NFL in London

National Football League in London

2021 Miami Tottenham

Sky Week 2

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For those of us that live in the UK, there is a tinge of sadness that we don’t get to watch all the NFL games.

To find out which games will be blacked out in England, we point you to the games on Sky Week 2.
Luckily, some of them stink so there are others to watch.

A true NFL fan abroad will invest in Gamepass, which is a way to watch MOST of the NFL games, as well as a whole host of replays, options and other programs.

Sadly, if Sky Sports is showing a game, it will be blacked out on Gamepass, forcing viewers to either fork out money for Sky Sports, watch another game, or just flip on the VPN.

The gang on Sky Sports bust their humps every week to push out of a broadcast from their Osterley studios.
For many viewers, they are a UK institution…for others….well, just read the forums.

TNF

Sky Sports shows TNF, as does Gamepass and Amazon.
To be honest, Amazon offers the bets show here, as the streaming quality and broadcast team are heads and tails above the rest.
With rumours circling that Amazon is planning on buying ALL the NFL rights, it seems logical that they play around with it to get it right first.

49ers vs Eagles

6pm GMT

20 years ago, this would have been one heck of a contest…in 2021…not so much.

Both teams are coming off of wins, but also coming off of a playoff less season.
Everyone is throwing heat at these two franchises early on, forgetting what a steaming pile that they both were only a few months ago.

In week 1, both of thee teams won…beating Detroit and Atlanta…dumpster fire central in terms of franchises.
Now they get to beat up each other…except it won’t go as easy, and as fun to watch as last week.

Sky Sports will be showing this game which looks to be a defensive battle of few points, turnovers and oodles of penalties.
Given this, there should be plenty of commercial breaks, which gives the Sky team a little more face time.

Like a child’s drawing, this looks good on paper, but there’s nothing else really to do with it.

Cowboys vs Chargers

9pm GMT

Dak & the boys head to the coast to take on the fast paced LA Chargers in a half empty stadium, in a game that really isn’t the best of the rest.

After getting humbled by TB12 & the Bucs last week, the Cowboys will be looking to use that extra time to plug some holes that Tommy boy shredded through their back side.

Justin Herbert and the boys will be smarting from a tough Washington game last week, that saw them rip Fitzmagic from the fabric of space, time and shoulder.
Joey Bosa and company are going to make Dak’s life hell for the second week in a row.

If you DO want to watch this game, just an FYI that it is on Sky Sports, and you WON’T be able to access it regularly through Gamepass UK.

Chiefs vs Ravens

1:30am GMT

Who stays up at this unGodly hour?
True NFL fans!

There won’t be too many places that show this game live in London on a Sunday night, and if you go, you might be missing an internal organ or two.
(Central London late at night gets stabby)

This game is also on Sky Sports as well as Gamepass.
You won’t have a delay on Gamepass.

That’s it for the Sky Sports schedule this week for week 2.

Hope you join us this Sunday at the Sports Bar & Grill Old Street for 40+ TVs of NFL action.

See you Sunday.

 

 

Week 1 Picks

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That sweet taste of autumn brings with it another NFL season, which means it’s time to start making predictions, we bring you all off that in our Week 1 Picks podcast.

Week 1 is always a bag of snakes, because we never really how these new teams will face off, plus loads of rookies are now going to face real men for the first time and this can skew a game real fast.

With that in mind Wade  Ryan make their predictions for week 1 in our latest podcast. Have a listen, and make sure you share with your friends and foes alike. Some of our picks might be so bad (Ryan’s), that you can get payback.

Actually, looking at last season Ryan Cull came out with a respectable 48.8% against the spread. Not bad considering his season before.

Wade McElwain had a better season with an average of 55.4%, a far cry from his 63% season in 2019.

Of course, this year is completely different, and so are the teams. Except of course the Bucs, they’re better, but different.

Steelers (0-0) vs Bills (0-0) -6.5 +48

Ryan is saying Bills, Bills, Bills, & he is ripping to go. Josh Allen will be on fire, the whole wide receiver corps will spread the love, and screw the running back, who needs one.
It’s hard not to like Buffalo at home in this one, as the tables and end zone looks to be smashed in this AFC big boys game.

Ryan likes Buffalo to win big at home, stealing a win from the Steelers.

Wade too is bullish on the blue boys at home, knowing that blue collar love and two years worth of foldable table frustrated fans awaits the Pittsburgh black and gold when they take the field.

It will be interesting to see if Harris is worth the hype, and if he can gash that tough Bills D in his first NFL game.

The Steelers had an easy start last season, but not this one.

Prediction

Ryan
Bills 20 Steelers 20

Wade
Bills 33 Steelers 24

Cardinals(0-0) vs Titans(0-0) -3 +52.5

The hype is here and it’s backed by a Watt as Kyler Murray and the Cardinals look to fly in the land of the giants.

