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The Picks Six

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Yo! Welcome to the first edition of The Picks Six. This is a new concept, so bare with me whilst I figure it out. But each week I’m gonna give 6 types of picks or tips for the upcoming slate of games. Each category is a little different; some are sure fire “this is definitely going to happen,” and some are long shots “this is a bit of a dream but it’s plausible at least.” Like for example last week. I thought the Dolphins had a great shot at upsetting the 49ers. And they did. Wish I’d started this column last week now… We’ll keep track of how I do in each category so you can know which ones to trust and which ones to laugh at. 

Anyway… for us Brits, this week’s Sky Sports Slate of games is absolutely electric. Steelers vs Browns, Buccaneers vs Packers, Rams vs 49ers (ehhhh okay not great), Bills vs Chiefs AND Cardinals vs Cowboys? 4 out of 5 are legitimately must see. But if I can avoid watching Jimmy G I will absolutely do so, so let’s just pretend that game isn’t happening for the rest of this article? Cool! Let’s get stuck into my picks. 

1) The 1st and Goal from the One 

This is my lock of the week. A sure fire winner surely. 

I’m very tempted to pick the Panthers to beat the (extremely fraudulent, sorry not sorry Wade) 4-1 Bears, but I’m not quite as confident in that as a couple other options this weekend. It’s two AFC East teams, and I just cannot see any way they lose this weekend. I’m talking about the Patriots and the Dolphins. New England have seemingly survived Cam’s corona scare… and he’s back this week to face the fairly unfortunate Broncos, who have been decimated by injuries and then this week had the story of Melvin Gordon getting a DUI. It’s not been great for Denver, and I don’t think their luck changes on Sunday. Belichick can see a glimmer of light at the top of the AFC East after the Bills lost on Tuesday night. I’m taking the Patriots to win in comfortable fashion. BUT – as a bonus for the first week of this column, I’m also taking the Dolphins, who face the newly LeVeon Bell-less Jets. Adam Gase man… where do you even start? Probably best to make this quick. Brian Flores has the Dolphins playing great football and winning games. The Jets are absolutely horrific. I feel (for once) very confident that my Fins get their 3rd win of the season on Sunday.

2) The 45yd Field Goal (around even odds)

This is my mid-range, toss up of the week. 

So my pick is going to Green to beat Tampa in the matchup I’ve dubbed “battle of the bays.” I’m sure that’s copyrighted by someone else but hey, it sounds good. Tommy B has been up and down since relocating to Florida, and AA Rod is in the middle of his “how dare you not rank me in the top 10 of the NFL 100” revenge tour. It’s hard for me to understand why the Packers are ONLY favoured by a solitary point here coming off a Bye last week. I know the Buccaneers defense is tasty, but Aaron Jones and the (hopefully) returning healthy Davante Adams are too electrifying to stop, and they’ll both benefit from having the other in the lineup. Let’s go for Green Bay -1.0.

3). The Hail Mary (4/1 or longer)

This is my shot from half field. Unlikely, but you never know. 

The AFC North is fast confirming itself to be – alongside the NFC West – the best division in Football. The Ravens, Steelers AND (surprisingly) Browns are all proving themselves to be playoff calibration teams, with potential SuperBowl aspirations. Big Ben’s comeback player of the year campaign is off to a flyer, and rookie WR Chase Claypool set the Fantasy Football world on fire last week with 45 points in his 4TD demolition of the Eagles. Cleveland faced their toughest defense (since the Ravens in week 1) and dismantled the Colts with relative ease. Baker looked good, Kareem Hunt is running like he did in Kansas City, and OBJ has maybe got his mojo back. I’m so excited for this matchup. BUT I think this really means a lot to the Browns. They’re used to getting eviscerated by Pittsburgh and, after the “contentious” ending to last season’s second matchup (you know, the one with the attempted murder??), I think Myles Garrett will be out for… errr… sacks!? Cleveland are the underdogs but if they can get the run game going they can limit the Steelers’ time of possession. Ben will always air it out to try and catch up but I think the Browns have enough to not only upset the Steelers but win by a wider margin than expected.

We’re gonna go Cleveland Browns to win by 7-12 points. 

4) The Over

I like points. Sue me. Give me 45-44 over 17-14 every day. I’m a Big XII guy. Points points points. Throw the ball. So, I’m using this section to look at the points totals and pick an over that I like. 

