts are ordered makes us think of teams in terms of starters and backups. However, this is increasingly an inaccurate way of looking at how rosters are utilised. We accept the notion of ‘running back by committee’, where teams deploy two or three backs fairly evenly throughout a game, while we understand that a number of wide receivers see action. And, as our data expert explains, there is now an increased usage of multiple edge rushers too.

BREAKING DOWN THE BUFFALO BILLS • Given they had a top-five offense and defense in both points and yardage through Week 12, the Buffalo Bills might just have the most well-rounded team in the NFL this season. What makes those units so good? And what will make or break their Super Bowl hopes this postseason? We got Jeff Reinebold to give us his thoughts.

IN CHARGE • No player has been with the Los Angeles Chargers for longer than Keenan Allen. Now in his ninth season with the AFC West franchise, the wide receiver talks to Gridiron about being snubbed on draft night, his defensive back mentality and why he wants you to keep overlooking him.

BEST ROUTE-RUNNERS • Meet the men who leave defensive backs tied in knots and chasing shadows.

MIAMI’S MAIN MAN? • The Miami Dolphins appeared set to give up on the player they wanted to be the heart of their rebuild only last year. But is Tua Tagovailoa beginning to finally live up to the hype?

THE STORY SO FAR • Here’s how Tua Tagovailoa fared in his first 16 starts as an NFL quarterback.

THE EVOLUTION OF LAMAR JACKSON • Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has proven he is no one-season wonder or a flash in the pan. And, in the eyes of his coach, he’s an even better quarterback than he was during his MVP season. But can he elevate his game to finally make the Ravens Super Bowl contenders?

GRIDIRON’S TOP FIVE QBs • Assessing the best quintet of quarterbacks in the league at the moment.

THE 1998 MINNESOTA VIKINGS • Few teams in NFL history have been as dominant as Dennis Green’s Minnesota Vikings were 23 years ago. But, despite a stellar regular season, their campaign did not end in Super Bowl glory. Peter Carline tells the story of Minnesota’s nearly men.

VIKINGS IN NUMBERS • A look at the notable numbers in Minnesota’s marvellous year

THE NEARLY MEN • How Minnesota stormed through the season only to fall in the NFC title game

THE BEST QB SHARES • Every team is striving for that QB1, but there have been have plenty of times in NFL history when two signal-callers have shared the sport’s most prestigious positions with great success. Iron Mike looks at some of the best QB shares.

THE PUNT GOD • One of the...