NFL in London

National Football League in London

Atlanta Falcons in England

Week 5 Preview

by

Welcome to London NFL!
We couldn’t be happier to have you, as the Atlanta Falcons and NY Jets touch down in the capital for a Sunday Funday match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Who’s going to win? What else is there to do in London? Who wins all the games Sunday?
All these questions answered and are, in this punchy podcast we call the Week 5 Preview.

London Game

The Jets and Falcons will face off at 2:30pm GMT (that’s 6:30am in California!), in an epic showdown at Tottenham stadium in north London.

Make sure that you double check all the rules, travel schedule and that you have your tickets before going!

If you show up with no vaccinations, carrying a garbage bag of your stuff, chances are you’re not going to have the best day.
Remember there are other people who also want to watch the game, so think about those people around you as well!

London Parties

We are throwing pre and after parties at the Sports Bar & Grill Clapham, Old Street, as well as the Princess Alex in Crouch End.

Clapham and the Alex will be open until 1am, while Old Street will keep the party rocking until 4am.

Book your table now from our events page.

Jets (1-3) vs Falcons (2-2)  +46

Yes, we have never had a set of winning teams play in a London game, but who cares? We have actual games here, so stop yer bitching.

Fortunately for the Jets, they finally won a game, after an inspired victory over the Titans. These emotions should carry them high into the sky for their flight across the pond.

Matt Ryan and the Falcons have another season of woe ahead of them, as the injury bug made an early visit to the team this season.
Kyle Pitts has yet to emerge as the big catch sensation that Atlanta envisioned, being needed more to shore up that patchy O line instead.

Ryan admitted on the podcast that he was ‘done’ betting on the Falcons, which leaves him no choice to bet on the Jets. He thinks that they will put out some inspiring play en route to a tight, tight victory.

Wade is big on Atlanta, as they seem to be the marginally better of the two struggling teams.
New York may have blown their celebration load last week, toasting their meagre victory like it would be their only win of the season. Experience wins in this low scoring game.

Ryan- Jets 24 Falcons 23
Wade- Falcons 24 Jets 20

Other games that the guys look at in this podcast.

Broncos (3-1) vs Steelers (1-3) -1  +40.5

The air is starting to leak out of Big Ben, as the Steelers slip further away from salvaging a rough season.
Their O line is atrocious, giving no one zero time to do anything.

Denver has quietly jumped to a 3-1 record off the back of an inspired defence, and mobile Teddy Bridgewater.
With Teddy down, it’s time for old man Drew Lock to return to face a patchy Pittsburgh D.

Ryan thinks that this is an easy, AFC get right game for the Steelers, as they stave off the bucking Broncos at home.

Wade doesn’t think that the fall from grace is down yet, with another batch of odd losses in the Pittsburgh future.
Drew Lock will be able to dink and dunk to get some plays off, while the running game will give the Steelers constant problems.

Ryan-Steelers 17 Broncos 13
Wade- Broncos 21 Steelers 18

If you want to hear the rest of our picks, listen to the whole podcast, you never know what tickles your fancy here.

Sports Bar & Grill Clapham is showing the Wilder vs Fury fight on Saturday night if you’re looking for a place to watch it.

Hope to see you Sunday night at one of our 3 fabulous NFL parties in London.

Stay safe, have fun, and enjoy the game!

London To Do (Oct 8-10)

by

The wait is over NFL fans, the game officially returns to London this week, and we are giddy as all heck about it. 

We’re excited about the October NFL game between the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons at Tottenham stadium, so we compiled a fun list of London To Do (Oct 8-10).
A few of our choice pieces of advice to make your weekend in London that much better.

With COVID in the rearview mirror, we can finally get back to cramming in close proximity to each other, screaming at the top of our lungs and drunkenly befriending strangers wearing the same jersey as you.
Isn’t it glorious?!?

If you’re going to the big game, watching at home, or hitting all the venues we are supporting on Sunday, we have tricks and treats a plenty this weekend to keep you entertained every night and day.

Petrol and Blockages

For anyone planning on driving to London, or around it, you should be aware of a petrol crisis going on in London at the moment.
Most stations in north London are still out/short of fuel and prone to getting massive lineups and becoming quite chaotic.