Cardinals @ Cowboys – Over 55.0

Yeah, it’s a high line, but this has “shootout” written all over it. I love the Cardinals. I absolutely love them. They’re so exciting. Kyler is a speed demon. Hopkins is – for me – the best receiver in the league. Their run game has struggled but we all know Kenyan Drake could just turn it on one week and blow people away again. And then you’ve got Dallas. Firstly, get well soon Dak. Secondly, Andy Dalton is… not Dak Prescott, but has a better set of weapons in Dallas than he EVER had in Cincinnati. Lamb, Cooper & Gallup can cause Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals DBs a lot of issues, creating space for Zeke between the tackles, especially now Chandler Jones is done for the year. But Kyler and Hopkins will feast on a suspect Cowboys secondary that made the Giants look like an offensive powerhouse at times last week. I’m excited to see these two offenses beat up on the defenses on Monday Night. 

5) The Parlay

A little 5 team accumulator for the people. 

Titans -3.5 (how are Tennessee, who are 4-0, only -3.5 against a 1-4 Houston team?!)

Dolphins -10.0 (yeah, it’s A LOT of points for the Dolphins and Fitzmagic to cover… BUT… I mean… have you SEEN the Jets?)

Patriots -9.5 (Cam’s back, and the Broncos are broken. Even if Drew Lock plays, the New England defense is nasty enough to give him nightmares)

Browns +3.5 (I think they win outright, but the FG + a half point here makes this feel like a safe bet)

Lions -3.0 (Golladay back, Sacksonville ain’t what it used to be, Lions managed to beat the Cardinals – a GOOD team – earlier this year. I trust Stafford to win this game)

£10 on this pays about £260 depending on your Bookmaker.

6) The Full English

This is just gonna be my straight up, nice and simple, prediction for who wins every single game each week. We’ll keep a rolling total and win % for me and hopefully it’ll be a number significantly higher than 50…

ATL vs MIN – Atlanta

BAL vs PHI – Ravens

CHI vs CAR – Panthers

CIN vs IND – Colts

CLE vs PIT – Browns

DEN vs NE – Patriots

DET vs JAX – Lions

HOU vs TEN – Titans

WAS vs NYG – Giants

NYJ vs MIA – Dolphins

GB vs TB – Packers

LAR vs SF – Rams

KC vs BUF – Chiefs

ARI vs DAL – Cardinals

And that’s it! Can’t wait to get absolutely none of these right this week. Hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts. Fingers crossed you come back next week. I’m @callumjdsquires on Twitter and Instagram if you wanna chat further. Have a good one!

All Lines and Totals accurate as of Friday 16th October at 15:00. 

Callum Squires is a London based writer, Dolphins fan and regular contributor to NFL in London. 

Hail to the Chiefs!

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They bloody well went & did it, didn’t they? The Chiefs are the 2019-2020 SuperBowl Champions in a wild game that ended out a decade of Patriots domination.
Patrick Mahomes was a beast, spear-heading a Chiefs comeback of 3 touchdowns in 3 minutes to stymie the 49ers and win the big cup.
So what were the big factors that led to this victory?

Patrick Mahomes

This kid is the real deal. Patience under pressure, pocket poise, and a great field of vision to spread the ball to his top receivers. Let’s not forget those wheels too.
Mahomes was a true leader when his team needed it.
He led the charge and was able to take Andy Reid’s walrus voice in his ear to stab San Francisco relentlessly in the last savage minutes of the game.
He had a couple of INTs that were BAD, but he was able to salvage them, and rely on his defense to defuse any comeback attempts of the 49ers.
It’s hard to say if this is the beginning of a dynasty, or whether he will one-off this like Russell Wilson or Cam, but this team looks good to repeat next season as returning champs .

Chiefs Defense

They were lamented numerous times prior to the match, but shut up all of their critics with a savage attack on the 49ers. They looked like they played their guts on on every play, and fought tough for any down that the 49ers went for. Where they really shined was in that final 3 minutes, bashing the run, choking off Jimmy and holding tight when the game was on the line.
They picked off Jimmy G several times, and made them earn every hard down.
Credit to them for keeping it a 10 point game, as there were a few chances that they might have gone down even further.
Well fought chaps.

