The NFL is coming to London and bringing one of the most bitter rivalries in sports with them this weekend as the New York Jets take on the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium.
With the National Football League determined to make the London the staging point for international expansion, they’ve graduated from constantly trotting out perennial losers like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (owned by Man United’s Glazer family) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (owned by Fulham’s Shahid Khan) to bring it’s first ever division rivalry game to Wembley.
The New York Jets are 2-1 and feature one of the best defenses in the league, while the 1-2 Dolphins are one of the scrappiest teams in the NFL and have one of the nastiest players in football leading their defensive line.
But enough with the small stuff, here are the nine reasons you – and all the Premier League fans you know – need to watch the NFL London game this Sunday:
9. A homecoming for Miami Dolphins RB (and die-hard Arsenal fan) Jay Ajayi
Born in London to a former FIFA employee, Ajayi didn’t even learn about gridiron football until he moved to the U.S. at a young age. But the lifelong Arsenal fan found a home at Boise State University and became one of the best running backs in the country before being drafted by the Dolphins in the 2015 NFL draft.
Though he’s injured and unlikely to play in Sunday’s game, Ajayi is living proof that a Brit (and a Gooner no less) can climb the ranks of America’s most vibrant sport.
8. Enjoy a trip to Revis Island
If you’ve ever watched an NFL game you’ve probably seen receivers make mincemeat out of the poor cornerbacks covering them. But if you’ve ever watched NY Jets CB Darrelle Revis, you know that won’t be the case come Sunday.
With elite ball skills and the tackling skills of a much larger man, Revis has frequently shut down the best receivers in the NFL for the better part of the last seven years, with his area of the field earning the mantra “Revis Island.” He’ll likely send out an invitation to Revis Island to Miami’s starting receivers Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Rishard Matthews.
7. Joe Philbin coaching for his job
With three straight years without a winning season on his resume Joe Philbin needed a strong start for his Dolphins to start the season. Instead, he lost back-to-back games against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars and then a home blowout to the division rival Buffalo Bills.
If Philbin can’t get a win against the Jets he’ll be 1-3 to start the season with the much harder games still on the schedule. Expect him to pull out all the stops to get a win on Sunday.
6. The Beast Brandon Marshall
There aren’t many human beings with the size and speed a man like Jets WR Brandon Marshall possesses. At 6’4″, 230 lbs and with the speed of an Olympic sprinter he is one of the most physically gifted athletes on the planet.
Assuming Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t have another multi-turnover game, all you need to do is wait and you’ll see Marshall blow your socks off with some of his skills.
5. Ndamukong Suh, The Diego Costa of the NFL
Dolphins DT Ndamukong Suh is one of the most talented and dirty players in the NFL. A four-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro selection, Suh has frequently been named in the elite company of defensive players in the NFL.
But Suh has a dark side that is rather reminiscent of Chelsea striker Diego Costa: The dirty play.
From stepping on other players to kicking them in the groin to illegal tackles, the 145-kg Suh and earned his fair share of fines and criticism for his play – not to mention the occasional suspension.
Miami gave him over $100 million this past summer and so far it doesn’t look like it’s working out. But with the Jets offensive line struggling, it might be time for Suh to make his presence known among the Miami faithful.
4. A division rivalry game makes this game truly meaningful
Instead of the NFL London game being a pointless inter-conference or intra-conference game that means little outside of the Win/Loss record, the NFL has finally brought a legitimate divisional game to London.
This means the game will have a much larger impact on whether or not either one of the two teams makes it to the NFL playoffs.
3. The Jets vs. Dolphins Rivalry
One of the most heated rivalries in NFL history, the Jets and Dolphins have had countless clashes with each other on and off the field to make their feud truly memorable.
The 1982 AFC Championship Game, the Dan Marino vs. Ken O’Brien QB rivalry, the Fake Spike Game, the Monday Night Miracle, Chad Pennington’s Revenge Game and Rex Ryan vs Dolphins fans have all become a part of one of the biggest rivalries in American sports.
2. Eric Decker’s wife is Jesse James
Meet the wife of Jets WR Eric Decker – country pop superstar Jesse James Decker. Arguably the hottest WAG in the NFL not married to Tom Brady.
1. Get used to NFL London – because a franchise is coming whether you like it or not
Outside of court cases, the NFL has made a habit out of getting anything and everything it wants. And with the ratings through the roof not to mention yearly sellouts of Wembley Stadium for their International Series, the NFL are determined to see a franchise set up in London in the long-term.
It could be five years, 10 years, 20 years or more, but with a major club like Tottenham Hotspur already designing their new stadiums to support future NFL games plus the influence of NFL owners who already have English football ownership (Stan Kroenke, the Glazers, Shahid Khan), the process will come and go faster you might expect.
So enjoy the game – because sooner or later, you’re probably going to have to anyway.