by Mack Prioleau

Over the course of the past year, we witnessed some of the most impressive adventures in recent memory. From speed records to first ascents to daring expeditions, there is a seemingly endless list of crazy adventures that people took on. Outside Magazine recently wrote a piece highlighting some of the most incredible accomplishments over the past 12 months. Below are five of my favorite adventures from the past year. To learn more, please check out my blog on mackprioleau.net

The Most Impressive Adventures of 2015 from Mack Prioleau on Vimeo.

The Top Travel Destinations For 2016 from Mack Prioleau on Vimeo.

Hunting is an incredibly fun and exhilarating sport, however, it can also be a very dangerous sport at the same time. That is why it is important to be familiar with and understand all the different strategies, rules, and safety measures. With the help of this Outdoor Life article, I would like to provide a running list of hunting tips so that we can all be better hunters. First, I would like to provide you with some key hunting strategies. To learn more, please check out my blog on mackprioleau.net

Essential Hunting Tips: Strategies from Mack Prioleau on Vimeo.

The NFL playoff field is down to four teams: Carolina, Arizona, New England, and Denver. Each of these teams is capable making a run and lifting the VInce Lombardi Trophy on February 7th. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, we can expect to see some intense action this weekend. Here is a breakdown of the four teams and what we can expect to see from each team.

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers have been dominate this season. They have now won 21 of their past 23 games, including the playoffs. The Cardinals are what now stand in their path, a team which has had success against Cam Newton. Throughout his three career games against Arizona, he has faced a blitz on 54% of dropbacks, leading to 12 sacks and four interceptions against the pass rush.

Arizona Cardinals

Carson Palmer has finally got the monkey off his back; he secured his first career playoff win with help of Larry Fitzgerald who has been sensational. Fitzgerald averages 114 receiving yards in his eight career playoff games, along with 10 touchdowns. However the Panthers defense will likely be his biggest test yet. They have allowed the lowest Total QBR (56.7) on passes to wide receivers in the regular season.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have had their ups and downs, but their defense has been a rock solid all season long. The Broncos allowed only 18.5 points per game this season and led the NFL in total defense. No Peyton Manning-led team has ever led the league in total defense before, which is extremely encouraging for him this postseason. However, no Manning-led team has scored as few points as he has this season since 2002. The Broncos already took down the Patriots once this season, will they be able to do it again?

New England Patriots

The Patriots have faced a number of injuries this season that have really slowed down the offense. But with Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman both on the field, Tom Brady is a completely different quarterback; he completes 68 percent of his passes with a 79 Total QBR when he has his star receivers, compared to 60% and a 50 Total QBR with either off the field. Although Brady has a 11-5 record against Peyton Manning in head-to-head matchups, the home team has one each of the playoff matchups. Unfortunately for Brady, the Broncos sneaked by the Patriots to secure home-field advantage this year.

Yesterday, we discussed the playoff picture of the AFC. Now it is time to break down the NFC and see what these teams have in store. The division is stacked with a number of teams that are more than capable of making a run at the Super Bowl. Here is a breakdown of the division in order of seed.

1) Carolina Panthers

Carolina had a nearly perfect season, finishing with an incredible 15-1 record along with the conference’s top overall seed in the playoffs. Although they benefited from one of the easiest schedules in the league, as the season went on everyone realized how good the Panthers really are. Now Carolina will need to continue to win as the competition ramps up. They are fortunate to have a week of rest before their quest for a Super Bowl begins.

2) Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals fell apart at home against Seattle, but they still have a bye week to rest up. Arizona has been one of the league’s most impressive teams going into Week 17, and they still remain a massive threat to win the Super Bowl. Their toughest matchup will undoubtedly be Seattle. The beatdown they suffered will not bode well for their confidence if the two teams matchup at some point.

3) Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings pulled off a tough win in Green Bay in Week 17, winning the NFC North division in the process. They finished with an 11-5 record and will now play host to an intimidating Seahawks team this week. There is no question that Minnesota has the talent to win this game and go far in the playoffs, but Seattle has experience on their side. The Vikings defense is certainly good enough to slow down Russell Wilson. However, will their offense be able to do enough against Seattle?

