2014 A Bad Year for the NFL. They'll Take More, Please.

2014 was a bad year for the NFL, right? Problems with domestic violence, drugs, rampant repeat cheaters won the title, the commissioner is loathed by most everyone. Bad news, no doubt. And all true. The league has problems. Question is, does anyone care?

Do a quick google search - after you read this, of course. For now take my word. None of this is anything new. Hollywood Henderson, a DB for the Dallas Cowboys, reportedly had a cocaine habit rivaling Tony Montoya's in the 1970's. Brandon Marshall has been accused of domestic violence as often as the Patriots have been accused of cheating. Paul Tagliabue, patron saint of commissioners, started the NFL's ritualistic cover up of brain damage caused by playing football. All of this information is readily available.

Image Credit: Forbes.com

2014 was a bad year for the NFL. Only 113 million viewers, on average, watched the Super Bowl. This doesn't count people steaming the game, parties of multiple viewers, or packed bars. 30 second commercials (most of them awful) only raked in $4.5 million for NBC. Ticket sales and prices were up. Jersey sales were up. Television coverage of everything NFL related, good and bad, was up. Oh, and, although the numbers aren't in yet, revenues are, no doubt, up. 

So why were things bad for the NFL? Because saying 2014 was a bad year for the NFL implies 2015 will be different, will be better. Because $7,000,000,000 of the NFL's revenue comes from the networks that carry it. Because if 2014 wasn't a bad year, it was a normal year. And no one wants to believe that. Next year will be better.

Article by: Josh Henderson

Twitter: @verybadwrong 

A Recap of Superbowl XLIX

Article by:Christine O'Connor 

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

Image Credit: CBSSports.com

Seattle, seeking to become the first repeat NFL champion since New England a decade ago, was outplayed for the first half, yet tied at 14. The Seahawks scored the only 10 points of the third period, but the NFL-leading defense couldn't slow the Tom Brady when it counted most.

Strong early play by the Patriots gave way to a halftime tie and a 10-point Seahawks lead as the Chris Matthews came out of the woodwork, but things were only getting warmed up. Matthews was one of Seattle's least-used players before the postseason. Matthews recovered the onside kick that helped the Seahawks beat Green Bay in overtime for the NFC crown, and had a breakout performance during the big game.

The Pats grabbed the lead with two fourth quarter touchdowns, the second of which set Seattle up with the ball and a little more than two minutes to play. A crazy catch with by Jermaine Kearse put them on the doorstep, but then we were introduced to Malcolm Butler intercepted the ball on a slant pass as he sealed a 28-24 win for the Patriots.

Brady was intercepted twice (the total of two times he was intercepted in his previous five Super Bowls),

yet he surpassed Joe Montana's mark of 11 Super Bowl touchdown passes with a 4-yarder to Danny Amendola to bring the Patriots within three points. Brady has equaled Montana with four Lombardi Trophies and three Super Bowl MVPs. He stands alone with 13 Super Bowl touchdown passes. He was 37 for 50 for 328 yards against the NFL's top-ranked defense.

The Patriots will celebrate their title with a victory parade at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Boston mayor Marty Walsh said. The parade will start at the Prudential Center and end at City Hall.

This Week's NFL Preview- Colts vs. Patriots

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @christineeeeO

Image Credit: bostonblogger.sportsblog.com

The Colts are coming off 3 consecutive wins. Now they have Brady, a gridiron assassin going into his ninth AFC Championship Game after the largest playoff comeback victory in franchise history. Since Andrew Luck entered the league in 2012, the Patriots have crushed the Colts by an average score of 48-22 in three meetings. Brady is 60-7 in his last 67 home games.

Image Credit: nypost.com 

All of the signs and numbers point to the Patriots getting the win.

So why should we believe Indianapolis has a legitimate chance to get the victory? Andrew Luck, for one. They have the best young quarterback in the game, a magician in the pocket who makes more spectacular throws and works more defenses than any other passer.

Beyond that, the Patriots realize this is a  completely different Colts team than the one they crushed in Week 11. With young players such as versatile tailback Daniel "Boom" Herron, versatile tight end Colby Fleener, deep threat Donte Moncrief, star cornerback Vontae Davis, pass rusher Jonathan Newsome, and the talented threat T.Y. Hilton, this team is firing on all cylinders. 

​Image Credit: Fansided.com

This should be a great game to watch.

Players to watch:

Patriots:

Tom Brady (surprise, surprise), Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Darrelle Revis. 

Colts:

Andrew Luck (but of course), Daniel Herron, Donte Moncrief, Vontae Davis