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Week 16 Picks Podcast

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Ho Ho Ho everyone, and a merry Christmas to you all, as we present our Week 16 Picks Podcast.

Wade and Ryan have been pulling long hours in the toy shop, as they craft their best predictions for the Christmas slate of games in week 16.

Will Santa give our presents to all the good teams this year, or will all the bad teams get a big old steaming pile in their stockings this year?
Not up to us.

If you want to give the gift of the podcast to your friends, you can unwrap it here, and share it with those you love, like detest and hate.

Here are some of the games that Wade & Ryan look at in their picks for Week 16.

Giants (8-5-1) vs -4 Vikings (11-3) +48

Welcome to the ‘Disappointment Bowl’, where two teams who had previous high expectations, have led us all to question their voracity going forward.
Are both these teams pretenders?

The Giants have slid down from their high hopes of the past, as they start to groove into the middle of the NFC East.
With the team steadily relying on Saquon, it’s been tough for Daniel Jones to establish himself when their O-line makes it equally as difficult for him.
The Vikings have also been called Chrissie Hynde ‘Pretenders’ as of late, although their massive comeback against the Colts in Week 15 has to have added a bit of fire to the belly.
Ryan isn’t convinced that the Vikings are the better match here, and doesn’t see how Cousins is going to keep up with the pace of the Giants.
Wade also agrees that the Giants might have more to lose here given the Vikes have already clinched, so that might but a little fire under their keister.
Ryan- Giants 24 Vikings 23
Wade- Giants 26 Vikings 23

-2.5 Lions (7-7) vs Panthers (5-9)  +43.5

How about ‘dem Lions? From getting Hard Knocked around at the start of the season, to potentially ended up ahead of the Packers for second place in the NFC North.
Dan Campbell has inspired his players, and Goff and the goofs have been answering, scoring points and unleashing a D that has been tough for recent opponents.
The Panthers on the other hand have nothing to lose.
The lost Baker, they lost McCaffery, they lost Robbie, a coach…but sometimes a slimline makes you meaner.
Carolina still boasts a D that keeps them in games that they might not normally be in, and might give Sam Darnold a chance to exorcise his ghosts of the past.
Ryan loves the Lions here, and thinks that they are on the right path to victory with Dan Campbell fired up on all fronts.
He doesn’t think that the Panthers have the tools to compete with a feisty Michigan squad.
Wade is smelling an upset here, as the combination of the Panthers furious D, and the outdoor setting of the south during Christmas to give the Lions some trouble.

Ryan- Lions 27 Panthers 20
Wade- Panthers 21 Lions 18

-8 Bills (11-3) vs Bears (3-11)  +41.5

The boys have the ultimate battle on Christmas Eve, as Ryans Bills visit Wade’s Bears in Soldier Field on Saturday.
There is more at stake than pride here..actually-nope, that’s pretty much all there is.
Buffalo continues to roll despite some injuries and worries that Josh Allen might not be 100%.
The Bills D hasn’t been the same since losing Von Miller, but Josh continues to be the running and driving force for the team.
Justin Fields has been having a pretty good season, even if the Bears haven’t.
They have lost six games straight since signing Chase Claypool, and the O line is about as effective as wet cocaine.
Ryan loves his Bills for a win here, and doesn’t see how the Bears are going to be able to keep up, despite their run of Fields lately. He thinks Allen and the guys steamroll through Soldier Field easily.
Bears fan Wade isn’t as convinced. He thinks that the Bills will win, but that the weather, and fact that the Bills have to face the Bengals in Week 17 might be enough for them to have their heads elsewhere.
Ryan- Bills 28 Bears 17
Wade- Bills 26 Bears 19
That’s it for our Week 16 Picks Podcast! Hope you enjoy listening to the whole show.
On behalf from all of us at NFL in London, we wish you all the Merriest of Christmases, the Happiest of Holidays, and the safest of the season.
We’re nothing without you, so take care of each other this holiday season.