Ryan Tannehill is locked and loaded with a new set of trusty in hands in JJ as the Titans hope to squash the pest birds and their scooty QB.

Ryan (our Ryan) thinks that the other Ryan is under rated, and picks him to have a hell of a game. He also is rooting for the legs of Derek Henry to gash the weak parts of the Arizona D all day.
Ryan also hates Cliff Kinsbury and everything he touches and hopes the Cardinals lose big.

Wade on the other hand is big and the birds, and the fantasy points in this game alone. Pairing Hopkins with Murray with a sniff of AJ Green is bound to get you points in a contest.
Adding to that is a weak Tennessee back field that will struggle more in this shooting contest of a game.
Birds for the upset.

Prediction

Ryan
Titans 27 Cardinals 23

Wade
Cardinals 35 Titans 30

Eagles (0-0) Falcons (0-0) -3 +48.5

More birds in this 6pm (UK) game in a very important starting match for both teams.

The Eagles have a lot to prove this year, after a bunch of speedsters on receiver, and plugging some holes in their D will help them not lose as many games as they did last year.
It’s Jalen’s team now. He can run and pass, but can he complete?

Atlanta has another Ryan that has been struggling as of late, but his name is Matt.
Like door-Matt, because the lack of offensive line protecting him has made the past few years tough.
Their D was very bad, and there hasn’t been much effort to really fix the back end of that.
Plus there were the salty comebacks, more than you can find on Pornhub.

Ryan believes in Ryan and has the home field Falcons swooping down on the inept Hurts to begin the season with a wicked ass win.

Wade on the other hand is rooting for an upset, calling for the Eagles to put an impressive first game together to net the Falcons and their weak secondary.
Philly likes to bust out a big one in days of olde, and it feels like Jalen Hurts is going to have a nutter of a great Sunday.

Prediction

Ryan
Falcons 27 Eagles 20

Wade
Eagles 31 Falcons 28

If you want all the picks, make sure you listen to the podcast, where you can hear our picks on every game.

Thanks for listening, and continuing to push our listeners up the charts!

 

 

2022 Super Bowl Picks

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With the start of the NFL season, comes flurry of football speculation.
How will the extra games affect the season? Will injuries continue to dominate the league? Which team has the gumption to win it all?

Wade McElwain & Ryan Cull break it down with their Super Bowl picks for the 2022 game.

Yes, it is WAY to early to make such a bold prediction this early in the season, but that’s the fun in the NFL.
Take a punt based on some scraps of knowledge, stats, and mix it in with intuition and a dash of American network garble, and you have some half baked picks.

With LA being the host city for the February game, there is always a desire for one of the two Los Angeles teams to make it in front of the home crowd.
Sure, most of the crowd is made up of bloated execs and ass kissers, but there’s always those 10000 die hard fans allowed in to rally up the Chargers/ Rams.

Ryan’s Pick

Ryan is very cagey in his predictions thus far due to the potential implications of future ridicule from fantasy football chums.

One thing is clear though, is that this kid from Brantford, Ontario is sauced and baked in Buffalo Bills pride, and he believes this is the year that they make it to the Super Bowl.

Josh Allen is a ‘beast’, they have a ‘solid’ wide receiver group, and his praise is muted enough not to curse the potential gauntlet of AFC adversaries they need to overcome to get there.

Ryan has the Buffalo Bills win win the AFC Championship and move on to the Super Bowl.

Meeting them in the big show will be…the Los Angeles Rams.

That’s right, Ryan has drank the Matt Staffy Juice and thinks that the Rams with their bright new rocket, speedy sets of WR hands, and monster D will be the champs of the division atop the other imitators.

Prediction

Buffalo Bills vs LA Rams

Wade’s Pick

The AFC will be a blood bath, and with a relatively healthy group of teams ready to roar, it’s easy to pick a few contenders that have the stones to make it through a long season.

The Bills, Browns, Ravens, Steelers, Titans and Raiders all have the potential to rip it to the finish, but they don’t have the sustainability to endure themselves.

Kansas City has the team, the vision, the drive and the positioning to repeat as Super Bowl visitors, and that’s the pick for the AFC.

The LA Chargers will be plucky and fun to watch, and should be a great team to potentially make it all the way. Sadly, Justin and the team need another year in the grow room before they’re ready to bud.

As far as the NFC goes…it’s the Rams!

Yes, it’s a Los Angeles double set with the same lame pick as Ryan.

The Bucs are good, and they’ll be hot, but everyone will be gunning for them. That gets tedious after a while, just ask Captain America.

Green Bay’s Dream Machine will break down on the side of the road when they realise you can’t power a team on personal ambition and nostalgia.

The Bears will do great. People will be surprised. Justin Fields is a new messiah.

Prediction

Kansas City Chiefs vs LA Rams 

That’s it for our 2022 Super Bowl Picks, hope you can use them.

Sadly, there is no betting sites that are good in the UK to allow us to make those picks, but we thought we would throw those out there.

