NFL in London

National Football League in London

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December Flakes

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As we roll round into the winter months of a budget tightened winter, we offer you something special as we look at some of our December Flakes of the NFL season.

Sure, the white stuff might be falling from the skies as winter approaches, but it’s the flake outs on the NFL season thus far that make us look at ‘what’s actually nicer or sadder to see?’

Let’s take look at some of the winter blusters, blunders and blow-outs that take us to journey thus far in December Flakes.

Aaron Rodgers

A-A-Ron has certainly slumped this season since his massive payday. It’s like his massive chunk didn’t leave enough cheese for the rest of the rats?

His thumb, his ribs, his teammates, his teammates-nothing is good enough when there is not enough budget.

Whatever the mumbo jumbo vision he saw in his pre season dance, it’s not going the way it should, and you wonder what he might do to slide out the season, and glide to somewhere less Green in 2023.

Russell Wilson

No one came to your party, because you sucked the sweet out of the cake 5 years ago. Even the fructose of a celebrity marriage hasn’t translated to the turf, as Wilson balls out like a stag for a 80 year old.

It’s not totally his fault, but it’s a lot of his fault as the D has been riding the team so hard, they should be called the ‘Doncos’.

Fans are looking at Russ like mis-spent, and unused PPU-like someone made a big COVID mistake.

The Rams

When a dog goes to die, it usually finds a nice quiet place that’s soft and out of the way.
The LA Rams look to be that dog now.

From the ‘Good Boys’ days of being the Super Bowl Champs only 10 months ago, the Rams look like they have been shot, de-horned, and sliced down by a private renegade hunting group.

Stafford is stuffed, Kupp is Cooped and the D is just plain old pooped.

What a downfall! And the budget for the future doesn’t look sunny.

Cleveland Browns

Deshaun Watson is back and it’s a bad kettle of bat crazy on Cleveland.

After vigorously wanting to leave Texas, Watson was ‘suddenly’ smacked with dozens of massage allegations.
Nothing like the smacking that NFL players get caught doing continually, Deshaun never was charged with assault.

Whatever the issue, Deshaun has endured several years of this and finally gets to shine to for the Cleveland Browns.
Shine is a funny word, as the saying goes ‘you can’t polish a turd’, and the Browns certainly have shaded themselves to ‘fecal brown’.

It will take a while for the Browns to shake off their smell, but like all turds, they eventually give birth to something new.

Houston Texans

How long does this have to go on Houston?
Are you building a fanbase or is this a hostage situation?
Is this Houston, or Waco?

The Texans have had years to rebuild and have seem to have bit the pot more times than a one-legged toddler.
You don’t need a dentist to check your Tunsil’s to see that the rot is not in the tooth, but in the roots.

You let Davis Mills a low-ranked rookie run the squad, then had the temerity to publicly dump him without giving him anything, anyone, and pissing off the only Cooks he had in the kitchen.

If Bezos buys an NFL team, then Elon Musk should buy the Texans. He already has a ‘home’ in Austin, so why not just grab something else while the world starves?

There’s too many other flakes falling to mention to not sound like the old guy at the end of the bar telling how many feet of snow he got in his day. ..but…some drifts…

Kyler Murray needs to grow up or get taller. 
Do you have a plan Lamar?
If the Bears break Fields…trouble
Mariota is a dud machine
The Jets still need a new QG

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Bears in London

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The NFL tickled us with a treat this week, as Chicago took advantage of the new international marketing areas to host the Bears in London on Sunday.

What a fun night of action, and thanks for hosting us!

Home Marketing

With the NFL going fully international this year, the league announced last year that they would allow certain teams to market directly to global fans.

The United Kingdom had six teams granted rights to perform this, with the Jaguars, Vikings, Dolphins, Jets, 49ers and Bears getting the royal treatment here.

This was the Bears first attempt at hosting one of these parties, and they did a lot of things right.

Flat Iron Party

The Bears opted to host the party in London’s Flat Iron area, just round the corner from London Bridge station.

While the area was popular when the NFL was in town, it did seem like a rather odd location given how quickly the area empties on a Sunday, as well as being hosted underneath the train tracks.

The hype was obvious at entry, as cheery marketing folk handed out raffle tickets, and encouraged fans to participate in some of the many trivia and cheer games they had prepared.
Some of the games were funny, some cheesy, and there were times fans just wanted the game back on as they battled the Lions, but the good nature of the event and £7 pints had Bears fans rollicking.

Bringing in the Bears hype man to host the event did bring a deep dish authenticity to the event, and he was genuinely surprised at just how damn knowledgeable UK Bears fans are at trivia.
The only wrong answers seemed to be displayed in the Bears game play.

The Game

Heading into the game, the Bears were a three point favourite over a Lions team bolstered by a win over the Packers last weekend.

The awkward tension was palatable in the room, as the Lions erased the Bears lead, despite the gutsy and emotional play of Justin Fields.

Despite the loss, UK Bears fans were playful to the few Lions fans who snuck in, possibly bouyed by beers, Bears and Bears swag.

Speaking of swag, while it looked like they brought plenty, it didn’t seem like it reached many of the fans, as Bears loyals were seen packing branded, paper drinks coasters into their pockets for a little bit of take home legacy.

Or maybe people just didn’t want to be reminded of a one point loss.

Bear Down Future

Scrolling the Bears forums, the main complaints from fans around the event stemmed from it being last minutes, and in London, alienating many UK Bears fans who either can’t travel on Sunday nights, or can’t afford London prices.

Rumours from the Bears marketing staff on hand is that there could be more of these viewing events across the UK in the coming months.

Make sure to watch this space, and we will let you know where and when you can Beardown this NFL season.

All in all, it was a fun night of football, and a good sign of things to come.

 

Humpway There

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The final London game is done and dusted, trades have been made, and we push on to the second half of the NFL season, as we are officially Humpway There.

Anyone who says that they predicted this season needs a serious slap in the face, because no one foresaw the shiteshow demise of some of the biggest NFL franchises.

Rodgers, Brady, Stafford, Wilson and others have had a bad, bad season, while Geno Smith is looking to lock up the MVP award this season (seriously!)

Let’s look back at the week that was.

Week 8 Games

Panthers 34 Falcons 37

This game needed a bag over its head it was so ugly. From a kicker who warmed up so much, he missed, to D.J. Moore removing his helmet and getting the penalty that would put them out of field goal range.
A game that was truly tough to watch, but that’s the NFC South.
Mariota is not the solution, while the Panthers have to frustrated that they let this divisional game slip away due to stupid mistakes.

Raiders 0 Saints 24

What do you do when you have one of the worst defences in the NFL? Score ZERO points.
The Raiders have been sucking hard this season, with their D ranking at the bottom of everything.
So why didn’t Carr, Jacobs and Adams rip them a new one?
New Orleans snagged a much needed win when the Bucs and  Panthers both fell, but they still have a huge hill to climb ahead.

Bears 29 Cowboys 49

Dem boyz are back! Or did they just take advantage of a depleted and defeated Chicago squad?
Either Zeke is on a hunger strike, or Dallas is just refusing to feed him anymore, as it was the Pollard show all day.
Despite being shaken and stirred, Justin Fields and the boys were actually able to rally and put points on the board-something previous Bears teams have struggled to do.
Big win for the Cowboys, but not a horrible showing by the Bears.

Trade News

Well the trade deadline came and went, and this one did NOT disappoint!
Among some of the big trades that happened prior to the deadline.

Christian McCaffery to the 49ers was probably the biggest trade to kick off the action.
The Panthers continue to shed their previous incarnations, and San Francisco adds a breakable beast of a RB that will either take them to the promised land, or tear his ACL in week 10.

Jacksonville Jaguars started the season strong, which is probably why they made a few tweaks to secure wide receiver Calvin Ridley from the Falcons.
Having traded James Robinson to the Jets earlier, the Jags are looking to give Trevor Lawrence the speed and compliment to Christian Kirk.

Miami knows their D sucks, which is why they made the play for Bradley Chubb of the Denver Broncos.
The Dolphins have a serious playoff shot if they can plug in some holes in their backend, and Chubb certainly brings presence and play to the field.
Denver gets some picks, as well as RB Chase Edmonds who must be thrilled to go from contender to bender in a week.

