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When the Indianapolis Colts touch down in London at the start of Week 4 next season their star quarterback will be feeling like he’s returning home.

Andrew Luck grew up in London. His dad, who also played quarterback, had moved his young family to the UK after nine years in Germany.

Oliver Luck was the general manager of Frankfurt Galaxy during the fledgling years of the World League of American Football in 1991. He held that position for two years and then became GM of Rhein Fire when the league resumed after suspending the 1993-94 season.

Oliver moved his family here in ’96 when he became president of NFL Europe. The seven year old Andrew attended The American School in London in St John’s Wood and became accustomed to the British way of life. He played soccer and he even attended a birthday party at Lord’s, the home of cricket.

He was here for four years with his brother and sisters. The young Luck was ten when he returned to the States. The family moved back to Houston where Oliver was named CEO of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority.

A few years later his son was starting behind center at Stratford High. During his time there he threw for 7,139 yards and 53 touchdowns, and rushed for another 2,085 yards.

Jim Harbaugh signed him for Stanford where he broke Pac-12 records and came runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in his senior year. And we know what happened after that.

So when Luck takes to the field at Wembley on October 2, 2016 he’ll be just a deep ball away from the place he used to call home.

Despite a roller coaster season that has been plagued by injury, UK fans should feel grateful to be able to see a real superstar up close.

The Colts vs Jags has all the possibilities of being a shoot-out between the two top teams in their division and the man in white wearing the blue number 12 will be one we can embrace as our own.

 

 
London hosts it’s third and final NFL International Series game at Wembley this weekend. 

The Detroit Lions take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2:30pm kick off and amongst the sell-out crowd will be one of the sport’s greatest players. 

Depending on who you support you might say Barry Sanders is the greatest player to have played running back. 

Clocking up 15,269 yards during his ten year career, the former Lions back is the third highest rusher in NFL history. 

If he had played one more season, which he was physically capable of doing, he would have smashed the record and would sit top of the pile. But for Sanders it wasn’t about records. 

“He’s got a bright future, he knows how to make big plays”

It’s taken the Lions fifteen years to find a back that can excite their fans the way he did. There’s been a lot of hype around Ameer Abdullah, their rookie from Nebraska. So far though he’s struggled to set the field on fire this season. 

But Sanders isn’t worried, “He’s a great player” he said whilst at a coaching masterclass for British amateur players at Tottenham’s training ground. 

“He’s been very successful”, the Hall of Fame star added, “he had a great preseason and he can do well in space.”

So does Sanders see any comparisons with his former self? “I think there are. He’s a guy you’d love to get in space and give him the ball.”

Barry Sanders rushed for 1,491 yards in his rookie year, scoring four touchdowns and averaged 4.3yds per carry. 

Abdullah has featured in each of Detroit’s seven games this season. So far he’s rushed for 222 yards with one touchdown. He’s averaging 3.6yds per carry, but Sanders isn’t concerned, “he’s got a bright future because he’s a player who knows how to make big plays”.
 

 

Ameer Abdullah is enjoying his football and his time in London. Speaking at Detroit’s Hertfordshire HQ at The Grove hotel he said that the trip has been good for team building, “I’ve grown closer to some of my team mates.”

“I’ve gone old school,” Abdullah explained when asked about what the players have been doing in their spare time, “I don’t have a phone signal so I’ve had to call team mates or knock on their doors. I’ve got to know guys better.”

“I can only aspire to be that great”

After an explosive preseason a lot of Lions fans pinned their hopes on this running back to take them to that next level in the play-offs, but Abdullah isn’t feeling that weight of expectation, “I don’t feel it (pressure). People compare me to Barry but that was 20/30 years ago when he played.”  

Has he approached Sanders for advice? “I have not. Barry is busy doing his thing, he does a lot of work with the community.”

But the young back does plan to talk the former All Pro, “I’m looking forward it. He’s the greatest running back ever. He can help me out.”

Ameer Abdullah is fully aware of the pride the Detroit faithful have in their former star, “if you know anything about the Detroit fanbase is they hold on to that (Sanders’s record) and they don’t forget.”

Abdullah hopes he’s the man they’ve been longing for since Sanders announced his retirement in 1999, “Lions fans trust that they will find another like him and I can only aspire to be that great.”

So why has it taken Detroit 15 years to find another feature back? “I’d like to think that guys like me are a rare breed,” explained Sanders. 