As a result areas around the stadium might become a bit more tedious to get around, or even park around, as people queue to fill up their tanks and streets. 

This has also had a knock on effect to food as well, with many supermarkets bereft of goods on the shelves thanks to supply line issues. Best to eat in advance than rely on a Tesco. 

London might start to resemble Moscow in the 80s’, but at least we have NFL on this Sunday!

Uber

London lost half of our Uber drivers during lockdown, leaving the city a little scarce when it comes to getting a taxi out. 

As a result, prices have almost doubled within the past year, and trying to get a late night ride from some locations can take hours. 

If you’re planning on blasting out of the stadium in an Uber to central London be ware that prices might be loopy, and given that it will only be 6:30pm, you still have loads of time to get the tube and train out of there. 

Thursday

Thursday was traditionally a big drinking night in London, but with the many changes of COVID, now every night is a drinking night. 

Many people partying in London on a Thursday night are quick to make it back before the trains and tubes shut, so be aware if these times, as the joint really empties out quickly, leaving you to pony up for a big taxi ride. 

Downstairs at the Kingshead Comedy

One of the oldest running comedy nights in the WORLD, this new act night is one of the hottest tickets in town, with big telly stars popping in to do guest sets.
Located in leafy Crouch End, this comedy club hosts shows all weekend.

http://www.downstairsatthekingshead.com/

Thursday Night Football

Unfortunately London is NOT a late night city, so the game will not be shown in public as everything will be closed. 

If you’re staying in a hotel, there’s a good chance that they might put in on for you at the bar or lobby, but with a 1:20am kickoff, you might want to wait until the morning.

Watch it on Sky Sports or NFL Gamepass.

Carnaby Street

Just off of Oxford Circus, this bustling side street boasts bars, restaurants, shops a plenty and potentially some NFL action.
Not to far from the bright lights of Regent Street, Carnaby street is a great place to wander around people watching and to do a spot of shopping. 

Niketown is around the corner if you want to pick up some NFL gear while you’re here. 

https://www.carnaby.co.uk/

Friday

If you’re just getting into town, welcome to London! The weekend officially begins!

Louche

This hip and trendy Soho bar is opening for the first night at its swank Greek street location.
If you’re looking to class up the evening a bit with some cocktails in a wicked new location, get in touch with Louche to book a table now to kick off your Friday. 

https://louchesoho.com/

The Brig

Billed as London’s ‘smallest bar’, this cool location near Bow is a fun night of drinking and intimacy while you get to learn more about London.
Book the space now, and get your own bartender and all of your drinks.
Pack the Tylenol for the next day on this one.
https://merchanthouse.bar/rooms/the-brig/

BackYard Comedy Club

East is the beast when it comes to live entertainment in the capital.
Head to the hip Bethnal Green hood for a weekend of great comedy shows at the Backyard Comedy club.  You never know who might pop on stage!
Booking ahead is recommended as tickets sell out quickly. 

Saturday

Premier League

If you’re looking to catch some ‘soccer’ while you’re in the UK, make sure you pop in to one of the many Saturday sessions at the pubs.
Both the Sports Bar & Grill Old Street, and Clapham will have games on all day, so just book yourself in for an afternoon of fun.

Joshua vs Wilder

Boxing fans will be gushing over this one, as the best of the UK faces the best of America.

The fight won’t start until at least 3am GMT, so not many places will be showing it without a cost. 

The Sports Bar & Grill Clapham will be showing the bout, so make sure that you book in early to guarantee yourself a seat.
https://www.sportsbarandgrill.co.uk/clapham/party-booking

Bond

Super spy James Bond is back this week, and what better way to get those British feels than watching 007 chase down the bad guys.
Can you even use the phrase ‘bad guy’ anymore or is that too offensive?

Go nuts for the movie, put on some tuxedos and infuse with gin.
Find that here.
https://www.the-distillery.london/products/the-distillery-presents

Balls Balls Balls 

When was the last time you got drunk in a ball pit?
Never?
Well head down to Ballie Ballerson’s, the first cocktail joint where you can feel like a kid again by getting stuck in a ball pit. 

Definitely a memorable experience, book your friends in now to get your balls on!
https://shoreditch.ballieballerson.com/

Sunday

It’s gameday!
Remember that the game kicks off at 2:30pm GMT (9:30am EST), so don’t get too wasted on Saturday.

