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Northern Star

Northern Illinois University’s student media since 1899

 

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks to pass the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Hopes are high Tagovailoa will be the best of the 22 quarterbacks to start for Miami since Dan Marino retired following the 1999 season.

Down the Lines: NFL Week 9 predictions

By Wes Sanderson | November 7, 2020

Week 9 of the NFL is sort of a snooze fest in terms of big match-ups. With four teams on the bye week, three of which have been great investments on a week-to-week basis against the spread, Week 9 should be used to recover potential losses, or better...

View of the NIU jumbotron from inside Huskie Stadium Oct. 19, in DeKalb, Illinois.

Football is coming back to bring us all together again

By Mike Knapp | November 3, 2020

Have you ever had a crush? You know, you meet someone who you believe is the greatest person you’ve ever met. You spend all your time thinking about that person, and maybe you get the courage to ask them out. Or maybe not. Sooner or later, though,...

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) looks to pass against the Cleveland Browns in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh.

Down the Lines: NFL Week 8, NCAA football predictions

By Wes Sanderson | October 31, 2020

Los Angeles Rams (-180) vs. Miami Dolphins (+152) O/U: 46: Kickoff: Noon Sunday The Rams are arguably the best two-loss team in the NFL. Behind defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the Rams defense grades out as the seventh best in the league according to...

FILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, file photo, New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown stands on the sidelines during the first half at an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Miami Gardens, Fla. Brown has agreed to return to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year deal, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020 because the contract had not been completed.

NFL Week 7 recap: A $1.05 million pipe bomb

By James Krause | October 30, 2020

In March, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians said flat-out that Antonio Brown wouldn’t be on his team. “Yeah, it’s not gonna happen,” Arians said in March to CBS Sports Radio. “There’s no room. And probably not enough money. But...

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks to pass the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Hopes are high Tagovailoa will be the best of the 22 quarterbacks to start for Miami since Dan Marino retired following the 1999 season.

NFL Week 6 recap: Overcome, with emotion

By James Krause | October 23, 2020

As the NIU football opening game against the Buffalo Bulls draws near, I can’t help but remember the last time NIU played the Bulls. It was Nov. 30, 2018, at Ford Field in Detroit when NIU knocked off Buffalo after a 19-point comeback. Sure, I remember...

Green Bay Packers' Robert Tonyan (right) celebrates a touchdown reception with Malik Taylor (left) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Down the Lines: NFL Week 6, Georgia vs Alabama predictions

By Wes Sanderson | October 17, 2020

Saturday felt like I was trapped in the Bill Murray movie “Groundhog Day,” watching college game after college game have the over-under line destroyed by one thing: the lack of defense across the NCAA.  I expected the Oklahoma-Texas game to have...

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) scrambles out of the pocket before throwing a pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

NFL Week 5 recap: The pressure of being America’s quarterback

By James Krause | October 15, 2020

It’s hard to believe the emotions that poured out of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott while being carted off the field Sunday were purely from the pain, though he wouldn’t be blamed if it was. Prescott suffered a compound fracture and separated...

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wears two masks as he watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs , Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, in Kansas City. The New England Patriots have canceled practice amid reports that a third player has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Sports Illustrated reported that reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020, and was added to the team's reserve/COVID-19 list. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

NFL Week 4 recap: The league has made its bed

By James Krause | October 9, 2020

I finished my column for Week 3 of the NFL last Wednesday and thought, “It can’t get any crazier than that.” A week later, hindsight says it actually might be just the beginning. After New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton tested positive...

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks to pass the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Down the Lines: NFL Week 5, NCAA football predictions

By Wes Sanderson | October 8, 2020

For college football junkies, last week solidified the opinion that the Big 12 is eliminated from the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma lost for a second straight week to an unranked opponent and Texas, who was considered to be the “second best”...

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton celebrates after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders in an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Foxborough, Mass.

Down the Lines: NFL Week 4, college football predictions

By Wes Sanderson | October 1, 2020

With almost a month of the NFL season complete, teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack and bolster their stocks on the road to Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay in February. Teams such as the Green Bay Packers, who look to be humming on offense...

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws under pressure by Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (90) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, in Baltimore.

NFL Week 3: ‘This is not unexpected’

By James Krause | October 1, 2020

When the Tampa Bay Lightning lifted Lord Stanley’s Cup after a six-game series win over the Dallas Stars on Monday, my first thought was “and nobody died”. There was and still is such a whirlwind of changing information about COVID-19 when the...

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Indianapolis.

Down the Lines: NFL Week 3 predictions

By Wes Sanderson | September 24, 2020

After two weeks of football action, some things have become very clear. One, the Cowboys still have no defense, but what do you need a defense for when your offense is second  in the league in total yards and sits as the sixth-highest scoring offense...