Lost Highway

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What another odd week it was on Sunday as the league continued to balance itself in an enjoyable, yet unpredictable preview of the post season.

Wade and Ryan look back at the big Week 10 news in our Lost Highway podcast, aptly named because it feels kind of directionless in terms of an outright driver in this 2021 season.

Buc’d Again

TB12 and the boys ate another W in week 10, as their curse at the hands of the Washington Football Team held true.
Instead of having some sort of email dirt on Tommy, they must have resorted to witchcraft, as Tampa was stung by the football team.
Tommy should have been real angry after a loss heading into a bye, but they almost look over-focused in this double digit beatdown at the hands on Heinicke.

Lion Ties

Dan Patrick can hit the decaf this week, as Detroit was able to eek out a tie despite being handed the game by Pittsburgh.
It was a brutal game to watch in all directions, and luckily overtime made the time go bye between the two sets of game matches.
Lions still suck, so do the Steelers.

Dead Birds

Thanksgiving is coming, and the Falcons were the first sacrifice as the Cowboys roasted the birds at home in an easy Sunday game.
Dak and the boys blow out the candles on Matty Ice, in a fresh comeback after being slapped by the Broncos a week earlier.
Ryan ate a bag of dirty dicks after going back to his Falcons fix, and it bit him once again.
Once a junkie.

Vikes!

What’s going on Minnesota? No, really.
The Vikings upset a sparkless Chargers squad who seem to have lost the adapter to their outlet of output.
Kirk Cousins continues to look better than he is, as Cook cooked, and the wide receivers were able to pick up the slack.

If you want to join us every Sunday, make sure than you pop by the Sports Bar and Grill Old Street or Clapham where we watch all the NFL games every Sunday.

 

Training Camp

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The NFL is back…sort of, and we’ll take it!

On this episode of the podcast, Wade McElwain is joined by Atlanta Falcons fan Chapman Maddox, as they discuss oodles of NFL news now that Training Camp has begun!

We all know what training camp means!
A chance to see flickers of potential in your team as you imagine them hoisting the trophy at the end of the season.
But in reality, Training Camp is also an eye-opener as to how fat your players got, the ego problems that will hover the locker room all season, and the possibility that one of your star players will go down for the season.

Heck, Carson Wentz is already injured, and that only took 2 days. Going to be a long season for the Colts.

Some of the other topics that Wade and Chapman break down in this podcast includes:

London Games

Are you double vaxxed? Do you have the latest booster?
The London games are a go ahead for October 2021, but we still have no idea what the landscape of the NFL and COVID will look like.
Tickets have yet to go on sale, so if you did buy some already…it’s a scam, sorry.
The most likely scenario for being able to attend the games will be having to be double vaccinated, as well as the potential for testing prior to the games.
We all want the NFL to come back, we all want to watch the games, but we need to make sure that people are safe going forward.
There’s no sense in rushing things if we’re just going to have to step back 4 months from now.

Roddy Weed

Formers Falcons player(s) Julio Jones and Roddy White are finding themselves at the hot end of the bong this week, after being accused of pilfering money from a cannabis company.
Weed is a bug business, and while retired players are getting into the investment sector, current players might find themselves facing a federal issue promoting these products.
As for Julio and Roddy, this smoke will most likely blow over.

Player Vax

Some players just don’t want to get vaxxed period.
America’s battle lines of freedom are being drawn, as many players are turning down the vaccine for personal reasons.
This is all well and good…except their employer (the NFL) has a business to run, and doesn’t really care about your opinion(s), especially if it cause them to lose money.
Teams are already starting to draw the lines on vax safety, just as players are finding their social media groove of supporters encouraging them not to ‘get the jab’.
This is something that we will see all season, and the NFL has already laid down the law in terms of its expectations.
Will players choose ‘freedom’ or ’employment’?

