NFL in London

National Football League in London

2020 London NFL games

Fantasy Drafting

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With the season only weeks away, have you been practising your Fantasy Drafting to help you craft the best team for your league?
You haven’t?
Well we can give you some tips to practise your draft so that you can get ready for the real thing.

Drafting

If you haven’t been doing it already, your NFL app has ongoing NFL Mock Drafts happening every few minutes.
Just jump into the lobby of the kind of draft you want to be in, choose your spot in the draft, then get drafting!

Fantasy Drafting on the NFL app is a great way to get in some practice so that you can prepare for the real deal when it goes down.

If you’re in a group where you already know your draft order, these drafts are helpful in letting you know who could potentially be on your team.
After all if you’re in 7th place in a mock draft, going 7th in your real draft could get you almost the same team.

Mock Drafting

We’ve gone ahead and done one of these drafts to show you folks what it could be like, and to potentially give you some strategy for your draft.

I this one, we jumped into a 10 person, regular draft. The whole thing lasted less than 20 minutes.

Round 1-Travis Kelce

With all the notable big names gone, the biggest name on the board was Chiefs TE Travis Kelce. As everyone knows he is a scoring beast that continues to cross the field for big points.
This daddy always brings it home.

Round 2-Derek Henry

Although Bijan was ahead of Henry, it’s hard to trust a rookie in a tumultuous running-back drama NFL.
Sir Henry has a legacy of going on weekly points tears, and with a depleted Titans O-line, could find Derek leading the league again this season.

Round 3-Jahmyr Gibbs

Lions running back Gibbs will be splitting the workload with former Bear ‘Old Man’ Montgomery.
With Monty taking on injuries the past few years, it seems likely that he will probably have to take another few weeks off in 2023, solidifying Gibbs as the number one RB.

Round 4-Travis Etienne

Normally we would be looking to bolster our wide receiver options at this point, but with Etienne being open at this spot, might as well add him to the roster!
Etienne will be the running force of the Jags offence this year, and should easily make the top 5 running backs of the year.

Round 5-DJ Moore

There were quarterbacks like Herbert; Tua and Murray available in round 5, but who needs a QB that early in a 10 person draft?
You’re going to get two QBs, why blow your load so quickly on someone so early on?
DJ Moore looks to thrive with Justin Fields this year, and will be the number one WR on the Bears.

Round 6-Jerry Jeudy

You’re always tempting fate with Russ’ cooking, as you’re more likely to get struck down by salmonella than a touchdown.
Jeudy has been safe hands over the past few years, and hopefully Russ can sling this young man some passes to lead the Broncos receiving corps.

Round 7-Dalvin Cook

Surprising that Dalvin Cook would still be open in the 7th round, but that’s a 10 person draft for you.
Cook is now a NY Jet, and if the team can put together an offensive line, they might have a playoff chance.
Cook is a steal in the 7th round.

Round 8-Christian Kirk

Things are getting crowded in the Jaguars receivers room, as Calvin Ridley is back to bet on his NFL future. Speedster Christian Kirk is a favourite target of Lawrence, and if Ridley starts to get a lot of looks, Kirk could find his way to single coverage touchdowns.

Round 9-Brandin Cooks

Everything is bigger in Texas, if Brandon Cooks gets his hands on it.
Cooks was a wasted talent in Houston, getting loads of fantasy points, but few wins.
Moving upstate to Dallas will see Cooks get plenty of looks from Dak, and could be the career boost he’s been looking for.

Round 10-Deshaun Watson

Rubbing the first QB out in the 10th round, we took Deshaun Watson-the top QB available at this point.
Watson didn’t look great last year, but has been a points machine in years past, so is he done?
Not bloody likely, as this could be the year the Browns sling some wins together.

Round 11-George Pickens

Pickens sure was fun to watch last year, even if his fantasy points left much to be desired.
George could benefit from a Steelers team that has a bit more direction this year, and way less Trubisky.

Round 12-Aaron Rodgers

With everyone going goo goo for Mahomes, Allen and Fields early on, don’t forget the value in a late round QB.
Snagging Rodgers at 12th is a pretty good deal for a future Hall of Famer.

Round 13-Chiefs D

With many of the good D’s gone, don’t forget, this is a 10 person league.
Even if everyone else grabs the top 9 defences in the league, you get the choice of the next 23.
It’s week by week, so don’t get bogged down with an early D. (that’s what she said)

Round 14-Greg Zuerlein

Greg the leg was available? He’s on the Jets now?
So many questions, but the reliability of old Zuerlein is a stabilising force on any fantasy team.