Like sleeping with your sister, it’s generally not a good idea to pass players to teams in your division, but that didn’t stop the Lions from shipping off TE TJ Hockenson to the rival Minnesota Vikings.
By adding TJ, the Vikings get a nice compliment to Justin Jefferson, and another target for Kirk Cousins to overthrow.
Detroit knows that this season is over (again), and it’s time to build (again).

Chicago Bears were thought to be the bin bottom of the league this year, but looky-loo, they are tied with the Packers for second place.
The Bears starting shipping off the D early, shipping Roquan Smith to the Ravens in exchange for draft picks in 2023.
They pulled apart the D even further when they dealt Robert Quinn to the Eagles, who are looking to fulfil that perfect season.
Lastly, the Bears picked up Steelers WR Chase Claypool to give Fields that speed and height option that Mooney lacks.
The Bears might know that this season is over, but that hasn’t stopped them from looking towards next year.

Aaron Rodgers got nothing. No tools, no toys, no respect.
Maybe it’s because he took all that money?

Let’s see what Brady and Rodgers can do now?

 

Broncos Jags London

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It’s time for the final London game of the season, as the Denver Broncos visit the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in England.
Who wins the big game? Will Russell play? What to do in the city?

We can answer that in our Broncos Jags London edition!

Wembley Stadium

Visitors take note, this game is at a different stadium!
While the first two games were hosted at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in northeast London, this game will be held at Wembley Stadium in northwest London.
If you go to the wrong stadium, it’s going to take you a wee bit to switch back.

Built in 2007, Wembley is the unofficial home of England’s football, and has hosted numerous NFL games before.

Anyone who visited Wembley for NFL games from 2007-2011 were possibly horrified at how nothing to do there was around the area.
Once the game was over, you got the heck out, and never partied prior to the game.

Boy has that changed! Around the stadium is now a Chi-Pah-Town of possibility, with numerous chains and pubs to entertain you and keep you safe before the game.
There are now lots of safe hotels around as well, which means you aren’t staying in a bedsit with some people who don’t speak the language.

Unlike Tottenham stadium, there is plenty to do around Wembley, and you will have options to look at after the game.
Do remember, London shuts early, so many of these pubs will close by 11.

Stadium Sports Bar near Wembley is very close and advertises that its open late. You will have to ask if they have Redzone, but if they show Skysports, they will have it.
You can find them here.
https://www.stadiumsportsbar.uk/

Mirage Sports Bar is also local and seems basic enough to be a place to occupy sporting bodies, and has reasonable drinks deals. You can find them here.
https://www.wembleyinternationalhotel.co.uk/restaurant-sports-bar/mirage-sports-bar-wembley/

The Game

London games usually bring two things.
One the scores are generally low as teams adjust to a new pitch, country, and fans of assorted jerseys, affiliations and newness.
Two, someone will get fired after this game. (probably Hackett)

Jacksonville are three point faves in this one, boasting a better offence than the Broncos.
Denver has a solid D that will give the Jags some frustrations, but look to Etienne Jr to have a booming day running the ball.

We think that the Jags will win by a bit to cover the spread in a low scoring affair.

After the Game

London has a lot to offer, unfortunately not late at night, and especially on a Sunday.

That being said there are a few cool areas you might want to check out.

Shoreditch

One of the few ares that will be open til the wee hours, there are a scant few places that might even put on NFL games if you ask nicely. (note they will need to have a Sky Sports sticker in their window to show Redzone).

Roadtrip near Old Street is a good old fashioned rock n roll bar that is not only open late on a Sunday, but they show LOTS of NFL. They have TVs indoor and out.
Food is a bit iffy, but loads of nibbles street side if you want to pop out.
Find them here.
https://roadtripbar.com/

Brewdog Shoreditch will definitely NOT show any NFL as they have no TVs. They do however have a great selection of beers, plenty of space, and are open til midnight.
Great place to meet up after the game to get the gang together.
https://www.brewdog.com/uk/brewdog-shoreditch

The Owl and the Pussycat is a fun pub in the hood to snag some beers and hit the garden. It’s open til 11pm on Sundays.
https://www.owlandpussycatshoreditch.com/

Other London

The Sports Bar & Grill was our original location for NFL after party fun. It’s located right in the train station, so it’s a quick blast back from the stadium into the city.
It gets very packed, so you will want to reserve a table. They will have the Sky NFL games plus Redzone.
The food is both lack and luster, so keep that in mind before ordering huge.
https://www.sportsbarandgrill.co.uk/marylebone

The King Sports Bar inside the Empire Casino is right in the filth of Leicester Square.
Americans expecting a Vegas size casino will want to tamper their expectations, as both it and the sports bar are quite modest in size.
That being said, this bustling area of London will most certainly be packed even before you decide to head there.
Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus have become less safe in recent years, so please be wary, travel in groups and avoid the side streets.
https://www.thecasinolsq.com/kings-sports-bar

Enjoy the game, have fun and stay safe and rock on Broncos Jags London!

What the Week?

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Even the most ardent NFL supporter will tell you that this is ‘one heck of a year’ in terms of playability, and Week 6 sure showed us why.

Somehow the New York teams are all killing it, while perennial favourites are struggling to get out of the first weeks’ mud.
And that’s not even mentioning the injuries!

Let’s take a look at some of the cray-cray storylines as we look at What the Week?

Tommy Boy

TB12 is sure trailing a bucket of drama as he heads into this season, with divorce, depleted squads and AB all piling on to make Tommy’s woes even bigger.

Despite losing one of their Watt’s, the Steelers D gave Tom Brady all kinds of headaches in Pittsburgh, and showed Tommy yelling it up on the sidelines at his teammates.

No one should lose to the tandem Mitch Trubisky & Kenny Pickett, but the Bucs took one on the chin from an AFC chump.

The Bucs are going to need to start stringing something together soon if they want to have any hope of pipping the Atlanta Falcons (whelp) to secure the NFC South title.

A Week 7 match-up between the Panthers should get them right, although Tommy sure would have liked to have snagged Robbie Anderson before he left for the Cards.

New York!

The Jets, Bills and Giants all have winning records…and get this…the Jets just walloped the Green Bay Packers.
What kind of bizarre multiverse is this?

The Jets are 4-2, the Bills are 5-1, and the Giants are also 5-1 in a patchwork that no one would thought we would see in decades, but here we are.

The Giants seem like that they are going to be ‘found out’ every week, yet Daboll and the boys keep finding new ways to beat tough opponents. And get this, they still do it with Daniel Jones and few receivers to speak of.

The New York Jets laid a beating on the Green Bay Packers in week 6, making the O-line of the Pack seem more like swiss cheese, than the fine cheddar it use to be.

The Bills are the one team that might bring some worry. Although they were feted to have top honours to take the title this season, there have been signs of weakness that this ride might get bumpy.

Pack Hack

If you were to tell Green Bay fans that they would be sitting at 3-3 after week 6 at the start of the season, they would have been severely ‘cheesed off’.
Surely their beloved Aaron Rodgers would never let the team sink that low…maybe Matt LaFleur…just not A-A-Ron!

The Packers have had a rough start to the season, with their 3 wins not coming easy, and their 3 losses coming effortlessly.

With no O-Line, and a scant supply of receivers, Rodgers like Brady is kind of wishing that this ends up another Covid year.

Green Bay has upcoming matches between the Bills, Eagles, Cowboys, Lions and Titans…with a few L’s anticipated in these tough contests.

Rhule the World

The Panthers took a massive squat on the state of South Carolina this season, by bring in Baker Mayfield and keeping the unpopular Matt Rhule.

After going a pathetic 1-4, the Panthers let go of Rhule, allowing him to collect $800k+ per week to sit on his butt, and field offers from college football teams.

Carolina is in trouble, and will need to unload C Mc if they can find anyone willing to swallow such a massive load.

Salmonella Russ

Russ has been cooking this season, unfortunately all the dishes keep coming out raw, and with no taste, or texture.

Russ has almost single-handedly ruined prime time NFL this season, putting in performances that more likely gift him a ‘Razzie’, than any football award.

The Seahawks are happy-clapping this season, having the weight of Russ lifted off their shoulders, not to mention the nice pay chunk in their pockets.

Will Russ get any better? Is he injured? Did he also get injured on MNF?

It’s tough to be a Broncos fan!

London Game

We still have another NFL game in London, as the Broncos and Jaguars face off at Wembley on Oct 30th in what is being billed as ‘an AFC match-up’.

Given how Russ has been performing as of late, and the sudden scoring demise of Jacksonville, we might expect some baseball like scores in this one.