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Picks Six-AFC & NFC

January 24, 2021 by nflinlondon

THE PICKS SIX – CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY

Well, here we are. After a week of uncertainty, following an exciting divisional weekend, it looks like all things are set, and Championship Sunday is set to go off with only one big name injury – but thank god it’s not Patrick Mahomes… it’s a bit hard to create six categories of picks and tips with only two games to choose from, so let’s just have a look at both Championship games and then just a few tips as to what I think might happen on Sunday. It’s time for the Picks Six for the AFC and NFC championships.

Buccaneers vs Packers

The two best quarterbacks of the past decade? One storied franchise, and one loaded upstart? The Frozen Tundra? This has ALL the ingredients to be an absolute barnburner of a game. I’m so excited for this one. Hearing Aaron Rodgers jokingly suggest he was looking forward to seeing “Tom playing safety against me” this week shows how nonsensical the “Rodgers vs Brady” take on this game really is. They’re never going to be going one on one… and yet this game STILL feels like a duel between the two quarterbacks. The defenses – especially Tampa Bay’s – will play a huge role in the outcome of this, but the ball will still touch the hands of two of the greatest to ever do this on almost every play. 

Tampa Bay rode their luck slightly last week, as Brady definitely started off shaky and grew into the contest. I’m not sure they can afford a slow start this week. Green Bay’s 1st half offensive production has been incredible and has allowed them to play from a lead most of this season. Antonio Brown is definitely a big miss for Tampa Bay, but he barely played last Sunday either and the Buccaneers defense still stepped up big time to knock out the New Orleans Saints. Devin White? Unbelievable. Insane. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will carry the load down the field. Can “Playoff Lenny” Fournette continue to find the endzone with regularity? Maybe. Green Bay’s defense has improved vastly the last six to eight weeks, and have filled the holes that were being run through with ease earlier this season. And when they have the ball? Rodgers to Davante Adams is of course the main threat, but Robert Tonyan, Allen Lazard, and even Marquez Valdes-Scantling are further threats down the field. Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon and even Jamaal Williams could ALL end up as starting running backs in the NFL, maybe as early as next season. These are two absolutely stacked teams, and it’s absolutely no surprise to see them vying for a place in SuperBowl LV.

Speaking of which… There’s never been a “home team” in a SuperBowl, and I don’t think that streak is getting broken this year. What Brady and the Bucs have achieved in their first year together is very impressive, but I just don’t see how they’re beating this Packers team, with THAT quarterback playing this well. I love my man Stephen A. Smith, and I have to agree with him – Aaron Rodgers is a bad bad bad man. Sorry not sorry TB12, I’m riding with A-A-Rod. The Pack will go back to the biggest game of the season, with hope of bringing another championship back to TitleTown.

Bills vs Chiefs

Let me just say this… if you thought, for one second, that Patrick Mahomes wasn’t going to be playing in this game… you’re absolutely crazy. The face of the NFL? He would’ve needed a rather more significant injury than the reported “nerve in his neck” injury to stop Showtime from playing in his third straight AFC Championship game. It would have been somewhat of travesty in all honesty had this Chiefs team not been at full strength as they try to “run it back,” and defend their crown. But – even though he’s cleared concussion protocol – will Mahomes be 100%? He was already struggling with turf toe last weekend against the Browns. I have to assume that he’s going to be able to play through the pain barrier and lead his team into battle. His supporting cast as well all seem to by flying at the right time. It feels almost impossible for Travis Kelce to fail to have about 8 catches, around 100 yards, and a Touchdown every week. He’s just incredible. And when they needed him most, who made the play (with the help of Chad Henne) last weekend? Tyreek Hill. The run game is definitely somewhat lacking, but it wasn’t all the impressive with Damien Williams last season before his explosion in the playoffs. The Chiefs somehow took a SuperBowl winning team and somehow became even better. 

On the other side, I absolutely love this Bills team. What Sean McDermott has done in a relatively short space of time to turn this franchise from the Patriots’ whipping boy into the 2nd best team in the AFC is incredible. In a similar vein to Travis Kelce, it’s seemingly impossible for Stefon Diggs not to end each game having scored and earned triple digit receiving yards. The rapport he and his QB have has been a true gamechanger. Josh Allen has EARNED his right to be considered one of the four best QBs in the league; that’s what we’ve got on show this weekend. Brady vs Rodgers, Mahomes vs Allen. For me, they’ve been the four best pass throwers in the league this season, so it’s great to know that we’re going to get two of them in the SuperBowl two weeks from now. That said, I do think this will be the ceiling for Josh Allen and #BillsMafia. This Chiefs team is so impressive. I haven’t even mentioned the performance that Tyrann Mathieu turned in last weekend. He’ll need to be in that mood again this weekend to stop Buffalo from upsetting the odds and heading to Tampa with a chance. But as impressive as Buffalo have been, I just can’t go against Andy Reid and this offense. So, it might be the boring and obvious pick, but I’m taking the Chiefs here too. 