Round 15-Rashod Bateman

Normally we would leave the kicker to the last, but we thought the draft was done.
Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman was there, so we added him to the squad where he can sit on the bench, until that one week he scores loads of points, and you didn’t play him.

That’s it for this Mock Draft, what did you think?

If you’re interested in playing along in a Fantasy Draft this year, let us know.
We have our C League ready to be filled!

 

Early Super Bowl Odds

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It might be only August, but we thought we would offer some Early Super Bowl Odds for everyone to take a look at, or even take a punt on.

Odds On

There are a lot of great teams in the mix this season, and if you exclude the obvious favourites like the Chiefs and Eagles, you can find some value in those teams that might just sneak into the show.
Those plucky teams that snipe through on a barely winning season to capture the title and take the Lombardy.

Here are a few of our teams to look at early on. Please note that these odds were chosen in August 2023.

Ravens (+1800)

Eighth ranked to take the title this year, are the rejuvenated squad from Maryland, with Lamar steadily at the helm this season.

Baltimore loaded up on wide receivers and running backs to take the edge of LJ, and the defence has been as fierce as has it ever has been, with some key rookie additions.

The Ravens are worth a bet to sneak through the slugfest that will be the AFC, and take themselves to the big game if they remain healthy.

Saints (+3500)

What the who dat day? The Saints?

Yes, New Orleans has the chance of sneaking through via a horrible division, and the potluck Chuck of possibly moving through a sluggish looking NFC aside from a few.

Derek Carr could be motivated to light up Michael Thomas and Olave, and their running game has always been solid.

It’s all about staying healthy, and if the Saints can do that, why not take a chance on them to go to the Super Bowl?

Panthers (+7000)

Oh Carolina, are you getting Shaggy with us?

Maybe, but let’s Frank the Reich out of this situation.
The Panthers have had a solid D for the past few seasons, the running game was great, but it was the QB that sunk them.

Bryce Young has the benefit of being surrounded by a trio of veteran wide receivers in Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, and Leviska Shenault Jr. and TE Hayden Hurst, and maybe they can sling enough W’s to get out into a playoff rumble.

The NFC has the best odds for crazy value, but of course.

LA Chargers (+2200)

The Chargers might be tenth favoured to win the Super Bowl, but there are still five AFC teams ahead of them.

Justin Herbert has that new contract smell about him, as he awaits the slave labour contract that is about to slapped on Austin Ekeler for wanting fair pay.

Once all that malarky is settled, the Chargers have that mix of veterans and rookies that might be able to gel together to make it work.

Keenan Allen is a reliable number one, but it remains to be seen if he can last a whole season.
Losing Herbert too would stick LA with Easton Stick, which is their back-up and a baseball bat name.

That being said if the Chargers can navigate the healthy waters of the seasonal slug, they could rally their squad to finally win some playoff games.
The hometown could be proudish.

Other Odds

Some other ones to look at if you want to take an early season punt on a Super Bowl hope:

Jaguars +2800

Why the heck not? The Jags and Trevor Lawrence could get cooking, plough through their division and get themselves a playoff glide.

49ers +900

Yeah, they’re fourth ranked, but they have a win it or else culture about them this season. Look for Sam Darnold to be a fantasy leader here via a great O line.

Bears (+5000)

Because why the hell not?

Justin Fields could ball out like a mother-trucker this season, and the D could magically find ways to stop people.

Stranger things have happened.

Who do you think could win it all?

 

 

Football Movies

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The NFL season is creeping closer to us, but still not close enough! Like many of you, we have been watching Football Movies throughout the summer to get us in the mood.

Here are a few movies to consider watching prior to the start of the season to get you in the mood.

Football Movies

Brian’s Song

Let’s kick it off with the only movie on the list that will have you in tears by the end of it (hopefully).

This 1971 ABC ‘Movie of the Week’ starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams hits with all the feels, as we follow Chicago Bears player Brian Piccolo on his journey through cancer with his buddy and teammate Gale Sayers.

Taken from Sayers biography ‘I am Third’ the movie hit men so hard in the 70s, it became known as the top ‘guy-cry’ movies in male cinema history.

