NFL in London

National Football League in London

2021 London NFL

NFL Top 100

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It’s the offseason still, which means fans are obsessing over data as their Fantasy Draft looms, and with the NFL Top 100 list being released by the NFL Network this week, fans and players are up in a tizzy.

This annual list compiled by the NFL is always good for motivating players, as professional athletes are fuelled by ego, so telling someone that they are ranked ’89th’ when they feel like they should be ‘#1’ is quite common.

We’re not going to look at the whole list in this post, instead focusing on the Top 10 players provided by the NFL

We’ll look at the top 10 ranked players by the NFL Network for the 2023 season, and decide if we agree or disagree, and slot in the person we think should be there. Sound good?

NFL Top 10

1. Patrick Mahomes-AGREE

Patrick Mahomes is our top player for 2023, after another commanding performance and Super Bowl in 2022. Mahomes is the best playmaker in the league, whether it’s consistently finding Travis Kelce ANYWHERE on the field, to his amazing baseball and side throws. In 2022 the NFL world claimed that Joe Burrow was going to win it all, but then came Mahomes and set the records straight.

2. Josh Allen-DISAGREE

Josh Allen is a great QB, but if 2022 was any indication, there is still a lot to be done in Buffalo. Allen has a tendency to force the ball down the field on long attempts, which made the Bills either playing catch-up, of Josh getting picked. With all the drama going on in Buffalo, and changes to the AFC East, maybe the Bills time has passed.

Our #2-Joe Burrow

3. Joe Burrow-DISAGREE

We had Joe Burrow in second place to Mahomes, after two solid years of playoff contention. Burrow has had to contend with depleted O-lines, injuries to his wide-receivers, and to himself, but still this LSU boy continues to deliver competitive performances. The Bengals have made the changes to support Burrow this season, and the only way is up!

Our #3-Tyreek Hill

4. Nick Bosa-DISAGREE

Nick Bosa is a beast, and has an amazing impact on pushing the 49ers D into the directions that they need to go. But number 4 ranked player in the NFL? One could argue that TJ Watt (when healthy) has more of a dramatic effect on D in changing game tempo.
Bosa is good, but maybe not that good.

Our #4 Travis Kelce

5. Myles Garrett-DISAGREE

Garret is a monster in the trenches, and can single-handedly change a game, combined with the whole Browns D, but number 5 is pretty high for a guy who has had some up and down seasons.
This good be a pivotal year for Myles, especially if Deshaun finally comes into gear.

Our #5-Justin Jefferson

6. Travis Kelce-DISAGREE

When you look at the TE stats, and how much of an impact player Kelce is, it is truly amazing. Probably the best TE to play the game, Kelce continues to deliver across the middle of the field, shaking of tiny defenders with ease.
The tandem of Mahomes-Kelce is the most consistent point-scoring machine in the NFL.
Hard to see if slowing down in 2023.

Our #6-Josh Allen

7. Justin Jefferson-DISAGREE

JJ is the top wide receiver in the NFL right now, and is top of the list in most fantasy drafts for 2023. It’s a shame that he has Kirk Cousins as a QB, but the Vikings still look like top candidates for the NFC North title. Jefferson is a beast, that’s why we had him earlier up at #5.

Our #7-Nick Bosa

8-Micah Parsons-AGREE

Micah Parsons IS the Dallas D, becoming one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. While most people shudder at the thought of watching the Cowboys play, seeing Micah on the field is an absolute delight.
Dallas has a lot to do this season if they want to pip the mighty Eagles, but Parsons will be one of the keys to shut down D.

9-Aaron Donald-DISAGREE

Oh the poor Rams. They spent to buy a Super Bowl, and now they are stuck with some thing, and often injured talent. Donald is 32 years old and missed 5 games to injury in 2022, so it’s surprising that the NFL Network ranked him so highly on this list.

Our #9-Chris Jones

10-Trent Williams-DISAGREE

There is no denying that Trent Williams is the best left tackle in the league, and definitely belongs in the top 15, but top 10 might be a stretch. There are a lot of pieces to the San Francisco D, and Williams is deffo a big part of it.

Our #10-TJ Watt

That’s it for review of the NFL Top 100 put out by the NFL Network. Who do you think should be in the top 10?

 

 

Conference Picks

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And then there were four teams left, as the 49ers, Eagles, Bengals and Chiefs make up the ingredients for our Conference Picks.

Wade and Ryan use this podcast to look back at the Divisional Championship games, as Ryan fully believes his life ‘can start now’ that the Bills have been eliminated from contention.

The guys look at the two games scheduled for Sunday night, and make their very own Conference Picks so that you don’t have to.

If you want to listen to the podcast, or even catch up on some more of out east episodes make sure that you check out our Soundcloud page.
Here is the link for this week.

49ers (13-4) vs -2.5 Eagles (14-3) +46.5

Have you got the Purdy’s yet? Does your live feel a bit Purdier? Well, everyone and their grandma is all over Brock Purdy after slinging together seven wins in as many weeks.
It’s not like Purdy is jumping behind the wheels of the Jets however, as this San Fran squad is set for the Super Bowl based on how crazy strong that front D is.
Christian McCaffery has been a beast on form, hitting a touchdown in each of his last games, and along with a group of speedy receivers it begs the question who can stop this group?
Meet the Philadelphia Eagles, who are still technically on a ‘rebuilding’ year, but have dismantled some of the best teams in the league.
Jalen Hurts has come into form, and led a squad of talented receivers and a trio of running backs who can hit you from every angle.
Don’t forget their defence, who shook Daniel Jones for five sacks last week, and are up their with the 49ers as the top two in the league.
Ryan is all Eagles in this one, as he doesn’t believe that Purdy will grow under the Philly home crowd.
Mistakes will be made, and the wide receivers of the Eagles should be able to outmatch the 49er corners.
Wade is also all over Philly and thinks that these guys are just getting started in a phenomenal season.
Jalen will have a massive day with his legs, as the Niners D will find themselves chasing him.
Purdy will probably get rocked by that D, shaking his new confidence.
Ryan- Eagles 24 49ers-20
Wade-Eagles 26 49ers 18

-1 Bengals (12-4) vs Chiefs (14-3)  +47.5

Oh how the Bengals have been bolstering after their demonstrative beat down of the Bills last Sunday.
From humble to Burrowheads and dismals of Damar Hamlin, Cincy has gone from sweet to sour on the socials.
That hasn’t stopped the line from moving in the direction of Cincinnati, as the vast improvement with every game has made them a favourite to cover 13 of their games this season.
Oh, and let’s not forget the 3-0 record against the Chiefs-which the Bengals players continue to remind them of before the big game.
Trash talk never back fires.
‘High ankle sprain’ is an often Googled term of late, as Patrick Mahomes took a massive twist on Sunday giving the Jaguars a chance to cover.
Patty M did eventually return after some ‘doctoring’ and his progress has been followed as closely as Tom and Gisele’s personal life, but all on both counts seems fine at this point.
Everyone has been writing of Kansas City all year, but here they are again, playing in their fifth consecutive AFC Championship.
These two teams match up well, but it could be the snow and wind that blows in the Chiefs favour at home.
Ryan is Chief-leaver, or Belief-Chiefer, he thinks that the Chiefs will win.
The trash talk that the Bengals have been scatting around the social jungle is enough to make a Native American mad, and throw a tomahawk chop in response.
He likes the Chiefs to win at home, and put themselves back in the Super Bowl once more.
Wade is giving Burrowhead, wait, what? He likes the Bengals.
With Burrow and the boyz firing on all striped cylinders, they have the plan to beat the Chiefs, and that plan is Lou Anarumo. Lou adjusts his second half with the precision of seasoned drag performer, and delivers the goods with a bit of oomph.
Ryan- Chiefs 27- Bengals 24
Wade- Bengals 24 Chiefs 17
Who you got?
Make sure you check us out on social media as well.