Cheeky Bets

Both Players to score a Touchdown Double:

Robert Tonyan & Rob Gronkowski both to score

Travis Kelce & Josh Allen both to score

£10 on this double pays about £340 depending on your bookmaker.

Parlay

Chiefs -2.5 & Over 54.5

Packers -2.5 & Over 52.0

£10 on this double pays about £120 depending on your bookmaker.

I’ve already apologised, so I won’t do it again, but I have to favour the two favourites AND both points totals going over. I think this will be a shootout sunday for the right to compete for the Lombardi trophy in 14 days. Thank you all, whether it was once, twice, or every week, for taking the time to read my thoughts. Hope it’s brought some enjoyment to this insane few months we’ve had. Stay safe, and come chat with me on Twitter or Instagram at @CallumJDSquires. Enjoy the games. Peace.

Callum Squires is a London based NFL writer, and former US college athlete. 

Filed Under: Featured, NFL Betting, NFL News, NFL Picks Tagged With: 2021 NFL London, 2021 NFL Tottenham, AFC Championship, buffalo bills, callum squires, conference playoffs, Green Bay Packers, kansas city chiefs, London NFL 2019, London NFL 2021 tickets, London NFL 2021 watch, New England Patriots, NFC Championship, nfl, NFL conference playoffs, NFL games London 2021, NFL news, NFL playoffs, NFL Tottenham, Oakland Raiders, Picks Six, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, tom brady, Wade McElwain

Harvie McElwain

January 23, 2021 by nflinlondon

NFL in London lost our ‘grandfather’ this week, as my father Harvie McElwain passed away at the age of 84.
There would be no NFL in London if it weren’t for Harvie, so I hope you’ll join me in raising a glass in toasting Harv this week as you watch the games.

Fred Harvie McElwain was born in Toronto, Canada in 1936. He attended the prestigious Upper Canada College, where he excelled at football, theatre and popularity.
Harvie was en route to the University of Toronto on a football scholarship until a tragedy struck his father, and Harvie was forced to abandon uni to take care of his family.

Football was life to my dad. As a geeky, friendless kid growing up on a farm in Canada, my love of the NFL came from my father, or rather being in his presence while we watched games together.
Every Sunday I would settle in for the games with my father, beaming from being in his company to watch the NFL with my dad. I learned to love the NFL by watching and learning from his incredulous reactions to the beautiful game.
He was patient with me to explain every rule, watched like a ref, he could anticipate plays, loved Madden & Summerall,  fair play, hated racism, and never shied away from revealing his emotions during the games.
‘That’s bullshit ref!’, ‘offside you idiot’, and ‘is that any good?!?’ would resonate through the house on Sundays, as I revelled in his passion and ability to swear in front of my mom and get away with it.

In 1985 my feeling for the NFL changed thanks to the Chicago Bears. I never had a ‘team’ prior to the Bears, as I navigated which of the NFL clubs I most identified with.
When the ’85 Bears burst on the scene, bullied the opposition then devastated the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, I knew I had my team.
I was a Bears fan.

My dad was quick to enlighten me on the history of the Bears. How they helped build the league, how they helped the US  try to overcome things like racism, and how they helped the Green Bay Packers as a pseudo big brother to them to get into the league.

Harvie was originally a Packers fan, but due to my allegiance, he chose to support every team that was ‘the little guy’. He never said this to me outright, but I knew that he wanted me to love the Bears, and didn’t want to ever compete or find a rivalry with me.
That’s the kind of guy he was. A gentle giant who stood up for the little guy, and encouraged fair play all the way.

My dad would go on to support every little guy team that needed support. Given that we lived on the American border, Harvie would support the Buffalo Bills during their 90s push as ‘Canada’s team’, often bringing us across the border to grab loads of Bills gear from the outlet stores.
He liked the Lions because ‘Barry Saunders is one of the classiest guys ever’, the Bucs because ‘they never win, and those are the worst uniforms ever’, and would always talk about how much he loved Washington FB John Riggins for being a ‘tough son of a bitch.’
Harvie also thought Howie Long was one of the dirtiest players that ever played, and would mutter under his breath every time Long and the Raiders made another dirty play.