Sunday’s are notoriously slow in the UK for travel (replacement buses everywhere), so give yourself a bit more time to get around. 

Double check your route using CityMapper so that you know exactly what your options are for getting to and from the game. 

PreGame

Looking to soak up the beer in advance by filling up?
Head to the Sports Bar and Grill Old Street, Clapham or the Princess Alexandra in Crouch End for breakfast, or beers prior to kick off. 

All 3 pubs will be showing the NFL game between the Jets and Falcons, which also be broadcast on BBC. 

The Princess Alexandra is a direct bus ride to the stadium, and there is plenty of parking in Crouch End around Priory Park if you’re looking for a direct route/ option to the game. 

Gametime

New York Jets face the Atlanta Falcons at Tottenham Stadium at 2:30pm GMT, so give yourself a bit of time to get to the stadium and go through the security protocols. 

Check ahead with the stadium to make sure that you don’t bring TOO MUCH.

The forecast for Sunday October 10th is partly sunny with a high of 19c (68f). 

After Parties

London is NOT a late night city, so make sure you plan ahead if you want to avoid going from closed door to closed door in shady parts of London you don’t know. 

Sports Bar Clapham

South London will be full tilt with action, as the SB&G Clapham will host south London’s most epic after party. 

With ALL of the NFL games on plus Redzone, the bar will be open late to make sure that you and yours can watch all of the NFL games. 

Loads of TVs, cold beer and hot wings will make this your best Sunday Funday option south of the Thames. 

https://www.sportsbarandgrill.co.uk/clapham/party-booking

Sports Bar Old Street

The OG of sports bars, this Old Street location will be open until 4am Monday, so that you can get your NFL on for the big game. 

With over 50+ TVs and room for 300 people, this bar will get packed quickly, so make sure you book ahead first. 

We will be accepting people on the door, although there will be a cover charge and seating isn’t guaranteed.
The pub has a late license until 4am, so you can stay for as long as your coherent, and be back in bed late if you want to avoid the rush. 

Book here now!

https://www.sportsbarandgrill.co.uk/oldstreet/party-booking

Princess Alexandra

Jump on the W3 bus near the pub, and you’re dropped off directly in front of White Hart Lane. 

An easy 15 minute journey will see you avoiding the direct traffic and at the stadium every 10 minutes. 

To get out of the stadium, just grab another W3 bus just across the road, and you’re back at the pub in time for the 6pm kickoffs. 

https://princessalexandran8.co.uk/

Areas to Explore

Shoreditch

Not too far from Old Street, the area of Shoreditch is an up and coming feast for the sense.
Dishoom dishes up some of the greatest Indian food you will ever have, while the Boxpark is a fun place to grab a drink and check out the hipsters. 

Smithfield Market is a must go on the weekend, so make sure you go on an empty stomach to savour all of the stalls and their selection of global treats. 

Islington

North London truly is the coolest part of the city, and you’ll see why when you wander around the streets from Angel to Highbury and Islington, with all of the madness in between.
Wander the endless streets of bars, shops, theatres and look-in laneways that make up this trendy neighbourhood. 

Bars like the American themed Slim Jim’s are cool to listen to some rock and roll and a whisky, while Angel Comedy will keep you laughing all weekend long. 

Clapham Junction

The leafy greens of Clapham make this hood a worthwhile place to visit when you find yourself in south London. 

Served by both Clapham Common & Junction rail & tube lines, this area of the city is easy to get to and fun to explore in sun and rain. 

The high street has oodles of bars and pubs to pop into while you doddle along the green and beyond as well as a trendy group of locals who are friendly and fun to encounter. 

Avoid walking the green late at night and alone though, but that should be ‘common’ sense.
Get it? 

Ares to Avoid

Leicester Square

Once the playground of tourists and locals alike, Leicester Square has sadly gone downhill in the past few years. 

Now the abode of hustlers, gimmicks and grifters, the square is a place where you’re more likely to lose your wallet than gain anything other than a hatred for humanity. 

Daytime you’re fine, but it gets very busy with gawkers.
Late nights are not recommended as the side streets are the domain of gangs who would love to have your possessions. 