4) Washington Redskins

Through the second half of their schedule, the Washington Redskins have been on a tear. Jay Gruden was criticized for his decision to go with Kirk Cousins at quarterback, but the decision really paid. He has helped develop Cousins into a real quality player who can lead the team to wins. Although they will likely be the underdog in any NFC matchup, they do have home-field advantage to begin the playoffs. The difference in play at home this season has been great, and they will have the chance to surprise everyone with a home playoff victory.

5) Green Bay Packers

The Packers made a late-game push against the Vikings but fell short in the end. The loss cost them the division and home-field advantage in the wild-card round. Surprisingly, the loss actually gives them an easier matchup than the third seed. Green Bay has struggled of late and they seem to be a shell of their old self. Injuries have really slowed the team down, especially on offense. Their defense has been good enough to keep the Packers hanging around, so you can never count them out.

6) Seattle Seahawks

Seattle’s crushing win over the Cardinals sent a loud message to the rest of the conference: the two-time NFC champions are still here and will not go away without a fight. This team strikes fear into every opponent that it faces. The recipe for Seattle’s success is similar to year’s past, however, Russell Wilson has developed into an elite playmaker, now more than ever.

The 2015-16 NFL regular season has officially come to an end. While some fans are looking forward to an early pick in the NFL draft, others readily await playoff games and the chance to make it to the Super Bowl. Here is a breakdown of the seeding from the teams in the AFC and what we can expect from them in the weeks ahead.

1) Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos propelled themselves into the top overall seed with their 27-20 win over the San Diego Chargers in Week 17. This is a huge advantage as it will keep them in Denver throughout the AFC playoffs as well as give them a bye week to rest. The extra week will also give them some more time to figure out what to do at the quarterback position. The return of Peyton Manning was encouraging, but he was also one of the leaders in interceptions this season despite missing six games. Brock Osweiler has played well but clearly has less upside. The coaching staff will now have to decide whether or not they want to opt for more ball control in Osweiler or a higher ceiling but lower floor in Manning.

2) New England Patriots

New England’s loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 was not pretty. Injuries and a conservative game plan really held the Patriots back. It now has people questioning whether they should have just benched all of their healthy players instead of risking further damage. The week off should allow Julian Edelman to make a healthy return to the field. But there are still plenty of reasons to be concerned with the Patriots right now, as their run-heavy approach was easily stopped by a terrible Dolphins defense.

3) Cincinnati Bengals

Although the Bengals won a tight game against Baltimore, they did not earn themselves a first-round bye. They are now stuck playing on Wild Card Weekend, which the team definitely does not want to do. Cincinnati will now be forced to take on Pittsburgh with Andy Dalton still on the sidelines. Marvin Lewis has built a strong team, but they will likely be the underdogs in their own stadium without Dalton. It may be a tough pill to swallow for Bengals fans, but they have to wait another year to get Lewis his first playoff win.

4) Houston Texans

Bill O’Brien and his team deserve a lot of credit for bouncing back from some major injuries and poor play that plagued the team early in the year. While they will likely be the underdog in any matchup, it will not be by much. Lucky for them, they will have home field advantage against the Chiefs. If quarterback Brian Hoyer is able to return, then the Texans should have a real shot at advancing.

5) Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs may be the hottest team in all of football; they have won 10 games in a row. Led by an amazing defense, Kansas City nearly won the AFC West While storming their way into the fifth seed. Andy Reid has truly been masterful this season. Despite losing their best offense player (Jamaal Charles), the team has not missed a step. Everyone should be nervous about facing the Chiefs this postseason.

6) Pittsburgh Steelers

Thankfully for Pittsburgh, their Week 16 loss to Baltimore did not end up mattering. The Steelers got some much-needed help from the Buffalo Bills in Week 17, as Buffalo took down the Jets. Now they enter the playoffs with arguably the best quarterback in the conference. Their defense has shown glimpses of being Super Bowl-worthy. Their first test will be against AJ McCarron of the Bengals, which is sure to be a favorable matchup.