“The draft hasn’t gone their way in previous years,” added Barry. “The game has changed. It’s played different from junior level right up to the pros. There’s less emphasis on running plays, but there are guys out there.”

Ameer Abdullah has the potential and Lions fans will be hoping he’s given that space soon. 

With the Buffalo Bills taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars it’s not surprising that this weekend we’ll see two of the NFL’s leading tacklers on the field at Wembley.

Both teams have defensive-minded coaches and they each boast a defender ranked amongst the top five tacklers in the league coming into Week 7.

We spoke exclusively to Bills safety Corey Graham ahead of the Jags game. Graham is ranked fifth in total tackles so far this season with 55, four behind Jacksonville’s linebacker Telvin Smith (ranked second overall).

“Stats don’t mean that much to me, but it’s good” said Graham when asked about his performances up until now. “For me it’s about finding a way to win, I’m in a new position (safety), so I guess it’s good that I’m getting a lot of tackles.”

Just four tackles behind the former Super Bowl winner is team mate, linebacker, Preston Brown. So is there much competition between them? “There’s not much rivalry, I think it means a lot more to him because he’s a linebacker, they pride themselves on things like that.”

But don’t let the 2011 Pro Bowler kid you, Graham quickly added, “since you’ve mentioned it I would like to beat him though.”

“I do set myself targets each year and tackles are one of them, but they’re not the most important goals for me” explained the safety who was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round in 2007.

Corey Graham spent four years with the Bears before signing for the Ravens in 2012. Also a solid special team player, he won Super Bowl XLVII that year in the memorable 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans. He joined the Bills in 2014.

Buffalo landed in the UK on Monday morning. Jetlag is an issue for teams crossing the five time zones to get here, so for Graham sleep was essential, “I tried to sleep as much as possible (on the flight) because I knew I was going to be tired once I got here.”

“I listened to a bit of music. I watched a movie here and there but not much, I just wanted some shut eye!” Graham told us.

Not everyone can ride first class, but did the eight year veteran? “Yeah baby.” He added, “I don’t know who makes the decision but some of us get to fly in first, some don’t.”

“You board the plane and sit and hope you get a good seat.”

The Bills head to Wembley 3&3 for the season. Their record within the AFC is a winning one at 3&2. Graham said it’s a positive, “It’s very important you beat the teams in your conference. Obviously in the AFC every win you can get is important and we know that this game is big.”

The safety didn’t practice on Thursday, but head coach Rex Ryan confirmed that he will play this weekend. When Graham steps under the Wembley arch there will be just one thing on his mind, winning. “We’ve just come off a loss, we’ve got a bad taste in our mouths and we’re hungry to get another win on Sunday”

The NFL hosted its twelfth regular season game in London last weekend and saw the third-highest attendance.

Among  the crowd was a relative newcomer to the sport. Ben has adopted the Jags as his team, and has a season ticket for the 2015 games.

Here’s his diary of the day:

Before heading into the stadium we enjoyed the pre-game entertainment located around the stadium, including chilli dogs which is always a necessity. The vast array of colourful jerseys is always a great sight.

My friend’s number 81 Terrell Owens Philadelphia Eagles Jersey caught the attention of two wonderful American ladies, as they were from Philly, who we preceded to chat to about American Football and their previous week’s trip around the British Isles.

After a while it transpired that they were the Mother-in-law and Sister-in-law of, the now former Miami Dolphins head coach, Joe Philbin.

It was a bizarre but humbling experience being able to mingle and chat with individuals who are so closely linked with a professional outfit such as the Dolphins. Having come into the stadium on the team bus and spending most of the morning on the pitch, they were grateful to come outside the stadium and spend time with fans (and have a smoke). This showed to me the community-minded side of this sport. This kind of thing would never be seen in any of our home-grown sports.

They told us that they attended a large number of the games with the team, home and away, and explained to us about how the team is very family orientated, with family functions after each game to get the kids and other halves of all the players and staff involved.

The explained how Joe Philbin took an extremely proactive approach to his role at the club, and set the standard for players with a philosophy of hard work and often worked out with players.

His mother-in-law told us that he would often return home after midnight, and was back out the door at 4.30am.

We also asked about how the ticket prices were in comparison to the UK. At a divisional NFL game you could expect to pay anywhere between $100-150 for a game, with discounts given to season ticket holders, and costs spiralling as the Playoff and Super Bowl games are reached. At the home games they told us about the box that is hired for the coach’s wife (at a mere $30k per game) however, they were in the normal central seating for this game, and I think it was a welcome change.

