NFL in London

National Football League in London

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NFC North Peek

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The 2023 NFL season is just around the corner, as the boys take an NFC North Peek.

Yes, Wade is biased as a Bears fan, but as you can see, he doesn’t have them romping all over this division.

How do the guys all see it playing out?

All you have to do is have a listen right here:

Among some of the other things the guys talk about in this podcast, are all the latest stuff as well.

NFL News

Chief Problems

The reigning champs are looking to repeat, but all isn’t well in the wigwam of Chiefs Kingdom.
Hold-out Chris Jones is willing to last out until Week 8, but that hasn’t stopped Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce from begging Jones to return to the fold.
Will the Chiefs have enough wide receivers ready to top the speed heavy AFC?
Ryan and Wade discuss this in detail in the podcast.

Evan Off

Tampa Bay Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans is looking to get the word on whether the Bucs are going to bring him back after the final year of a 5 year, $81 millions contract.
Mike Evans is a constant 1000 yard gainer, so if Tampa doesn’t pick him up, it will be interesting who he could be paired with in a team looking to bust a nut into the playoffs.

Season Betting Tips

With the 2023 season about to begin, we all look at some of the cool betting options available as a savvy bettor.
It’s always worth throwing a few quid as to the ‘what ifs’ of the season, so we have a few in the podcast to consider.

Fewest Points Scored

Let’s bottom feed first, as we take a look at who could be the worst of the bunch when it comes to scoring the LEAST amount of points in the 2023 NFL season.
The obvious pick is to go with the Cardinals, but they could also just make it the James Connor game, and find ways to outlast their ‘doomed to be last’ moniker.
How about them Colts though? Starting a rookie QB can have its long term downsides, and Jim Irsay has already taken a toxic tone when it comes to how he sees his players. ‘Unless you’re a whale trapped, then I can’t help you. ‘
At +1100, Indy offers a good option as to being the floating turd left in the bowl.

Rushing Leader

Could Josh Jacobs repeat the title for rushing, or is it time to get your Chubb on?
Let’s take a look at some of the rushing options for 2023.
Derrick Henry pops up right away as a guy who might be emboldened with the arrival of D Hop, to make it their year in the AFC South bucket. With massive disrespect shown their way in the form of the Jaguars, Henry, Tanny, and D Hop could make for massive gains.
Bijan Robinson is a tasty option at +1200 to gain the most rushing yards, but can you really trust a rookie this year? With RBs seeing their stock falling, there is no way some of the old guard are going out to a young punk, but who knows? Gotta stay healthy!
Tony Pollard looks a ripe option at +1800 to take the rushing title, after shedding that Zeke weight that was hanging around his gains.
Pollard has the real chance to lead a Dallas squad that is loaded with talent, and with eyes on the Eagles in a dogfight of a division.
Those are just some of the bets we look at in the podcast, make sure that you listen to NFC North Peek, and make your own decisions.
Good luck in your fantasy drafts, and bring on the 2023 season!

AFC North Peek

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The season is nearly upon us, as Ryan and Wade throw up a little podcast with an AFC North Peek.
Who will top this tough division?

Wade & Ryan also look at all the top NFL news going on in the league, and in your fantasy circles.

If you want to hear the full podcast, just have a listen here:

Some of the things that the guys hit on in this episode includes:

Preseason Koolaid

The NFL preseason games are finally here, and people are losing their minds!
Folks in the UK are struggling with their Gamepass/ DAZN woes, those in the US are watching stadium blackout, and every other fan is screaming ‘what about my fantasy team?!!?’
Worst of all are those ardent fans who watch one preseason games of 3 stringers, and suddenly proclaim that they’re team is now going to ‘win it all.’
‘Bro, it was Jordan Love against some bums. Most of them will be gone in 3 weeks.’
Doesn’t matter to this who believe, which is why this the best time of the year to snag them into a big season bet.
You think the Cowboys are going to win it all? How much?
After all, the best part about the preseason is being able to circle back months later to remind a friend about their August proclamation.
That’s a good Tik Tok.

Running Drama

Suddenly it sucks to be a running back in the NFL.

