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Season Predictions

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The 2021 NFL season is about to begin!
Can you feel those excitement butterflies swimming around in your stomach?

To honour the start of the 2021 NFL season, Wade and Ryan once again are back with their picks on how this one plays out.
The guys break it all down in one Seasons Predictions podcast.

After a whoop-ass season delivered by the Tampa Bay Bucs, the Chiefs and the AFC will be looking for vengeance this year.
With so many great teams, who are the teams that actually have a shot at winning it all?

Luckily Wade and Ryan are armed with their predictions for all the teams and their records this year.
The guys also made their pretty early Super Bowl picks, a punt in the dark as to who they think will be the two teams making it to the big show.

AFC

Being a Bills fan, Ryan is prone to favouring the AFC at every moment.  Fortunately he has some pause in this podcast to appreciate that the Bills might struggle to dominate the whole division this year.

Wade on the other hand sees the AFC as Chiefs Kingdom, and think it’s going to be pretty tough for anyone to take the divisional throne from the heir apparent.

In the AFC East Ryan likes his Bills to smack around the Patriots, Dolphins and Jets. He has them capturing the division with a 13-4 record, and moving their way to a Super Bowl appearance.
Wade also has the Bills taking the division, but has the plucky play of the Fins taking them just ahead of the Pats for second place and a potential wild card spot.

It’s Browns for both guys in the AFC North, as they both like Cleveland to punch their tickets to the playoffs ahead of their rivals.
Ryan likes the Ravens to post a 10-7 record, behind the leading Browns at 11-6, and ahed of both the losing Steelers (8-9) and woeful Bengals (5-12).
Wade has the Steelers pipping a 10-7 record, behind the Browns and ahead of the Ravens and Bengals. He’s not big on this division, and has them beating the crap out of each other first.

The AFC South will not rise again, as a tepid division looks to crown its champion.
The Titans are tops for Wade and Ryan, who both have them taking the division ahead of their rivals.
Both guys have the Colts at 8-9, followed by the losing season of both the Jaguars and Texans.
Houston will most definitely have a problem this season, and like a NASA craft, will have to figure this out on their own.

The AFC West is best when looking at which teams have the ability to go all the way.
KC is favoured by both guys to crush it this year, as Wade & Ryan like them to go 14-3.
Both guys are hot on the LA Chargers and Justin Herbert, pegging them at 10-7, and a chance for a playoff spot as well.
Las Vegas has promise now that they can finally fill that shiny new stadium, and the guys expect some surprising things from them.
As far as the Broncos, it’s another lonely season out to pasture.

NFC

What bright spots does the NFC hold?
Will the Packers suit up for the Last Dance, or leave the dance floor early?

The NFC East has been a total joke for the past few years.
Too ugly to turn away from watching, the division has failed to be competitive outside of their own teams, often getting blown out by real teams.
This year should be different, with the Cowboys looking to post a healthy season under Dak.
Wade likes them to win this division, whereas Ryan has sipped some Fitzmagic, seeing the WFT taking top honours.
Ryan thinks that the Giants have a chance over the Eagles, who will finish bottom of the heap.
Wade is more bullish on Philly, and thinks that they will cause divisional problems for everyone this year.

Aaron Rodgers is pretty confident that he and the Packers will cruise to a Superbowl just like Jordan did. Let’s see if his arrogance and attitude make him look like a visionary, or a cheesehead.
Wade and Ryan both think that Green Bay will win the NFC North, but that they won’t be able to make it all the way.
Wade likes his Bears to run to 9-8, atop the Vikings and Lions, who will both struggle.
Ryan thinks the Vikes will take second, followed by the Bears and Lions.

Hitting the road to the champions in the NFC South, the Bucs are heavily favoured to repeat.
Ryan & Wade both like Tommy Boy to repeat his stint as champions, although they differ as to how the other teams will end up.
Ryan thinks Jameis can lead the Saints t0 10-7, with the Falcons able to jump atop the Panthers for third.
Wade thinks Carolina will surprise some folks this year, and has them going 11-6, to take second place in the division.
Ryan thinks that Matty Ice and the Falcons will be back and ready to attack.

Lastly, but definitely not least, is the tough as nails NFC West division.
Matt Stafford has made the Rams the big head of the group, and both guys think that they will go 11-6 to lift the title.
Ryan likes Seattle to chase the heels of the Rams, followed by a struggling 49ers squad, and lastly the Cards.
Wade has San Fran punching a wild card ticket, with the Seahawks ending up as the low face on the totem pole in this one.

Super Bowl

So who is going all the way to the big show?
Depends on who you ask.

Ryan Cull believes that his Buffalo Bills will face the Los Angeles Rams in February, but he won’t say who he thinks wins it. (pssst Bills!)

Wade McElwain throws his tomahawk at the Chiefs bandwagon to return as AFC champs, to face the Super Bowl hosts the LA Rams.

