What a wild weekend in the NFL Wildcard Playoffs! The Bills, Chiefs, Packers and Buccaneers all meet next week for Conference Sunday. Are you ready for some football?
The game lines for Sunday's AFC and NFC championship have been released, with the Chiefs and Packers holding a narrow spread over their opponents. The Packers are favoured by 4 points over the Bucs at Lambeau, while the Chiefs are a scant 3 points favoured over the powerful Buffalo Bills.
Which two teams will be heading to the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay this season?
Here in the UK, those watching the Conference Sunday finals will have to wait until 20:05 for the NFC contest, while the AFC final follows directly after with a 23:40 kickoff. All of the games will be on NFL Gamepass.
Here are some thoughts heading into the final week of NFL playoffs before the SuperBowl.
Packers Offence
Aaron Rodgers continue to blister on at an MVP pace. The neigh sayers who bemoaned the Packers for not drafting a rookie WR to help Rodgers out have been silenced by the fact that he continues to spread the ball around relentlessly. Let's not forget that the Packers have had the easiest route to the finals, so they will have much more to prove.
So Raven
Baltimore was smothered by the Bills defence on Saturday, forcing Lamar Jackson out of the game, and propelling them into the dank post season. Buffalo sure showed the blueprint to beat Lamar Jackson's legs, and the Ravens will need a long hard look at what missing pieces they need to pick up in the offseason if they want to have any hope of making a longer playoff push next season.
Buffalo is Warming Up
The Ravens did what they could to throttle Josh Allen and the high flying Bills offence, but just don't have enough to get it down. Buffalo is really starting to find their confidence now, which should be scary for a Chiefs team that barely escaped a bolstered Browns squad. Allen is also now starting to spread the ball out beyond Diggs, which will cause problems in KC.
We're Secretly Brownies
As Patrick Mahomes made his way to the blue tent on Sunday night, a feeling started to roll across America 'I might like the Browns'. Everyone started to root for this team as they showed their pluck and guile under the foot of the Chiefs presence. Cleveland didn't play that bad. The Browns screwed up 2 HUGE chances in the redzone that would have made the game a totally different beast. Baker's ill timed cross field interception took the momentum out of a huge drive, while Higgins leap into the end zone only to lose the ball to a touchback was a crappy way to end out the half. The fact that the refs missed a blatant helmet hit in the process means that the league still has work to do.
Henne Ain't Great
Oooh everyone! Did you see the heroics of Henne? Yes, the 35 year old veteran back up had a few sneaky drives to keep the Chiefs in the win, but he also made some stoopid plays as well. How quickly everyone forgets the lame floater he tossed to a Browns player in the end zone. Not even Johnny Manziel would throw a lame duck like that. Any team that wants to sign Henne after that 2 quarters of mediocre play might be interested in some swamp land in Florida.
Reid's Balls
Andy Reid has some pretty big balls. Going for it on 4th down with a backup QB, Reid decides to run a shotgun play quickly instead of letting the clock run and try to catch the D offside. The play worked, and sent the Browns packing. Thanks to the gonads of Andy Reid, there might be some big plays ahead.
Here is the play again.
Buc Up
Whoever keeps pissing in Tom Brady's 'Wheaties', please stop. You're giving him the motivation to star playing angry. While TB12 didn't look amazing during the Saints game, he was facing one of the best D's in the league. Tampa made some great adjustments to keep Tom safe, only allowing 1 sack as opposed to 10. Let's also not forget that it was the Bucs who spanked the Packers huge this season, and with Tommy's growing confidence, there could be trouble in Wisconsin this Sunday.
Brees Out
Well it looks like Drew Brees will be riding off into the sunset. Despite not officially saying this, every pundit and their uncle made their prediction that this would be Brees' last game in New Orleans before taking a cushy broadcasting job. Brees has been a hell of a player, and such an ambassador for the city of New Orleans. There will be a big gap to fill after Brees leaves the swamp, and doubtful in Jameis Winston has being enough feet to fill those shoes.
The really classy moment came at the end, with footage of Brady and Brees talking to his family. TB12 throws a touchdown pass to little Brees…and no…you're crying.
Have a great week, and let's go Sunday!