Gone are the highlight thrills of being an AP, or the shirt-term forgets about how dominating Dalvin Cook and Derick Henry could be.
The RBs of 2023 are all looking at league minimum contracts on teams that have spent all of their cash, and are just hoping that they can get a committee of bodies to throw on the pile.
Sound more like the Wagner unit?

Hamlin Hits It

Bills defensive player Damar Hamlin was finally back on the field and tossing hits, since his near fatal cardiac arrest in January.
Hamlin was admittedly nervous when he took to the field, with a bodily reminder that a tough hit can even stop your heart.
Fans will be anxiously watching all season as players on the cusp of re-injury put themselves back on the line again.
Let’s hope we never have to see what happened to Damar on the field again.

Pederson Problems

The Jacksonville Jaguars were all smiles when head coach Doug Pederson was able to use nepotism to bring his boy Josh onto the team earlier this year.
Although Josh had spent most of his career playing tight end, he was slotted to the enviable role of long snapper for the Jags preseason game last week.
All did not go well for young Pederson who overshot his mark, and send the ball flying away.
Is this an allegory for Pederson’s NFL career?
Perhaps. Odds are that Josh will be cut by the end of preseason.

AFC North Peek

Ryan and Wade also make their predictions for the standings in the highly touted AFC North.
The Bengals will be looking to go that step further this year, but don’t count out the feisty Ravens with Lamar, and the confident Browns with Deshaun back at the helm.
Ryan has the division going as such:
1. Ravens 2. Steelers 3. Bengals 4. Browns
He’s big on Lamar and Baltimore winning the whole thing, with the Steelers also making a run for a playoff spot.
Wade sees the AFC North looking like:
1. Bengals 2. Ravens 3. Browns 4. Steelers
Joe Burrow can’t be counted out in a year where they really need to get to the show, but the Steelers are not going to be as good as everyone predicts.
Which order do you have them in? Let us know!

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?

 

 

Bear Down

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We swapped out one Ryan for another, on this special Bear Down podcast!

Bear Down

Usually our podcast is bolstered by a Bills and a Bears fan, but with Ryan Cull still on vacay with the fam-jam, we’ve brought in our friend, and Bears fan Ryan Andrews on this one. It feels all NFC North!

To listen to the latest edition of the podcast, just click here and let your worries wash away in this engaging new edition.

Among some of the things Ryan and Wade talk about in this one includes:

Where the Bears

With two Bears fans on, the big elephant in the room needs to be addressed: ‘Are the Bears going to stay in Chicago proper?’

Ryan is from Illinois, so he has his own thoughts on Soldier Field, as well as the potential of moving the team up to Arlington Heights where they are looking for some state help in financing.

How long will it take to put this whole thing together anyhow?

Offseason Idiocy

As far as off-season arrests have been, this has been one of the quieter years than past. Have young NFL players stopped doing stupid things? Have mobile phones made it tougher to be clean in the offseason? Or are young players finally fearful of losing a career path?
Kinda, sorta.

Vikings rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison pulled a bonehead move this week, when he was caught speeding over 140 mph in a 50 zone. Not so bright. Luckily, no one was injured, but still a stupid move for someone trying to make a team impact this season. Hopefully the veterans in the locker room are relentless to Jordan.

Topping this stunt isn’t hard if you’re Jaguars player Chris Claybrooks, who has been arrested on domestic violence charges for the second time in four months.
It’s doubtful that Jacksonville will want to hang on to this liability with anger management issues.
Hopefully he can get the help he needs, but it won’t be in the NFL.

Comm and Go

Dan Synder is finally out, as the Washington Commanders sale has finally been approved to billionaire Josh Harris.
Most in the league are happy to see Snyder go, after tanking a venerable franchise through shadiness and a ‘hands on’ approach to coaching, despite having no training there.

For many fans, comes the real question. ‘are you going to change the team name again?’
While some harken for a return to the classic ‘Washington Football Team’, others are pushing for a name that addresses reparations (a buzzword in America these days).