We also talked about how the money being taken out of the NFL was a great thing, and we talked about how this would benefit more European sports to stop their escalation of transfer fees.

I asked them how they felt about the NFL games being held in London, and they told me that it was lovely to see so many teams being supported at one event and in such a nice and vibrant atmosphere. We also talked about how the Philadelphia Eagles are perceived to be the worst fans in America, but how the Buffalo Bills are by far the worst for fans, and never to go there!

They did however tell us that the Green Bay Packers have the best supporters, and that the philosophy of the team being owned by the fans it really etched into the atmosphere of the entire franchise, and that if we were to visit only one NFL stadium that it be Lambeau Field (and of course the Miami Dolphins) but to go before October!

I would like to thank them for their wonderful insight into the workings of an NFL organisation and also to help us see beyond the perceptions anyone could have in this country about the untouchability of the sport. It would have been great to chat more and despite the result, I hope they enjoyed their time in London!

Despite coming under public scrutiny following their abysmal performance at the Rugby World Cup, reports suggest that some members of the England rugby team have caught the eye of NFL scouts.

This summer we saw the Australian rugby league star, Jarryd Hayne, successfully make the transition to football. His standout performances in the preseason and his ability to run through players has been a breath of fresh air for the sport.

The former Giants defensive end, Osi Umenyiora, has been following the World Cup and has made a note of a few England stars he’d like to speak to.

Umenyiora is London-born and won two Super Bowls during his time in New York. He’s now a UK ambassador for the NFL and understands the attraction English players would bring to the sport this side of the pond, especially if London were to get a franchise.

The NFL would be an attractive option for players. Top rugby earners could earn at least three times their salaries.

Umenyiora told the Daily Mail, “These rugby players are so physical. I watched a guy who was just incredible, the way he ran through opponents. I can’t wait to talk to him. If you put a helmet and pads on him he would kill people.”

“There is a huge talent pool in the US but there is always going to be a demand for guys who are 6ft 5in, weigh 250lbs and can run the 100m in 11 seconds.”

During the New York Jets’ visit to the UK we spoke exclusively to wide receiver Eric Decker.

He told us he was hoping to watch some rugby whilst he was here, “I wish we’d get some more free time to check it out” said Decker after their Friday practice session at London Irish’s training ground.

“We’re on a tight schedule so being able to get to games will be tricky, but I’m hoping to watch some on the TV”.

When asked if NFL stars could compete in rugby Decker replied, “we were picking out some of the guys from the team who could make it as rugby players, I don’t know if there are enough tough guys who can compete with the guys out here.”

The Canadian rugby team impressed against France and Italy during this year’s tournament. One of their stars, Hubert Buydens, started his career playing in the CFL for the BC Lions. The 270lb prop was told to add an extra 30lbs if he wanted to make the Lions’ offensive line. Buydens decided to follow his heart and chose rugby.

He went on to play union at club level in New Zealand. “The travel is one of things I love the most,” Buydens said. “If not for rugby, I doubt I would have visited many of the amazing countries I’ve seen.”

So will we one day see Owen Farrell kicking field goals, or Jonathan Joseph playing running back? It’s not as bizarre as it once seemed.

The New York Jets flew into London and dominated a lacklustre Miami Dolphins at Wembley this weekend.

The Dolphins looked like they were suffering from jetlag as they failed to find any rhythm in the opening half of this game, whilst the Jets clearly meant business as they looked to put pressure in their group during New England’s bye week.

Their preparations were so meticulous they even brought over 350 rolls of their own toilet paper to ensure their players had a comfortable trip.

This 27-14 win made it 9-3 in favour of the away teams in the International Series. The London crowd was awash, mainly, with aqua and green as thousands of fans came out to support these bitter rivals.

Talk leading up to the game was about the possibility of a London franchise. The Chancellor, George Osborne, continued to pledge his government’s commitment to bring a team over here. On Friday he told his aspirations of having a franchise within the next four to five years.

So what do the fans think? Some don’t want it. A few would rather keep the International Series. The concern is that so many fans have such strong affiliation with their own team, they would find it difficult to support another.

The Jets vs Dolphins brought the third-highest International Series attendance. 83,986 were at this game. Tens of thousands of them decked in the colours of the teams they’ve long supported. There’s a clear case to keep this festival of football going.

