Getting Started

NFLinEngland is a developing brand intent on providing fans worldwide with the latest news and views from the NFL. While traditional American coverage of the sport has a tendency to use terms and abbreviations that a casual fan might not necessarily understand, this blog will take a more simple approach to describing events, explaining any new terms along the way. Although the Super Bowl dominated American television with nearly 50% of households tuning in this year, it is considerably less popular worldwide than 'soccer'. But with the growing importance of the International Series in London's Wembley and fans eager to learn the game, ever-changing rosters and create their own fantasy teams, we can see a bright future for the NFL.

My interest in American football had always been prevalent across my adolescence. Early attempts to learn the rules had been unsuccessful; after years of eleven men on a football pitch I was unable to grasp the concept of three unique teams per side. I had put it aside for a few years until the 2014 Super Bowl where my housemates and I decided to stay up and get involved. Naturally I selected the team in orange, the Denver Broncos to be the one I would support in the following season. I mean, releasing a hawk before the game was interesting, but riding in on a horse? It was a no brainer for me. As a lifelong Tottenham fan I was unsurprised to learn I had chosen to support the spectacular losers of the occasion as Denver were whitewashed by a powerful Seattle side.

Although the side I had chosen did not win, I couldn't help but admire the athleticism and talent I was witnessing in that Seattle team. Despite the season ending with that game, my interests were aroused enough that I would begin following Denver again at the start of their 2014 campaign. After narrow wins against the Colts and the Chiefs, they were to face up against the side that had humiliated them over half a year ago. While it was a much closer game this time round, the Seahawks were to emerge victorious again.

All the while I was learning the sport more and more. I read up on Peyton Manning's illustrious history, learning that the Broncos quarterback was one of the most decorated and highest-rated of all time. However, he is getting on in years and many (including myself) expect this to be his final campaign. I began to understand the most basic attacking concepts such as passing and running plays as well as the positions they involved. My interest in the sport notwithstanding, it was fairly easy to grasp once I set my mind to it.

All the while I began to take this interest outside of watching games. I followed @Broncos and @NFL on Twitter for regular updates, I purchased EA's Madden 15 for PS4 and even got my own Manning 18 replica Nike jersey. While I knew I could never posses the passion for the sport that I did for football, it was becoming something of a hobby for me.

I followed Broncos throughout another playoff-reaching season that ended in a disappointing defeat to Andrew Luck's Indianapolis side. During the 2014 campaign I had begun to watch Sky Sports' coverage of various other games as well as their highlights show to gain a better understanding of the different franchises. My perseverance was paying off as I enjoyed two Super Sunday's per weekend; the Premier League and the NFL.

After observing the draft (where college footballers are chosen by professional teams) and the occasional preseason fixture as well as drafting a fantasy side of my own, I am now ready for the new season to kick off next weekend. Now armed with a better understanding of the sport, I will update this blog weekly with the help of fellow writers Daniel Gardre, Alex Gordon and Cyrus Ghalamzan in an attempt to bring readers the latest news and match reports from the NFL in as explanatory terms as required.