Harvie was a high school football referee in Kitchener, Ontario. Twice a week during the season, my dad would travel to local high schools with his ref buddies to encourage the local youth to love the game. After the games, all of the refs would gather at local watering holes like the Edelwiess Tavern or the like for football banter, ribaldry, a few too many beers and sloshy drives home that would make newspapers today.

Often after school my dad would pick me up, then I would be given a handful of quarters for table top video games, while he and the refs talked high school football, 80s culture and grown-up bs.
I remember on one occasion when I was 13, the beer was flowing and the tensions were rowing between my dad and a particularly odious other large ref who was not well liked by his peers.
Even at that age I knew what a bully was, and this doofish was the grownup version.
Quicker of wit, my dad angered the large lout to the point he wanted to ‘go outside’ for a rumble to settle his public offense, and Harv was happy to oblige the loudmouth.
He told me to stay put as he and the refs headed to the patio for the big dust-up. As Harvie took off his sports jacket, the younger ref ran across and sucker punched my father in the mouth, which sent him back a few steps into the corner. I cried out in protest, as my dad looked over at me with a sly, secret smile.
That would be the only punch the man threw.
Harvie was 6′ 2″ 240lbs at the time and a former boxer.
I watched my dad steady himself after the sucker and deliver a series of combinations that snapped the man’s head back several times like a speed bag before he collapsed into a humble pile of injury.
As all the refs headed back inside leaving the man in a shameful heap, my hero dad leaned into me and said ‘let’s not tell your mom about this’ with a wink and nod.
I never did…until now. Sorry mommy.

While in uni, Harvie brought me in to make some extra cash as a high school football referee, despite me not having taken any training or accreditation. In my first game, I worked with my dad and was nervous as hell (as well as incredibly hung over). Trying to justify my presence, I called an early ‘too many men on the field’ penalty, which sent one of the coaches into such a tizzy, ran onto the field to address me.
Needless to say I never continued to ref, but Harv always had my back.

Harvie was always proud of all of the great high school footballers the region produced, and would often keep clip outs of their achievements.
One local athlete who went on to do well was a boxer named Lennox Lewis, who played football for Cameron Heights Collegiate. When other refs would bemoan that Lewis ‘didn’t like to get hit’ when he played football, my dad would counter ‘that’s what’s going to make him a great boxer. Look out for him.’ If you’re reading this Lennox, my dad kept loads of your newspapers and proudly announced you as ‘Kitchener’s own.’

When I moved to the UK in 2007, I lamented to my father the lack of the NFL viewing in London, he simply responded ‘do something about it.’  I wanted the NFL in London experience to be like what watching football with my dad was like. Good food, great banter, and a feeling of family. No matter who you supported, you were always welcome, and it was all about everyone together.
As much as the NFL is about competition, it’s also about inclusivity.

Harvie attended an NFL game with me and some friends when he made the trek over to England. As dementia crept onto his playing field, Harv was determined that he would make the most of his remaining memories, and everyone who sat near us at Wembley Stadium for the Bucs vs Bears were treated to a true Harvie McElwain experience. He explained the rules to British newcomers to the game, encouraged children to cheer and make some noise, and even tried to keep up pint for pint with some gregarious fans. Thanks to everyone who got us home safely that night.

When I was asked to host some the NFL UK festivities over the years, my dad always wanted to know who was there and what was happening. Any time I met one of his heroes he asked me what they were like. Guys like Joe Montana were happy to indulge me with a photo, Jerry Jones telling a press conference Hollywood scandal stories at my behest ripped my old man to pieces with laughter, and then there was Jerry. The Jerry.
Jerry Rice is one of my dad’s all time favourites as a player, as a person, as a role model. Harvie was all about spotting ‘class’ in a player, and Jerry Rice had class and then some. As much as he pushed the little guy, he also promoted the big guy with the even bigger heart.

When I was hosting an NFLUK event at Wembley, I was told that I was going to be given a press opportunity with Jerry Rice & some fans. In a mock stadium in front of a few thousand UK fans, Jerry runs out onto the pitch with the swagger of an NFL great.
We do a few Q&A’s and my heart is pumping in front of this family icon, who is not only so calm and sweet, but is incredibly handsome up close.
As the interview is coming to a close Jerry Rice does something that changed my life forever.
He asked me him to throw him a football.
Watch the video below to see it in its glory.
Jerry Rice came up to me after the play and said ‘that was a hell of a pass, you could play in the NFL.’
I knew he was joking, but I knew it didn’t matter. I just threw a touchdown pass to Jerry Rice. Jerry Rice is amazing. Jerry Rice has class. Harvie.
After this happened I immediately called my dad back in Canada and told him ‘I just threw a touchdown pass to Jerry Rice.’ he paused for the joke.
I explained in broken hysterics what had just happened nearly breaking into full on tears into recounting this lifetime milestone. The pause of emotion that followed still lives with me today. I didn’t just throw the pass, Harvie was there too.

