NFL / Alsy / 19 October 2007 / Leave a comment

NFL will light up Wembley says Alister Morgan - just as it did when Betfair punters were a whole lot younger!

If you're experiencing a sense of déjà vu it's because you've been here before. Cast your mind back to the 1980s when skateboards were made of solid plastic, 20p bought a loaf of bread and American Football was the 'next big thing' in sports. Dan Marino, Joe Montana and William 'the Fridge' Perry became household names before the game faded back into the 'niche' market in the UK.

Fast-forward twenty years and Wembley hosts a game between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins on Sunday October 28th and I have to admit to being more than a little excited. If we expect our American cousins to appreciate the beauty of real football we should give their version another chance to impress, especially when you consider that the NFL attracts more fans that the NBA and MLB in the US.

American Football delivers everything that's good in competitive sport. Pace, power, passion, pain, points and a few other things beginning with the letter 'P' make it extremely compelling.
The NY Giants can boast some great players and 5 world championships ('world' naturally meaning just the United States in this case) since 1925. The NFL draft system ensures that struggling teams have the opportunity to turn around their fortunes in a matter of seasons giving many more teams a genuine chance of reaching the Super Bowl. In this context the Giants' five titles (the last was in 1990 in a celebrated victory against hot favourites the Buffalo Bills) shows genuine pedigree.

Their last appearance in a Super Bowl final was in 2000 (where they unexpectedly folded against the Baltimore Ravens 34-7) but it's fair to say that, under head coach Tom Coughlin, the Giants are always playoff contenders. Quarterback Eli Manning earns rave reviews even when they lose so fans at Wembley will have the chance to watch one of the best emerging players in the NFL. After a couple of early losses the Giants are enjoying an impressive four-game winning streak and stand second in the NFC East Division.

Quarterbacks always receive plaudits but to my mind fans should pay more attention to a team's defensive line - the Giants have some real talent in the crunch department. Keep an eye on linebacker and defensive captain Antonio Pierce - this guy is a tackling machine while defensive end, Michael Stranhan, boasts 132 career quarterback sacks. Finally, defensive end Osi Umenyiora was born in London so you'll have the chance to support some home-grown talent. Ever wondered what a 'pass-rush defence' is? Just watch this former all-star causing havoc in and around 'the pocket' for your answer.

Formed in 1966 the Miami Dolphins are NFL babies in comparison. They made little impact in the sport for many years until they drafted a young quarterback named Dan Marino in 1983. He'd go on to become the most prolific passer in NFL history narrowly failing to lead his team to Super Bowl victory in 1984.

During the 1980s they became one of the best-known NFL franchises around the world and famously played an exhibition match in 1988 at Wembley against the San Francisco 49ers. On that occasion they beat the best team in the NFL but, twenty years on, they'll be hard pressed to repeat the feat.

It's fair to say that this Dolphins team are currently 'rebuilding' and are yet to record a single victory in their AFC East Division. In players like Chris Chambers, Ted Ginn Jr and Ronnie Brown they do have some offensive talent and they'll be hoping veteran quarterback Trent Green can steady the ship sooner rather than later with his considerable experience.

Expect a close and enthralling game until the Giants change up a few gears - but don't forget, it's Miami who have the history (albeit a very short one!) of beating the odds at Wembley.

Tags: london, miami dolphins, new york giants, wembley