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Free Agents Podcast

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The 2020 NFL season is now done and dusted, leaving us nothing to do but twiddle our thumbs for the next 6 months. Thankfully, we have recorded a podcast about all the NFL Free Agents up for grabs to keep you occupied for an hour or so (if you listen twice).

Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull are still going through NFL withdrawal, both of whom are quite shaky in this episode as they get ‘the good stuff’ out of their veins.
Bears fan Wade worries about a future that might include Carson Wentz, whereas Bills fan Ryan is Jonesing for a hit of JJ Watt to make the Bills extra special.

Among some of the other players they look at in this episode includes:

Dak Prescott

Who wants to swallow a big load of Dak? That’s what the Cowboys are facing if they want to franchise tag Prescott for another season. After taking that horrible injury in the 2020 season, Dallas fans will be wondering if it’s worth it.
Despite the drama, Dak is a heck of a QB-tossing up some amazing yardage in a losing Cowboys effort.
The boys both think he will be back with ‘Dem Boyz this season again.

Allen Robinson II

Oh Bears, what are you going to do? A typical Chicago move would be to piss him off so much he never wants to come back, but there is a chance Robinson will return if the Bears can offer a solid QB option. Trubisky and Foles are not the answer, but Robinson is-so the Bears will need to move the world to get him the ball chucker that he needs.
If Chicago doesn’t franchise him, Miami will grab him.

Will Fuller IV

Another wide receiver, except this one misses at least half the games each season. When he’s good, he’s very good. When he’s injured, he’s often injured-so it will be a leap of faith whoever wants to go Full Fuller.  With plenty of option out there, Fuller might need to resign himself to a WR2 or 3 role.
Texans have shot themselves in all of their feet, so it’s likely that they will move on from him and let him roam the open pastures.
Most likely playing options-Packers; 49ers; Giants.

Shaq Barrett

Shaq attack was what led to a wonderful performance by the Bucs in SuperBowl 55. The problem with winning a SuperBowl is trying to keep all the talent who are being wooed by other teams. Those teams don’t have TB12 though and every player and their brother is willing to take less to play with Brady.
Shaq won’t take less, but you can imagine every Tampa bean counter shifting the sands to make sure Shaq is back for next season. His ass ain’t going nowhere.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Which team hasn’t had any Fitzmagic at this point? Although Miami has said that they want to hang on to Ryan and his big brain for the 2021 season, it’s likely the little hobo will move on down the road.
Loads of teams could use the services of Fitz, especially if it looks like that they might lose out on the QB Fiesta that is looming for the draft and free agency.
Wade thinks that he will end up starting for the Patriots, and Ryan tends to agree.

There are loads of other players discussed in this podcast, including: Kenny Golladay, Justin Simmons, Hunter Henry, Richard Sherman, Jameis Winston, Antonio Brown and Andy Dalton.
Have a listen and a giggle to the whole podcast to fins out more.

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SuperBowl 55 Preview

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And then there was one game to define it all.
One final match for the 2020 season, before we all slug back to hibernate for another 7 months of no NFL.
It’s the Tampa Bay Bucs vs the Kansas City Chiefs, as we bring you our SuperBowl 55 Preview podcast.

Wade McElwain & Ryan Cull are ready for Sunday, as they break down all of the factors that will come into play for SuperBowl 55 in Tampa.
Who do they think will win the big game? You’ll have to read further.

The guys touch on all kinds of fun in this podcast, among some of the issues they discuss in detail includes:

TB12

Sure, he makes half the SuperBowls of his career, but is he really that good? Brady has thrown a bunch of INTs throughout the playoffs, and it’s hard not to think he won’t be tossing one away in this game. Where Brady shines is under pressure, and leading an underdog charge.
Tommy boy knows how to manage the clock and the big stage.

Mahomes

Patrick has surely accomplished a lot for a young man his age. He shows a certain poise and commands the pocket expertly as he moves down the field. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his issues however. If the Bucs put enough pressure on him, he might throw an errant pick down the field. Or he might find a seam and run for 40 yards on you. That’s why he’s so fun to watch.

Chiefs O-Line

You’re going to need to protect Patrick Mahomes from one of the fastest D’s in the league. The Bucs were able to get to him in week 12, and it should be eve easier if 3 of the starters are out.
Mahomes is a phenom anyway you slice it, but if you can get to him early and often, it will mean he has to take deep shots down the field.