The NFL remained one constant in his life, despite his inability to focus on games in his latter years, he was just happy to be in the presence of fellow NFL fans.
Though an ocean away, my dad and I still kept in touch with all the NFL news. His memory for the game may have struggled, but his passion never did.

Often I would encourage NFL in London fans at events to give a shout out to my father Harvie which I would film. My mom would play them for my dad, causing him to well up with emotion.
You may not have known what an impact you had on an old NFL fan and his family, but it was tremendous, and my whole family thanks you. UK NFL fans are the best.

This is the first Super Bowl without my father in my life, and it sucks huge. Knowing all the new NFL friends I have met in the UK and beyond has been a real blessing, and I know that in someway he’s a catalyst for it all.
Setting up parties at the Sports Bar, Hippodrome, hosting NFLUK events, and helping promote the game in the UK for me is as result of  my dad’s love of the NFL, and his knowledge that gathering together to watch the games is more about sport.
It’s about family.
So many of us in the UK have found new kin & collectives thanks to our love of the NFL, and if the events I and the team have helped set up have helped you make new NFL friends and family for life, then you have Harvie McElwain to thank for it.

So this weekend, and for the Super Bowl please do me a favour and raise a glass to my father Harvie McElwain. Those who knew him miss him fondly, and those who didn’t would have loved to watch a game with him.

Safe travels Harv…and fuck dementia.

Here is an obituary to my father Harvie McElwain. A true legend.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/therecord-waterloo/obituary.aspx?n=harvie-mcelwain&pid=197570385

Filed Under: Featured, NFL London, NFL News, NFL Pictures, NFL Video Tagged With: 2020 London NFL games, 2021 London NFL, 2021 NFL London, 2021 NFL Tottenham, Betregal, buffalo bills, canada, CBS NFL, Harvie McElwain, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, NFL in london, NFL International, NFL playoffs, NFL tips, NFLUK, Toronto Argonauts, Wade McElwain, Where to watch NFL in London

Conference Playoffs

January 23, 2021 by nflinlondon

And then there were four. Only the Bills, Bucs, Chiefs, and Packers remain, so which one of them will be the next Super Bowl Champion? We will find out in this podcast edition of the NFL Conference Playoffs.

The Divisional Playoffs last weekend brought us some incredible highs, some lowly lows, and some oh so close matches that went down to the wire. Some of those things that Wade & Ryan talk about in this edition of the podcast includes:

Bills Running Game

The Bills don’t have one, but how much will that matter? Well, going deep into the playoffs-the more well rounded teams usually fare better. While questions emerge around how the Bills can expect to survive again against the Chiefs without a running game, the guys discuss another point. What if it’s there, but we just don’t see it.

Done Drew

Drew Brees is of the big broadcast booth in the sky next season by the look of it, and what a way to whimper out. Brees was picked and prodded by the stout Bucs D last weekend, and despite the cute send off by Tom Brady after the game, it wasn’t really the way a player wants to bow out of the NFL.

Clipped Ravens

The Ravens are good, but not great. They lack the finesse of a complete team, and that puts too much pressure on Lamar Jackson. The Bills choked out Baltimore and didn’t ask if they wanted a safety word. If Baltimore wants to make a deeper push next season, they are going to need to add a running game and a few key receivers.

Rodgers Rate

Aaron Rodgers is playing phenomenal football right now. Of course, he’s only won one post season game thus far, and that was against the depleted LA Rams, who had a hobbled Aaron Donald in that game. Aaron is playing knockout football, but is that only because he hasn’t been hit yet ?

Browntown

Cleveland is as Cleveland does. The Browns shot themselves in the foot numerous times last Sunday against a Chiefs team that was ready for a right hook. The Browns screwed up in the red zone several times, and Baker wasn’t able to get the passing game going with effectiveness. For about an hour, the world was rooting for the Browns, but it wasn’t enough.

