NFL in London

National Football League in London

Philadelphia Eagles

Woody and the Jets

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America is currently going through a ‘change’ that we are all privy to witness, and one of those includes taking back some of their ambassadors, including our own, as we say goodbye to Woody and the Jets.

It was the first time for us Brits to have an Ambassador who actually owned an NFL team. While previous ambassadors have been supportive of the NFL pushing forward in Europe, it was NY Jets owner Woody who was bullish on more London games.

Given that Woody’s family owned the Jets, you can understand why he may not have wanted to spend any time on US soil in 2020. Thankfully by adding new head coach Robert Saleh, Woody can finally show his face with pride, as the Jets are on their way up! Or…on their way on a gradual slide to somewhere.

Woody’s time in London was not without his problems however, as being a minion of former President Trump brings with it a whole bunch of baggage. Let’s not forget the pressure that Trump put on Woody to move the British Open to his Scottish golf course. These type of unpresidential moves were  not uncommon for Trump, and always awkward for any of his mouth pieces.

Numerous reports also emerged of Embassy staff feeling uncomfortable around Ambassador Johnson, for making ‘inappropriate and insensitive’ comments. Perhaps Woody was just repeating things that Jets fans say every time they lose to a division opponent? It’s all about context.

So what will Johnson do know that he is no longer Ambassador to the UK?
He could always go back & get directly involved with the New York Jets? Although for many in the organisation it might just feel like an extended ‘take you kid to work day.’
He could fall back on his billions inherited from his Johnson & Johnson family empire. The company has been in the mix to make Covid vaccines, which is a far cry from the trouble they got in for selling baby powder that caused ass cancer.
Of course if Woody Johnson really wants to help, he can go back to Donald Trump and see if any fences need a mending.

Because if there is one thing that America has right now…it’s a lot of broken fences. And a wall that needs building.
Grab your toolbox Woody. America needs you.

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!

London Throwback

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With the 2020 NFL season almost done and dusted, we thought we would hit you with a bit of nostalgia, as we give you a London Throwback video.

The year was 2018. Trump was still president, the youth were still glued to their phones, Corona was still a watered down Mexican beer, and we could watch the NFL in public.
Oh what a time to be alive!

This game would be later known as the ‘Minneapolis Miracle’, for an incredible game which saw the Minnesota Vikings come back after being down to the New Orleans Saints.
Those of us gathered in a former London casino in the wee hours of a cold January night were in for a treat of a game.
Who could forget the heroics of a certain Case Keenum  who took over from Sam Bradford & Teddy Bridgewater to mount a comeback against the plucky play of Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

The last play brought with it a ‘Buffalo Right-Seven Heaven’ which saw Case toss the ball to a leaping Stefon Diggs who would go on to score.
Marcus Williams would go on to be a 2018 meme for his missed tackle, and last efforts that saw the Vikings move on.

Where were you for the Minneapolis Miracle? Did you join us at the casino to watch the game? Who was the guy at the end screaming at Saints fans? Did you happen to say hi to Cecil?

The NFL is better when we can all watch it with you! We look forward to that potential in 2021.

Stay safe, sane and have a happy new year everyone!

Ekeler’s Millions

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Oh to be an NFL player! You’re a physically fit, young man, earning millions….and 2 years after you retire there is a high chance you will be BROKE! Not unless you make the right decisions.
LA Chargers running back Austin Ekeler details what he spent his first million dollars on in this Ekeler’s Millions segment.

One of the first things that comes across when you watch Austin Ekeler is how humble and grounded the guy is. This probably has something to do with growing up in rural Colorado, and not really focusing on the NFL as a career.  Often the biggest financial busts in the NFL are the players who focus on status and prestige, as opposed to building the structure for financial stability in the future.  There is nothing more frustrating as a fan watching a talented young athlete blow their wad on ‘bling’, when their career could essentially be over within 5 years.
Sure Drew Brees can spend millions on trinkets and baubles, but look where that got him.

Among some of the purchases that Ekeler bought with his first million includes:

Chrysler 300

The essential vehicle for soccer moms, single dads with weekend duties, and of course NFL rookies. Austin smartly mentions that he bought a used car, as he wanted something reliable and affordable to get him to work, while many of his other teammates were focused on the flashy, European models.
It’s better to be frugal than a fool in a league where a sudden injury can change the trajectory of your future immediately.
Cost $30,000

Gaming System

Boys love their toys, and a single man in his 20s is going to spend a lot of money on gaming. Gaming is surprisingly popular and competitive amongst NFL players themselves, so many of the rookies are going to want to update their speed and graphics in order to compete with some of their elders on the team and league. Gaming is a massively popular industry, and many NFL players are eyeing it up as not only an investment post career, but also as a potential job. Hey, it works in ‘Ballers.’
Cost $10,000

Mommy Car

Every good boy wants to thank their mom for driving their ass to and from practice and games for almost 2 decades. Ekeler thanked his mama by replacing here ugly old van, with something more fitting of a matriarch. Austin’s mom is also a Colorado real estate agent, so she has actually been working for him to upgrade his portfolio. Investing in mom is always a good investment.
Cost $40,000

Corvette

The Corvette is a classic staple of Americana muscle car, this fibre glass beast is one of the biggest killers of drivers in accidents. But…Austin Ekeler loves the ‘Vette, so he bought a shiny one. It’s got to be hard to compete with teammates (and celebrities) in LA, so players do need a car that displays the fact that they ‘made it.’ When you’re a kid you dream of owning your ‘dream car’, and luckily Ekeler was able to do just that.
Cost $80,000

