NFL in London

National Football League in London

Play FREE Fantasy Football

patriots

Fantasy Draft Party

by

Like many at the start of September, we held our annual Fantasy Draft to commemorate the start of the season. Fantasy Draft’s are great ways to bond with fellow NFL fans to challenge each other in your game and playability knowledge of this great game. It’s also a good chance to emotionally bitch slap last year’s losers, bow to the finite rantings of last year’s winner, and plan for the future.

Our NFL in London Fantasy Pool is going on over a decade of play, with a melange of international fans who we have met in our hosting of NFL events across the city.
There are two leagues, the ‘Eh League’ which is comprised of the best of the best, and the ‘B League’, the relegation league where hopefuls can exchange a league win with that of the Eh loser. To be the best you have to beat the best.

We held this years draft at the Princess Alexandra Pub in Crouch End. It’s our lovely local run by our mate Nick Ford and his wife and 2 Alaskan Malmutes. With the crush of Covid, we opted for a nearby place that we could safely distance, as well as support an independent establishment. They have great burgers, Sunday roasts and stay open until 1am on Sundays so you can catch the second game, and be back in Kings Cross in 20 minutes.
https://princessalexandran8.co.uk/

We used the FanDraft software again this year, and cannot recommend this product enough. It is an easy and fun way to host your draft, and you can immediately export the results to input into your fantasy app. You can also make it fun with walk-on music, custom images and funny comments that I as the commissioner can input. We teamed it up with Facebook’s Messenger to create a private group that we could run for over 3 hours. Since we had folks in Dubai, New Zealand, Romania and Scotland, this was really a fun little addition.
https://fandraft.com/

It was nice to have a sense of ‘normal’ again, and hope that all of you also had a great one as well. It’s a messed up old world we live in, & a fantasy group is like a fraternity of sanity. No matter what shit people have to say about what on social media, NFL fantasy chat is all about the BS.
Let’s see what you have to say about it Monday morning.
Good luck everyone.

 

NFC-Division Preview

by

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!

 

Sleeveless Bill

by

Hold on sports fans, we have a new category to lump Bill Belichick in…actor!
Sure, he’s done a bit of acting when he pretended not to know about Aaron Hernandez, or that he didn’t think that Tom Brady was leaving, or even acting when it came to knowing nothing about Robert Kraft and his mayo-laden massage sessions, but this time he is in a real ad.

Subway has taken over from Papa John’s as the food of the NFL, and has chosen Patriots coach Bill Belichick as their frontman.
He’s the first guy to jump into the role since Jared got busted for trying to punch his 6 inch card at local high schools and Subway had to take a commercial break for a few years.

Can Bill act? Hell no.
Is it as painful to watch as Tom Brady sliding head first into a tackle? Yes.
Do you think that Bill actually eats at Subway? Hells no.

At any rate, it is nice to kick off the NFL again, and those tummy jitters that come with the start of an impending season.
The Patriots are kind of like a sub…they have a white bread bottom, lots of flavour on offence, a smothering sauce of a defence, and Cam Newton is like the pineapple and jalapeño you throw on just to make it yours. It might be gross to taste this season, but that’s the way they made it.

What’s your favourite NFL food?

 

Cool Helmets

by

The NFL Draft is done, so now we wait. And wait, and wait and wait.
Supposedly the NFL 2020 dates are to be announced on May 9th, but it doesn’t seem very likely that things will be the same.

So to keep things all things NFL and fun, we thought we would share some of the awesomeness out in the NFL community. Take a gander at some of these cool helmets by artist Ted Hyman.
He has taken a very awesome approach to designing these, and it shows that he is an incredible artist.

While no NFL team would be willing to change their logo’s to a crowd-designed format, it is amazing to see what the fans can do when they are bored.

At the very least, it would be cool if these helmets could be added to video games, or other forms of media.

Which one of these helmets is your favourite?

