The Dolphins and Saints have been "selected by the NFL to play a game in London next season, marking the fourth time overall and third time in four years the Dolphins play in the United Kingdom," according to Armando Salguero of the MIAMI HERALD. No date, time or venue has been selected as of yet. The Dolphins are hosting the game "as per the resolution approved by the NFL clubs" in '14 that stated teams "making a successful bid to host a Super Bowl would be required to host an international game within five years." The Dolphins in May were awarded Super Bowl LIV in '20 (MIAMI HERALD, 10/31). In Ft. Lauderdale, Chris Perkins notes the Dolphins’ three previous games in London were all played at Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars and Rams are "also scheduled to host London games" in '17, with their opponents yet to be determined (South Florida SUN SENTINEL, 10/31). Also in Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Hyde notes the NFL is "following the letter of its rules" in sending the Dolphins back to England, but he wonders if the league is "following the spirit of that law." The team hosted the Jets in London last season with the thought that the game "was made to help the Dolphins' Super Bowl bid." Hyde: "Three times in four years? Enough already" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 10/31).
CALLING IT EVEN: The NFL concluded its three-game U.K. slate with yesterday's Redskins-Bengals tie, and ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert wrote those games were the "least of the league's concerns in this troubled season." All three games were "decided by one score," and yesterday's was "riveting before getting bogged down late." Meanwhile, yesterday's attendance at Wembley Stadium "broke an NFL record in London: 84,488." In total, the three games -- two at Wembley Stadium and one at Twickenham Stadium -- "drew 242,373 fans" (ESPN.com, 10/30). In DC, Jerry Brewer writes the OT affair "ended with rampant buffoonery." It was "hard enough to account for all the oddity in a game burdened by 22 penalties, missed opportunities best measured by the dozen and 961 yards of offense that resulted in only 27 points for each side." The PA announcer "informed 84,488 kind and patient folks at Wembley Stadium that this silly American football game had concluded like the football that they’re most familiar with: 'This is the end of the game. The score remains tied.'" Redskins coach Jay Gruden said, "I don't know how to react. I didn’t think it was possible to tie. I know there was a tie last week in Arizona, but I was like, ‘How the heck did they tie?’ Now we know" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/31). NFLContractMetrics.com's Jimmy Halsell: "London is finally seeing a quality NFL game." Washington Post's Master Tesfatsion: "It's only fitting for the NFL to play a game in a London soccer stadium that ended in a draw." S.F. Chronicle's Henry Schulman: "Big annual game in London that league treasures ends in 27-27 tie. LOL." WJFK-FM'sBrian McNally: "It's 2am in London and #Cowboys-#Eagles is only at halftime. Not gonna lie...3am NFL sounds super overrated right now" (TWITTER.com, 10/31).
FAN CENTRAL: In DC, Karla Adam notes there "didn’t appear to be a single pickup truck at the London tailgate party, but there were, among other things, food stalls, merchandise tents, former players signing autographs and giving talks to the crowd, and a performance by the Bengals cheerleaders." The NFL certainly has been "trying hard to amp things up in London." The league "hosted a number of fan events this week, including wildly popular rallies with Redskins and Bengals players and cheerleaders, as well as a 'Jerry Maguire' movie night." It also set up a "temporary space in central London where fans could see the Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl rings" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/31).