But the UK market is growing. The crowds have increased on each of the last four games over here. British media coverage is expanding. People want more. There’s no way we will see eight games in London unless a franchise is set up here. If the current momentum continues, a British team will attract sell-out crowds.

People want football and they will endorse it. Over time a solid fan base for this franchise will be built. The foundations are being put in place.

In the meantime we have two more games to look forward to in 2015 and they come in quick succession in weeks 7&8. During that time we will learn who will be heading over next year with talk of even more games in 2016.

Welcome to 2015!

What an introduction it’s been this opening week of the NFL season.

Magnificent Mariota – his debut was almost perfect, and when was the last time the Titans racked up 42 points?!
Stuttering Seahawks – how ironic Marshawn Lynch was stopped on a fourth and one to lose in overtime to the Rams!
Cowboys Comeback – it was drama right until the end as Tony Romo led Dallas to a win with just two minutes left on the clock and a 72 yard drive.

One of the biggest stories of the weekend is a sad one. They say Father Time is undefeated and on this evidence it certainly looks like Peyton Manning’s career is tumbling off a cliff.

The Broncos QB, who has more NFL MVP honours than any other player, looked a shadow of his former self in last night’s 19-13 win against the Baltimore Ravens at Mile High.

Yes, he did come up against one of the league’s strongest defenses. And yes, his O-line isn’t the best in the league. But Manning looked sluggish and, let’s be frank, old.

It was the Peyton we saw in the winter of 2014. The reason for his decline late last season was because of injury. The form rolled into preseason and it was there for all to see last night.

Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are deep threats, but last night they were hardly used because Manning’s arm wasn’t strong enough. He simply couldn’t find them.

Fantasy owners who picked C.J. Anderson early in their drafts would have been rubbing their hands with glee in anticipation of this man being the one to carry the load from Denver’s veteran signal-caller. Instead he was more of a spectator. Anderson rushed for just 29 yards and had 19 yards in receptions, though it’ll probably be a few more weeks before he hits the waiver wires.

As for Peyton, it doesn’t get easier. He faces another solid defense at Arrowhead on Thursday night as Andy Reid and his Chiefs look to put an early dent into their divisional rivals’ play-off hopes.

How nice was it to have football back?

After a summer of court cases, air pressure and disrepute, it was great to see the reigning Super Bowl MVP doing what he does best.

Brady had the look of a man on a revenge mission as he threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns. And all that came off of 28 attempts.

The Patriots QB looked composed and as if nothing had happened this summer. The man thrives on adversity. He uses every knock as ammunition and the Steelers were always going to be on the receiving end in Week 1.

Steelers fans will be concerned about their defensive performance last night. They looked good on offense with Roethlisberger throwing for 351 yards, but they missed opportunities including two field goal attempts. Le’Veon Bell is out for another week and Mike Tomlin will be thinking Week 3’s trip to St Louis can’t come soon enough.

Although Brady and Rob Gronkowski, who scored three touchdowns, picked up where they left off from last season, Pats fans will also be worried about the way DeAngelo Williams, the second oldest RB in the league, rolled over their defense with relative ease.

It’s only Week 1 and both sides will be confident that they can fix things. Come January they’ll each be contending for that AFC crown.

Whatever happens it’s just great to have football back.

Football’s back! Forget Deflategate and all that legal stuff. Come Thursday night it’s all about the game we love.

It’s about stories that are made on the field. It’s back to championship-winning plays by unknowns like Malcolm Butler. It’s about the drama created by catches, tackles, runs, sacks, fumbles and scrambles. It’s about football.

The offseason hasn’t been without incident. ACLs, suspensions and retirements have dented the hopes of teams as we enter Week 1.

So who’s going to be squaring up in Santa Clara on February 7? Everyone has their idea of who will get there, but the fact of the matter is no actually knows.

Here’s one way the AFC and NFC could pan out between now and 2016:

AFC Play-Offs:

1) Indianapolis Colts
They play in a weak division and Andrew Luck has a plethora of weapons on offense. The defense is a weak spot, but expect Luck and co to score more than they concede.
2) New England Patriots
The fact they have Brady back is a massive bonus for this team. Their defense has weakened, especially in the secondary. But let’s not write off the brilliant football mind of Bill Belichick. The AFC East is getting stronger but Brady is going to be angry and an angry Tom tends to get wins.
3) Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have one of the best offenses in the game. Unfortunately for them some of their weapons have been hit with suspensions. The defense is going through a transitional period and that’s why they’re picked as Number 3 seed.
4) Denver Broncos
People argue that Peyton Manning is on the decline. That looks to be the case, but he’s got enough in the tank to punish teams. The Broncos have a strong running game, although their O-line needs improving. They also have a strong defense which has the potential to dominate teams in their division.
5) Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are packed with studs. Their defense is strong, they’ve got a powerful backfield and a QB that seems to click up the gears as the season progresses. They’re in a strong division and have to play the NFC West this season. But they have plenty of talent to claim a wildcard spot.
6) Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have a solid defense. Although they’re not the most impressive team on offense they have a QB who knows have to grind out wins. Alex Smith has some new weapons this year, most notably Jeremy Maclin. Travis Kelce is also a key target and they’ve got two studs in the backfield. They also play at Arrowhead which is a tough place for any side to visit.

NFC Play-Offs:

1) Seattle Seahawks
Pete Carroll is a winner. He’s made of similar stuff, dare we say, to the legendary Bill Walsh and players want to play for him. The Seahawks are dominant on defense and their division is getting weaker. They have enough in them to get 13 wins and the Number 1 seed.
2) Green Bay Packers
They might have lost Jordy Nelson, but let’s not forget they still have Aaron Rodgers! Nelson will be a loss, but Randall Cobb is more than capable of carrying the load. They also have a running back in Eddie Lacy that they can ground and pound the ball with.
3) Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones has worked hard on getting the best pieces into the right places. They’ve lost DeMarco Murray but their O-line is so powerful it can create holes for anyone. They’ll pound the ball again to give Tony Romo the best possible chance to fire them into postseason. Expect Dez Bryant to make an impact with his new franchise tag as well.
4) Atlanta Falcons
The NFC South is a poor division and the Falcons have the best team. That will be enough for them to make it into January.
5) Detroit Lions
The Lions have one of the best looking offenses in the league. They’re ready to click and will challenge the Packers all the way. Matt Stafford will have a fully fit Megatron, and Eric Ebron will be stronger at tight end in his second year. They also have a group of powerful runners in the backfield.
6) Philadelphia Eagles
Chip Kelly has been given the freedom to build the side he wants. If preseason is anything to go by then this team will be one of the most fun teams to watch this year. They have pace on offense and have the ability to outscore most teams. Their defense is strong as well, although there are concerns over the QB’s two knees.

So with all that it looks like the road to Super Bowl 50 will be going through Indianapolis and Seattle, but will it be a Colts vs Seahawks showpiece?

The Steelers vs The Cowboys will give us the fairtytale showpiece that will decide once and for all who is the greatest franchise in in the history of the league in this its golden anniversary.

The Hayne train kept on rolling last night as the wonder from down under put on another impressive display in the San Francisco 49ers’ final preseason game at home to the San Diego Chargers.

It looks like the next stop for this express is the NFL. 49ers head coach, Jim Tomsula, has a few decisions to make before he announces his 53-man roster for the 2015 season, but the former Australian rugby league star, Jarryd Hayne, is doing everything in his 6’2″ frame to guarantee a spot in that team.

His run up the sideline which finished with a shoulder charge that pummeled Chargers CB Lowell Rose has gone viral. Hayne has done much more than just roll players over this preseason. He’s shown speed and agility which has paved the way for some big runs.

He’s no longer just making headlines with our Antipodean friends, he’s become the talk of the NFL.

Last year he was awarded the NRL’s (National Rugby League) player of the year. He was a big deal in his sport and was offered the biggest pay packet his sport had ever seen. But he turned that down to pursue his dream of playing American Football.

“He actually looks like an NFL running back. Looks like he could come play with us tomorrow.”

Although he seems to have made that transition look easy it’s no small feat. It’s a testament to the 27 year old that he’s knuckled down and adapted life in professional football.

Long before they became team mates Reggie Bush predicted a career as a running back for Hayne after he watched tape of the rugby star.

If he’s going to make the team it’s likely that Hayne will be a punt returner. He’s been dodging tackles his whole career and the runs he’s made this preseason look better than most rookies coming out of college.

The skills he’s bringing with him are a breath of fresh air to the sport. Don’t be surprised if the teams competing in this year’s International Series games scout a few of the stars at the Rugby World Cup whilst they’re over here.