The TV movie was so popular back then,  ABC actually rented out some theatres to show the film in wider release. Critics have called ‘Brian’s Song’-‘the greatest TV movie ever made’, which is pretty high esteem given the TV movies of the 70s’.

Don’t take our word for it, make sure that you check out Brian’s Song for yourself. Even better, drag in a non-NFL fan and make them watch it with you. You’ll be converting like metric!

Any Given Sunday

Let’s get to the Oliver Stone of these Football Movies picks, with the 1999 classic ‘Any Given Sunday’.

Bolstered by a stellar cast including Pacino, Quaid, Diaz, Foxx, Woods, Modine, as well as some NFL greats like Jim Brown, Lawrence Taylor, Dick Butkus and even Johnny Unitas, this film was our Y2K moment of football films.

The Miami Sharks led by Tony D’Amato have loads of problems in their 2001 season, until third stringer Willie Beamen steps up to try to save the team and the season.

You really can’t go wrong with Oliver Stone in the 90s’, especially with Cameron Diaz sending us that ‘smokin’ resting bitch face.

A true NFL classic.

Remember the Titans

Another football film about race hit the big screens a year later, as the 2000 Jerry Bruckheimer production of ‘Remember the Titans’ hit us hard, and in the feels.

Based on the true story of Virginia coach Herman Boone to integrate race and football into 1970s’ America, the film is layered with an incredible cast, solid writing, and some good tunes.

Oh and did we mention Denzel? Yeah, it stars Denzel Washington and features major talent like Ryan Gosling, Will Patton, Hayden Panettiere, Kate Bosworth, and Donald Faison.

Put this on for a feel good afternoon of missing football.

North Dallas Forty

If you’re going to make a football movie about the 70s’, then you might as well head back to the 70s’ to catch the best ones.

‘North Dallas Forty’ is a ruckus of a flick based on the best-selling 1973 novel by Peter Gent.  Starring the rogue Nick Nolte and featuring country singer Mac Davis, the film feels more like a football orgy, than a slick game play.

It feels more like a natural locker room setting, with booze, drugs and girls occupying most of the men’s minds.

Also featuring some great 70’s actors of the day, including: Charles During & Dabney Coleman.

Here’s the trailer for it.

Draft Day

Ok, it’s a bit outlandish, but this 2014 film from director Ivan Reitman gives a lampoonish insight into the Draft Day antics of GM Sonny Weaver of the Cleveland Browns.

Considered a box office flop, not only did it lose money, but it was also the last film for Ivan Reitman and Jim Brown before they died. Fortunately it didn’t happen on set.

Surprised that Jennifer Garner didn’t die on set when she was romantically paired with Kevin Costner in this one, but oh well, that’s Hollywood!

It’s worth watching at least for the inconsistencies.

Some other films you might want to look at also include:

Friday Night Lights

Billy Bob in a football classic

Varsity Blues

Girls watch it for Paul Walker, guys watch it for that Ali Larter whip cream bikini scene.

What are your favourite NFL movies? Let us know!

 

Draft Eve

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Are your NFL stockings hung by the fireplace with care, in hopes that Draft Eve will bring your team the talent to spare?

Welcome to the giddiness of the 2023 NFL Draft, as we bust your ear drums open with some banter of how we see the first bit of the draft going, and all the saucy news that will make up the hot gossip of trades around the week.
Buckle up!

Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull dust off their other life, and hop back into the NFL saddle as the cobwebs are off to start 2023!

If you would like to listen to the full Draft Eve podcast, you can click here for the Soundcloud, or find us on iTunes and Spotify as well.

Aaron ‘Jet’ Rodgers

Well it’s official kids, Aaron Rodgers is finally following in the footsteps of Brett Favre and moving off to the Big Apple.
The deal is finally done in a swap of rounders and Woody goes ‘all in’ on hoping that the guru veteran take them to the playoff land.
For both teams it’s a chance to finally move on to the season with the Draft now a focus on how they are going to surround them.
Giving Rodgers a solid o-line and a big old tight end might be some of the keys that he needs.
Rodgers will once again be wearing his Golden Bear 8, perhaps trying to channel his inner youth in a cleanse to start over.
8 could also be the number of interceptions he throws in a game given his predecessors.
Given the move to a 17 week season, the alignment means that an NFC North and NFC battle zone could see a 25% chance of the Packers playing the Jets again this year. The Jets won in 2022, maybe they could do it again.

Tom Brady

Nothing. Who cares. Made you look.