Bucs D

Something is stirring in Florida, and it isn’t a radioactive gator (or is it?). Tampa’s D has been growing in confidence week on week, thanks to TB12 being able to score at will. The Bucs harassed Drew Brees on Sunday, and their numerous picks set the stage for Buc’s points. If a Super Bowl is won by the best D, is this their best chance?

Goff-Off

Jared Goff is going to struggle to be an LA resident. Given that everyone in California is moving to Texas, Goff might want to consider packing his bags. Sean McVay is obviously miffed at Goff’s inconsistent style of play, and he has regressed since their Super Bowl appearance. Look for him to use this offseason to ‘find himself’ or the door out.

Sunday Predictions

So who do Wade & Ryan see winning this Sunday? Well have a listen to the full podcast, and you can get all of the scores and reasoning. But for the sake of brevity and giving you some betting clues, here you go.

Bucs (11-5) vs Packers (13-3)
Packers -3.5  +52
20:05 GMT

The last time these two teams met, the Bucs D grabbed Aaron Rodgers by the moustache and rode that face down the field for 38-10 beating. After getting picked off twice, you could see the look in Rodgers eyes that said basically ‘screw this crap’, and he never mentally returned.
Rematches are a different beast, and we know from TB12 last week that vengeance has its own plan.
The weather looks to be Wisconsin comfortable on Sunday, which will benefit the Bucs.
Green Bay still has some issues on their O line, while the Bucs have had to shuffle a few players on their O line to give Tommy some breathing space.
Ryan is bullish on the Packers here, as it sets up his Super Bowl prediction. He thinks that the combo of Rodgers and Adams will find too many holes in that Bucs secondary and that Tommy’s heroics will fail at the last minute.
Wade on the other hand sees this Bucs momentum continuing on. Brady loves a challenge, and you can bet he will be a bigger locker room motivator than Rodgers. If Ronald Jones is fully healthy, the Packers will struggle to contain a dual attack, not to mention Rodgers being sacked several times.
Ryan- Packers 30 Bucs 27
Wade- Bucs 31 Packers 28

Bills (13-3) vs Chiefs (14-2)
Chiefs -3  +56
23:40 GMT

It’s the battle of the young’uns, as Josh Allen takes aim at Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Mahomes looks to have cleared concussion protocol, and his foot injury is looking good as well. It’s difficult in the best of games to contain Mahomes, so the Bills have their hands full.
Despite their winning record, the Bills have had an underdog status propelling them into the playoffs. The press has pointed to their last 90s’ appearances, and how Josh Allen was busy winning ‘cutest baby titles’ the last time the Bills made the show.
The last time these two faced off the Bills showed Mahomes a cushion of respect, which led to them getting gashed for over 240 rushing yards in a loss. The Bills won’t make the same mistake twice.
Josh Allen has more tools and confidence since that loss, which was also impacted by Covid scheduling,
Both being Canadians who lived on the US border, Wade and Ryan are favouring the plucky Bills in this contest, although for different reasons.
A diehard Bills fan, Ryan would choose them even if they all tested positive for Covid. He has all the confidence that the Bills will make the Super Bowl after this one.
Wade likes the Bills because the ghost of his father Harvie is telling him to, and that’s good enough for him.
Ryan- Bills 30 Chiefs 28
Wade- Bills 28 Chiefs 26

Do you think that the guys got it right? Feel free to reach out to us across our website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and carrier pigeon. We have a Facebook group as well that has loads of great articles and funny memes.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NFLinLondon

At the end of the podcast, Wade pays tribute to his father Harvie McElwain who died on January 20, 2021. Harvie was a big impact on NFL in London, and this NFL loving father, grandfather and former referee’s presence will be felt here for a long time.
Safe travels Harv.

Enjoy Sunday, and please share this with all your NFL friends.

NFLinLondon · Conference Preview-Ep 126

Filed Under: Featured, NFL Betting, NFL London, NFL News, NFL Picks, NFL Podcasts Tagged With: 2021 London NFL, 2021 NFL London, 2021 NFL Tottenham, Aaron Rodgers, buffalo bills, conference playoffs, Green Bay Packers, Harvie McElwain, josh allen, kansas city chiefs, la rams, London NFL 2021 tickets, London NFL 2021 watch, nfl, NFL conference playoffs, NFL games London 2021, NFL news, NFL playoffs 2020, NFL Playoffs 2021, NFL podcast, NFL Tottenham, NFLUK, Philadelphia Eagles, tom brady, Wade McElwain, Where to watch NFL in London

Conference Sunday

January 18, 2021 by nflinlondon

What a wild weekend in the NFL Wildcard Playoffs! The Bills, Chiefs, Packers and Buccaneers all meet next week for Conference Sunday. Are you ready for some football?

