When it comes to NFL discourse, one of the easiest ways to get people riled up is to say that something is the best. That is the way discourse works.
As humans we all have opinions and stick to them with relative gumption. For this week’s edition of The Skinny Post we, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, are living in that spirit.
Overall we have a handful of favorite NFL things. Let’s begin.
What is the best (and worst) aesthetic you’ve ever seen on an NFL player?
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26042617/Screenshot_2025_06_30_at_7.54.29_AM.png)
Michael:
The majority of the time when someone likes this or that player in the NFL, it’s obviously because they’re a star or they do well for their favorite team. Sometimes, however, it’s because that player just looks SICK on the field. Whether it’s their style of face mask, visor, shoulder pads, or their use of sweat bands and tape, players have the ability to give themselves a unique aesthetic on the field.
One way to put it is — as the kids these days would say — is that they create their own “aura.”
I love offensive lineman which is normally not the position group casual fans gravitate to. It’s also super hard to make yourself look “cool” when you’re playing the least-appreciated position on the field, but if there’s one player who absolutely did just that back in the day was former Vikings offensive guard Randall McDaniel.
I mean, just look at the picture above. The dude is already rocked-up for a guard which does wonders off the bat. But add in a blacked-out visor and a neck roll? This dude was the epitome of cool during his time. A lot of great linemen have come and gone in this league, but I don’t think any of them have touched McDaniel’s aesthetic.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26042618/Screenshot_2025_06_30_at_7.55.13_AM.png)
As for my least favorite aesthetic of all time, it’s got to be Sam Bradford when he switched to loose, flappy sleeves which you can see here in the picture above. He did not start this way when he joined the Rams, but somewhere along the way Bradford traded in any kind of “aura” in hopes that less-restricting sleeves would be better for his career in the long run.
I don’t mean to be hyperbolic here, but this may be the worst aesthetic I’ve ever seen on any player ever. Ever, ever, ever.
Is that too mean?
RJ:
This is an interesting question and one that I had to have Michael explain to me several times. That being said… I think I’m on board.
When I think of awesome “aura” I think of players who look the way the best players I create in Madden do. In that spirit… Ezekiel Elliott had a lot of that going on early in his career.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26042785/630563428.jpg)
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Everything about him from a gear perspective was so cool. He looked exactly as if I had spent 30 minutes tinkering with all of the choices in the name of coming up with the coolest-looking thing possible.
The other side of the spectrum is a bit of a harder answer in my opinion. Nowadays it is kind of difficult to not look at least mildly cool in an NFL get-up. Helmets alone make any single person look amazing.
Ultimately the only answer I could think of here was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in general when they had their weird chrome facemasks and all of the other parts of the ensemble. There was never a single time where these looked good. No circumstances. No moments. It was completely bad all of the time.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26042791/858105612.jpg)
Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Seriously. Find me a single person that saw these and said they were fire. You can’t.
What is the best way to win a game?
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26042733/2188887834.jpg)
Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images
RJ:
There are a number of ways to win an NFL game. You can blow a team out, win on the final drive, walk off in overtime or walk off with a game-winning field goal.
In thinking about what the best one of these routes possible is… I think that I have to go with the game-winning field goal. When a team scores a game-winning touchdown in overtime to win it, some of the drama is already gone. You know the team is close to the goal line (generally) and that the end is likely. While this is also true for a field goal, there is so much tension and theater while the ball is traveling. Heck, it all starts in the process of the team in question even getting into field goal range.
Give me a game-winning field goal in this case.
Michael:
So I totally believe that winning a game by a last-second field goal will give a team the best “feeling” after a win, but by no means do I think it’s the best way to actually win the game in general.
The best way to win any game is to absolutely blow a team out of the water. Anytime you win by three or more scores, you’re just loving life. In those instances, the game probably seems so easy and when the score gets high enough, you get to take a seat as a starter late in the game to watch the backups finish things up.
Again, a last-second field goal is an indescribable feeling to experience, but it’s not the way you’d want to win a game. Easier, and less stressful, is better.
What’s the single best NFL play you’ve ever seen?
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26042827/Screenshot_2025_06_30_at_10.19.27_AM.png)
Michael:
The Minneapolis Miracle was one of the greatest things I’ve ever experienced live — football-related or not.
Long before I wrote about football for a living I was working at a hotel bar in Des Moines, Iowa. I had just gotten off of work for the night to take in the game with my future wife. Obviously when the Saints scored, everything seemed lost. The chances of the Vikings winning were essentially zero.
Then Case Keenum pulled a rabbit out of his hat, alongside Stefon Diggs, who did some real circus work on that sideline to stay in bounds and find the end zone.
The place went nuts. We went nuts. It was just that: A miracle.
I don’t think I could ever get tired of not only watching that play, but also listening to the masterful Paul Allen on the call. Pure history.
RJ:
My answer here is very easy. Shout out Larry Fitzgerald.
In the 2015 Divisional Round the Arizona Cardinals were trying to finish off a magical season and hosted the Green Bay Packers. It looked like all hope was lost, especially after Aaron Rodgers hit two different Hail Mary passes to keep the Packers in it.
But when overtime began Carson Palmer found Larry Fitzgerald for what seemed like a short gain. It was then that one of the greatest playoff performers of all time did what he does best and put the Cardinals in easy territory to win it all. You can watch the play here.
Part of the intensity in the moment in my opinion is that this was still at the dawn of a touchdown in overtime (from the first team to possess the ball) winning it. Following the Aaron Rodgers throws and the insane non-flip coin flip to start the overtime period in question… this play was art and I will enjoy watching it forever.
What is the best time of year to watch the NFL?
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26042740/1810375495.jpg)
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
RJ:
As our resident Dallas Cowboys person around these parts I am certainly very biased here. Thanksgiving is NFL-themed for me and has been for all of my life so I associate the holiday with football in a way different from people who don’t root for Dallas or the Detroit Lions.
It is so awesome when Thanksgiving week rolls around. All of the prep is happening as information is flying around and if the Cowboys win then you get to spend the evening enjoying it all with your family relaxing. What’s more is that you suddenly have a holiday weekend with your team already having put a win in the bank and are free to enjoy the college football rivalry games going on as well as red zone action for the NFL games on Sunday.
Thanksgiving is the best. Any other opinion is wrong.
Michael:
As RJ said above, any other opinion is wrong so I will be going with Thanksgiving, as well.
And yes, I actually mean that. Autumn is my favorite season and the peaks of fall time are untouchable by the rest of the calendar. The weather is perfect. The vibes are immaculate. But then you get to add football on a holiday on top of it all? Yes please. Football combined with a day where kicking your feet up and stuffing your face is not only acceptable, but celebrated? What more could you want.
The only downside is you’re stuck watching the Cowboys every year.