However it goes, Washington still has a lot of rebuilding to do. With one of the worst stadiums in the NFL, declining numbers, and the lack of a real fan draw could see them fall back into a purgatory of trying to fight the NFC East, while battling themselves.

Giant Fail?

The NY Giants are currently dealing with the Saquon situation which is quickly spiralling out of control.

To mitigate the damage, and offer a little roster hope, the Giants signed Cole ‘anti-vax’ Beasley, and often cut running back James Robinson.
Robinson was the belle of the Jaguars ball only a few years ago, that has seen him slip and slide around the AFC East.
As for Beasley, he’s just there to slop up from the injuries.

Madden 24

Madden is back, so warm up you thumbs and prepare to get whooped online by some 10 year old in his basement.

Of course the big thing about Madden these days is ego, as players toss the toys from the pram as soon as they don’t secure that sweet 99 rating.

The new Madden has been released, and only a few are elite members of that 99 club. So congrats Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Jefferson, you deserve it.

We’ll also have more NFL fantasy news coming up in the next few weeks, so watch this space!

Draft Eve

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Are your NFL stockings hung by the fireplace with care, in hopes that Draft Eve will bring your team the talent to spare?

Welcome to the giddiness of the 2023 NFL Draft, as we bust your ear drums open with some banter of how we see the first bit of the draft going, and all the saucy news that will make up the hot gossip of trades around the week.
Buckle up!

Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull dust off their other life, and hop back into the NFL saddle as the cobwebs are off to start 2023!

If you would like to listen to the full Draft Eve podcast, you can click here for the Soundcloud, or find us on iTunes and Spotify as well.

Aaron ‘Jet’ Rodgers

Well it’s official kids, Aaron Rodgers is finally following in the footsteps of Brett Favre and moving off to the Big Apple.
The deal is finally done in a swap of rounders and Woody goes ‘all in’ on hoping that the guru veteran take them to the playoff land.
For both teams it’s a chance to finally move on to the season with the Draft now a focus on how they are going to surround them.
Giving Rodgers a solid o-line and a big old tight end might be some of the keys that he needs.
Rodgers will once again be wearing his Golden Bear 8, perhaps trying to channel his inner youth in a cleanse to start over.
8 could also be the number of interceptions he throws in a game given his predecessors.
Given the move to a 17 week season, the alignment means that an NFC North and NFC battle zone could see a 25% chance of the Packers playing the Jets again this year. The Jets won in 2022, maybe they could do it again.

Tom Brady

Nothing. Who cares. Made you look.

Draft Drama

We all know that the draft brings with it the joy of seeing your team jiggle it up to prime for a new run, but it’s also that dirty drama drama that accompanies it.
What’s the deal with Derek Henry? Is Dalvin Cook going anywhere? Has everyone forgot about Lamar? Lamar is missing y’all!
With a bucket load of free agent talent out there, and not a lot of cash to back it up, could there be some people that have to suck it up for cheap?
Welcome to 2023.

Draft Picks

In some ways it feels like kind of a ‘meh’ draft, because there isn’t really anyone with ‘pizza-azzle’ to ignite a flurry of excitement.
That being said, in an injury prone league of increased play time, the more bodies the better.
Big, young, fat men with questionable diets lead the focus, as DE, OT, C’s and BLT’s are the hunger of many a GM.
Any why not? After seeing so many QB’s get smashed by inept lines of fourth stringers, and the knowledge that just one of these kids could change the whole dynamic of a line.
QBs will sill be the focus though, but the cost of living crisis has also made some cuts to the height of the top talent.
Woe is the short man in this new game, where the Tua’s and Kyler’s college shuffle didn’t translate to a league where smackdown and field vision are more prevalent.

International Games

Okay folks, the big news is only weeks away. Word is that we will get the announcement of the full NFL in London games on May 4th, 2023!  That’s right, cancel your plans that day, as we your world is about to change.
We will not only know who plays the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars, but also the dates.
We will NOT know anything about that though for a while. Please watch the NFLUK website for that, as they will have all the legit news.
Please make sure that you don’t buy any tickets online before the official news, as they are deffo a big scam.
Check out out socials. You have our permission. You can also touch them if you want.
It’s been a long offseason.