Week 7 Tips

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It was another dump-pump-chump week in the NFL for week 6, as topsy turvy met the upside down world in the results, that’s why it’s called ‘Any Given Sunday’.

Wade and Ryan both took some chin-hits in their picks, but as Taylor says, ‘shake it off’, and they will , as they offer their Week 7 Tips.

To make sure that you hear all of our picks, check out our podcast this week, which you can also find on Spotify and iTunes.

Here are some of the top games that Wade & Ryan have lined up for Week 7.

Lions (1-4) vs -7 Cowboys (4-2) +49

Dak is back, whiggyity wack!
After injuring himself earlier in this season with a nasty wrist hamper, Dak has rushed himself through the pain to get himself back for Week 7. But is it too soon?
The Cowboys have survived on the back of their tough D, and ginger-ninja skills of Cooper Rush.
Four wins are great to have going into Week 7, but can they stave off a feisty Detroit team whose own D has led to multiple collapses?
The Lions have a Hard Knock hangover to start this season. After feasting on the hype, fans are now starting to see that a team with a couple wins last year isn’t going to suddenly go from grower to show-er.
Detroit has a few players back from injury, but their hapless D was still 9 players down heading into practice midweek.
Ryan likes Dak & Dem Boyz to feast on Dan Campbell’s ravaged corpse, easily covering the spread.
Wade is betting on the Lions, deducing that the return of Amon and the fast scoring Goff will come to play and get that second W.
Ryan-Cowboys 30 Lions 20
Wade-Lions 31 Cowboys 27

Giants (5-1) vs Jaguars -3 (2-4) +42.5

So the Giants have 5 wins, but the 2 win Jaguars are favoured at home?
What the hey heck is this malarky?
Perhaps Vegas believes that Daniel Jones and company might be a bit less of a squad than their record belies?
The Giants thundered the Pack-fanatics in London during a game that signalled the potential demise of the Green Bay decade long domination in the NFC.
Add to this wins over the Ravens and now people really believe that this team can be more than Saquon.
Apparently the bookies didn’t get the message, who pip Trevor Lawrence and the Jags as a better option.
The Jags were great in their first two games, then they kind of imploded.
Bolstered by two solid running backs, pretty okay receivers and D that blipped the Bills last season, and you wonder where the return is?
Can they string a bunch of wins together, or are they doomed to be tainted by the AFC dumpster fire.
Ryan is a Giant fan of New York, and sees the G-Men ripping a sixth win out of the beating heart of south Florida sun.
Wade likes the Jags, and sees Etienne getting the runs all over the Giants D.

Ryan-Giants 23 Jaguars 20
Wade-Jaguars 26 Giants 20

Colts (3-2-1) vs -2.5 Titans (3-2)

It’s the rematch from Week 4 that no one asked for! But that’s what you get in the AFC South.
Matty Ice looked like he was still frozen at the start of the season, as Indianapolis played their first few games like they were still in preseason.
Now the Colts are starting to win, and Matt Ryan is second in the league in overall passing yards.
Taylor and Hines are probables, as the Colts are able to get a few healthy bodies back to avenge their October 2 loss.
Tennessee is a mess, with Henry well below his perceived yards, and Tannehill lacking any real targets.
The Titans have 3 wins though, which in AFC South terms is akin to having a full set of teeth on the bayou.
Speaking of byes, the Titans are fresh off of one, although some players consider an early bye a future curse of health.
Ryan likes the Titans at home, and sees Henry having a good rushing day to secure the W.
Wade thinks that the thaw is over, and Matt Ryan and the healthy Colts are about to start an AFC push, which aside from the Bills, is a mess.
Ryan-Titans 27 Colts 23
Wade-Colts 24 Titans 20
That’s it for our Week 7 Tips, If you want to hear more of our picks, just listen to podcast and get all the feels.

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AFC/NFC Preview

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Well NFL darlings, it’s that time of the year again, as that giddy feeling in your stomach turns into the excitement of another NFL season!

The preseason is done, London games set, initial rounds of injuries have skated across the league, and it’s time for some football!