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Picks Six-Divisionals
Hello there and welcome to another edition of The Picks Six, back again for (super) Divisional Weekend. Sadly, only four games this weekend and, horrifyingly, only 3 more after sunday night. That said, it does mean we're coming to the business end of the season, and the remaining 8 teams all know they're just 3 wins away from the ultimate goal of lifting the Lombardi trophy in SuperBowl LV. This weekend's matchups are absolutely mouthwatering, with one-on-one spectacles like Jalen Ramsey vs Davante Adams, ultimate draft comparison with Lamar and Josh Allen, two of the greatest QBs ever going up against each other… oh and Tom Brady vs Drew Brees. You will all respect Baker vs Mahomes. You will. Let's talk briefly about each game, and my pick for each of them.
Rams @ Packers
The headline grabbing matchup between star cornerback and star receiver aside, this still feels like the ultimate game of offense vs defense. Despite the Packers' alleged struggles against the run, they haven't allowed a 100 yard rusher in almost two months at this point, and have tightened things up significantly on the back end, whilst their fearless leader continues to shred opposing defences en route to his MVP award. Rodgers has truly been peerless, and enjoyed his bye week whilst Aaron Donald was slightly injuring his ribs against Russell Wilson. You can probably guess where I'm leaning with this one: I just can't see the Rams being able to score enough to beat this Packers team. If they get another defensive score – like the Pick 6 last week – they'd have a shot, but Rodgers has Adams, Tonyan, Jones, and the deep-threat of Valdez-Scantling and for me those weapons are too many to defend. Cam Akers has given the Rams some nice late season production in the latter stages of the season, and Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are a great pair of receivers, but is Jared Goff 100%? Surely he can't be. If Blake Bortles had been there more this season, he might be given a shot, but it feels unlikely they'll throw him in unless Goff's thumb is really struggling.
Therefore, I ask the question: can you beat Aaron Rodgers without a QB? Maybe. I saw this week that Aaron Rodgers is 0-2 in the playoffs against the number one ranked pass defense… which this season is the LA Rams. Jalen Ramsey's stats are insane, but will need every bit of his smarts to stay with Davante Adams. I think the Packers will find special ways to get Adams the ball – he's too good to not be involved, despite Ramsey's attention. I don't think this will be a back and forth shootout and if I wasn't morally opposed to betting the under, I would suggest doing that. However, as it stands, with the line at -6.5, I like Green Bay to win and move on to the NFC Title game.
Ravens @ Titans
Ooooooh this game. Saturday night football is electric. Lamar finally got the playoff monkey off his back with the revenge victory against Tennessee, and the Ravens will ride into Buffalo high on confidence and with a mean streak in tow. However, this isn't the same old Bills team. This is Josh Allen's Bills team. His partnership with Stefon Diggs is truly Box Office, and that Bills D is showing up late in the season like it should. Buffalo's run game took a bit of a hit with the injury to Zack Moss, but really Buffalo's most dangerous runner is… their main passer. Allen is so dangerous in the RedZone, and can create hell for defensive coordinators. That said, the Bills have struggled against the run, and the Ravens seem to want to run over everyone that's put in front of them, and have done so successfully for about 6 weeks now. I love the one-two punch of JK Dobbins and Jackson in the backfield with their speed and shiftiness, and the threat of Mark Andrews and Hollywood Brown down the field. Baltimore are flying right now, but Sean McDermott has something special cooking in Buffalo.
I do feel that Buffalo wins this game, and I like a lot of points to be scored here. Bills Mafia will show up and be loud and I think will help propel Josh Allen to his second playoff win in two weeks. I think this will be a great game, with these two young star QBs showing why they are two of the new faces of the league. MVP Lamar will have his moments here, but I think the quality of Diggs down the field, with the underneath ability of Cole Beasley and (potential breakout star) Gabriel Davis, will give the Bills what they need to win this shootout.