What the Gronk?

by

As if the world wasn’t crazy enough with a virus, it seems that the Patriots are bleeding sick with talent.
First Brady bolts to the sunshine, then Gronk unretires and demands a trade to the Bucs.
What a time in Boston.
Patriots fans are in double shock and the rest of the NFL fans have a reason to smile through their facemasks.

It’s as sensational as Gronk itself, and the WWE contract ramifications make it interesting. Rob hasn’t played a full season for 9 years of healthiness, so it begs to see how much they will punish him.
How will he be able to be full Gronk in a season, if there is new season and how long it lasts.

The combination of the two will be enough to blow jersey sales and ticket sales out of the park, if there is indeed a way to watch the NFL in the new normal.
Fans will be captivated to see how the old gang can get together with some vicious speedsters, and a defence that was fast and furious.
Bruce Arians must be a very happy man right now.

The world will be watching Tampa next season, which must be nice for the Browns to not have the focus on them this season. Baker ain’t no TB12 though, so this will be an exciting division to watch.

So would you take Gronk as your first overall as a TE in fantasy next year? What about TB12?

Follow, subscribe, & get in touch if you want to submit some articles to be published here.

 

Offseason Banter-92

by

The offseason is SOOO boring! Luckily Wade & Ryan are here to inject some humour and insight into the the doldrums that is March.
What are you doing to kill the time in the offseason? Have you been playing Retro Bowl? You should. It’s fun.

Some of the other things the guys talk about in this podcast.

Corona Virus

Yes, it’s scary-but chances are you won’t die from it (unless you’re over 80.)
The guys talk about the potential for other sporting events facing the corona chop, and how it might affect the NFL.
Will the International Games be safe? Will the virus have disappeared by then?

Austin Ekeler

AE signs for a 4 year deal effectively tossing Melvin Gordon to the curb. What other bold moves will the Chargers do to keep their fans happy?

Dak Prescott

There are claims of Dak being offered $105 million smacker-roos, but is that too much for a guy who has not been that effective playoff wise? Will the Cowboys blow their wad on him and make the team weaker as a result.

TB12

It’s our regular feature ‘where will Tommy go’? The hype train is ready to pull into the station, where will with wheel of TB12 land?

Listen, laugh, love, repeat. This is the podcast you wash your hands too.

 

SuperBowl London

by

Most London bars NEVER show the NFL, so why would you trust them to put on an authentic SuperBowl experience?
That’s right, you wouldn’t.
Which is why we are throwing an authentic SuperBowl experience with football, food and laughs.

We will be hosting our party at the Long Acre in Covent Garden, as well as promoting for our very good friends at the Princess Alexandra in Crouch End.
Grab your tickets for both of these events so that you don’t miss out.

If you have ever tried to watch the NFL during the regular season, you will know how hard it is to find a good venue to watch it in.
They either start the games late, finish the games early, turn off the sound, or the staff decide that they would rather watch Hollyoaks (true story).
So why would you reward these charlatans with a SuperBowl party ticket?

We have heard some truly horrible stories from fans over the years from venues who ‘forget’ to get late licenses, to others having no food, venues not having sound (or playing music), to ones that try to put on their own halftime shows. (amateur cheerleaders from Essex vs Beyonce hmm).

As North Americans ourselves, we know how important it is to have a fun night of great fans, food and football.
Which is why we are working with both venues to make sure that you have an authentic night of super duper football.

We will be holding a fun NFL Quiz prior to the game. It is a video quiz, so it will play across all of the TVs in the venue.
Sign up for your team ahead of time so that you can win loads of great prizes thanks to BetRegal and us.

Here is the link to tickets to the Long Acre. Make sure you get yours soon to not disappoint.

https://www.designmynight.com//london/bars/leicester-square/the-long-acre/superbowl-54

You can get £5 tickets to the Princess Alexandra here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/superbowl-liv-tickets-90454619201?aff=efbeventtix&fbclid=IwAR2sfLiQE8IjIwh0GSNZRIZoS-pwsTwb7IrwnU-fSjdzIoGjmlwanPVVcsI

We will be giving updates all through to the lead-up to the big game.