The 2015-16 football season will be one to forget for the Dallas Cowboys. The team has struggled to produce in the absence of Tony Romo. For the fourth time this season, the Cowboys failed to score an offensive touchdown in their 16-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

It did not matter whether it was Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel or Kellen Moore starting in place of Tony Romo this season, the offense simply could not get anything going.

To make matters worse, Cowboys fans had to watch Weeden complete 15 of 24 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns for the Houston Texans in a 24-8 win against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The Cowboys cut Weeden on November 17th.

This season was the first time the Cowboys have had four games without an offensive touchdown since the 2001. The 2001 season was also the last time the Cowboys started four different quarterbacks in one season: Quincy Carter, Anthony Wright, Ryan Leaf and Clint Stoerner.

“It’s certainly been one of the bigger disappointments this year. … Points on the board have to be made through touchdowns first,” said Coordinator Scott Linehan. “Field goals aren’t going to cut it. So it’s been an Achilles heel of ours this year and there’s going to be a time for that evaluation and talking about what we do and what the reasons are and all of that stuff. Last year, we made a really big gain in that area and this year has obviously been the flip side of it. Not going to win enough games if you don’t put enough points on the board on offense, that’s for sure.”

Interestingly, the Cowboys have scored on eight opening possessions this season, including yesterday against the Bills. But the Cowboys were forced to settle for a field goal, a common story this season.

“For whatever the reason, we can’t make a play when we need to make it,” stated Stephen Jones, the Cowboys chief operating officer. “We come out, we drive the ball well, but then we can’t get it in the end zone so it’s settle for a field goal. Then for whatever reason, it deteriorates from there. I feel like we’ve played that game every year this year. It feels like the same game.”

The only good news that you can take away from this season is that the Cowboys will now be in a great position for a top pick in the 2016 draft.

If the draft were to happen today, the Cowboys would have the 5th selection. A top 5 pick would help the Cowboys get a impact player that could truly help their team. According to Stephen Jones, their top need is for a quarterback.

“We probably should have done what we’ve historically done, which is go with the Kitnas, go with the Ortons, go with that type of proven backup in case something does happen to Tony,” Jones explained on DallasCowboys.com.

Unfortunately the did not have a proven backup in place this season, and once Romo went down they were forced to pay for their mistake. “That’s going to be No. 1 on our list, how do we do that better in the future,” continued Jones.

There will be a number of back-up quarterbacks available in the free-agent market this offseason. There are also two highly coveted college quarterbacks on the Cowboys radar, including Jared Goff from California and Paxton Lynch from Memphis. This will give Dallas a lot of flexibility to address their quarterback concerns, in addition to their concerns at running back, defensive tackle and linebacker.

“The rules call for you if you’ve had the season we’ve had to get an advantage in talent coming up for the next year,” stated Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after last Saturday’s 19-16 loss to the New York Jets, “and so we do have an advantage in talent to couple with a roster of really outstanding relatively young players as well as players as the right time in their careers and the right place for us on the cap, so there is a lot to do.”

Source: ESPN

The Dallas Cowboys are arguably the greatest franchise to ever set foot on a football field. While the Packers may boast more NFL championships and the Steelers more Super Bowls, the Cowboys are America’s Team. They have managed to be competitive in every single era and have several Super Bowl wins as well. The Dallas Cowboys have had some incredible teams with some very impressive players. Here are some of the greatest players to ever put on a Cowboys uniform.

1) Roger Staubach (QB, 1969-1979)

His legacy has lived on well past his time on the field. Roger Staubach has remained the face and embodiment of the Cowboys for the last 40-plus years. As a 10th-round draft pick in the 1965 draft, Staubach may be the smartest draft pick in franchise history. He led the Cowboys to four Super Bowls, claiming victory in two of them, and defined leadership for the organization that became “America’s Team.”

2) Emmitt Smith (RB, 1990-2002)

Smith was the anchor for the Cowboys during their three Super Bowl wins in four years in the 1990s. Although he was considered to be too small and too slow, Emmitt Smith retired as one of the most accomplished runners in league history. He was a regular-season and Super Bowl MVP and went on to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. He even holds the record for most postseason rushing yards as well.