RBs

Both of these teams will have all of their backs healthy and ready for the big game. With such a high powered passing attack on both sides, the running game could be overlooked. This would be a mistake, as both teams will want to ‘ground and pound’ to soften the defensive line up a bit.
Where this will get interesting is how often these RBs are used in play action and as receivers.

Gronk

Gronk is always on Tommy’s mind when it comes to the SuperBowl. In the previous Patriots games, Rob was a big factor finding open field and busting a few big gains and even a TD against the Rams.
Betting that Gronk gets a TD is a solid prop bet, and it may have something to do with TB12 helping his buddy’s get their post season bonuses.

Home Field

It may not feel like much, but home field does play a huge factor in Sundays outcome. Knowing every facet of a stadium, how the wind rolls in, where your family are sitting, and how close the toilet is, all help a player out mentally to calm down.

So with all of that in consideration, the guys have made this Super Bowl 55 predictions.

Ryan

Ryan likes the kid Mahomes in this one, as the Chiefs just have too many tools to be stopped. He likes both teams to hit the over here, but Kansas City will just be too much for the Bucs to handle.
Chiefs 31 Bucs 27

Wade

Wade is going with defence, home field advantage, and experience, which is why he likes Tampa Bay to win this at home. Defences win big games, and this will be the one where the better one steps up. The Chiefs might build a lead, but TB12 and co. will work to erase and overcome just like in Super Bowls of past.
Bucs 28 Chiefs 24

That’s it for the final prediction of this NFL 2020/21 season.
Huge thanks to the NFL for making it all feel ‘normal’ again. What are we going to do without you?
Thanks for listening, please share and we will continue to make more during the offseason.

Super Prop Bets

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The SuperBowl is only a few days away, which means it’s time to start thinking of some of the prop, or novelty bets on offer for this year. Sure, you can go the traditional route of betting on Gatorade colour, length of the anthem or whether Tony Romo is going to mention Robert Kraft’s favourite massage oil.

With so many oddities to bet on in this Super Bowl, why not contact your bookie and go hard? Why bet on the basic bitch package, when you can amp it up for Super Bowl 55.
These are some of our Super Prop Bets.

Trump Blows up Florida +165

Trump lost the election, the presidency and some would say the plot as he returned to his Florida retirement home to have Melania soak his boo-boos. Those who know Trump reckon he is seeking some sweet justice, and a public event like the Super Bowl is all he needs. Previous villains have tried to blow up the Super Bowl, but of anyone-Trump probably can pull it off.
If Trump blows it up before halftime, at least we will miss the Weeknd.

Tiffany Rivers Gives Birth +225

Phillip Rivers retired this year to focus on family, so it figures that his wife Tiffany is due to give birth again soon. Look for Tiffany to shoot baby number 23 across the field at halftime, with the umbilical cord firing over midfield as Phillip tosses a pass that snaps the cord, bringing baby and mama softly down on the field. Knowing PR though, he’ll throw the ball short and probably knock out the midwife.

Number of Covid Mentions +/- 300

Look for 300 to be the magic number threshold for mentions of Covid during the SuperBowl. 300 mentions in a 4 hour broadcast is actually reasonable, considering Covid was the star of the 2020 NFL season. Look for other parlays to add to Covid by adding words like ‘virus’, ‘lockdown’, or ‘Wuhan Flu.’
You could be in for even bigger bucks if a new variant emerges during the game itself.

Lamar Jackson takes a Halftime Dump +220

Look for doody-dropper Lamar Jackson to break up halftime by dropping the kids off at the pool, then mentioning it in social media. It could be something obscure, like calling someone a ‘wet-wipe’, or following ‘Charmin’. Everyone plays better when Lamar takes a dump, so look for shout-outs from his colleagues and friends encouraging Lamar to ‘go deep.’

Corona Admits it Caused the Virus  +340

After one of the nastiest trading years on record, Corona bravely fought off the initial link with their beer and a watery death. As the world transitioned from ‘Corona’ to ‘Covid’, the brewer deftly hired Snoop Dogg to help them ‘coolify’ their brand. Look for Corona to go all out on this one, not only boldly claiming that they started the virus, but they now have the only vaccine. This could be a bold brand move.

How many crappy new CBS sitcoms will be promoted? +225

+/- 4 . It’s been a tough year for TV, and CBS so look for them to throw down the gauntlet of fun (or faunt-let) as they go ‘all in’ on wacky sitcoms, promoting 4 new losers on Sunday. Fortunately all of the sitcoms will star Mayim Bialik and have something to do with cats, loneliness and an underlying current of sadness through the canned laughter. ‘What happens when a talking cat saves a suicidal middle-aged woman? It’s ‘Cat Got Your Back’, Tuesdays on CBS!’ The best bet is to wager on how long some of these shows last.
If we’re lucky, one of the sitcoms will be cancelled before the game is done.

