NFL in London

National Football League in London

London Balling Podcast

Auld Langs

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Happy New Year everyone!

We hope that Santa was good to you, that you avoided this nasty flu that’s going around, and you made it to the finals of your NFL Fantasy Playoffs.

Wade and Ryan are back for another cross-Atlantic podcast, as we bid adieu to 2021, and hope for better things in 2022.

Week 17 is almost upon us, and the COVID exemptions are already starting to pile up, with over 200 players expected to be affected by Sunday.

If you’re in the know, and good at betting, you should be able to find some juicy picks out of the rumble of games slated to kickoff for Week 17 in our Auld Langs podcast.

We’ve got our podcast locked and loaded for you, so that you listen, relax and let the Joe Average aura of the guys take you to your happy place.

Among some of the games the guys look at this week.

Dolphins (8-7) vs -3.5 Titans (10-5) +39.5

Tua and the fopping fish have had a heck of a season, winning seven straight games after losing 7 straight games, the only team to ever accomplish such a feat.
They sunk the Saints, but now look to a desperate Tennessee team who need the home crowd to help them take it over the top.

The Titans have suffered since losing Derek Henry earlier in the season. Without a smack in the face running game, they have had to rely on a Ryan Tannehill who lost most of the tools in his belt.

Ryan and Wade both like Tennessee to win, but Wade thinks that Miami should be able to keep in close with some of their receivers returning to health.

Ryan-Titans 23 Dolphins 16
Wade-Titans 21 Dolphins 18

-3.5 LA Rams (11-4) vs Ravens (8-7) +47

Matt Stafford and the Rams have everyone scratching their heads.
What was thought to be a wham bam, thank you kick in the West coast, has many wondering if Matt can carry the load he was expected to.
Bad back, defence that allows plenty of points, and losing Robert Woods took notch out of their depth.

Baltimore has been a steaming hot mess since Lamar went down, losing most of their D in the process.
Huntley was good, until he got injured, and hopefully one of them should be back this week.

Wade & Ryan agree that this is going to be one heck of a game, but that for the Ravens, this might be the more desperate time.

Ryan likes the Rams to grab and hold a good lead, while Wade figures the Ravens to be feisty enough to keep it close.

Ryan-Rams 27 Ravens 20
Wade-Rams 26 Ravens 25

-3.5 Eagles (8-7) vs Washington FT (6-9)  +45

Jalen Hurts is starting to play like his career depends on it, as the Eagles desperately chase one of the final playoff spots.
The Eagles have found some nuggets of gold in their roster this season, but have failed to develop their fortitude when it matters.

WFT is coming off a blowout by the Cowboys last week, in a game where they played every string left in the roster. They will have some of their main dudes back for Week 17, but with season slipping away, the motivation might be hard to come by.

Ryan is all over the Eagles in this one, taking Hurts and the boys for a smooth ride over a roughshot Washington team.

Wade believes that in these key moments, some teams just poop the bed, and this will be the case this week. When you want a win that bad, you often mess it up to spite yourself.

Ryan-Eagles 27 WFT 17
Wade-WFT 21 Eagles 20

That’s it for Week 17 picks, hopefully you find some wisdom in the ramblings.

Sports Bar & Grill

Sports Bar and Grill Old Street and Clapham are rocking the NFL all Sunday long, just make sure that you book a table ahead of time to avoid disappointment.

You can watch the game you want on your own TV.

Book ’em up here.

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

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

 

London Balling Podcast

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The NFL is officially returning to London!
That’s right, in 2021, the Atlanta Falcons will pop over the pond to Tottenham for a non-divisional contest in October.
So what does that mean for NFL fans around the world?
Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull break it down in this London Balling Podcast.

Covid 19 was definitely the player of the season in 2020, gashing the league for over 85% of their profits from the previous year.
Virus be damned, the games are back on and Mr. Goodell is promising 100% capacity at the stadiums this season.
It all seems very positive…

Among the hot topics in this edition of the podcast include:

London Games

We have one game in the can for 2021, with a whole host of potential games over the next eight years. Sure, we have to split them with Germany, Mexico and even Canada…but at least the games will be spread across the globe.
Wembley looks to be out of the mix for now, but you would have to expect the stadium to make a push a Khan to help heal the wounds of his downtown Jacksonville implosion.
Tottenham already has a head start on the rest of the world by building a purpose built stadium for the NFL, it’s a matter if other countries are willing to build up to keep up.

Falcons at Tottenham

We know that Atlanta is playing in London in October 2021. Further breadcrumbs reveal that the opponent will be non-divisional, which only leaves 5 teams to choose from.
The Eagles last played in London in 2018, so they would be the least likely to return.
The Lions, Jets and Washington are all fan ‘duds’ when it comes to drawing a crowd, so it would be tough for the NFL to promote such a lack lustre game.
New England Patriots are no longer the massive draw that they once were under the TB12 dynasty, but they are still a much bigger ticket than any of the other bum teams available.
If you only have one game this season, go out swinging.
Bring back a 28-3 iconic Super Bowl game for UK fans to enjoy.
It’s doubtful that any foreign fans will be attending the game, so let’s make Britain ‘New England’ again.
That’s our two cents anyway.

Green Bay for $200

Aaron Rodgers tests out a new career path this week, as he hosts Jeopardy for 2 whole weeks. A huge Jeopardy ‘nerd’, Rodgers will be looking to open up his lexicon and fan base by hosting the nighttime quiz for a fortnight.
Don’t worry Packers fans, he won’t be leaving you…this season.

AB Gone

Antonio Brown is ready to get paid! Again.
After finally winning a ring (thanks to the generosity of TB12), Brown is ready to hit the free market and see what he’s worth.
This ageing and outspoken player might find that the turf is a bit frosty in the league, especially given that he still has some pending lawsuits lined up every month.
While Brown doesn’t exude the same drama that he did in his younger Steelers years, his petulance is far too advanced for a man of his age.
It’s nice to get paid, but if the team can only muster 4 wins in a season, was it worth it?

Sam Darnold

Darnold was traded to the Panthers just after this podcast was recorded.
This will have some big implications for the Jets, and their 2021 Draft.
By all accounts, it looks like that the Panthers got a great deal off the Jets for Sammy D.
New York has a lot to change, so it’s good to get the bad memories out of the way.

London Stuff

London is going to host a game! Will you need a vaccine passport?  Can you visit from the US? What does that mean for you and I?
We will be exploring all of this in the weeks ahead, and letting you know as soon as we do. We are still hopeful that we will be hosting NFL events this season, just watch this space for more info.

Here’s the podcast: