NFL in London

National Football League in London

NFL 2021

Wildcard Preview

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Are you ready to get Wild? You’re already getting wild enough America, what about the rest of you? All kidding aside, stay safe USA, we love you, and don’t want you to cancel any NFL with all your anger. It’s time for our Wildcard Preview podcast!

After 256 regular season games, we’re finally ready for the playoffs, and oh what a year it’s been. From Covid to no crowds-thanks to Covid, the 2020 season will certainly be one to remember (and for many others-one to quickly forget).

Wade & Ryan look back at the crazy week that was 17 in the NFL, from the big wins to the near misses. The boys reflect on the scores, and the elements that were needed for teams to clinch in this fun romp through the scores.
They also look ahead to the Wildcard Weekend in the NFL, previewing the 6 big games slated for Saturday and Sunday.

Among some of their predictions include:

Colts (11-5) vs Bills (13-3)
Bills -6.5  +52

It’s looking like a windy and snowy Saturday afternoon in Western New York, as the Bills look to starve the wounded Colts on the barren plains of Buffalo.
Indianapolis had the best O line in the league, then the injury bug came, and claimed some of their big dudes. Rookie Jonathan Taylor has had an epic season, and will be needed in spades on Saturday. If the Colts fall behind however, they will need Rivers to light it up against a staunch Buffalo D.
The Bills ended the season with a beat down of the poor Dolphins, and it’s hard to not see them carry that momentum to the next week. The team is fired up, and the return of John Brown means that they can now open up more space on the field.
Ryan and Wade are both hot on Buffalo, although as a Bills diehard fan Ryan is pretty nervous about this contest.
Ryan- Bills 30 Colts 20
Wade- Bills 28 Colts 21

LA Rams (10-6) vs Seahawks (12-4)
Seahawks -3.5  +47.5

The Rams limp into the playoffs with lingering questions at QB. Wolford was able to get the job done against a weak Cardinals team last week, but he now has given up some tape to Seattle as to how to handle his style of play. LA has really only gotten by thanks to their defence, and they are going to need them here against a wicked corp of talented receivers. Even if Goff does return, how effective is he really going to be?
Seattle is ready to cook, and Russ has been to the playoffs enough times to not get rattled. He’ll be playing at home in the windy cold, and finally has an offensive line of returnable players. If he can get enough protection in the pocket, he will have time to carve up the Rams holes.
Having Jalen Ramsey back will also be huge for the Seahawks, as he will take down the long game and potentially pick off a rookie mistake.
The Rams have been winning thanks to great clock management, but it’s a whole different game when the opponent can score quickly and repeatedly.
Wade & Ryan both think that Seattle will finally find their footing here, although Ryan thinks that this one will be pretty close.
Ryan- Seahawks 26 Rams 23
Wade- Seahawks 26 Rams 18

As for full winners tags weekend, the boys are agreed on every team.

WINNERS-Bills, Seahawks, Bucs, Titans, Saints, Steelers. 

DraftKings

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That’s it for this week’s Wildcard Preview podcast. Have a listen, a laugh, and make sure you share it with your friends. We appreciate all of you for continuing to make the podcast rise up the charts.
Happy 2021, and a good NFL to you all!

2021 Predictions

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Thank God 2020 is done! Who invited that idiot to the party anyway? Geez.  Now that the worst year ever is done and dusted, it’s time to look ahead to the year that will be, as we make our 2021 Predictions.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that you should never know what to expect in the NFL.
Covid was the main factor in the 2020 season, taking fans out of the games, and featuring a series of checks and balances that kept every team on their toes.
We’ve seen dynasties rise (Chiefs), fall (Patriots), continue to fall further (Jets), and teams that just implode on themselves in pressure situations. (Browns/ Falcons/ Jags).

So, what can we expect in 2021? Here are out top predictions.

No London Games

Covid 19 is still on the field, which means that everything planned is once again on hold. The London NFL games involve travel, meeting new people, and engaging with fans…all things that we still aren’t allowed to do under this new normal. With the London games usually announced in the spring, it would seem highly unlikely that the league would risk pushing ahead with UK games given the uncertainty of next season. It’s no secret that players and coaches aren’t fans of traveling across the pond to play games, so the looming spectre of 2021 Covid will be enough for the NFLPA to pump the brakes on London games. Teams would also find it difficult to get insurance for such a trek, not to mention the potential of having zero fans at Wembley, which would make it feel like a ‘Little Mix’ concert.

Covid Rules

It seems highly unlikely that we will have a vaccine and protocols in place for live sports viewing completed within the next few months, which means we will be once again under stricter protocols. While 2021 might be less rigorous in Covid control, there are still several billion people on the planet who are potentially at risk. We’ve already seen how the virus adapts to stay alive, which makes it the New York Jets of infections. Like the Jets, hopefully Covid still won’t have a chance next season.