Dwayne Haskins watches from a strip club +175

Dwayne Haskins loves his mama, and morally bereft strippers equally. While teammates in Washington bemoaned his lack of professionalism and misogyny, he always made sure to visit the ladies after every game he left early. Look for Haskins on social media to post something cryptic about ‘making it rain’, ‘love in the club’, or even using a weave as a mask. Don’t let us down Dwayne.

The Rock will be seen -250

Dwayne the Rock Johnson is the biggest movie star in the world, so it goes to reckon that he will be seen somehow during the Superbowl. The most obvious would be to show a trailer for one of his movies, but look for the Rock to do bigger.  Maybe an XFL ad, pulling Kevin Hart out of his pockets, or something to do with his eyebrows. Most likely? The Rock will actually be shooting a movie anyhow that somehow crosses over to the Super Bowl. Classic Johnson.

A Karen will be Shown -200

2020 was a hell of a year to be named ‘Karen’. You could have spent 50 years dedicating yourself to helping others, but if you’re named ‘Karen’, it doesn’t matter. 2020 owns you now.
Since the identification of the Karen, we have been all made painfully aware of how to spot the obnoxiousness. There might be only 20000 fans attending the game, but chances are there are a few Karen’s down there in FLA. Get your money ready.

Something Florida will Happen -300

The further you go into Florida, the more of a spiral of humanity you encounter. Laws of natural selection and decorum quickly go out the door. Florida Man Marries a Manatee. Florida woman Swallows 4lbs of Meth and Lives. Perhaps it is the proximity to the famed Bermuda Triangle that brings out the chaos, or maybe it’s inbreeding. Whatever it is, bet on Florida first.

What do you have as some of your prop bets? What kind of madness do you see playing out.
If you didn’t already know, we made these up. But if you can find a bookmaker willing to take this action, please do it!

 

Picks Six-AFC & NFC

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THE PICKS SIX – CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY

Well, here we are. After a week of uncertainty, following an exciting divisional weekend, it looks like all things are set, and Championship Sunday is set to go off with only one big name injury – but thank god it’s not Patrick Mahomes… it’s a bit hard to create six categories of picks and tips with only two games to choose from, so let’s just have a look at both Championship games and then just a few tips as to what I think might happen on Sunday. It’s time for the Picks Six for the AFC and NFC championships.

Buccaneers vs Packers

The two best quarterbacks of the past decade? One storied franchise, and one loaded upstart? The Frozen Tundra? This has ALL the ingredients to be an absolute barnburner of a game. I’m so excited for this one. Hearing Aaron Rodgers jokingly suggest he was looking forward to seeing “Tom playing safety against me” this week shows how nonsensical the “Rodgers vs Brady” take on this game really is. They’re never going to be going one on one… and yet this game STILL feels like a duel between the two quarterbacks. The defenses – especially Tampa Bay’s – will play a huge role in the outcome of this, but the ball will still touch the hands of two of the greatest to ever do this on almost every play. 

Tampa Bay rode their luck slightly last week, as Brady definitely started off shaky and grew into the contest. I’m not sure they can afford a slow start this week. Green Bay’s 1st half offensive production has been incredible and has allowed them to play from a lead most of this season. Antonio Brown is definitely a big miss for Tampa Bay, but he barely played last Sunday either and the Buccaneers defense still stepped up big time to knock out the New Orleans Saints. Devin White? Unbelievable. Insane. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will carry the load down the field. Can “Playoff Lenny” Fournette continue to find the endzone with regularity? Maybe. Green Bay’s defense has improved vastly the last six to eight weeks, and have filled the holes that were being run through with ease earlier this season. And when they have the ball? Rodgers to Davante Adams is of course the main threat, but Robert Tonyan, Allen Lazard, and even Marquez Valdes-Scantling are further threats down the field. Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon and even Jamaal Williams could ALL end up as starting running backs in the NFL, maybe as early as next season. These are two absolutely stacked teams, and it’s absolutely no surprise to see them vying for a place in SuperBowl LV.

Speaking of which… There’s never been a “home team” in a SuperBowl, and I don’t think that streak is getting broken this year. What Brady and the Bucs have achieved in their first year together is very impressive, but I just don’t see how they’re beating this Packers team, with THAT quarterback playing this well. I love my man Stephen A. Smith, and I have to agree with him – Aaron Rodgers is a bad bad bad man. Sorry not sorry TB12, I’m riding with A-A-Rod. The Pack will go back to the biggest game of the season, with hope of bringing another championship back to TitleTown.