3) Bob Lilly (DT, 1961-1974)

Bob Lilly, or “Mr. Cowboy”, was the first player drafted by the franchise in 1961 and became the foundation of Tom Landry’s “Doomsday Defense,” locking down at the defensive tackle for 14 years. Towards the end of his career, Lilly and the Cowboys reached two Super Bowls, winning one of them. Bob Lilly was known for his non-traditional pre-snap stance, in which he lined up with both hands on the ground.

4) Troy Aikman (QB, 1989-2000)

Troy Aikman was the quarterback throughout the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl titles in the 1990s, although he does not remember playing in Super Bowl XXVIII. On top of the Super Bowl rings, Aikman was voted into six straight Pro Bowls and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

5) Tony Dorsett (RB, 1977-1987)

Dorsett ran his way into four Pro Bowls and an induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Heisman Trophy winner rushed for 12,739 yards during his professional career. Tony Dorsett us a winner in every sense of the word: he is the only football player to win the college championship (NCAA title at Pittsburgh) and pro championship (Super Bowl XII) in back-to-back years.

6) Michael Irvin (WR, 1988-1999)

Michael Irvin talked as good a game as he played. His physical play actually forced the NFL to adjust the rulebook to prevent physical wide receivers from pushing off helpless cornerbacks. Irvin was voted into five-straight Pro Bowls and the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well. He tallied up a total of 11,904 receiving yards throughout his career and was was a member of the Cowboys trio of Super Bowl triumphs.

7) Larry Allen (OG, 1994-2005)

Larry Allen (along with number 8 on the list, Rayfield Wright) was one of the greatest offensive linemen of all time. Allen was the rock that protected Aikman and blocked for smith, allowing the explosive offense to fire on all cylinders. He was asked to slide all over the line, however, guard is the position for which he will be remembered most. Allen may have been the strongest man in NFL history as well: he recorded a bench press of a whopping 692 pounds.

8) Rayfield Wright (OT, 1967-1979)

Rayfield Wright played all over the field, including tight end, defensive end, and tackle. In addition to his six straight Pro Bowls, Wright played a vital role during the Cowboy’s two Super Bowl titles. He protected Staubach and opened up holes for Dorsett against some of the best defenses in NFL history, such as the Steel Curtain, the Purple People Eaters, and the Orange Crush.

9) Randy White (DT, 1975-1988)

White played on the Dallas Cowboys’ Doomsday defense that led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl XII victory. He was MVP in the Super Bowl win over Denver in the 1977-78 season. Randy White was a member of nine straight Pro Bowls and was elected into the Hall of Fame. White was incredibly strong for his size and extremely quick for his position.

10) Mel Renfro (DB, 1964-1977)

Renfro’s career included 52 interceptions and 10 straight Pro Bowl visits. He was later elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He played on four Cowboy Super Bowl teams (winning two), including the last game he ever played against Denver in Super Bowl XII.

Bowl season is almost here, with some exciting games kicking off this Saturday. These games make for some great bonus football and an opportunity for fans to watch their favorite players play one last time. The main event, however, that everyone is waiting for is the second annual College Football Playoffs.

This year’s four-team selection was a little easier than last year’s, with the four playoff teams — Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State, Oklahoma — clearly standing a step ahead the rest of the field. In years past, the selection of teams for the championship game has been met with a great deal of controversies. This year’s selection feels much cleaner in comparison, and we are now set up with two great matchups.

The Orange Bowl will feature a matchup of speed vs. speed when top-ranked Clemson squares off against Oklahoma. On the other side, you will have a matchup of hard-hitting teams in Alabama and Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl.

The computers have been crunching the numbers all season, and it appears that they favor Alabama to win the championship. SB Nation has compiled this data, which details exactly what who is favored in each possible matchup (Note: Bold refers to first round match-ups). 

Source: SB Nation

The Clemson-Oklahoma game is a virtual tossup, featuring a number of dead-even matchups. The Alabama-Michigan State matchup skews toward the Tide.