Browns @ Chiefs
The Baker vs Mahomes story has been told a thousand times, but that doesn't make it any less enchanting. Mahomes visited Texas Tech and stayed with Baker, before becoming the Tech QB when Mayfield had transferred to Oklahoma. Then came the absolutely INSANE 66-59 game in October 2016. The game still holds almost every NCAA record for offensive statistics. The number one pick for Cleveland, vs the man Andy Reid and the Chiefs were so enamoured with they traded up to take him, and eventually pushed Alex Smith aside to complete his ascension. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have been an absolute powerhouse for multiple years now, and are the reigning SuperBowl champions for a reason. And, guess what? They're better than they were last year. However, it's been two decades since the Cleveland Browns were even approaching being as good as they are right now. Will there be a more confident team this weekend than the Browns? They just beat up their big brother and broke the curse at Heinz Field that's lasted over 17 years. Not to mention, this is their first playoff appearance in about that long. On the face of it, this is David vs Goliath, and Vegas seems to agree – with the Browns 10 point underdogs. I see two options in this game. Either the Browns control the clock with the two-headed monster in the run game, and keep it close, or the Chiefs offense does what it does and scores 45 points against an under matched Cleveland secondary. Kansas City is so explosive, you can't rule it out.
That said, with the momentum from last week, I believe in Baker and the Browns. Do I believe they'll win the game? … not entirely. But I absolutely believe the game will be close. Baker is playing REALLY well and will continue to put his team in a position to have a chance in this game. Kevin Stefanski's return to the sidelines will only help the Browns case. The points line is 57!!! Insanely high, so I'll leave that, but this could well end up being a shootout. That said, Browns +10.0 looks good to me. Furthermore, don't be surprised if there IS an upset in KC… you've been warned.
Buccaneers @ Saints
Brees vs Brady is a lovely way to end the weekend. Undoubtedly, Brady has been the more successful Quarterback, and yet Brees seems to be the one holding all the individual NFL league records. I saw a stat that says Tom Brady has the same number of playoff wins against the NFC as Drew Brees does… and Brady previous to this year only got to play the NFC in the SuperBowl… Yikes for Drew. Brees' regular season success has been matched by the levels of playoff heartbreak he and New Orleans have had to endure the past decade. The Minneapolis miracle, the non-call of the PI against the Rams… I feel for the Saints. I really do. And just when they feel like they've got everything to make the Super Bowl again… Tom Brady joins the division. Ouch. Credit to the Saints, they've beaten these Buccaneers twice this year already, but the old saying goes "it's hard to beat a team 3 times…" So maybe the Buccaneers can get their revenge? The Bucs are in a much different place now to when the Saints handled them easily around ⅔ of the season mark. Bruce Arians seems to have figured out how to make the most out of the pieces he's got. I mean, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Scotty Miller, PLUS Gronk and Brate the Tight Ends… The Buccaneers have many different ways they can beat you, especially if they get the "old" Leonard Fournette like they appeared to last week against Washington.
This game is such a toss up for me right now. I've been a proponent of the Saints, and a disregard-er of the Bucs for most of this year, but I might have to jump (to the pirate) ship right now. Brady looks good, and the sheer number of weapons the Bucs have is terrifying. The way the Saints win this game is lean on Alvin Kamara, take the ball out of Drew Brees' hands, and hope their D-Line can wreck the Tampa Bay game plan. That said, I think this is high-scoring and the Buccaneers keep it close. This will be a great Sunday night cap. I would only be surprised if this game was a blowout one way or the other. And whoever wins… gets Aaron Rodgers next week. Oooooooh tasty.
The Parlay
Combining the picks from above, £10 on the following four leg parlay pays about £450 depending on your bookmaker.
Green Bay -6.5
Over 49.0 points & Buffalo -2.5
Cleveland +10.0
Over 52.0 points & Tampa Bay +3.0
Enjoy the games everybody! As always I'm @CallumJDSquires on Twitter & Instagram. Come say hey. Let's get these Championships won next weekend and look forward to the Super Bowl. Stay safe and stay sane.
Callum Squires is a diehard Dolphins fan, writer, and friend of NFL in London.
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TNF Packers vs 49ers
November 5, 2020 by nflinlondon
America is on life support this week, as it flatlines from its most recent election. Biden, Trump, Kanye? It's anyone's guess, but the real eyes should be on the Bay area this week, as the 49ers host Aaron Rodgers and the Packers on Thursday night.