Bills vs Chiefs

Let me just say this… if you thought, for one second, that Patrick Mahomes wasn’t going to be playing in this game… you’re absolutely crazy. The face of the NFL? He would’ve needed a rather more significant injury than the reported “nerve in his neck” injury to stop Showtime from playing in his third straight AFC Championship game. It would have been somewhat of travesty in all honesty had this Chiefs team not been at full strength as they try to “run it back,” and defend their crown. But – even though he’s cleared concussion protocol – will Mahomes be 100%? He was already struggling with turf toe last weekend against the Browns. I have to assume that he’s going to be able to play through the pain barrier and lead his team into battle. His supporting cast as well all seem to by flying at the right time. It feels almost impossible for Travis Kelce to fail to have about 8 catches, around 100 yards, and a Touchdown every week. He’s just incredible. And when they needed him most, who made the play (with the help of Chad Henne) last weekend? Tyreek Hill. The run game is definitely somewhat lacking, but it wasn’t all the impressive with Damien Williams last season before his explosion in the playoffs. The Chiefs somehow took a SuperBowl winning team and somehow became even better. 

On the other side, I absolutely love this Bills team. What Sean McDermott has done in a relatively short space of time to turn this franchise from the Patriots’ whipping boy into the 2nd best team in the AFC is incredible. In a similar vein to Travis Kelce, it’s seemingly impossible for Stefon Diggs not to end each game having scored and earned triple digit receiving yards. The rapport he and his QB have has been a true gamechanger. Josh Allen has EARNED his right to be considered one of the four best QBs in the league; that’s what we’ve got on show this weekend. Brady vs Rodgers, Mahomes vs Allen. For me, they’ve been the four best pass throwers in the league this season, so it’s great to know that we’re going to get two of them in the SuperBowl two weeks from now. That said, I do think this will be the ceiling for Josh Allen and #BillsMafia. This Chiefs team is so impressive. I haven’t even mentioned the performance that Tyrann Mathieu turned in last weekend. He’ll need to be in that mood again this weekend to stop Buffalo from upsetting the odds and heading to Tampa with a chance. But as impressive as Buffalo have been, I just can’t go against Andy Reid and this offense. So, it might be the boring and obvious pick, but I’m taking the Chiefs here too. 

Cheeky Bets

Both Players to score a Touchdown Double:

Robert Tonyan & Rob Gronkowski both to score

Travis Kelce & Josh Allen both to score

£10 on this double pays about £340 depending on your bookmaker.

Parlay

Chiefs -2.5 & Over 54.5

Packers -2.5 & Over 52.0

£10 on this double pays about £120 depending on your bookmaker.

I’ve already apologised, so I won’t do it again, but I have to favour the two favourites AND both points totals going over. I think this will be a shootout sunday for the right to compete for the Lombardi trophy in 14 days. Thank you all, whether it was once, twice, or every week, for taking the time to read my thoughts. Hope it’s brought some enjoyment to this insane few months we’ve had. Stay safe, and come chat with me on Twitter or Instagram at @CallumJDSquires. Enjoy the games. Peace.

Callum Squires is a London based NFL writer, and former US college athlete. 

Conference Playoffs

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And then there were four. Only the Bills, Bucs, Chiefs, and Packers remain, so which one of them will be the next Super Bowl Champion? We will find out in this podcast edition of the NFL Conference Playoffs.

The Divisional Playoffs last weekend brought us some incredible highs, some lowly lows, and some oh so close matches that went down to the wire. Some of those things that Wade & Ryan talk about in this edition of the podcast includes:

Bills Running Game

The Bills don’t have one, but how much will that matter? Well, going deep into the playoffs-the more well rounded teams usually fare better. While questions emerge around how the Bills can expect to survive again against the Chiefs without a running game, the guys discuss another point. What if it’s there, but we just don’t see it.

Done Drew

Drew Brees is of the big broadcast booth in the sky next season by the look of it, and what a way to whimper out. Brees was picked and prodded by the stout Bucs D last weekend, and despite the cute send off by Tom Brady after the game, it wasn’t really the way a player wants to bow out of the NFL.

Clipped Ravens

The Ravens are good, but not great. They lack the finesse of a complete team, and that puts too much pressure on Lamar Jackson. The Bills choked out Baltimore and didn’t ask if they wanted a safety word. If Baltimore wants to make a deeper push next season, they are going to need to add a running game and a few key receivers.

