NFL in London

National Football League in London

San Francisco 49ers

Hail to the Chiefs!

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They bloody well went & did it, didn’t they? The Chiefs are the 2019-2020 SuperBowl Champions in a wild game that ended out a decade of Patriots domination.
Patrick Mahomes was a beast, spear-heading a Chiefs comeback of 3 touchdowns in 3 minutes to stymie the 49ers and win the big cup.
So what were the big factors that led to this victory?

Patrick Mahomes

This kid is the real deal. Patience under pressure, pocket poise, and a great field of vision to spread the ball to his top receivers. Let’s not forget those wheels too.
Mahomes was a true leader when his team needed it.
He led the charge and was able to take Andy Reid’s walrus voice in his ear to stab San Francisco relentlessly in the last savage minutes of the game.
He had a couple of INTs that were BAD, but he was able to salvage them, and rely on his defense to defuse any comeback attempts of the 49ers.
It’s hard to say if this is the beginning of a dynasty, or whether he will one-off this like Russell Wilson or Cam, but this team looks good to repeat next season as returning champs .

Chiefs Defense

They were lamented numerous times prior to the match, but shut up all of their critics with a savage attack on the 49ers. They looked like they played their guts on on every play, and fought tough for any down that the 49ers went for. Where they really shined was in that final 3 minutes, bashing the run, choking off Jimmy and holding tight when the game was on the line.
They picked off Jimmy G several times, and made them earn every hard down.
Credit to them for keeping it a 10 point game, as there were a few chances that they might have gone down even further.
Well fought chaps.

Andy Reid

‘Ugly Kid’ Shanahan was ready to rap-battle his way through this hizzle, but Andy stayed firm like a beached walrus to keep the game in check.
He called smart plays, and relied on the wits of Mahomes to improvise when he needed to.
Andy must have a real zen about him, because all of his guys stayed calm, cool and collected during the whole game.
Reid finally brought in the bowl to the fine folks of Kansas City after a 50 year drought, and it was  a noble effort for all of those involved.

The Refs

It was a relatively painless ref game despite a season of controversy and contention.
Aside from a blatant pass interference call against the 49ers in the fourth quarter that allowed the Chiefs to score, there weren’t too many blind calls or needless delays.
That PI penalty was bogus, and some might say that it capitulated San Francisco after that, but losers will always whine.
There will need to be some serious internal talks with the league and officials next year, to get over the technical hiccups from the 2019 season, but this was a clean game all in all.

The NFL

Another flawless and exciting SuperBowl from the NFL and hats off to them. Despite the talk of saggy ratings, the NFL put on a powerhouse fiesta of fun and NFL action.
Sure, it would have been nicer to have Tony Romo in the box instead of Troy, but no one really listens to them any way.
The only real blight was the halftime show. Like what the heck was that about?
Why focus on some ageing singer/models who haven’t been relevant in decades, when there are loads of great an exciting acts on the musical landscape.
They could have taken the chance to showcase 30 new artists who could use the fame, tap into influencers or even gone back to the standard ‘Up with People’.
Whatever happened to them.

We had a great night at the Long Acre, and will have loads of news for you in the off season. We are poised for a bigger, better 2020, so join us in the fun.

 

Wade’s SB54 Prediction

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It’s the final game of the last decade, so who wins SuperBowl 54?
As you can see from the image above, I have already touted the 49ers to upset the Chiefs and win the big game.
Am I crazy? Did I smoke the wacky tobaccy?
Maybe, but let’s break it down.

First off, what a great game we are in store for.
I’m not just saying that because the Patriots aren’t in it this year, but that is a HUGE motivation when it comes to the excitement level for the big game.

We are also in the midst of a dynasty transition in the league. With Mahomes and Garoppolo at the helm, we are finally seeing a change in the league, and in the potential for the future.
No Brady, Brees, or Big Ben, this is a new horizon in the NFL.

Let’s look at how I see the break down of the two teams.

QBs

Mahomes is by far the superior QB in this match-up, but Jimmy G isn’t horrible, in fact he really hasn’t had to do anything. In the past few playoff games, the 49ers have employed the run, because it works. Fans are quick to say that Jimmy was useless in these games, but why throw when you don’t need to. Let’s not forget that he torched the Saints a few weeks ago, and has barely even used Kittle.
Mahomes on the other hand has had to come from behind the past 2 games.
Down 29 points to the Texans, the game relied on him to rally the team to over power Texas, and finally win the game.
The 49ers don’t let you come back from deficits like that, so it will be a long road for the Chiefs if they go down.
Jimmy will have a better game than you think.
Advantage-Chiefs

RBs

San Fran has the advantage here, as the Chiefs have had a mad lib of RBs since the start of the season. The 49ers have a triple threat of speedsters who will look to explode on the Chiefs D. KC was able to choke off Derek Henry, but these RBs are very different as they have buckets of speed to run roughshod over the backfield. They will keep hitting them with the run until they don’t need to.
Advantage-49ers

WRs

San Fran has been hurt in the receiver department with a slew of injuries this season. KC on the other hand has some of the fastest dudes in the league ready to bounce across the Miami field. The main difference here will be the secondary covering the WRs. San Fran has a great shut down unit, while the Chiefs might struggle in the back to stop the relentless pressure of Deebo and the boys. Tyreek will be looking at a Richard Sherman sized shadow all night.
Advantage-Chiefs

TEs

The battle of the beasts is here, as Kelce takes on Kittle in a hotly anticipated match-up for the ages. Kelce has had a heck of a season, and Kittle has continued to impress with his yards after catch explosiveness. I have to give the edge to Kittle here because of all the ways he can be used. Look for the Niners to use a trick play to their advantage with him.
Advantage-49ers

DEF

San Fran holds most of the cards here. Sure, the Chiefs have made some big improvements here, but they will still struggle to match the shutdown power of the 49ers speed and front 4. It will be up to the Chiefs to try to shake up the momentum of the Niners, and make them miss.
This will be their biggest challenge.
Advantage-49ers

In the end, I think that the 49ers will prevail, for the reasons outlined above, and in general.
-the 49ers have used the rush because they haven’t needed to toss.
-the Chiefs have had to come from behind in every game-not a good sign.
-the 49ers D is too good.

So my final prediction-the 49ers win by a field goal.

Come join us at Long Acre London in Covent Garden. See you Sunday!

 

 

SuperBowl London

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What are you doing for the SuperBowl? Big plans in the big smoke?
Why not join us at one of the few parties we are throwing across the city?

SuperBowl is always a fun, but tough time in London. Hardly any places ever show the NFL due to time restrictions, and when they do, it is very British, and not very fun.
Pork sausages instead of hot dogs, nachos made from Doritos and no cheese, chicken wings the size of squirrel legs, and sweet popcorn…seriously?

Well that won’t be happening at any of our NFL parties on Sunday, so why not check them out?

Long Acre-Covent Garden

The Long Acre is right smack dab in the middle of London. With 4 big screens, loads of beer and great wings, the venue is perfectly suited for your Super Duper Bowl.
The game might kickoff at 11:30pm, but we will be rocking ahead of time with a fun SuperBowl Quiz kicking off at 9pm.
There will be great prizes thanks to BetRegal, so make sure you sign up your team.
Getting home should be easy, as you are in central London.
Tickets are £10 each, and include a BetRegal golf shirt (while supplies last).
Get your tickets here.
https://www.designmynight.com//london/bars/leicester-square/the-long-acre/superbowl-54

Princess Alexandra-Crouch End

The Princess Alex in Crouch End is a lovely, British boozer not too far from Finsbury Park station. Served locally by the W7 or W3 bus from the station you are only 25 minutes to central London. There party is only £5 per ticket, and includes a welcome beer on arrival.
The kitchen stays open until 2am.
Buy your tickets here.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/superbowl-liv-tickets-90454619201?aff=efbeventtix&fbclid=IwAR2sfLiQE8IjIwh0GSNZRIZoS-pwsTwb7IrwnU-fSjdzIoGjmlwanPVVcsI

Make sure you follow us on social media, and check out all of BetRegal picks, tips and bets.

Grab some great fanatics gear as well.

See you Sunday!

 

SuperBowl Preview Podcast

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https://soundcloud.com/user-839263787/superbowl-preview-ep-89

SuperBowl 54 is finally here, & what an epic match-up. NFL fans can all unite that the 2 teams that made it thus far are truly deserving, and will provide one heck of a match-up.

Wade McElwain is joined by Chapman Maddox, a Falcons fan and expat who is a big supporter of all things NFL & UK.
They chat about the game, the potential, and some prop bets you might want to take a look at.

Who do you have to win this one? It’s a tight contest. The Chiefs are favoured by -1 & in some cases as high as -5, but can they justify this line? They have come from behind from their past games, while the Niners have barely thrown the ball because they don’t have to.
Are we overlooking San Fran.

Wade says yes, Chapman says no.

In this podcast the guys discuss.

QBs

Who is better between Mahomes & Jimmy G? Mahomes, obviously. Jimmy hasn’t been pressured into throwing yet, so this could be the game where he lights it up MVP style. What if he went off. Mahomes is favoured for MVP, but if the 49ers shut him down it might be a slow night.

RBs

San Fran has a triple headed monster of running backs, while the Chiefs have forgettable backs since Hunt. Sure they can score, but it’s off the legs & brains of Mahomes. The 49ers have the best shut down front in the game. 49ers at will.

TEs

Kelce vs Kittle. It’s the battle of the K’s and TE’s as these two will look to rip open the helps secondary with size & speed. Kelce is solid, but Kittle is a mystery. He hasn’t been used as of late, because he wasn’t needed. Look for Kittle to score first on a sneaky play.

D

San Fran has the edge D wise, but the Chiefs have made great strides to turn it up as of late. The 49ers will be too tight here, and their secondary gives them the edge across the board. Sherman is a pick machine, and he could have more than one if the game gets long.

Listen to the podcast, subscribe, share, name your child after it.

We will have more content up throughout the week.

Join us Sunday at the Long Acre for SuperBowl Sunday. See you then.

 

SuperBowl Quiz

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Where are you going for the SuperBowl? Are you watching at home? With friends? Or hitting the town to paint the town red, white & blue?

If you’re in London or close by, please feel free to join us at the Long Acre pub in Covent Garden for an epic night of NFL.
We will have loads of great food, cold beer & plenty of TVs to watch the big game.
They will also open up the basement for fans should we sell out the top floor.

What are you going to do before the 11:40pm kickoff?
If you’re joining us at the Long Acre, feel free to sign up for our NFL Quiz, an interactive, video quiz that we will beam across the pub.
Just watch the screen, and the questions will appear in video form.
Cool, huh?

Our quizmaster is none other than our very own Wade McElwain.
Wade actually writes and produces quiz and trivia shows during the day, so this is a perfect chance to see his mad skills in action.

It costs £10 per team to play (you need a ticket to get in as well) & you can win some fab prizes thanks to BetRegal, DraftKings, and the Long Acre.

Make sure you get your team together now!

Tickets for the quiz can be found here, as well as entry tickets.

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

We will also be doing loads of fun bets with our friends at BetRegal as well.

See you SuperBowl sunday!