Sure, American polling stations might be burning, but the real burn will be the anger in Rodgers eyes as he attempts to avenge a week 8 loss.
The 49ers are a total mess after week 8. Not only have they lost Jimmy G, George Kittle, Wilson Jr, and Mostert, they also lost lost Nick Bosa and Dee Ford on the D.
If you're on San Fran's practice squad, there's a pretty good chance you're playing on Thursday night.
This really could be the end for the 49ers this season in their competitive division. Losing the next few games will definitely push them beyond repair, as some of their top guys will be gone for the season.
As much as we all would love to see Nick Mullens pull a season saver out of his ass, he'll need to be able to throw accurately over 8 yards, which has eluded him thus far in the season.
San Francisco is on its way to being the NY Jets of the NFC, they just don't know it yet.
The Packers got stuffed last Sunday at Lambeau thanks to Dalvin Cook. They had no answer for him as he romped for 4 touchdowns and 200+ yards. Cook was a fantasy hero, and thankfully I had him on my squad, as well as choosing the Packers not to cover.
Aaron Rodgers is a beast after a loss, going 31-15 against the spread in the week following one.
Green Bay is also hit by the injury/ Covid bug, as it looks like all of their running backs could be out. Rodgers is going to have to toss the ball on Thursday, which shouldn't be a problem against the 49ers secondary which is down & dusted as well.
No one will be able to smother Davante Adams, which should lead to a stellar game for him.
The 49ers are far too hobbled to cause problems for anyone this season going forward. They went from a 'chasing the playoffs year', to 'shut up and rebuild year' in one single week.
Aaron Rodgers will be looking to avenge his Sunday loss, and the poor 49ers will pay the price.
Rodgers is a California boy, and he should feel right at home in this game.
Packers 31 49ers 18
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Sky Sports-Week 6
October 15, 2020 by nflinlondon
We're almost 1/3 through one of the weirdest NFL seasons on record, so you might as well sit back and enjoy it. Sky Sports has released their schedule for week 6 in the NFL and if it's anything like previous weeks schedules, it's probably going to change.
Thursday games have been postponed due to Covid, which is always a blessing for UK NFL fans. With the game usually kicking off at 1:20 in the morning, the only people who usually watch these are ardent fans, shift workers, and those o chemical stimulation.
Thursday games have traditionally been a dog turd, so when they are a good game it can become a source of frustration.
Luckily Covid has stepped in this week to spare us from a late night.
6:00pm GMT
The Browns are back in town on Sky for 2 weeks in a row thanks to a 3-1 schedule and a divisional matchup between the undefeated Steelers.
Baker Mayfield and the boys will be back on the field against their rivals, so hopefully Mason Rudolph can avoid getting tuned-up by Myles Garret and his helmet of doom.
If you have Gamepass, this game will be blacked out.
Aaron Rodgers vs Tom Brady in an epic matchup for the ages, since both of them are old. Tom Brady is coming off a loss to the Bears, whereas Rodgers has had 10 days to prepare for TB12 and his Florida wrecking crew.
This game will be awesome, so make sure that you have a good place to watch this one.
1:20am GMT
You going to stay up for this west coast rivalry? Before the season started, this game looked good, but as Jimmy G takes a slide ride down his career path, the Rams are struggling to get momentum.
If you're ready to stay up til 4:30am, then this game is for you. Otherwise then you can get up early and watch the highlights from the safety of your bed.
10pm GMT
We almost had a 10pm game last week, but then Covid had to go ahead and stick its meddling nose in everything. The Buffalo Bills are set to host the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night, with both teams coming off of a surprising week 5 loss. This game should be a doozy, and is manageable if you want to stay up til 1am to see it. It's the age of Covid, what else are you going to do?
Poor Dak Prescott. Every fan of the game took a collective 'ouch' when we saw that ankle move ways that ankles aren't supposed to. Hopefully it's an injury that he can recover from, and if week 5 taught us anything from watching Alex Smith…anything can happen. Even if it makes you squeezy every time he takes a step back. These games SHOULD be available on Channel 5 as well, although they did have week 5 issues.
Again, these games could be cancelled or moved at any minute, so make sure you follow us on Twitter and Instagram for the latest news. We will keep you up to date on all things NFL in London.
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