To commemorate the start of the 2022 NFL season, once again Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull have taken the task at hand of trying to determine who will emerge as the top teams to face off in the 2023 SuperBowl.

Thus we present to you our AFC/NFC Preview Podcast!

As a Bears and Bills fan, they have a skewed barometer of how their teams will fare, but there’s no loyalty in making picks.

To make sure that you get the best out of both guys, we have recorded not ONE, but TWO podcasts on this-one for each division!

AFC

The Buffalo Bills are heavily favoured to take it all this year, but as any seasoned Western New York fan knows, the wing might be spicy, it doesn’t mean that it’s fully cooked inside. (aka-expect failure0

It’s the Bills to lose this season, but the AFC East has the much touted Dolphins and their diminutive QB looking to be the big man.
The Dolphins have all the tools, but will those tools fit into the new machine?
Billy B will be looking to pull off some sleight of hand, convincing many preseason pundits that the Pats don’t have it together-they will.
The Jets…two words…Joe Flacco.
They’s be better off with Edie Falco.

The AFC North has all the drama for your mama this year, as Deshaun Watson immediately makes the Browns the least favourite team of any female fan of the NFL.
Cincy is fresh off a Superbowl appearance, but as history tells us-that isn’t always a good thing.
Lamar has a lot to prove this season, let’s just hope he doesn’t get hurt before he gets paid.
Pittsburgh has Trubisky. ‘Nuff said.

The West is Best in the AFC in terms of team calibre, but which of these rats can chew off the others faces to pip the top.
Patrick Mahomes is a safe bet to put on a show, as the Chiefs shrug off some dead weight to make another run at the title.
Hot on their heels will be the strong arm of Justin Herbert and a rejuvenated Chargers D. Is this his Joe Burrow year?
Vegas went all in on Carr, giving him the pieces he needs to make a buffet to feed the city their dreams.
Denver has Russ-but can he ever cook again?

Matty Ice is in the AFC, as he hope to run off of Taylor’s legs and take this AFC South division with ease.
Tannehill has lost loads of weapons this season, with the Titans trying to make a run, without all the tools they had before.
Houston-we have a problem. Davis Mills is fine, but you can’t build a team around him.
Jacksonville has to do something this year now that Urban Meyer is back working as a manager at Hot Topic. It’s all on you Trevor!

NFC

The NFC claimed the SuperBowl title last year, with the LA Rams and the noodle-elbow of Matt Stafford winning it all after a woeful time in Detroit.

It’s hard to repeat as champs, so they’ll need all the Cialis in their wallets if they want to stay hard this year.
The NFC West is a feast of talent, so the Rams will need to stifle the tough D and running game of the 49ers if they want to move ahead. This is your chance Trey!
Kyler asked to ‘show me the money’, now he needs to show he can score. Boom or bust year for him.
Seattle is famed for being a depressive place that led to grunge and copious coffee drinking. Put another pot on.

NFC East is the least in terms of being impressive, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t gotten better.
Hurts and the Eagles were able to make the playoffs during a rebuild year-and that running game should move them to the playoffs again this year.
The Devil and Daniel Jones have one last chance in the Big Apple before the angels of Harlem chase their asses out of town.
‘Dem Boyz are looking more like the Proud Boyz, as many people are turning on them, as wondering who the hell they are.
Washington sucks so bad, they should change the name again.

The NFC Dirty South has TB12 and his mama drama. Will that stop the Bucs from returning to the big game and send Tommy Boy to retirement?
Jameis is ready to rock the Saints and their top tier D into the playoffs-they have enough talent to do it, but do they have enough discipline?
Baker has to cook something up in Carolina this year, before he finds himself carrying Pat McAfee’s golf bags.
Atlanta is a great TV show starring Donald Driver.

Aaron Rodgers has taken a full dose of himself, and he is ready to lead the Packers to another early round playoff exit. Is his team ready to this to the NFC North?
The Vikings have an amazing team on paper, but paper doesn’t play every week.
Hard Knocks fans have swallowed the Dan Campbell pill, and have them beasting the league this year. Do we all remember the Lions of last year? Good.
The Bears are slated to be the worst team in the league this year. They will definitely have the worst O line…and draft picks!