Make sure you get your tickets now!

 

NFL Player Trivia

by

How much do you know about the NFL?
Would you consider yourself a genius of the gridiron, or a straight up novice?
What is your QB IQ really like?

We have created a fun quiz for you to test your knowledge of NFL Players.
You need to be able to correctly identify the players in the quiz to get full points.
Can you get 25/25?

Some of these pictures are pretty tricky, so you will need an encyclopaedic knowledge of the players of old to be able to successfully get perfect on this quiz.
Answers for the quiz are at the bottom of this page.

Here are some of the top players we think of when we think of NFL GOATS.

Jim Brown

Jim Brown was an unstoppable beast. Not only did he crush everyone he ran into during the late 50s and 60s, he was also a badass mofo. Brown was intimidating on the field, as his running power was so strong, NFL weaklings of the era struggled to contain him.
Brown would be nightmare for the League this days, as he was always vocal about the calamity of events that were happening around him.
Whether it was segregation, the Vietnam War, or economic disparity-Brown always had an opinion.
Heck of an athlete and not a bad actor as well!

Walter Payton

‘Sweetness’ was not only one of the toughest, most fluid runners in the NFL, he was also a remarkably humble man as well. Payton was an iconic Bear, who was nearly unstoppable on the field. Despite the fact that he could easily rush a 100 yard game every week, he didn’t trash talk, didn’t gloat, didn’t rub success in others faces. A truly class act.

Joe Montana

Could there be a more iconic QB that Montana? He won so many awards, that many are now named after him. One of the most solid QBs in the SuperBowl, he was nearly perfect in several big games, and was a terror in the fourth quarter. If you have never watched any of his games, go back and watch them!

Barry Sanders

Another RB who could be considered the ‘classiest’ guy in the NFL. Sanders played with a quiet intensity that was terrifying. He could easily gash oppositions for tonnes of yards, yet he too has one of the most humble players on the planet. He retired before than he really had to, and when Barry talked, the world listened. Always tough to try to make a career in Detroit, but he never turned his back on the city, and gave them everything he had.

Make sure you come and join us for our SuperBowl Party at Long Acre Sun Feb 2nd.
We will have a quiz prior to the big game.

Good luck on the quiz.

Now here are the answers:

  1. Mean Joe Greene
  2. Jim Brown
  3. Reggie White
  4. Roger Staubach
  5. Ed Reed
  6. Junior Seau
  7. Merlin Olsen
  8. Lawrence Taylor
  9. Rickey Jackson
  10. Anthony Munoz
  11. Curly Lambeau
  12. Larry Csonka
  13. Steve Largent
  14. Fred Taylor
  15. Jerry Rice
  16. Lyle Alzado
  17. Warren Moon
  18. Barry Sanders
  19. Joe Namath
  20. Shannon Sharpe
  21. Bruce Smith
  22. Johnny Unitas
  23. Len Dawson
  24. Fran Tarkenton
  25. Darrell Green

 

Conference Preview

by

And then there were 4. 28 teams are eliminated, and now we have the Titans vs Chiefs & the Packers ve 49ers…so who wins?

Wade & Ryan break down the Divisional Championship games, the look ahead to the games this weekend. Who do you have?

Titans (11-7) vs -7 Chiefs (13-4) + 53

The Titans have blasted their way through the playoffs on the legs of Derek Henry, while the Chiefs have obliterated teams with their offence.
If the Chiefs build a lead can Ryan Tanehil make a comeback?
Doubtful.
If Chris Carson is back, the Titans will have an uphill battle.
Both Wade & Ryan see the Chiefs through to the SuperBowl.
Chiefs WIN

Packers (14-3) vs -7.5 49ers (14-3)

The last time these two teams face off in week 12, it was an ugly game. The 49ers smoked the Pack 38-7 & shut down their whole running game. They also chased Rodgers across the field the whole day.
While the Pack have shored up their O Line, San Fran has a healthy D ready to pummel A Ron in every way.
Both Wade & Ryan see the Packers seeing close, but the 49ers should win this one.
Packers COVER.