Rodgers Rate

Aaron Rodgers is playing phenomenal football right now. Of course, he’s only won one post season game thus far, and that was against the depleted LA Rams, who had a hobbled Aaron Donald in that game. Aaron is playing knockout football, but is that only because he hasn’t been hit yet ?

Browntown

Cleveland is as Cleveland does. The Browns shot themselves in the foot numerous times last Sunday against a Chiefs team that was ready for a right hook. The Browns screwed up in the red zone several times, and Baker wasn’t able to get the passing game going with effectiveness. For about an hour, the world was rooting for the Browns, but it wasn’t enough.

Bucs D

Something is stirring in Florida, and it isn’t a radioactive gator (or is it?). Tampa’s D has been growing in confidence week on week, thanks to TB12 being able to score at will. The Bucs harassed Drew Brees on Sunday, and their numerous picks set the stage for Buc’s points. If a Super Bowl is won by the best D, is this their best chance?

Goff-Off

Jared Goff is going to struggle to be an LA resident. Given that everyone in California is moving to Texas, Goff might want to consider packing his bags. Sean McVay is obviously miffed at Goff’s inconsistent style of play, and he has regressed since their Super Bowl appearance. Look for him to use this offseason to ‘find himself’ or the door out.

Sunday Predictions

So who do Wade & Ryan see winning this Sunday? Well have a listen to the full podcast, and you can get all of the scores and reasoning. But for the sake of brevity and giving you some betting clues, here you go.

Bucs (11-5) vs Packers (13-3)
Packers -3.5  +52
20:05 GMT

The last time these two teams met, the Bucs D grabbed Aaron Rodgers by the moustache and rode that face down the field for 38-10 beating. After getting picked off twice, you could see the look in Rodgers eyes that said basically ‘screw this crap’, and he never mentally returned.
Rematches are a different beast, and we know from TB12 last week that vengeance has its own plan.
The weather looks to be Wisconsin comfortable on Sunday, which will benefit the Bucs.
Green Bay still has some issues on their O line, while the Bucs have had to shuffle a few players on their O line to give Tommy some breathing space.
Ryan is bullish on the Packers here, as it sets up his Super Bowl prediction. He thinks that the combo of Rodgers and Adams will find too many holes in that Bucs secondary and that Tommy’s heroics will fail at the last minute.
Wade on the other hand sees this Bucs momentum continuing on. Brady loves a challenge, and you can bet he will be a bigger locker room motivator than Rodgers. If Ronald Jones is fully healthy, the Packers will struggle to contain a dual attack, not to mention Rodgers being sacked several times.
Ryan- Packers 30 Bucs 27
Wade- Bucs 31 Packers 28

Bills (13-3) vs Chiefs (14-2)
Chiefs -3  +56
23:40 GMT

It’s the battle of the young’uns, as Josh Allen takes aim at Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Mahomes looks to have cleared concussion protocol, and his foot injury is looking good as well. It’s difficult in the best of games to contain Mahomes, so the Bills have their hands full.
Despite their winning record, the Bills have had an underdog status propelling them into the playoffs. The press has pointed to their last 90s’ appearances, and how Josh Allen was busy winning ‘cutest baby titles’ the last time the Bills made the show.
The last time these two faced off the Bills showed Mahomes a cushion of respect, which led to them getting gashed for over 240 rushing yards in a loss. The Bills won’t make the same mistake twice.
Josh Allen has more tools and confidence since that loss, which was also impacted by Covid scheduling,
Both being Canadians who lived on the US border, Wade and Ryan are favouring the plucky Bills in this contest, although for different reasons.
A diehard Bills fan, Ryan would choose them even if they all tested positive for Covid. He has all the confidence that the Bills will make the Super Bowl after this one.
Wade likes the Bills because the ghost of his father Harvie is telling him to, and that’s good enough for him.
Ryan- Bills 30 Chiefs 28
Wade- Bills 28 Chiefs 26

Do you think that the guys got it right? Feel free to reach out to us across our website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and carrier pigeon. We have a Facebook group as well that has loads of great articles and funny memes.
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At the end of the podcast, Wade pays tribute to his father Harvie McElwain who died on January 20, 2021. Harvie was a big impact on NFL in London, and this NFL loving father, grandfather and former referee’s presence will be felt here for a long time.
Safe travels Harv.

Enjoy Sunday, and please share this with all your NFL friends.