Draft Drama

We all know that the draft brings with it the joy of seeing your team jiggle it up to prime for a new run, but it’s also that dirty drama drama that accompanies it.
What’s the deal with Derek Henry? Is Dalvin Cook going anywhere? Has everyone forgot about Lamar? Lamar is missing y’all!
With a bucket load of free agent talent out there, and not a lot of cash to back it up, could there be some people that have to suck it up for cheap?
Welcome to 2023.

Draft Picks

In some ways it feels like kind of a ‘meh’ draft, because there isn’t really anyone with ‘pizza-azzle’ to ignite a flurry of excitement.
That being said, in an injury prone league of increased play time, the more bodies the better.
Big, young, fat men with questionable diets lead the focus, as DE, OT, C’s and BLT’s are the hunger of many a GM.
Any why not? After seeing so many QB’s get smashed by inept lines of fourth stringers, and the knowledge that just one of these kids could change the whole dynamic of a line.
QBs will sill be the focus though, but the cost of living crisis has also made some cuts to the height of the top talent.
Woe is the short man in this new game, where the Tua’s and Kyler’s college shuffle didn’t translate to a league where smackdown and field vision are more prevalent.

International Games

Okay folks, the big news is only weeks away. Word is that we will get the announcement of the full NFL in London games on May 4th, 2023!  That’s right, cancel your plans that day, as we your world is about to change.
We will not only know who plays the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars, but also the dates.
We will NOT know anything about that though for a while. Please watch the NFLUK website for that, as they will have all the legit news.
Please make sure that you don’t buy any tickets online before the official news, as they are deffo a big scam.
Check out out socials. You have our permission. You can also touch them if you want.
It’s been a long offseason.

Top 10 Foreign Born NFL Players

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The National Football League (NFL) has grown in popularity all over the world in recent years, and as a result, players from many countries are now playing at the highest level of American football.
So who are some of the Top 10 Foreign Born NFL Players?
While the majority of NFL players are still born in the United States, there have been a number of talented players who have come from other countries and made an impact in the league.
In this article, we will be looking at the top 10 NFL players born outside of the USA, and those who have enhanced the game through their global interest in the sport.

  1. Sebastian Janikowski

    Sebastian Janikowski was born in Poland and went on to become one of the most successful kickers in NFL history. He played for the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks during his career and was known for his incredible leg strength and accuracy.

  2. Lawrence Okoye

    Lawrence Okoye was born in the United Kingdom and played college football at the University of Missouri before being signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 2013. He played defensive tackle for the team and was known for his incredible athleticism and strength.

  3. Menelik Watson

    Menelik Watson was born in Manchester, England and played college football at Florida State University before being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played offensive tackle for the team and was known for his strength and athleticism.

  4. Markus Kuhn

    Markus Kuhn was born in Germany and played college football at North Carolina State University before being drafted by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played defensive tackle for the team and was known for his strength and ability to disrupt opposing offenses.

  5. Moritz Böhringer

    Moritz Böhringer was born in Germany and was the first player to be drafted directly from a European football league. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft and played wide receiver for the team.

  6. Efe Obada

    Efe Obada was born in Nigeria and played college football in London before being signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He played defensive end for the Carolina Panthers and was known for his strength and ability to rush the passer.

  7. Jermaine Eluemunor

    Jermaine Eluemunor was born in London and played college football at Texas A&M University before being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has played offensive guard and tackle for the Ravens and New England Patriots and is known for his strength and versatility.

  8. Christian Scotland-Williamson

    Christian Scotland-Williamson was born in England and played rugby before being signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018 as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. He has played tight end for the team and is known for his size and athleticism.

  9. Joel Bitonio

    Joel Bitonio was born in California but is of Lebanese descent and holds dual citizenship in the United States and Lebanon. He has played offensive guard for the Cleveland Browns since being drafted by the team in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

  10. Bjoern Werner

    Bjoern Werner was born in Germany and played college football at Florida State University before being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played defensive end for the team and was known for his ability to rush the passer.

These players have all made significant contributions to the NFL despite coming from outside of the United States. They have proven that talent can come from anywhere in the world and that the NFL truly is a global sport. As the league continues to grow in popularity around the world, we can expect to see more and more players from outside of the USA continue to make their mark on the league.

And no, we didn’t forget about Danish great Morten Anderson, we just need to devote a whole article to him!