Cheetah Cheetah

Still claiming to be the ‘fastest man in the NFL’, speedster Tyreek Hill has upped his ego game by challenging Olympic phenom Usain Bolt to a race.
There’s no doubt that Hill is fast, but there is a difference between ‘NFL fast’, and ‘100 m fast’, just as there is a difference between the NFL and the XFL.
Bolt doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone, and Hill would be totally outclassed by the worlds fastest man.

Rodgers

The drama is over and Aaron Rodgers is back with the Packers…but is the drama over?
Nope.
After returning to training camp, Rodgers went on a media tear, as did Gutekunst, offering a press banter without actually talking to each other.
Aaron got the one year contract he wanted, and restructured his deal to be able to walk away easily in 2022.
Broken teams don’t win Super Bowls, and there is no way the Packers are winning a Super Bowl with a fractured locker room.
There’s way more talent on the table in 2022, with an extra week of games, and a whole new sizzle of new, exciting players.
The ‘favourites’ better look out!

Have a listen to the podcast, and make sure you share and care this bad boy to your friends, family and enemies.

Free Agent Fiesta

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Dak signs a massive Dallas contract, Tom Brady rejigs his contract to give more money to the team, and Drew Brees finally retires.
The 2021 NFL season is about to begin, so it’s time for a Free Agents Fiesta podcast!

This week, Wade & Ryan look at some of the top news in the league, as well as offering some insight into where they think some of the biggest players in the league might end up.
So many players available, and so many teams with gaping holes in their teams.

Just think, a year ago we had NO IDEA that Tom Brady would sign with the Bucs, bring in Gronk, then march his way to winning a Super Bowl. But then here we are.
What are some of the other big signings this offseason that could resonate to the start of the new NFL season?
Let’s have a look, shall we?

Cam Newton

After a tough season with the Patriots, Cam is back! And Boston is feeling it!
Cam Newton finished last year ranked 22nd amongst active quarterbacks, and only had 8 passing touchdowns.
Without the Pats, Cam would be looking for backup work this season, as his inaugural start with New England was less than stellar.
Luckily for him, Bill Belichick is cashing in his faith chips with Cam, and will most likely reward him with…a backup role.
The Patriots will be looking to either draft or trade for a QB this season, and having the 3rd highest amount of Cap Space would hurt either.
Ready to ride the pines Cam?

Chiefs

Kansas City has been struggling with cap space all year, and it all had to come to a close when the Chiefs released Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher.
Fisher famously ruined himself prior to the Superbowl, so it’s not a massive loss for the team.
The Chiefs will need to find some guys to block for Mahomes lest he go the way of Joe Burrow this season.
The road ahead gets a lot tougher when you’re pinching pennies.

Bear Necessities

What a pickle the Bears find themselves in. With two less than average QBs on the roster, an expensive defence, and a wicked wide receiver who doesn’t want a tag. What’s a team to do?
Knowing the Bears, they will probably mess it up-giving away too much for too little, and getting nothing in return.
Chicago will need to be patient in the post season, let every other team scramble for what they think are the best/last players, then move in for an inexpensive & smart move.
Stop bum rushing the plays, and let them come to you.

Cap Space

Covid totally crushed the cap space for this season, so teams are going to have to get innovative if they want to stretch their dollars.
Jacksonville once again is Mr. Moneybags, with a luscious $73.6 million to spend on fancy pants players.
Interesting the next two teams on the list the NY Jets and New England Patriots. With both teams boasting just under $70 million in space, they should be able to target some of the top talent to broaden their squads.
But does anyone want to come to New England anymore?

London NFL Games

The good news is that the UK should have crossed the threshold of vaccinations by the end of the summer, allowing life to get back to normal. Hooray!
The bad news is that we won’t be able to let anyone in for a year or so.
While the world battles covid, new variants, and the logistics of vaccination passports, the real question is ‘will anyone be able to enter the UK’?
Sadly thus far it looks like the answer is ‘computer says no.’
Jaguars coach Urban Meyer is confident that they will play at least 1 regular season game here this year.
Hopefully we will all know more soon.