Los Angeles Rams will make the Super Bowl!
Of course that’s just our way too early picks.

Who do you have?

Have a listen to the podcast!

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. 

NFC-Division Preview

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The bridesmaids of 2019, the NFC is looking to hoist one of their top teams to Super Bowl glory in 2020, but will they have enough to wrestle the feisty AFC teams in contention?
Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull break down all of the divisions so that you don’t have you. What will each division yield in a tumultuous new season?

NFC East

In the 90s, the NFC east was a spirited division with rivalries between the Giants, Cowboys and Redskins (the Eagles mostly sucked then). It’s been a while since the Eagles had a dominant victory over the Patriots in the Super Bowl, and it’s hard to see one of them repeat that kind of team intensity this year. Wade & Ryan both think that their strong D and running game will give them a winning record of 9-7 with a playoff chance very likely.
Both guys have the Giants hitting at 8-8, which means that they will have some close games, bad losses and terrific upsets. Daniel Jones has bulked up to shake up this division and inspire some real battles. Dallas is the interesting team in this mix, as they have all of the tools to be very good this year. If Mike McCarthy can get this team firing, plus the added bonus of a competitive Andy Dalton, the Cowboys could be VERY good this year. Wade & Ryan both peg them at a respectable 11-5. As for the Washington…team…guys…thing. They will suck harder than an ‘hourly employee’ paid for by Dan Snyder at 3am. Swimming out of that toxic swamp in a city that is a toxic swamp, during a toxic swamp election year will be nothing but stinky. They have some players who will make for some interesting games, but you will only see those moments on RedZone or in the morning.

NFC North

This has to be one of the toughest divisions in football this season. Aaron Rodgers is now in a ‘prove it or lose it’ position with Jordan Love stroking himself in preparation on the sidelines. The Vikings came so close last year, but injuries and inconsistency left much to be desired in a title quest. They have added some great defensive players & Cook is primed for another stellar season.
Oh those Bears. Ask Wade anything about the Bears and expect a flurry of eyerolls and gasps. What do we do with the Trubisky situation. It’s like when you invite your wife’s cousin over to stay for a few nights because you think he’s cool and lonely, and then he moves in and squats in your garage. Use him or lose him. He has a lot to prove in Chicago this year if he wants to stop having dog shit thrown at his house. The Lions are in for a tough season. They lost a lot of tools, and Matt Stafford will still be chucking the ball to Jones Jr for big plays. They can inflict some damage, but will likely whimper off as the post season looms. Both Wade & Ryan like the Packers but Ryan likes the Vikings a little bit more.

NFC South

Oh the south will rise again, because Tom Brady is here! There are a lot of expectations from the Bucs this year as the old Patriots become the new TB with a few solid weapons. They almost made the playoffs last year with Winston, so they should do very well if they stay healthy. Wade & Ryan both think that they will hit a 10-6 record. If Tampa sucks this year, how much could it affect the dynasty of TB12?
The Saints will be marching in this year with playoffs on the playlist. After coming so close in the past few seasons, they finally seem to put a dent in the NFC. Wade likes them at 13-3, while Ryan sees them a more comfortable 11-5.
Atlanta is that flashing button on the microwave. The oven still works fine, but for some reason you don’t know how to fix it. Matt Ryan has incredible numbers, but their injuries in the past few seasons have been woeful. The are Mr. Mediocre for the past few years and look to stay that way in 2020. Wade says 8-7, Ryan has them at 8-8.
Lastly is team Christian McCaffrey, the little engine that runs over teams and tops all the fantasy tables. Adding Teddy B will take a break off of CMcC’s back, & adding the wheels of Robby Anderson makes them interesting. Just not winners. If Christian gets hurt they are well and truly screwed.

NFC West

The West has a bevy of good teams in it, but are they good enough?
Many have already begun to write off the 49ers after their offseason moves. They had the lead in the SuperBowl and looked poised to lift it up, but just didn’t have the tools to beat a crushing KC team. Wade and Ryan both see the Niners dropped off huge from last season, with Wade calling 8-8 and Ryan 9-7.
The Rams saw their hype get chin-booted in 2019, with the trauma of Tom Brady’s beating in the Super Bowl still fresh on their vibe. Goff has loads to prove, and you can only rely on the defence for so long. Wade has them going 9-7, while Ryan is a .500 man at 8-8.
Arizona has a team with incredible potential and nothing to really lose. Kyler Murray was impressive last year, and could be the softmore to watch, as adding Andre Johnson makes them a fun prospect. They won’t have enough on D to stop the big guys, but they should be able to disrupt and score some fun upsets. Both guys have them at 8-8.
Both guys think that the Seahawks will crap all over the competition. Russell Wilson is primed to explode this year, provided their team doesn’t implode with injuries. They came close last year, this year the go hard.