Andy Reid

‘Ugly Kid’ Shanahan was ready to rap-battle his way through this hizzle, but Andy stayed firm like a beached walrus to keep the game in check.
He called smart plays, and relied on the wits of Mahomes to improvise when he needed to.
Andy must have a real zen about him, because all of his guys stayed calm, cool and collected during the whole game.
Reid finally brought in the bowl to the fine folks of Kansas City after a 50 year drought, and it was  a noble effort for all of those involved.

The Refs

It was a relatively painless ref game despite a season of controversy and contention.
Aside from a blatant pass interference call against the 49ers in the fourth quarter that allowed the Chiefs to score, there weren’t too many blind calls or needless delays.
That PI penalty was bogus, and some might say that it capitulated San Francisco after that, but losers will always whine.
There will need to be some serious internal talks with the league and officials next year, to get over the technical hiccups from the 2019 season, but this was a clean game all in all.

The NFL

Another flawless and exciting SuperBowl from the NFL and hats off to them. Despite the talk of saggy ratings, the NFL put on a powerhouse fiesta of fun and NFL action.
Sure, it would have been nicer to have Tony Romo in the box instead of Troy, but no one really listens to them any way.
The only real blight was the halftime show. Like what the heck was that about?
Why focus on some ageing singer/models who haven’t been relevant in decades, when there are loads of great an exciting acts on the musical landscape.
They could have taken the chance to showcase 30 new artists who could use the fame, tap into influencers or even gone back to the standard ‘Up with People’.
Whatever happened to them.

We had a great night at the Long Acre, and will have loads of news for you in the off season. We are poised for a bigger, better 2020, so join us in the fun.

 

SuperBowl Food

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Crafting a perfect SuperBowl menu is an art. Knowing your guests, your palate, the teams, and what tools you have at your disposal are key to making a kickass party.

Figure out how many people you have then double it. It’s a long night. Cook big or go home.
Like the game it’s good to prepare well in advance and have all of your meats chilled and ready to grill.

It’s February, if you don’t have your BBQ cleaned, gleaned, and bedazzled you’re a pussy.
Grab some charcoal and a selection of late offering, discount meats and soak them in some brine, coat them in dustings of rub, and ready your process.
It’s time to BBQ!

Here are the best SuperBowl foods to make.

Wings

Wings will probably made illegal or bio manufactured in the next 2 decades, so you might as well enjoy them now. No one wants to know how we get them, but keep them coming.
If you’re cooking wings, we suggest baking them first.
Don’t put any sauce on them, just a few spices, perhaps with a rub a bit of flour to coast the crisp.
Bake them on a rack if you can so they don’t stick.
Turn them every 7 minutes, and coat them with mayo if you have a brush.
Sounds gross, but it actually crisps and moisturises the skin.
After they’re baked, toss them in a sauce. They key is to not sauce when you cook, only after.

Nachos

Britain doesn’t do nachos well. The tortilla chips are old dust, just like their popcorn. You need real corn quesadillas to make good chips. Make your own if you can.
When you’re baking your nachos, keep it simple.
Don’t load your ship with sides, give it time.
Chips, cheese, topping. Chips, cheese topping.
Get it.
Plan ahead.
It’s your wall, be the ice dragon who eats & destroys it.
Layer and lay waste to your guests.

Hot Dogs

All beef or no question. Britain likes to do pork dogs and they taste like ass. Only go with a quality dog. Loads of butchers are happy to oblige. If you’re in the UK, try a boerwurst. A lovely South African beef sausage that is sure to satisfy your fans.

Popcorn

Always have popcorn ready. It is a staple, and a salty elixir to drink. Soak it in butter like the dirty corn that it is, or just salt it & let it work for you. Popcorn is easy, cheap, salty..just like your mom.

What are your fave recipes?

If you’re free Sunday, join us at the

Wade’s SB54 Prediction

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It’s the final game of the last decade, so who wins SuperBowl 54?
As you can see from the image above, I have already touted the 49ers to upset the Chiefs and win the big game.
Am I crazy? Did I smoke the wacky tobaccy?
Maybe, but let’s break it down.

First off, what a great game we are in store for.
I’m not just saying that because the Patriots aren’t in it this year, but that is a HUGE motivation when it comes to the excitement level for the big game.

We are also in the midst of a dynasty transition in the league. With Mahomes and Garoppolo at the helm, we are finally seeing a change in the league, and in the potential for the future.
No Brady, Brees, or Big Ben, this is a new horizon in the NFL.

