NFL in London

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Week 3 Preview

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Week 3 is upon us and what an injury prone season it has been thus far! Wade McElwain & Ryan Cull are here in the latest podcast to chat about the week that was in two, as well as they look ahead to all the games in week 3. Sure, we don’t know who will be fully or half back from injuries, but at least he have a steer on the teams as a whole. Our lines might change leading up to kickoff, so watch this space.
The boys also talk about:

London Viewings

Can we watch the games? Can we watch half a game? How many people can we watch with?
No idea here. The rules keep changing, but as it stands you can only watch in the UK until 10pm.
Given that the Premier League games now go until 8:40pm, it is unlikely many bars will show the NFL in entirety.

Injuries

5 teams took a lickin’ from a chicken in week 2, with the 49ers being gaslighted, trash bagged, and Cleveland steamed all in one. The Giants lost big with Saquon being out, and the Colts took a big D loss as well. If this trend keeps coming, there will be a lot of teams missing key personal by week 5. Heck by week 10, it might all be practice squad players.

Week 3 Picks

Rams (2-0) vs Bills (2-0)
Bills -2.5 +47.5

Buffalo faces a feisty Rams squad at home after a narrow victory over Fitzmagic and the fins. The Rams are on good form with Goff finding his rhythm of 2 years ago. This will be a fantastic battle of D’s, and both QBs will need to impress to find the W in this one. Josh Allen is the scramble king, using his legs and quick vision to spread it around the field. He’s going to face the toughest defence thus far, so the score should be fairly tight.
Ryan likes his Bills to barely cover the Rams, while Wade sees them winning by a nudge more.
Ryan-Bills 27 Rams 24
Wade-Bills 27 Rams 23

Titans (2-0) vs Vikings (0-2)
Titans -2.5 +47.5

The Titans are rolling at 2-0, but one of those came at a lucky break against the Jaguars. The Vikings are a woeful oh and poo, and they haven’t really shown any signs of life after being pummelled by both the Packers and Colts.
Ryan likes Tannehill and Henry to roll over the Vikings in a hometown beat down.
Wade is fond of the Vikings finally getting their shit together and putting together a victory.
Ryan-Titans 31 Vikings 13
Wade-Vikings 30 Titans 27

Bengals (0-2) vs Eagles (0-2)
Eagles -6 +46.5

Sure the Bengals are bad, but 6 points against Philly bad? This game will be a stinker, but Burrow and his footwork should make this one exciting enough. Philly has looked limp and lame, & will need to get their running game going full speed. The Bengals need to keep Joey alive, as they offer less protection than a homemade condom.
Ryan sees the Eagles getting a tough victory, while Wade has the Bengals taking their first win.
Ryan-Eagles 23 Bengals 20
Wade-Bengals 28 Eagles 26

Want all of our picks without listening to the podcast? Then get in touch & we can set you up with a season long picks package for £20!

Also thanks to these guys who compiled a list of the top 100 NFL Podcasts in the world. We came in at #90 which is nice, but also disappointing since we are way better than the others.
https://blog.feedspot.com/nfl_podcasts/

Stay in touch, stay safe and good luck for the rest of the season.

Wade’s Week 2 Upsets

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Wade McElwain is back with his top upsets for week 2 in the NFL.
Who does he think are the teams that will upset or cover their spread?
Just watch the video and you can see.

Some of his top upsets for this week include:

Falcons vs Cowboys -5

This game looks to be a high scoring and fun affair, as Matt Ryan had over 400 yards in a loss. Will Amari Cooper shut out the Falcons, or will they have a chance? Wade likes the Falcons to cover this one.

Broncos vs Steelers -7.5

Pittsburgh is coming off a great game, despite not having RB James Connor. The Broncos were able to keep in the game last week, but lost after some lazy plays. Wade likes them to cover the 7.5 point spread this week.

Giants vs Bears -5

Wade bet against his Bears? What is he thinking? Well, he’s not impressed with Mitch and was impressed with Jones. Add to this the drama of Allen Robinson, and he likes the G-Men to win this one.

If you want to hear all of Wade’s weekly picks, make sure you check out our podcast.

 

Week 2 Picks

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Wade & Ryan make their predictions for Week 2 in the NFL in the latest podcast. They also break down what happened in week 1, and how that will affect some of the scores this Sunday.
Wade had an impressive record of 10-5-1 last week, where Ryan was a more modest 4-11-1, what does this week hold?

The guys look at some of the key games, some of which they agree on and some that totally do not. Among these:

Falcons (0-1) vs Cowboys (0-1)
Dallas -5 +52.5

Both teams lost last week and will be looking for retribution in week 2. Matt Ryan was able to chuck up 400+ yards in week 1, and still takes an L, of course he was facing the Seahawks, but they will need to show more this week. The Cowboys looked flat in week 1, with Aaron Donald and the Rams beating them up and down the field. Will Zeke finally get his legs back?
Ryan likes a Cowboys beating of the Falcons here, predicting a 31-17 victory.
Wade isn’t so sure, and likes the Falcons to cover the 5 point spread, with a Dallas victory of 28-26.

Rams (1-0) vs Eagles (0-1)
Pick +46

This game is a pick, which means both team have an equally bad chance of losing in this one. Philly looked limp in week 1, with Miles Sanders out with an injury. He’s back this week, but will have a tough job against that fast LA front line. Can old man DeShaun Jackson come back to life and score some points at home?
Ryan predicts an LA beatdown of Philly, with a 24-13 drubbing.
Wade likes Philly to win at home, as their secondary should make some big plays off of Goff. He calls a Philly win 23-20.

Giants (0-1) vs Bears (1-0)
Chicago -5 +42.5

The Bears won a heavy fourth quarter battle with the Lions last week, thanks to the last minute antics of Mitch. Of course it helps when Detroit loses a key member of its D allowing Trubisky to find holes. How will the drama of Allen Robinson on social media affect the locker room?
As for the Giants, they were smacked around by the Steelers, but Jones had some great moments of play, and some great efforts from Darius Slayton.
Both Wade and Ryan like the Giants to upset here, as much as it breaks Wade’s Beary heart.
Ryan has the Giants winning 23-20, and Wade sees it as a 27-24 victory for the G-Men.

Make sure you listen to our podcast for all the NFL tips and news. We are hoping to start hosting NFL viewing parties in the city soon, just watch this space.

DraftKings-Week 2 Picks

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It’s time to pick some Fantasy fellas for Week 2, after some of the amazing performances (& ridiculous injuries) in Week 1, I am a little more prepared for this week.
If you want to play along with us, join our DraftKings League ‘NFL in London’, it’s a fun group with free and paid contests to whet your fantasy appetite.
Join here:

https://dkn.gs/r/kwxDR0JIokKPkA6cPjCtNA

Here are some of my picks to look at for Week 2 in DraftKings.

QB

Aaron Rodgers $6900

After the smokeshow he laid on the Vikings, it’s hard to imagine Rodgers dropping his numbers against the Lions. After the Bears and Trubisky laid on multiple 4th quarter touchdowns last week, AR should have a good 4 TD game. Compared to Mahomes, he’s a pretty good value.

Josh Allen $6700

He can throw, he can run, he is the Buffalo chicken wing. Allen is facing the woeful Dolphins this week, which means that he should be able to feast on their dolphin meat like Cam Newton did last week. If Cam can run the fins ragged by using his feet, Allen will also look to have a pretty good ground day. Unlike Cam, Allen has some great receivers who will turn and burn the field all day. The only worry I have is Miami plays unusually well at home in September with humidity and hurricane season working to their advantage.

RBs

Nyheim Hines $5300

With Marlon Mack going down last week, Nyheim Hines & Jonathan Taylor jump up the ranks to 1 & 2. Look for Rivers to use them both effectively against the Vikings defence. Minnesota was weak against the run last week against the Packers, so look for this 1-2 punch of guys to punch the Vikes in the face. Hines should get a couple of short run TDs.

Todd Gurley $6100

Gurley was able to find success against the Seahawks last week, so he should be able to continue grabbing points against the Cowboys this week. Gurley is a great distraction for Matt Ryan as he can be used effectively on the run and in short passing situations.

Miles Sanders $6000

Will he play or will he stay now? Sanders practised this week fully, which is a good sign for any fantasy fans. The Eagles will need him against the fierce front of the Rams who threw Zeke around last week. He still might not be fully used, but if he is, he will be good value for short yard TDs.

WRs

Robby Anderson $5200

Anderson has his groove back thanks to Teddy B and the Panthers. He was wicked last week going 6/8 114 yards and a touchdown. The Bucs were torched by the Saints receivers last week, so Robby could get a few yards while Tampa figures out how to stop McCaffery.

Darius Slayton $5000

Slayton was on fire in Week 1 against the Steelers, going 6/9, 102 yards and 2 touchdowns. If he can get that against Pittsburgh, then the Bears will have to look out. They got burned hard by Stafford last week, and Slayton will carve them up if they don’t figure out how to stop him.

Davante Adams $8100

Rodgers number one guy will be his number one target against the Lions on Sunday, and he will be poised for another big performance. Even if they double team Adams, he still finds ways to make ridiculous catches. He had 156 yards and 2 TDs last week, he can probably top that this week.

TE

Tyley Higbee $4700

The big man on the Rams was an often target for Goff last week for some pretty nifty catches. He is bound to make some bigger plays against an Eagles team that struggles to contain good tight ends.

Zach Ertz $5600

And on the other side of the ball, the guy the Eagles will look to in short and long yard situations. Heck, Wentz will look for him all day. He’s a little pricier, but he’s sure to get at least one TD on Sunday.

DEF

Buccaneers $2900

Sure, they got torched by the Saints last week, but they were able to put some pressure on Brees to be able to stay in the game. The Panthers have a very weak O-line, so look for the Bucs D to get to Teddy B and disrupt some big plays.

If you want to join us and play for FREE, we have our Sunday Funday Contest. It rolls on every week. You can join that here.
https://www.draftkings.co.uk/draft/contest/92158034

Enjoy your Sunday and let us know if you want to play in any of our Fantasy Leagues. The more the merrier!

 

 

 

Week 1 Results

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What a topsy turvy weekend in the NFL! Some of the biggest winners lost, and some of the teams that looked to live in Loserville for a long time actually showed some spunk. It was nice to have the game back & to feel a bit of normal again.

Picking Week 1 results against the spread can often be tough given all the time off, but 2020 has made that even more difficult by trashing the preseason and the growth/ injuries that go with it.
Wade & Ryan both took a stab at week 1, with Wade hitting out a respectable 10-5-1, while Ryan managed a more modest 4-11-1.

Let’s take a look at some of the games they got right/ wrong.

Seahawks 38 vs Falcons 25

Wade got this one wrong, siding with past numbers that have Pete Carroll not usually performing well in week 1 since 2013. Of course it was Russell Wilson who performed like a champ, spreading the ball to nine different receivers and running the ball a few times himself. Atlanta didn’t help themselves, dropping balls and getting costly penalties. Atlanta showed rally, but were also very inept on D. Ryan liked the Seahawks to cover, and they were able to do just that.

Bears 27 Lions 23

Who wrote off Trubisky? Wade and other Bears fans did, so it was surprising to see him launch a 4 TD push to overcome the pesky Lions. Mitch was off in the first half, hitting guys on the numbers who should have made some easy catches. Luckily for Bears fans, the biggest drop came in the 4th when the Lions dropped a huge catch which would have been a pretty gimme TD. Wade had the Bears to win, and they came out with a big one. Trubisky played pretty good.

LA Chargers 16 Bengals 13

Wade called a Bengals upset, giving them their first win of the season at home…and it almost happened. Another bad miss from a kicker on  Week 1 (have they all gotten worse) could have sent this game to OT, but alas the football Gods had other plans. Burrow looked good, and Tyrod looked marginal in this low scoring affair. Bengals should be proud of how they played, even if this did end in betting push.

LA Rams 20 Cowboys 17

Wade was a big believer in a Rams upset in this game, and they really came out pumping all cylinders. Goff was on fire, and Robert Woods was an easy target in a game that really underscored the D problems that Dallas has going forward. If the Rams can bully them around like this, then the Cowboys are up for a tough season of potential blowouts. CeeDee Lamb had a respectable first outing, but Zeke looked a bit flat, especially after Aaron Donald picked him up to hit Dak.

Bucs 23 Saints 34

This was the game that everyone was waiting for, and both Wade & Ryan predicted a 33-30 victory for TB12 and the Bucs. In hindsight, not a good call. Tom Brady was picked off 2 times and he couldn’t muster any offence in a game that showed that he still makes some pretty blinding errors. Brees didn’t play great, but looked a lot better than his 40 something counter. New Orleans also made a lot of costly defensive pass interference plays that gouged them for 100 yards+ in penalties. Everyone learned a valuable lesson in this one. The Bucs and Saints both look to roll next week.

Make sure you listen to our podcast so you can hear Wade & Ryan make all of their weekly picks. We will also be starting to promote venues across the UK who would be up for showing NFL games this season.
We know that this new rule of 6 will make things more difficult, but it’s better than a 9pm curfew which would essentially cancel the viewings for an entire season.

NFL..Assemble!

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Snap! The NFL is back and just in time, as this whole year has felt like Thanos has snapped us halfway back to reality.
Will the heroes of the gridiron save us from the banality of every day Covid life?
Hell yeah!

One NFL fan went the distance, using his editing skills to create superb hybrid of an NFL hype film, with an Avengers style trailer. (we don’t own any rights, just fans).

Always nice to see someone who is both an NFL Fan, and one heck of an editor.

If this doesn’t get you ripped for the season, maybe Thanos should have killed us all?

NFL Game Viewings

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For over 13 years, we have had the pleasure of putting on and hosting NFL viewing parties across London & the UK. We have hosted some amazing nights at iconic venues across the country,  met great NFL stars of present and past, as well as helped shaped the UK policy for public viewing.
Sure, we have also worked with some total D-hole promoters and venues, but that’s for another story

2020 however is the most unhinged year yet though, so we will let you know how we will be approaching NFL viewing parties.

Our main goal has always been to provide an authentic NFL viewing experience that allows fans to share in what a truly North American NFL night is like, as well as provide expats with a taste of home.
This involves finding venues that are centrally located, have loads of TVs, are willing to stay open late, and can commit to showing the games regularly.
This isn’t as easy as it seems, as football is still king in the UK, & venues & managers are particularly predatory when it comes to bringing in a new audience & keeping it, even if it means not providing a service.
Essentially they want to bend the promoter over backwards, not pay them, and then try to steal their audience without providing anything in return.
Which is often why we move around like a foster kid, we don’t want to you guys to get screwed over.
Pub chains are not like US bars, but local ones are.

In 2019 we focused more on private viewing parties, as they allowed us to show a bunch of games, stay open late, and offer food trucks and other authentic food until the tube reopened.
Then 2020 hit us a like a double doink in the butt-fumble.
Now we must adapt, so here are a few of the challenges we are dealing with this year.

Rules

Trying to understand the government rules on Covid distancing is like trying to explain the game of cricket to an American. The rules seem to change all the time, you have no idea who is in control, and the whole damn thing seems to last forever.
Even in recent weeks we have seen changes from ‘groups of 6 under only’, to the potential of a lockdown being imposed after 10pm. 10pm? On a Sunday night? That pretty much kills the NFL sports pub right there.
Like marriage it’s difficult to commit to the long haul if you think that your partner is crazy, so until the rules and virus have been somewhat managed, we are going to chill-ax this until it all becomes clear.
Add to this lower audio levels, no fan screaming, and distanced tables, and the whole sports night out loses its lustre.
Playing the Covid rules is like playing the Tom Brady Patriots at home, the rules will always change & not in your favour.
He’s moved on, and so can we.

Locations

Areas that use to be popular are now not popular because no one wants to risk infection, which means central London is pretty much a dead zone now. London has never really been a ‘late night’ city, which applies even more on Sunday nights when most pubs tend to shut at 10:30pm. We have previously worked with some of these loser pubs, who have no qualms about kicking fans out before the 6pm game has even finished. Totally classless.
Areas like Leicester Square, Camden, Victoria & Old Street are about as appealing to NFL fans as a ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ marathon now as it is mostly druggy drunks.
The big trend in 2020 is to ‘think global, but eat local’, meaning many neighbourhood pubs are more likely destinations for NFL parties.
We already work with some pubs in North and East London that are family owned and operated, and will be looking to help host NFL parties at these locations going forward.
Pop-Ups are also in the future for 2020, as they allow us to invite and control the event for your maximum viewing pleasure.
We are always on the look-out for new venues, locations and partners, so please get in touch.

Insurance

Promoters need to get promoters insurance in case anything happens to you lovely people on our watch. Insurance shows that we are not only legit, but that if we get sued as a result of something happening to a fan, we have a procedure in place. Sadly in 2020 it is impossible to get this insurance due to the unquantifiable nature of the virus and its resurgence. So if someone gets Covid at one of your events, you could be in some serious trouble. Pubs can’t get this either, but they just hope you can’t prove you caught it at one of their locations. This makes it very troubling for promoters of any kind, which is why live events are struggling to rebuild.

Special Events

We will be looking to host special events as the season progresses. This will of course depend on how bad of a beating the virus continues to lay down on society.
We are still planning on several Super Bowl parties for 2021, as well as playoff parties leading up to it.
What those will look like at this point are anyone’s guess.
Thanksgiving 2020 is also in the works, and we are working with a few venue partners to hopefully pull this off without Covid hitches.
Please watch this space for more info, and we will release news as the government trickles down their Corona double-speak.
If you are a venue, manager or promoter keen to host NFL events-please get in touch to discuss further.

We are also exploring hosting virtual NFL parties with ex players, weekly NFL quizzes that are interactive and loaded with prizes, and Madden e-gaming tournaments.
Again, this is all dependent on how this bloody year goes.

Most importantly is that we all stay safe and sane this season, and that the NFL continues to play without a hitch.
There might no ‘I in Team’, but there is one in ‘I really want the NFL’, and that’s what we need to focus on this year.

Please get in touch if we can help make your NFL viewing experience better this year!

 

 

Fantasy Draft Party

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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.

 

AFC-Division Preview

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Everybody is an NFL pundit, so why not listen to the blathering on of some NFL experts?
Wade McElwain and Ryan Cull are ready with their divisional picks to make your life either easier, or more complicated.
Those are the kind of choices you get in a Covid world.

When it comes to NFL picks, Wade & Ryan are quite good at picking NFL winners. Wade was able to hit a whopping 64% correct against the spread in 2019, putting him right up there with Vegas Tipsters.
Ryan was able to hit 56%, which is better than grandma or an octopus can pick. So you’re in good hands.

So who do the boys like for this season? Let’s find out. Or you can listen to the latest podcast where they explain it all.

AFC East

Ryan is a Buffalo Bills fan, so expect a bit of a bias in his picks. He believes that the Bills will finally see their year, outperforming the New England Patriots and taking the division title with an 11-5 record. He has the Pats slightly behind at 9-7, with the lowly Jets and Dolphins finishing up at 6-10.
Wade also likes the Bills, but not so much. This is a tough division, which means that they will probably beat the crap out of each other to .500 records. He has the Bills at a respectable 9-7, with Bill Belichick’s coaching nipping on the heels of the Bills at 8-8. As for the other dumpster fires, the Dolphins will either start strong or finish strong, but they will deffo suck in the middle. Adam Gase will do what he does, and turn Jets fans a fiery red.

AFC North

Can the Baltimore Ravens repeat their Lamar-a-rific performance like they did last year? Ryan says yes, Wade says no. Ryan likes the Ravens have what it takes to take the division, pipping the Browns with the Steelers trailing in third. The Bengals of course are his fourth place,  as are most peoples’.
Wade is hot on Pittsburgh this season as the drama is behind them, and Tomlin is focused on a title run. Their D is incredible and their offence is finally healthy enough to challenge. Wade has Baltimore trailing with a respectable 11-5 record. He isn’t as bullish on the Browns however, as the high profile players will once again implode with a 6-10 season. He too thinks that the Bengals will stink worse than 2020, if that’s at all possible.

AFC South

The Titans rose as giants in their division last year, but will the brilliance of Bill O’Brien save the Texans? Not according to the boys. Ryan likes the pep of Phillip Rivers to take the Colts and their wicked O-line to a 10-6 record and the division title. He has both the Titans &  Texans slightly behind, with the Jaguars playing so bad, they should just be called ‘Florida’.
Wade on the other hand sees ties in the future, in fact a 3 way tie. He has the Titans, Colts and Texans all chunking out 9-7 records with the Jaguars getting shot in the jungle with a lowly 1-15 record.
The south will definitely not rise again.

AFC West

Damn this is one tough division. Not only do you have the Super Bowl champions looking to repeat, but a few other plucky teams who are ready to challenge.
Ryan is all aboard the Chiefs wagon, looking at them to win a whopping 14 games, and smoking the opposition. He has the Broncos in 2nd, Raiders in 3rd, and has the Chargers limping in at 4th place.
Wade is not as convinced on the Chiefs, as many teams experience a Super Bowl hangover, especially young teams with not enough focus. He still has them to win the division, but with only 10 wins, and 1 more than the Broncos. He also thinks that the Chargers will be a surprise this year, as the heat is off, Rivers is gone, and a whole new dynamic enters the locker room. If any team tests positive for Covid, Wade thinks it will be the Raiders, as you can catch anything in Vegas.

Who do you like? Who do you have to win it all?

Get in touch, follow us, and make sure you come to one of our events once this season gets kicking.

Sleeveless Bill

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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?