Wade & Ryan will be back with their Week 1 predictions, as well as more NFL in London fun.

 

Back to the Kitchen

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Another week in the NFL offseason brings with it a myriad of shame, as we break down some of the lowest lows in this weeks’ podcast, Back to the Kitchen.

Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull go through all of the NFL malarky, to offer you some nuggets of wisdom, despite their limited intelligence.

It doesn’t stop Adam Shefter.

Here’s the podcast for this week!

Among some of the other things that the guys discuss in this podcast, includes:

Brady Balls

So the rumours keep chunking out that TB12 was due to not only QB the Dolphins, but also be a part owner, until bad boy Bill Belichick pissed all over the parade by tipping off Brian Flores.
If it’s all true, it’s a very Putin-esque way of making sure that Miami doesn’t expand in their division, after all, they’re full of nazis.
Brady might be back in 2023 to try this whole thing again!

Unfollow Deebo

After being used and abused as the ‘go-to’ man for the 49ers last years, speedster Deebo Samuel wants to get paid.
After watching Davante Adams get paid, then Tyreek, then everyone else, Deebo wants to be the next money man, and San Fran better pony up.
Of course, the 49ers like many teams don’t have the cashola to keep up with player egos, so Deebo’s block could remain in place until the team can find ways to ‘restructure.’

Carr’s Crackers

Derek Carr can finally breathe that big breath of freedom, as the Raiders made good on a promise to keep him in Sin City for the foreseeable future.
After signing for $121.5m until 2025, Carr solidifies himself as the longest termed QB of the future, and allowing him to play with all his speedy new toys.
Derek Carr is what Baker Mayfield wishes what he saw in the mirror.

Baker’s Baked

Baker Mayfield has now entered the ‘Whiny’ phase of his career, preferring to bitch and moan instead of doing anything about it.
BM was recently captured saying that he wishes he could ‘boo fans where they work’, to see how they liked it.
The does nothing to help Baker get a starting job this year, although it does give him the proper attitude to become a pundit.

AB BA ABBA!

Poor AB..actually, screw him! And Floyd Mayweather.
Floyd has offered to cover the losses of any team that takes a chance on AB (and offering him $20M) for the 2023 season.
If dude can’t keep it together playing with Tom Brady, do you think he’ll show any sense of class playing with the likes of Kirk Cousins or Carson Wentz?
Save the drama for your many baby mama’s!

Cam Cam Cam

Cam Newton made himself less relevant this week when he unleashed a slew of misogny for no reason whatsoever.
Cam was heard to be dismissive of women, and suggested that they ‘go back to the kitchen’, in a refreshing take for a man under 40.
If those fancy hats were stopping you from getting a job before Mr. Newton, your gendered social media performance will certainly help you out with that.

USFL

It’s back! If you have been missing the feels of football, you’re in luck this weekend, as the USFL returns to our televisions.
If you weren’t aware, the USFL existed in the 1980s’, but fell into ruin thanks to the efforts of a certain Donald Trump (plus way more reasons!).
Here’s something to jog your memory.

Anywho, the USFL is back this weekend, and will offer NFL fans a chance to catch on more football! Hooray!

The first game will see New Jersey face Birmingham at 12:30am GMT Sunday.

Sunday will see some more UK friendly viewing times, as Houston takes on Michigan at 5pm, Philly vs New Orleans at 9pm, and Tamps vs Pittsburgh on 1am Monday morning.

According the USFL website, the games will be available in the UK via ESPN International…so you probably won’t be able to watch them.

Dwayne Haskins

The NFL world was shocked this week to lose NFL player Dwayne Haskins in a roadside accident.

He was a young, black man who had enormous pressure thrust upon him as a starting QB, and his struggles were something we all could see on a weekly basis.

Hugs and love to his family and friends who have to deal with such a senseless tragedy.

Enjoy your Easter weekend!