Based on the probabilities in the links above, here are the likely championship game matchups:

1) Clemson vs. Alabama: 40%

2) Alabama vs. Oklahoma: 34%

3) Clemson vs. Michigan State: 14%

4) Michigan State vs. Oklahoma: 12%

Here is who is most likely to win the national title:

1) Alabama: 42%

2) Clemson: 28%

3) Oklahoma: 22%

4) Michigan State: 8%

It does not really come as much surprise that Alabama is the clear favorite this postseason. On paper, Alabama has it’s best defense since 2011. But they are not locked to win it all by any means. Despite featuring the Heisman trophy winner Derrick Henry in the backfield, their offense is still shaky. Their offensive line is the worst they’ve had since 2007.

The semi-final games for the playoff championships will kick off on Thursday, December 31. While the numbers show that Alabama is favored, if we have learned anything from years past, anything can happen when everything is on the line.

After 13 weeks of amazing football, we are approaching the end of the 2015-16 NFL season regular season. The Carolina Panthers have already clinched a playoff berth, but the rest of the spots remain unanswered. With four weeks left in the regular season, here is a breakdown of the top teams of the league and what we should expect from them entering the playoffs.

1) Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers have taken the league by storm this year. With a 12-0 record, Cam Newton and the Panthers appear to be unstoppable this season. While the New Orleans Saints gave them a run for their money yesterday, the Panthers somehow pulled together to make a comeback and win the game in the last few minutes of the game. This game truly speaks volumes to the resiliency of the Panthers squad. They showed the league that they are capable of weathering an offensive onslaught, which Drew Breese provided, and show poise when the game is on the line. Their remaining schedule is favorable, with games against the Falcons, Giants, and Buccaneers. A 16-0 regular season is a real possibility unless they decide to rest starters once they clinch home-field advantage for the playoffs.

2) New England Patriots

The New England Patriots got off to an incredible start this season, but injuries to their offense are beginning to slow them down. Back-to-back losses against the Denver Broncos and then Philadelphia Eagles make you wonder just how strong of a team they are entering the post-season. The hope to get some of their players back from injury before the playoffs start to help them get back on track. But regardless, when you have Tom Brady at the helm and Bill Belichick still on the sidelines, you can never count the team out.

3) Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have reached the playoffs for four consecutive years, but they also became the first NFL team to lose four straight opening-round games. The Bengals have continued to improve, and this year may finally be the year the team mounts a successful postseason run. The team is firing on all cylinders this year. Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are an incredibly lethal combination on offense.

4) Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals continue to cruise their opponents and have established themselves as the second-best team in the NFC behind the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals proved that this is the case Sunday, when they put a 27-3 beat down on the St. Louis Rams. Their remaining schedule will be somewhat of a challenge as their final two weeks of the season have them matching up against the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks — two teams fighting for Wild Card spots or their divisions.

5) Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos continue to improve with Peyton Manning on the sidelines. The question that remains is whether or not the team is now better with Brock Osweiler under the center. While Osweiler is not doing anything truly spectacular, he is doing a great job of managing the team and eliminating mistakes. Their continued success during this transition is a real testament to the team and shows that they are a contender. They are currently atop the division and are in contention with the Bengals and New England Patriots for a first-round bye.

6) Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are back to their winning ways, coming off two impressive wins against the Pittsburgh Steelers and now the Minnesota Vikings. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are overcoming their deficiencies and injuries are playing some inspiring football. If the team continues to play at this caliber for the remainder of the season, we can certainly expect to see them make some noise in the playoffs once again.

7) Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have won an impressive six games in a row. They have vaulted themselves into the playoff picture, now occupying one of the AFC wildcard spots. Everything appears to be clicking with the team at just the right time. Alex Smith and Jeremy Maclin have developed a strong connection in the passing game; Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware have proven to be a monster combination at running back in Jamaal Charles’ absence.

8) Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings started the season red hot, sitting at 7-2 just a few weeks ago. Their fortunes have slowly begun to change and the team now sits at 8-4. A loss to the Seattle Seahawks have them no tied with the Packers at the top of the division, but trending in a different direction. They are still in the driver’s seat for a Wild Card spot, but if they are unable to get back to their early-season ways, they are in serious danger of missing the playoffs.