Wardrobe

Some NFL players go full peacock in their post game wardrobe (talking to you Cam Newton), so it’s always refreshing to hear from a normal guy that doesn’t spend his weekly budget on hats. Again, the competitive nature of other NFL players must set the bar high, but given what Ekeler spent updating his wardrobe, many women spend that easily making way less.
Cost $5000

Home

Home is where the honey’s are, and if you want lots of honies, you need a sweet home. Read that on a washroom stall once. Everyone in their 20s’ wants to get out of the rent-trap, and Austin wisely invested a large chunk of his cash into his first house. Listening to him speak about it, you get the impression this will be the first of many home he will turn over for a profit.
Cost $240,000

Australia

Austin Ekeler bought Australia for only $15k! Kidding, but the young man invested the sum into visiting his buddy there that was setting up a gym. Sure that this good looking, rich young American man had a great time down under for that amount.
Cost $15,000

Investment Property

OK, this is when you know that Ekeler is one of the smarty ones. Ekeler’s aforementioned mom helped him pick out 17 properties in Colorado to add to his investment portfolio. 17 properties? Wowza, even local boy John Elway must be impressed enough to give him a Papa John’s franchise.
Newby athletes need to learn from Austin Ekeler so that they don’t make silly mistakes with their money. After all, who wants to go from the NFL in your 20s’, to working at Sonic in your 30s’?
Cost $800,000

What would you do if someone handed you that kind of contract? Would you invest that same way as Ekeler’s Millions, or blow it all in a blaze of glory?

Things to think about. Happy New Year!

 

 

 

Week 17 Preview

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The NFL season officially ends this weekend, as we hit you up with our Week 17 Preview Podcast.
This has officially been one of the oddest NFL seasons on record, with Covid wrecking havoc across the world and the league. You have to hand it to the NFL though, they handled this season very seamlessly, and us fans may never fully realise what kind of hard work they pulled off to make it happen.  Thanks NFL!
Wade & Ryan hit the mic this week to look back at all of the crazy games in week 16 in the league. There were some truly nutty scores and outcomes last week, and the boys reflect on how those affected their bets.
The guys then look ahead and make their predictions for all the Week 17 games, with score predictions and playoff guesses flying wildly across the podcast.
Among some of the major games the guys look at in our Week 17 Preview Podcast includes:

Dolphins (10-5) vs Bills (12-3)
Bills -3  +44.5

It’s time to shuffle off to Buffalo for the final game of the season for these AFC East teams, and this match always beings with it some historical fun. Both of these teams are playoff bound, but Miami needs it more than Buffalo does.
Miami would be wise to start the veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick here, as his previous stint as a Buffalo QB gives him an advantage in the cold. Their D will also need to heat things up if they want to make Josh Allen make any mistakes.
Of all of the playoff bound teams, Buffalo is the one that really seems to be cooking in their final stretch. Allen has been a touchdown beast, and their own D is making life hard for opposing QBs.
Both of these teams need a win here, but Buffalo might be the one team that could coast if they build a lead. Both guys like the Bills here.
Ryan- Bills 27 Dolphins 13
Wade- Bills 27 Dolphins 23

Jets (2-13) vs Patriots (6-9)
Patriots -3.5  +43

New York has failed miserably at a few things this season. They failed to secure the best new QB in the 2021 draft, and they failed to be the worst team in the league, at the worst possible time. They have actually looked ok in recent weeks, and one wonders where that style of play was a few weeks ago. Adam Gase will most likely be on LinkedIn this game, as his fate seems to be sealed for 2021. Sam Darnold however might be stuck in the Big Apple for a lot longer now.
Cam Newton was not the answer, and no one is saying it. It’s not surprising given the Patriots history of stifling bad news. Bill Belichick gets his first early winter in ages, and you wonder how he’ll want to go out on this game.
Wade and Ryan both like the Jets here as they have nothing to lose. If they keep playing how they have in the past 3 games, they could actually rough up the Pats in Boston.
Ryan- Jets 20 Patriots 10
Wade- Jets 26 Patriots 20

Cardinals (8-7) vs LA Rams (9-6)
NL (Goff)

Thanks to Arizona losing last week, the Bears have a shot at the playoffs, while the Cards are now officially eliminated. Arizona has been erratic all season, with Kyler Murray showing as many bright flashes as he does dark decisions. They haven’t been fully clicking all season, and they will need to make some changes in the offseason to steer this ship in the right direction.
The Rams too have been inconsistent in 2020, relying on their D to keep them in games that they had no place being in. With Jared Goff injuring his thumb, the chances of the Rams making the playoffs just took a dip here.
Wade & Ryan are split on this one, with Ryan liking the Cardinals to take advantage of Goff, while Wade thinks that Sean McVay will find a way. Even if it does mess with his Bears.
Ryan- Cardinals 23 Rams 17
Wade- Rams 27 Cardinals 25

That’s it for our week 17 predictions, make sure that you check us out on social media.
We also have another Facebook Group you can join if you’re an NFL in London fan.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NFLinLondon

Make sure you listen to the whole podcast to get all of the guys picks.
Listen, laugh, love and continue to share. Our listenership continues to rise, so thanks for that.

Have a happy new year everyone!