Let’s look at how I see the break down of the two teams.

QBs

Mahomes is by far the superior QB in this match-up, but Jimmy G isn’t horrible, in fact he really hasn’t had to do anything. In the past few playoff games, the 49ers have employed the run, because it works. Fans are quick to say that Jimmy was useless in these games, but why throw when you don’t need to. Let’s not forget that he torched the Saints a few weeks ago, and has barely even used Kittle.
Mahomes on the other hand has had to come from behind the past 2 games.
Down 29 points to the Texans, the game relied on him to rally the team to over power Texas, and finally win the game.
The 49ers don’t let you come back from deficits like that, so it will be a long road for the Chiefs if they go down.
Jimmy will have a better game than you think.
Advantage-Chiefs

RBs

San Fran has the advantage here, as the Chiefs have had a mad lib of RBs since the start of the season. The 49ers have a triple threat of speedsters who will look to explode on the Chiefs D. KC was able to choke off Derek Henry, but these RBs are very different as they have buckets of speed to run roughshod over the backfield. They will keep hitting them with the run until they don’t need to.
Advantage-49ers

WRs

San Fran has been hurt in the receiver department with a slew of injuries this season. KC on the other hand has some of the fastest dudes in the league ready to bounce across the Miami field. The main difference here will be the secondary covering the WRs. San Fran has a great shut down unit, while the Chiefs might struggle in the back to stop the relentless pressure of Deebo and the boys. Tyreek will be looking at a Richard Sherman sized shadow all night.
Advantage-Chiefs

TEs

The battle of the beasts is here, as Kelce takes on Kittle in a hotly anticipated match-up for the ages. Kelce has had a heck of a season, and Kittle has continued to impress with his yards after catch explosiveness. I have to give the edge to Kittle here because of all the ways he can be used. Look for the Niners to use a trick play to their advantage with him.
Advantage-49ers

DEF

San Fran holds most of the cards here. Sure, the Chiefs have made some big improvements here, but they will still struggle to match the shutdown power of the 49ers speed and front 4. It will be up to the Chiefs to try to shake up the momentum of the Niners, and make them miss.
This will be their biggest challenge.
Advantage-49ers

In the end, I think that the 49ers will prevail, for the reasons outlined above, and in general.
-the 49ers have used the rush because they haven’t needed to toss.
-the Chiefs have had to come from behind in every game-not a good sign.
-the 49ers D is too good.

So my final prediction-the 49ers win by a field goal.

Come join us at Long Acre London in Covent Garden. See you Sunday!

 

 

SuperBowl London

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What are you doing for the SuperBowl? Big plans in the big smoke?
Why not join us at one of the few parties we are throwing across the city?

SuperBowl is always a fun, but tough time in London. Hardly any places ever show the NFL due to time restrictions, and when they do, it is very British, and not very fun.
Pork sausages instead of hot dogs, nachos made from Doritos and no cheese, chicken wings the size of squirrel legs, and sweet popcorn…seriously?

Well that won’t be happening at any of our NFL parties on Sunday, so why not check them out?

Long Acre-Covent Garden

The Long Acre is right smack dab in the middle of London. With 4 big screens, loads of beer and great wings, the venue is perfectly suited for your Super Duper Bowl.
The game might kickoff at 11:30pm, but we will be rocking ahead of time with a fun SuperBowl Quiz kicking off at 9pm.
There will be great prizes thanks to BetRegal, so make sure you sign up your team.
Getting home should be easy, as you are in central London.
Tickets are £10 each, and include a BetRegal golf shirt (while supplies last).
Get your tickets here.
https://www.designmynight.com//london/bars/leicester-square/the-long-acre/superbowl-54

Princess Alexandra-Crouch End

The Princess Alex in Crouch End is a lovely, British boozer not too far from Finsbury Park station. Served locally by the W7 or W3 bus from the station you are only 25 minutes to central London. There party is only £5 per ticket, and includes a welcome beer on arrival.
The kitchen stays open until 2am.
Buy your tickets here.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/superbowl-liv-tickets-90454619201?aff=efbeventtix&fbclid=IwAR2sfLiQE8IjIwh0GSNZRIZoS-pwsTwb7IrwnU-fSjdzIoGjmlwanPVVcsI

Make sure you follow us on social media, and check out all of BetRegal picks, tips and bets.

Grab some great fanatics gear as well.

See you Sunday!