The game lines for Sunday’s AFC and NFC championship have been released, with the Chiefs and Packers holding a narrow spread over their opponents. The Packers are favoured by 4 points over the Bucs at Lambeau, while the Chiefs are a scant 3 points favoured over the powerful Buffalo Bills.
Which two teams will be heading to the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay this season?

Here in the UK, those watching the Conference Sunday finals will have to wait until 20:05 for the NFC contest, while the AFC final follows directly after with a 23:40 kickoff. All of the games will be on NFL Gamepass.

Here are some thoughts heading into the final week of NFL playoffs before the SuperBowl.

Packers Offence

Aaron Rodgers continue to blister on at an MVP pace. The neigh sayers who bemoaned the Packers for not drafting a rookie WR to help Rodgers out have been silenced by the fact that he continues to spread the ball around relentlessly. Let’s not forget that the Packers have had the easiest route to the finals, so they will have much more to prove.

So Raven

Baltimore was smothered by the Bills defence on Saturday, forcing Lamar Jackson out of the game, and propelling them into the dank post season. Buffalo sure showed the blueprint to beat Lamar Jackson’s legs, and the Ravens will need a long hard look at what missing pieces they need to pick up in the offseason if they want to have any hope of making a longer playoff push next season.

Buffalo is Warming Up

The Ravens did what they could to throttle Josh Allen and the high flying Bills offence, but just don’t have enough to get it down. Buffalo is really starting to find their confidence now, which should be scary for a Chiefs team that barely escaped a bolstered Browns squad. Allen is also now starting to spread the ball out beyond Diggs, which will cause problems in KC.

We’re Secretly Brownies

As Patrick Mahomes made his way to the blue tent on Sunday night, a feeling started to roll across America ‘I might like the Browns’. Everyone started to root for this team as they showed their pluck and guile under the foot of the Chiefs presence. Cleveland didn’t play that bad. The Browns screwed up 2 HUGE chances in the redzone that would have made the game a totally different beast. Baker’s ill timed cross field interception took the momentum out of a huge drive, while Higgins leap into the end zone only to lose the ball to a touchback was a crappy way to end out the half. The fact that the refs missed a blatant helmet hit in the process means that the league still has work to do.

Henne Ain’t Great

Oooh everyone! Did you see the heroics of Henne? Yes, the 35 year old veteran back up had a few sneaky drives to keep the Chiefs in the win, but he also made some stoopid plays as well. How quickly everyone forgets the lame floater he tossed to a Browns player in the end zone. Not even Johnny Manziel would throw a lame duck like that. Any team that wants to sign Henne after that 2 quarters of mediocre play might be interested in some swamp land in Florida.

Reid’s Balls

Andy Reid has some pretty big balls. Going for it on 4th down with a backup QB, Reid decides to run a shotgun play quickly instead of letting the clock run and try to catch the D offside. The play worked, and sent the Browns packing. Thanks to the gonads of Andy Reid, there might be some big plays ahead.
Here is the play again.

Buc Up

Whoever keeps pissing in Tom Brady’s ‘Wheaties’, please stop. You’re giving him the motivation to star playing angry. While TB12 didn’t look amazing during the Saints game, he was facing one of the best D’s in the league. Tampa made some great adjustments to keep Tom safe, only allowing 1 sack as opposed to 10. Let’s also not forget that it was the Bucs who spanked the Packers huge this season, and with Tommy’s growing confidence, there could be trouble in Wisconsin this Sunday.

Brees Out

Well it looks like Drew Brees will be riding off into the sunset. Despite not officially saying this, every pundit and their uncle made their prediction that this would be Brees’ last game in New Orleans before taking a cushy broadcasting job. Brees has been a hell of a player, and such an ambassador for the city of New Orleans. There will be a big gap to fill after Brees leaves the swamp, and doubtful in Jameis Winston has being enough feet to fill those shoes.
The really classy moment came at the end, with footage of Brady and Brees talking to his family. TB12 throws a touchdown pass to little Brees…and no…you’re crying.

Have a great week, and let’s go Sunday!

Filed Under: Featured, NFL London, NFL News, NFL Pictures, NFL Video Tagged With: 2020 London NFL games, 2020 NFL Wembley, 2021 NFL Tottenham, Aaron Rodgers, Baker Mayfield, bill belichick, buffalo bills, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, kansas city chiefs, London NFL, London NFL 2021 tickets, London NFL 2021 watch, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, NFL 2021 predictions, NFL bets, NFL betting, NFL memes, NFL playoffs 2020, NFL Playoffs 2021, NFL Tottenham, NFL Wembley, NFLUK, patriots, San Francisco 49ers, tom brady, Wade McElwain, Where to watch NFL in London

Picks Six-Divisionals

January 16, 2021 by nflinlondon

Hello there and welcome to another edition of The Picks Six, back again for (super) Divisional Weekend. Sadly, only four games this weekend and, horrifyingly, only 3 more after sunday night. That said, it does mean we’re coming to the business end of the season, and the remaining 8 teams all know they’re just 3 wins away from the ultimate goal of lifting the Lombardi trophy in SuperBowl LV. This weekend’s matchups are absolutely mouthwatering, with one-on-one spectacles like Jalen Ramsey vs Davante Adams, ultimate draft comparison with Lamar and Josh Allen, two of the greatest QBs ever going up against each other… oh and Tom Brady vs Drew Brees. You will all respect Baker vs Mahomes. You will. Let’s talk briefly about each game, and my pick for each of them.

Rams @ Packers 

The headline grabbing matchup between star cornerback and star receiver aside, this still feels like the ultimate game of offense vs defense. Despite the Packers’ alleged struggles against the run, they haven’t allowed a 100 yard rusher in almost two months at this point, and have tightened things up significantly on the back end, whilst their fearless leader continues to shred opposing defences en route to his MVP award. Rodgers has truly been peerless, and enjoyed his bye week whilst Aaron Donald was slightly injuring his ribs against Russell Wilson. You can probably guess where I’m leaning with this one: I just can’t see the Rams being able to score enough to beat this Packers team. If they get another defensive score – like the Pick 6 last week – they’d have a shot, but Rodgers has Adams, Tonyan, Jones, and the deep-threat of Valdez-Scantling and for me those weapons are too many to defend. Cam Akers has given the Rams some nice late season production in the latter stages of the season, and Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are a great pair of receivers, but is Jared Goff 100%? Surely he can’t be. If Blake Bortles had been there more this season, he might be given a shot, but it feels unlikely they’ll throw him in unless Goff’s thumb is really struggling. 

Therefore, I ask the question: can you beat Aaron Rodgers without a QB? Maybe. I saw this week that Aaron Rodgers is 0-2 in the playoffs against the number one ranked pass defense… which this season is the LA Rams. Jalen Ramsey’s stats are insane, but will need every bit of his smarts to stay with Davante Adams. I think the Packers will find special ways to get Adams the ball – he’s too good to not be involved, despite Ramsey’s attention. I don’t think this will be a back and forth shootout and if I wasn’t morally opposed to betting the under, I would suggest doing that. However, as it stands, with the line at -6.5, I like Green Bay to win and move on to the NFC Title game.

Ravens @ Titans 

Ooooooh this game. Saturday night football is electric. Lamar finally got the playoff monkey off his back with the revenge victory against Tennessee, and the Ravens will ride into Buffalo high on confidence and with a mean streak in tow. However, this isn’t the same old Bills team. This is Josh Allen’s Bills team. His partnership with Stefon Diggs is truly Box Office, and that Bills D is showing up late in the season like it should. Buffalo’s run game took a bit of a hit with the injury to Zack Moss, but really Buffalo’s most dangerous runner is… their main passer. Allen is so dangerous in the RedZone, and can create hell for defensive coordinators. That said, the Bills have struggled against the run, and the Ravens seem to want to run over everyone that’s put in front of them, and have done so successfully for about 6 weeks now. I love the one-two punch of JK Dobbins and Jackson in the backfield with their speed and shiftiness, and the threat of Mark Andrews and Hollywood Brown down the field. Baltimore are flying right now, but Sean McDermott has something special cooking in Buffalo.

I do feel that Buffalo wins this game, and I like a lot of points to be scored here. Bills Mafia will show up and be loud and I think will help propel Josh Allen to his second playoff win in two weeks. I think this will be a great game, with these two young star QBs showing why they are two of the new faces of the league. MVP Lamar will have his moments here, but I think the quality of Diggs down the field, with the underneath ability of Cole Beasley and (potential breakout star) Gabriel Davis, will give the Bills what they need to win this shootout.

