Yardbarker

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans. You can find him on Twitter/X and Threads at @ericsmithling and at Bluesky at @ericsmithling.bsky.social.

EXPERTISE:

NFL, College Football, NBA, Men's and Women's College Basketball, NHL

Indecision haunts Dolphins in wild-card loss

Indecision cost Miami against Buffalo. Despite the positive strides the organization made in 2022, head coach Mike McDaniel's lack of decisive action sunk the Dolphins' season long ago.

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins roasted for terrible decision on fourth down

On a 4th-and-8 with 1:51 remaining and no timeouts and the Vikings trailing by a touchdown, Cousins elected to throw the ball five yards short of the line to gain to a blanketed receiver.

Bosa brothers experience highs and lows of postseason football in one day

Nick and Joey Bosa had two very different experiences on Saturday.

Doug Pederson praised for play calling in Jaguars' win over Chargers

Pederson proved his worth as an NFL head coach once again on Saturday. The Jaguars overcame a 27-0 deficit and the fact they lost the turnover battle 5-0 to win its wild-card game against the Chargers, 31-30.

Madness hits college basketball with huge number of ranked teams falling

Kentucky (11-6, 2-3 in SEC) began the day of upsets with a win at No. 5 Tennessee (14-3, 4-1 in SEC). The Wildcats won 63-56 in a vital win for the program.

Watch: Ja Morant is a human highlight reel in win against Pacers

Morant had a double-double in only 25 minutes against Indiana. He finished the game with 23 points, 10 assists and three rebounds on 7-of-17 shooting in a 130-112 rout of the Pacers.

Watch: Nick Bosa recovers fumble on game-changing wild-card play

A back-and-forth wild-card game between Seattle and San Francisco turned into a blowout after Nick Bosa's fumble recovery in the third quarter.

Commanders set on Sam Howell as 2023 starter?

Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Commanders are telling prospective offensive coordinators the team is going forward with the plan of starting Howell in 2023. The team announced on it fired former offensive coordinator Scott Turner.

Report: Seattle Seahawks have made QB decision for 2023

Seattle intends on bringing Geno Smith back next season.  After this season, Smith is a free agent, but Rapoport reported the two sides plan on working out a deal to keep him with the organization.

Christian McCaffrey trade already ranks among NFL's best in-season deals

McCaffrey breathed new life into San Francisco's season. Before McCaffrey, the 49ers were 3-3 and averaged 20.3 points per game. In his 10 games as a starter, they are 10-0 and average 30.5 points.

This stat shows Warriors look like a lost cause

Through 41 games, Golden State (20-21) wallows below .500 -- the first defending champ since Miami in 2006-07 to have a losing record through 41 games.

Why Cowboys QB Dak Prescott needs a deep playoff run

Prescott is 1-3 in the playoffs. His completion percentage in four playoff games (61 percent) is far off his regular-season mark (66.6 percent). If he can't take the Cowboys deep into the playoffs, it's time to wonder if he ever will. 

Patriots give fans a reason to exhale with latest news

The Patriots aren't repeating their mistakes and are pursuing an offensive coordinator for next season, the team announced in a statement. The long, national nightmare that was the Matt Patricia and Joe Judge era is seemingly over.

Is Derek Carr too pricey for any other team?

Derek Carr's trade market will likely be dry thanks to the amount of money he'd be owed by the team trading for him. On Thursday, Carr posted a farewell message to Raiders fans via social media.  The list of teams that both have a need for Carr and can afford him is slim.

The best QB prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft few are talking about

Tanner McKee is in a tier below Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis, the consensus top three QBs in the 2023 draft. Unlike Anthony Richardson, he's likely not in the running at ninth overall when the Carolina Panthers are on the clock, either. Falling down the QB pecking order could be the best thing for McKee.

Way-too-early Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Draft preview

Tampa Bay is happy to be living in Tom Brady's world for as long as he lets it.

Way-too-early Carolina Panthers 2023 NFL Draft preview

Are the Panthers in love with any of the top QB prospects? If so, the team has the ammunition necessary to move up to select a franchise quarterback.

Way-too-early New Orleans Saints NFL Draft preview

New Orleans, which dealt its first-rounder to the Eagles last April, won't pick until the second round (No. 41). The Saints have a couple of holes in the interior of the offensive and defensive lines, and the team sorely missed C.J. Gardner-Johnson's playmaking ability in the secondary. (He was dealt to the Eagles.)

Way-too-early Atlanta Falcons 2023 NFL Draft preview

In a wide-open NFC South, any of these three players listed could be the disruptive force who helps the Falcons make a quick improvement. 

Chiefs, 49ers have most players named to first NFLPA All-Pro Team

The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are two of the favorites to win this season's Super Bowl, and both organizations have the respect of players from around the league. 

Commanders make huge move on offense as team's philosophy is questioned

The Commanders fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner on Tuesday. The news broke after Washington GM Martin Mayhew had a questionable exchange with reporters earlier in the day.

Steelers' strong finish adds to Mike Tomlin's greatness

Despite failing to qualify for the postseason, Mike Tomlin had arguably his most impressive coaching performance in 2022.

Deion Sanders makes revealing admission on potential future as an NFL coach

Deion Sanders opened up about his coaching future with Gentleman's Quarterly, shutting down the notion that one day he may test the waters at the NFL level.

Georgia among best college football dynasties with resounding CFP title game victory

Georgia didn't find much competition from TCU on Monday night. Instead, the Bulldogs were fighting for their place atop the list of greatest college football dynasties. The College Football Playoff championship game turned into an extended victory lap for Georgia (15-0) as the Bulldogs bludgeoned TCU (13-2), 65-7.

TCU ripped for no-show in first half of CFP final

The College Football Playoff final got out of hand in a hurry with Georgia building a 38-7 halftime lead over TCU. The Horned Frogs ugly showing led to harsh criticism online.