Sports Bars Die

Don’t mix with other households. Don’t scream or yell. Don’t stand at the bar.
We got a brief glimpse of this in 2020, as governments cracked down on public gatherings in an effort to control the spread. With the virus still with us for the foreseeable future, these restrictions will continue to flex in and out as our frontline workers battle the ever changing nature of the beast.
Sadly sports bars will continue to suffer under this weight. Fans have already started to get use to watching at home, as well as saving money drinking at home.
While nothing can replace the excitement of watching sports with mates, the NFL will be a casualty to football.
We’ve already seen the Premier League move later on Sunday nights, making it an easier choice for bars to go with the low-hanging fruit of a football fan, rather than cater to niche American football fans.
The sports bar is in for a rough ride in 2021, and the NFL right along with it.

Not the Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs are primed to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2021…or are they. If the year has taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen. Pittsburgh went undefeated to then lose to a bunch of losers and put their playoffs at risk. The Bears blew a huge run of games to expose their true talent. The Jets couldn’t even properly tank to get the best new player next year.
Everything you think is going to happen…doesn’t.
With that in mind, this year’s Super Bowl will not be made up of favourites.
Can the NFC East mount a challenger to go all the way? It’s happened before, and it can happen again.

Sam Darnold

‘To me, you are perfect’. Those are the kind of ‘Love Actually’ signs that Darnold could find popping up on his back porch. Adam Gase took a perfectly good, shiny new toy, and left it outside to rust. The Jets will move on from Gase and Darnold, which will allow a new suitor to pick him up and mould him into something other teams will fear.
That team? Why not the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rivers Retires

Old Man Rivers has been fortunate to get another run at the game after leaving the Chargers. Sure, the Colts have looked goodish, but Rivers isn’t the passer he once was. Like any man in his late 30s’, the balls are starting to drop and wobble more. Rivers has already hinted that this might be his last season, so a big Colts loss in the post season could have him call it a day.
Like other former Colts QBs who retire, he will be taken out behind the shed and shot in the head.

Bears Keep Trubisky

You can’t get rid of herpes, you can only contain its flares. Mitch has itched his way to the top of the shaft once again, pushing out points as the Bears make a late playoff squirt.
The best discharge scenario is to scrape Mitch from the tip, and start fresh and clean again…or is it?
No one is going to want to take a Trubisky Ride after seeing him spooge bad decisions every week, so the Bears might just want to wrap him up and keep him in the back pocket.
The Bears will need to rebuild a are program under a new QB, but until then, you gotta itch Mitch.

Bye Bye Julio

Julio Jones is as much Atlanta as a peach tree, but it’s time for this little peach to leave the farm. After all, what’s more vulnerable than a peach? Julio is getting on in years, and you wonder how much more he has left in the tank? With Hopkins and other older receivers still finding ways to make hay, it would seem logical that he test his skills on a new team in 2021.
Which teams would Julio make interesting in 2021? The Chargers, Broncos and Jaguars all could be interesting spots in 2021.

Among some of the other bold predictions we have for the 2021 season include:

-The Jaguars will make the playoffs in the 2021 season.
-Jimmy Garoppolo returns to the 49ers who mount a decent comeback.
-Matt Stafford moves from Detroit to either the Colts, Broncos, or Patriots. 
-Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will turn the XFL into a viable spring league. 
-Dak resigns with the Cowboys, but they have another frustrating season. 
-Allen Robinson leaves the Bears for the Dolphins.
-Shaq Barret leaves the Bucs for the Patriots. 
-Kenny Golladay signs with the Colts.
-Tom Brady retires after the end of the 2021 season after losing once again in the NFC Championship final. 

Those are our predictions for the NFL in 2021, hopefully it’s not all that bleak and sad.
We all want the NFL to return to normal, to have games back in London once again, and for all of us to meet up together to share in the joy of the NFL games.
The sooner this happens, the better a place the world will be.

Good luck to everyone in 2021, happy new year.

A Stiff Henry

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If there has been one consistent joy this NFL season, it’s been watching players get ‘A Stiff Henry’ from the stellar Titans running back.
Fantasy owners of Henry have been constantly impressed by his tough and rough play, as well as  his ability to gash for countless yards after the touch.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the runs Derek Henry has put together this season, is the reaction from his own teammates.
Watching the cringes, ‘oh no’s’, and resulting memes and gifs that result have been nothing short of pure, joyous entertainment.

Even his own cum-back kid Ryan Tannehill has been impressed by his running back, not for the least of the reasons being it takes the pressure off of his inconsistent play.

Check out Tannehill’s reaction to one of Henry’s killer runs in 2020, it’s safe to say he was blown away.

You know who else has been HUGELY impressed by Henry this season? Everyone who has had to face him in fantasy and watch him rack up massive points to put you out of the season.