Make your bets on Betway this week, plus make sure you join our DraftKings League.

See you Sunday at Long Acre. Super Bowl tickets on sale this weekend.

Cry Me a Phillip Rivers

by

‘How you doin’ PR?’
That’s right, Phillip Rivers is now a single, swinging man and everybody wants a piece!
Just to clarify, he is happily married-but without a team.
So where could he end up next year?
Loads of teams might be looking to snag this handsome QB, and get them to lead their team, but is he worth it?

The Pros
-He’s an 8 time Pro Bowl nominee
-He had a PR of 105.5 average in 2018
-He was a first round draft pick in 2004
-His career PR of 96.0 is 8th best

The Cons
-He’s 38 years old
-He’s played for 17 seasons
-He has never won a SuperBowl
-He deteriorated hugely in 2019
-He might have had all of his motivation sapped.

So who would want, and who would need a player like Rivers? Here are a few teams that might want to give him a look see.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts ran outta Luck in 2019, or he ran out of them-causing a huge sinkhole in their future. Jacoby Brissett played well in his absence, but is he the guy you want to structure a team around?
With a crowded floor of losers looking for a QB in the NFL Draft 2020, it might be a leap to expect that they can get anyone good. The Colts have enough weapons leftover from this year, including an underused TY Hilton who would thrive under Rivers. The O Line played fantastically, so he would have time-something that the Chargers couldn’t give him.
More importantly, he would have home fans.
Haven’t had those in a while.

Carolina Panthers

Are we looking at a wham-bam-thank you Cam dynasty in Carolina? With a woeful season in 2019, the Panthers cleaned house in many ways and are looking for someone who can carry the team forward. Sure, Christian McCaffrey carried the team on his back, but image if he ever got hurt? They would be screwed royally.
Rivers was born in Alabama, so it might make sense to return closer to home in an NFC team.
He could be a good fit with the team, and is a born leader that could motivate the team in tough situations.

Chicago Bears

Yes, the Bears have Mitch Trubisky. But Chicago is seeing some of the worst gun violence in recent decades. If random people are getting shot so frequently, imagine what a target someone like Trubisky makes? Rivers wouldn’t be anybody’s back-up, and this is just conjecture-but what an addition he would make for this team! Bears fans are fuming after their D was essentially let down by a lacklustre offence this season, so it would serve them well to get a winner in the pocket just in case.

Denver Broncos

You filthy slut! Going to a division rival? Dirty girl. While PR would be a great alternative to the trash bags that Elway continues to chuck on the field, there is NO WAY that they would trade him to a division rival. It would be an interesting fit though. The Broncos have an emerging running game, and if they drafted a bulked up O Line, he could have time to torch the opposition with ease. No way that Chargers would do this, but it would be an interesting trade to see through. Maybe try it on Madden and see how it goes?

Washington Redskins

Dwayne Haskins is fun to watch. That doesn’t mean he is necessarily good, just fun to watch.
The Redskins played plucky football this season, and they weren’t totally out of every game, even though they were on the ass end of a losing season. They will draft well next year, and just need that missing element to get them up the division. Heck, 4 more wins this season and they could have won the sucker, so it won’t take much to usurp the top dawgs in this filthy pound.

San Angeles Los Chargers

Who are they and where do they play again? Since the team left the sunny fields of San Diego, the ship has sunk faster than the Titanic. Loyal fans were pissed the team was moved, and they took it out by not going to the games. LA fans already had the Raiders and Rams, so why would you want a golden haired stepchild to add to the mix? The Chargers could offer PR another 2 year contract to keep him in til he’s 40. But is he really motivated? Sure, he has 17 kids in school in the area, so he may not want to move. But maybe a mid-life crisis is necessary?

Make sure you join our BetRegal offer, so that you can bet your way to victory this weekend.

See you this weekend at the Long Acre Bar in Covent Garden, where we will be watching the games all weekend.