Knightsbridge

The hotels of Knightsbridge have been hit by the ‘VID, and it shows in the dead streets of Chelsea. Once the streets were alive with shops, pubs and fine car racing, but the knock down of effect of lockdown has taken a toll on this once lively area.
Weekends are particularly sad here, but help out any local business you can…if you can find them. 

Tottenham

10 years ago, venturing outside to the side streets of Wembley would be lunacy.
Today the stadium is safely surrounded by a skyline of condos, busy franchises, and a bustling new community. 

Tottenham is Wembley 10 years ago.
The area is still very rough on the surrounding streets, and gentrification has yet to take hold , allowing Tottenham to maintain a tough, local vibe.
White Hart Lane is a notoriously rough area, and even less desirable at night. 

Get to the game and get out while the sun is still out, the Spurs vampires await. 

That’s it for this write up of what to do in London, have fun, enjoy the game and stay safe. 

See you Sunday at one of our NFL in London events! 

London Calling Atlanta

by

The NFL is returning to London!
Fans will be allowed back in stadiums, a new 17 week season awaits, and Covid has been traded to the Jets for future considerations.
Everything is getting back to normal right?
Uh, sure.
We don’t know a lot, but we do know that London is calling Atlanta for a 2021 game.
So who are they playing? When? Where? What’s the deal-lio, yo?
We’ll try to break it down for you, as London is calling you Atlanta!

International Games

In your face world! The NFL is coming for you!
American football fans around the globe were giddy like kids at Christmas, after the league announced that we can expect more NFL International games over the next few years.
London’s Tottenham stadium will be the first to host a game in 2021, with more venues and teams to be rolled out later this year.
All 32 teams will have to play at least 1 international game once over the next eight years.
According to the league it will look for  “up to four neutral-site games per year in a country outside the United States will focus initially on Canada, Europe, Mexico, South America and the United Kingdom. In addition, interested clubs can continue to volunteer to play home games internationally, as is currently the case.”
When the games will be played and where is anyone’s guess, but we can make some inferences based on previous outings.

Canada

Canada has previously hosted NFL regular season games, and they did not go well.
Given that Toronto is only a 90 minute journey to Buffalo, it was assumed that Canuckleheaded fans would fill up the stadiums with maple pride.
They did not.
Toronto is a fickle city, and one Ernest Hemingway once described as a ‘fistulated asshole.’
If the Blue Jays are doing well, the Maple Leafs show a semblance of pulse, or a waft of warm air hits Ontario in October, Canadians make other plans.
Previous NFL games were beset by fan apathy, low turn out, snarky broadcasters, and truly bad playing conditions.
The Rogers Centre/ Skydome is a decaying downtown edifice whose turf has ruined more professional athletes careers than a Kardashian.
The Rogers family themselves are snarky snake billionaires with a grasp on the throat of Canadian media, and none too pleased with the NFL for turning down previous franchise opportunities.
If Canada does host NFL games, they will need to not be held in Toronto or Vancouver, where fans already have a taste of ‘American sports.’


South America

When the NFL says ‘South America’, we assume that the NFL means ‘Mexico’, given that Mexico has hosted previous NFL games.
Although Mexico is considered to be in North America, you can forgive sports fans for not giving a hoot about geography.
It’s highly unlikely that South America would host anything other than a vaccination drive, as Covid has torn through the region like Derek Henry playing ‘Red Rover.’
One can’t imagine Argentina, Peru or Brazil hosting a regular season NFL game given the security, testing, and kidnapping threats that exist in those regions.
Previous Mexico City NFL games have been well attended, but also fraught with peril.
These games cost the NFL the most in safety and security of ANY NFL game, not to mention the flurry of items tossed on the the field and hundreds of laser pointers aimed at QBs eyes.
Only the Raiders seem to do well in Mexico, which is fitting.

Europe

To Americans, Europe is a big country.
Not only did they save it in WW2, but they also kicked the Germans out of it.
They might be totally insulted to learn that not only IS Germany IN Europe, but that the Germans may actually host an NFL game.
Germany has a massive NFL fanbase, and it truly is their time to host a game.
American football has been a popular sport in the country since American GI’s were stationed there after the war. The game grew in appeal, and Germany boasts one of the best American football development program on the continent.
The only issue that might interfere is time. With a 6 hour gap between the states, a 1pm EST game wouldn’t kickoff until 7pm in Germany, making it a bit of a later prospect.
The games will still be awesome, and it will be great to see what Germany can offer as hosts.