Browns @ Chiefs 

The Baker vs Mahomes story has been told a thousand times, but that doesn’t make it any less enchanting. Mahomes visited Texas Tech and stayed with Baker, before becoming the Tech QB when Mayfield had transferred to Oklahoma. Then came the absolutely INSANE 66-59 game in October 2016. The game still holds almost every NCAA record for offensive statistics. The number one pick for Cleveland, vs the man Andy Reid and the Chiefs were so enamoured with they traded up to take him, and eventually pushed Alex Smith aside to complete his ascension. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have been an absolute powerhouse for multiple years now, and are the reigning SuperBowl champions for a reason. And, guess what? They’re better than they were last year. However, it’s been two decades since the Cleveland Browns were even approaching being as good as they are right now. Will there be a more confident team this weekend than the Browns? They just beat up their big brother and broke the curse at Heinz Field that’s lasted over 17 years. Not to mention, this is their first playoff appearance in about that long. On the face of it, this is David vs Goliath, and Vegas seems to agree – with the Browns 10 point underdogs. I see two options in this game. Either the Browns control the clock with the two-headed monster in the run game, and keep it close, or the Chiefs offense does what it does and scores 45 points against an under matched Cleveland secondary. Kansas City is so explosive, you can’t rule it out. 

That said, with the momentum from last week, I believe in Baker and the Browns. Do I believe they’ll win the game? … not entirely. But I absolutely believe the game will be close. Baker is playing REALLY well and will continue to put his team in a position to have a chance in this game. Kevin Stefanski’s return to the sidelines will only help the Browns case. The points line is 57!!! Insanely high, so I’ll leave that, but this could well end up being a shootout. That said, Browns +10.0 looks good to me. Furthermore, don’t be surprised if there IS an upset in KC… you’ve been warned.

Buccaneers @ Saints 

Brees vs Brady is a lovely way to end the weekend. Undoubtedly, Brady has been the more successful Quarterback, and yet Brees seems to be the one holding all the individual NFL league records. I saw a stat that says Tom Brady has the same number of playoff wins against the NFC as Drew Brees does… and Brady previous to this year only got to play the NFC in the SuperBowl… Yikes for Drew. Brees’ regular season success has been matched by the levels of playoff heartbreak he and New Orleans have had to endure the past decade. The Minneapolis miracle, the non-call of the PI against the Rams… I feel for the Saints. I really do. And just when they feel like they’ve got everything to make the Super Bowl again… Tom Brady joins the division. Ouch. Credit to the Saints, they’ve beaten these Buccaneers twice this year already, but the old saying goes “it’s hard to beat a team 3 times…” So maybe the Buccaneers can get their revenge? The Bucs are in a much different place now to when the Saints handled them easily around ⅔ of the season mark. Bruce Arians seems to have figured out how to make the most out of the pieces he’s got. I mean, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Scotty Miller, PLUS Gronk and Brate the Tight Ends… The Buccaneers have many different ways they can beat you, especially if they get the “old” Leonard Fournette like they appeared to last week against Washington.

This game is such a toss up for me right now. I’ve been a proponent of the Saints, and a disregard-er of the Bucs for most of this year, but I might have to jump (to the pirate) ship right now. Brady looks good, and the sheer number of weapons the Bucs have is terrifying. The way the Saints win this game is lean on Alvin Kamara, take the ball out of Drew Brees’ hands, and hope their D-Line can wreck the Tampa Bay game plan. That said, I think this is high-scoring and the Buccaneers keep it close. This will be a great Sunday night cap. I would only be surprised if this game was a blowout one way or the other. And whoever wins… gets Aaron Rodgers next week. Oooooooh tasty.

The Parlay

Combining the picks from above, £10 on the following four leg parlay pays about £450 depending on your bookmaker.

Green Bay -6.5

Over 49.0 points & Buffalo -2.5 

Cleveland +10.0

Over 52.0 points & Tampa Bay +3.0

Enjoy the games everybody! As always I’m @CallumJDSquires on Twitter & Instagram. Come say hey. Let’s get these Championships won next weekend and look forward to the Super Bowl. Stay safe and stay sane. 

Callum Squires is a diehard Dolphins fan, writer, and friend of NFL in London. 

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Filed Under: NFL London, Featured, NFL Betting, NFL News, NFL Picks Tagged With: aaron donald, Aaron Rodgers, buffalo bills, callum squires, Green Bay Packers, josh allen, la rams, London, London International, London NFL, London NFL 2019, London NFL 2021 tickets, Minnesota Vikings, NFL games London 2021, NFL in london, NFL news, NFL playoffs, NFL playoffs 2020, NFL Playoffs 2021, NFL podcast, NFL tips, NFL Tottenham, NFL Wembley, NFLUK, Picks Six, Picks Six-Divisionals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Ryan Cull, Wade McElwain, Where to watch NFL in London

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