Who do you have winning it all? Let us know.

 

Welcome to Clapham

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Clap hands everyone as we celebrate the return of the NFL to leafy Clapham in south London.
We’re proud to be working with the Sports Bar and Grill down there, as we extend a hearty Welcome to Clapham.

For those of you unfamiliar with London, Clapham is in the south part of the city, located just within Lambeth.
Traditionally, the only way to get there was via the Northern Line (tube), but with new rail lines popping up every year, Clapham has more ways to fit you in.

Sports Bar & Grill

Located conveniently near Clapham Common Tube station, the Sports Bar and Grill is a beautifully updated Sports Bar right in the heart of south London.

Very close to the green pastures of the Common, as well as the lovely high street, the Sports Bar and Grill is the definition of a community pub.

NFL Sunday nights are a new thing for this location, and they are keen to work with fans to ensure that you can get to watch all the games that you’re looking for.
The bar will offer Sky Sports NFL games, as well as Redzone, and a selection of featured games, so that you can have the game you want, delivered right to your table.

Wings, burgers and cold beers await you as this fresh and vibrant location.

NFL fans won’t have to wait for the Premier League to finish, as the NFL will be set up on dedicated TVs and an area just for NFL fans to gather.

Unlike the Old Street location, Clapham will ONLY show the early games on Sunday (6pm), as the bar closes at 11pm GMT.
They will be looking to add special event nights, and late night pop ups throughout the season so that fans can get stuck in for a great night in.

Here’s the website for more information and bookings:

https://www.sportsbarandgrill.co.uk/clapham

Bookings

We encourage all NFL fans planning on attending at the Sports Bar and Grill Clapham to book ahead to avoid disappointment.
Booking ahead guarantees you a table, and can even allow us to screen your game at a table just for you and your friends.
Your own game, at your own table.
This is a whole new NFL in London.

London Games

For any of you staying in south London during the 2021 London games, make sure you consider the Sports Bar and Grill Clapham as your pre and post party location.
Direct trains can get you north to the stadium in under an hour, and after the game you can avoid the traffic by grabbing a fast train south.

Book now for the London games, and we can set you and your group up with an unforgettable night!

If you would like a custom NFL night at the Sports Bar & Grill, get in touch!

We can help you plan the best NFL viewing nights for you and your friends.

See you Sunday!

 

Empire Fantasy Football

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With the NFL only days away, everyone is frantically getting ready for what the season ahead holds.
Will the season go on without any hiccups?
Will the extra week of games add to more injuries?
How will my fantasy season go?

Let’s face it, Fantasy Football is the lifeblood of NFL fans during the season.
Diehard fans bleed their teams, often splattering this information to anyone who will listen.
‘Is Zeke trying to screw me?’

Thankfully, this season there is something new to fill the void in your fantasy football life.

Empire Fantasy Football is a new way to play along with the NFL, in a season long contest like no other.

Billed as the ‘World’s Biggest Season Long Fantasy Football League’, Empire taps into a massive gap in the football betting market.
Too often UK players have lamented about the lack of season long fantasy options, and now we have a solution to smooth that gap.

Here’s the basic intro video to give you an idea of what Empire is:

The Basics

First off, Empire Fantasy Football is a new product, and with that comes a new learning curve.

Empire bills itself as a single format league where you compete against an unlimited amount of players.
This makes the game bigger, and better given that you are taking on the world each week, opening up the global appeal.

Players are given 200 ‘credits’ to start the season, on which they can draft their rosters.
You must have 2 QBs, 3 RBs, 3 WRs, 1TE, and 6 Bench players.
Buying and selling of players occurs throughout the season in The Market, and you can get more credits by wagering on other weekly games.

Winning is a 50/50 chance, with the top half of managers being declared the ‘winners’ each week, and adding to your season record.

Credits for weekly betting can be used in the Market to add or drop players.
Savvy bettors will like the reactive process of being able to use your knowledge of the NFL to win big.

The top player of the season will win $1000 USD, and some pretty big bragging rights.

Gameplay

Obviously we don’t know how the gameplay works yet, as the NFL season hasn’t started.

The layout of Empire Fantasy Football is pretty straight forward, and the positioning map makes it easy to be able to see who you need, and for what role.

A search function would be nice, instead of scrolling through the list trying to find those value picks.
Given that the game is beta, this function should surely be added down the line.

Once your line-up is set, now comes the waiting game, as you follow along to see how your team fared during week 1.
We’re not there yet, so we will be keen to test this out week on week.

It’s always great when a new NFL product arrives on the market for fans.
The simplicity of Empire Fantasy Football makes it an easy addition to any weekly activity for NFL fans.
It’s also great that fans in the UK can compete with other fans from around the world, and a chance to show off our NFL knowledge.

To play along with Empire Fantasy Football League, just sign up here.

https://www.empireff.com/