The NFL announced plans last week to have four games played in London in 2017. The league had previously bumped the number up to three as they continue pushing to see if the market becomes oversaturated.
On Tuesday, the league announced the four games, and while they could surprise us, there is a decent chance they could be stinkers. Three of the four games include one team has consistently been among the worst in the NFL (Jaguars, Browns, Rams). The Dolphins are playing well this season, but while the Saints can be fun at home, they are regularly bad away from the Superdome. That’s not to say these games are guaranteed to be bad, but the NFL continually chooses to not send premium matchups to London.
Here is the full list.
Week 3 or 4: Ravens vs. Jaguars (Wembley Stadium)
Week 3 or 4: Saints vs. Dolphins (Wembley Stadium)
Week 7 or 8: Vikings vs. Browns (Twickenham Stadium)
Week 7 or 8: Cardinals vs. Rams (Twickenham Stadium)
The NFL keeps pushing more and more games with the idea of some to be to have a full-time franchise over there. I still think it’s a bad idea, primarily because of the lengthy travel for such a franchise. Without a full division based on Europe, that team will be playing from a disadvantage, and it creates problems for the eight teams traveling to London for a road game. But the NFL is more concerned with cashing in, so I figure they will do whatever they can to push their way through.