Want NFL tips? Get in touch and we can help you with your weekly picks. We offer a yearly subscription so that you can get all the tips for your weekly picks and pools. Just get in touch.
It’s a big year of the NFL ahead, get in!

 

Top 5-Embarrassments

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Okay, what on earth was that Sunday? Just when you think the NFL is starting to make a little bit of sense, days like yesterday happen. I mean, we must be in some kind of alternative universe when MARVIN JONES JR has four touchdown catches. Don’t get me wrong – he’s a good receiver, earned his spot as a weapon for the Lions, but that was crazy. Especially when you consider that the Lions didn’t even win that game. Kirk Cousins beat the Lions on the road. Huh?! Then you see the Seahawks be made to look anaemic, with Russell Wilson actually throwing an interception?! Someone has done something really wrong to the planet… I can only hope it carries over to Monday night and Sam Darnold finds a way to beat Brady and the Patriots. We can have hope, right?! But there’s one most confusing of conundrums that trumps all others…

I just cannot figure the Chargers out. The San Di- sorry – Los Angeles Chargers are the most frustrating conundrum in the NFL right now, and they’re not even my team. For all the talent they have, it’s outrageous that they stand at and are one of the top 5 embarrassments in the NFL.

Obviously the Washington team are number 1, because of course they are. Everything about them is an embarrassment. Change the name.
Number 2 are the Broncos because if Joe Flacco is your quarterback then you’re embarrassing by default, and that’s before we even mention the names Trevor Siemian, Chad Kelly, Paxton Lynch or *whisper it* Brock Osweiler…
The Dolphins are number 3 only because they at least have a direction and are not even trying to conceal their tanking which I kind of appreciate. If you’re gonna try to lose every game, at least let us know that from the outset, which they definitely did Week 1 against the Ravens.
Number 4 is the Bengals because they’re simply awful but…
NUMBER 5 IS THE CHARGERS. HOW? Phil Rivers, Keenan Allen, Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry, Joey Bosa, Derwin James, Thomas Davis… How much talent does a franchise need to be successful? Their record is 2-5. It’s insane. Everyone around the league seems to think Anthony Lynn is a good coach, and I don’t disagree, but it’s incredible how the sum of these parts is often significantly less than the supposed value of them.

I was all in on the Chargers before the season. I thought they’d bounce back nicely from their capitulation in Foxborough in January. But instead, Melvin Gordon decides to hold out for the first 5 weeks of the season and it’s been a disaster from start to finish. But yesterday’s Titans game was something truly special. Down 23-13 with less than 6 minutes to play, it looked like the Chargers were dead and buried. Then, they started stirring. Philip Rivers hit Austin Ekeler (who had made a fool of the Titans linebacker) for a 41 yard touchdown; a beautiful play, built with speed and guile and a cunning double move from Ekeler, who continues to look like a very useful player when he’s given the chance. The Titans were just stopped on 4th and inches and the Chargers had the ball back. Game winning drive incoming, right? WRONG.

The Chargers again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Look, I know they were unlucky. Ekeler was maybe three inches short of breaking the plane and winning the game on the pass from Rivers. But then along came the bad part. The Chargers false started, got a defensive pass interference penalty, ran for no gain and then fumbled the ball into the end zone on four straight plays to lose the game. Melvin Gordon looks a shadow of his former self – maybe holding out through pre-season wasn’t a good idea? He looks rusty and has surely now decreased the value of his next contract for looking so inept in his first few games back. All in all, it was an absolute shambles. Yes, they have some injuries that are hurting them on both offensive and defensive fronts, but this should be better than it is. Rivers deserves better. He’s not got many more years in him, and I think he deserves one last deep run to try and win the Lombardi trophy he desires. But – for now – it seems like the Chargers embarrassment might continue… they face a wounded, hurting and angry Chicago Bears defence next weekend. Yikes. Bears by a billion. (I’m trying to reverse jinx the Chargers into playing well… you’re welcome Mr. Rivers)

Callum Squires
@callumjdsquires

Week 5 Picks

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Wade McElwain & Ryan Cull are happy that the NFL is in town. Wade’s Bears look to feast upon the dead souls of the Raiders in a soggy contest at London’s Tottenham stadium.

In this video of podcast #67, they vodcast the crap out of this match, as well as provide valuable tips to visitors to London.

They then break down all of the week 5 matchups hitting the screens this Sunday & Monday.

Including

Ravens (2-2) vs Steelers (1-3)
Will the Steelers pull off a win at home? Wade thinks so, and is betting his house on it. Luckily, he rents. Ryan takes the Ravens to win, despite himself.

Bears (3-1) vs Raiders (2-2)
Welcome to London kids! This home town match will see a wet one in the city with 2 inches of rain over the match. Go under.

Vikings (2-2) vs Giants (2-2)
Are the Giants really 2 & 2? Guess so, the injuries haven’t helped, and the return of Golden Tate might bring some fantasy fancy. Both guys have the Vikings to prevail though. You there Kirk?