Have a listen to the latest podcast. Then rinse, repeat and listen again.

SB55 Podcast

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It’s been a week since the Tampa Bay Bucs slapped around the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Now that the dust is settled, it’s time for our SB55 Podcast.

Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull reflect on the big game a week later. Why did this game get away from the Chiefs? Do the Chiefs need another wide receiver? Is drunk Tom Brady the best Tom Brady of all time?
All these questions and more in this post Super Bowl review show.

Among some of the other things that the guys discuss in the podcast includes:

Defence

They say that a ‘D’ wins a SuperBowl, and boy was that the case on Feb 7th. Patrick Mahomes was rushed, chased and stuffed as the Bucs D broke through the Chiefs line with ease. The big talking point heading in was how the Chiefs were hoping to contain the Bucs with 3 weak O linemen up front.
This was the story of the game, as the Chiefs had no way to stop the rush, and give Mahomes an iota of breathing space. The Bucs were essentially able to negate the running game with this blistering pace as well, as the line of scrimmage was snuffed out very quickly.
Maybe the Bucs didn’t have the best D in the league on paper, but all that matters is the big game.

JJ Watt

The Texans released JJ Watt without a whimper this week, signalling that all was not well on the home front.
Houston has continued to blunder their front office in the past few years, letting Bill O’Brien flip the switch like an entitled stepdad, and mismanaging numerous high profile contracts.
The way that the Texans handled the Deshaun Watson scenario must have made Watt’s ears bleed, and he must have just been totally fed up to the point he wasn’t even going to discuss terms anymore.
JJ Watt has been a shining example to the city of Houston. His performance on the field has been matched by his community efforts off the pitch. When a hurricane battled Houston, Watt did everything he could to wrap his arms around the city. That kind of class is hard to find.
Watt will have plenty of options for his broken, bent, but still able body.
Moving to Steeltown to be with his brothers might be creepy, a jump up to the Bills could be fun, but a return trip home to Green Bay seems more than likely.
Who’s got the cash to spot JJ?

Wentz

Imagine being the ginger step-child of the league, both literally and figuratively, and that’s called being Carson Wentz.
Wentz and the Eagles are hoping to find a way to offload the QB, as well as not eat a big chunk of useless money in the process.
Watching Wentz trying to get out of Philly is like watching one of those baby turtles try to make it for the open ocean. You hope he can make it to the clear blue, but there is an expectation that a huge wave or hungry gull is going to swallow it all up.
Carson isn’t done in the league, but he has a hell of an audition ahead if anyone wants to consider him as a starter in this fast moving league.

Trophy Karen

Leave it to the press to kind the most annoying person to talk to post Super Bowl. Apparently a ‘Trophy Karen’ is all upset because when Tom Brady threw the Lombardi trophy, it was disrespectful to her father and other silversmiths, and she would PERSONALLY like an apology. Entitled much?
First her father worked on the trophy in the 1960s, and didn’t design the trophy. He just worked there.
Secondly, a new Lombardi Trophy is made every year for each team, so it’s up to them what they want to do with it. (ask Gronk).
Thirdly…who the hell cares? Why did the press give this odious woman coverage time? In the age of Covid, BLM, equality, war, and a whole host of problems…an entitled woman with nothing to do with a headline, wants something to do with a headline…and an apology.
Say goodbye to your social media ‘Trophy Karen’, pretty sure you’re going to need to go away for a while.

This was our first SuperBowl on record that we weren’t able to throw a London party this year and we’re gutted.
With the NFL 2021 season a scant 6 months away, we will work hard to see if we can find a way for us all to enjoy the games in public once again.
The 2021 NFL London games are a go (fingers crossed), hopefully we can all get together soon.

Have a listen, a laugh, and make sure you share this podcast asap or Tom Brady wins again next year.
It’s true.