UK

The UK has established itself as the de-facto home of the NFL outside of Europe, so what’s changed?
Covid obviously, but there is also a Wembley issue.
The Jacksonville Jaguars contract with Wembley has expired, and they also lost their pitch for a new downtown stadium. Will Khan take out his wrath, or find a new way?
By all accounts Wembley is keen to reopen the NFL despite Tottenham making the stadium push for future games.
Other stadiums that host Liverpool and Manchester United are also keen to refit their homes to potentially fit the NFL in for future years.
While the NFL may never establish another franchise in the UK, we may start to see games hosted around the country, as well as Scotland and Ireland in the mix.

With the big game announced for 2021, loads of questions have emerged.
When will the Falcons being playing at Tottenham, and who?
We have our thoughts here.

Which Sunday?

October 2021 has 5 potential Sundays to offer as one of the London games.
Previously, the NFL has tried to keep the International Games earlier in the season to balance out the byes, and fit the games within the busy hosting schedule of the city of London.
October 2021 has Sunday October 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31st as options for the London games, with each Sunday having a 20% chance of hosting the game.
With Week 1 of the NFL due to begin on Sun Sept 12th, that would make October 3rd part of the Week 4 schedule. Given Covid, rules, travel and more this might be more unlikely.
One of the biggest factors in choosing the date of the London game is time.
Clocks ‘fall back’ in October, with the US and UK having a gap of about a week when the clocks are only 4 hours apart.
The NFL has capitalised on this in the past, as this hour means a huge difference to the body clocks, and broadcast clocks of international timings.
UK clocks change on Sun Oct 31st, and US clocks on Sun Nov 7th. This means that there would be only a 4 hour gap on the 31st, making it the most likely date to host a game.
Sunday October 31st is Week 8 in the NFL, which is a tad late for a UK game, so we are not keen on it, especially with Diwali (Indian Festival of Lights) set to take over central London less than a week later.
Prediction: Sunday October 17th (Week 6)

Atlanta Opponent

The Atlanta Falcons will be playing a ‘non-divisional’ opponent for their 2021 game, which means that there are only 5 teams that they could potentially play.
These teams are Detroit, New England, NY Jets, Washington or Philly, each with an even 20% chance of being chosen.
Detroit last visited London in 2015, where they took an epic beating at the hands of Alex Smith and the Chiefs. The Lions aren’t really an international fan draw, and with so many changes in the organisation, an unlikely pairing for this match.
Washington is rebuilding not only as a team, but also as a franchise. With owner Dan Snyder under the microscope for being a bit naughty, it’s unlikely that the league would want him to travel internationally, where the foreign press would be keen to address his ‘reputation’.
The Eagles were only here in 2018, with Carson Wentz carving out a win over the hapless Jaguars. Very doubtful that they would be back here again this soon.
New York Jets and New England Patriots are the other teams that could be London bound.
Jets owner (and former UK Ambassador-Woody Johnson) is back home & working in the vaccine factory, so he might be inclined to not let his team back to his former home. The Jets last played in London in 2015, beating the Dolphins in a Wembley stinker.
Bill Belichick and the boys haven’t played in London since 2015, when a guy named Tom Brady was still at QB.
The Patriots have shed a lot of weight, personnel and allure as of late, with the team missing their first playoffs in decades.
Given that they are the only team with ‘England’ in their name, they would be odds on favourites to make the crowds happy, and sell tickets.
Boston is the closest US city to fly to London, so that 5 hours might seem like nothing compared to West coast jaunts.
After all, who wouldn’t want a Super Bowl matchup in England?
Let’s do it!
Prediction: New England Patriots

Full Prediction

We think the 2021 NFL London will be…the Atlanta Falcons hosting the New England Patriots at Wembley on Sunday October 17th, 2021

In closing, we have no idea what is really going to happen.
Covid is still on the field, and despite vaccine efforts, we still don’t know what the NFL could look like for this season.
Commissioner Goodell has promised that we will have ‘100% capacity’ at all stadiums, but that could be about as accurate as our predictions.

Watch this space as we will have full details on who is playing the Atlanta Falcons here as soon as we know it.  London is calling Atlanta!