Tag: Darren Hill

Eagles season ends in defeat against the Bulls

04 Aug
Michael Dilley All News, Reports, Senior Football , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Eagles’ 2016 season came to a disappointing end with a 41-28 defeat away to the Birmingham Bulls on Sunday, thanks in no small part to a disastrous third quarter.

The Bulls received the opening kick off and after a strong drive that included successfully converting a 4th and 6 attempt on the Eagles 15-yard line, opened the scoring following a complete pass from one-yard out.

On the Eagles’ first possession a big pass completion and gain from Ross Hubbard took the offense to the Bulls 37 but the drive stalled, and the hosts were backed up inside their five-yard line following the punt.

Birmingham managed to drive to around halfway before being forced to punt, and it was the Eagles’ turn to start inside their own five.

Strong running from Kase Chibwe and a catch from Alex Smith took the Eagles to up to their 41 at the end of the first quarter, and another catch from Hubbard to start the second period moved the ball into Bulls territory.

Another completed pass to Smith took the Eagles to the 36 but a fumble on the next play was recovered by the Bulls and returned to the Eagles 28, where only a last-ditch tackle from QB Zach Wodaege prevented the lead being extended.

The Bulls got as far as the 14 before having to settle for a field goal attempt, but after the snap was fumbled the Eagles regained possession on halfway thanks to Mal Stevenson.

More strong running eventually resulted in first and goal on the four, and Chibwe crossed the line to reduce the deficit to 7-6 after the unsuccessful PAT attempt.

Andy Larwill’s fumble recovery got the Eagles the ball back quickly just inside the Bulls half, and when Wodaege connected with Smith from 36 yards out – running backwards – the Eagles had the lead.

The Bulls drove to halfway at the two-minute warning and down to the 18-yard line soon after, but Tony Ledger’s interception killed the momentum and the Eagles were unable to capitalise before the half, despite several quick first downs.

Half-Time: Bulls 7 Eagles 12

The Eagles received the kick off to start the second half but the drive stalled in the Bulls half and they regained possession on their ten-yard line after Ross Hubbard’s punt.

A 23-yard run and 14-yard pass took the Bulls to midfield, and a 53-yard pass over the top unlocked the Eagles secondary to regain the lead, the PAT attempt making the score 14-12.

The Bulls forced a fumble on the kick return and returned it for a touchdown, converted a two-point attempt to extend their lead to 22-12, and capitalised on another fumble on fourth and short on the Eagles’ next possession to take the score to 28-12 after an unsuccessful two-point attempt.

When the Eagles fumbled another kick off return to hand the ball back to the Bulls they wasted no time in punching the ball in again to make it 27 unanswered points in a horrific third period from an Eagles perspective.

The fourth quarter started with a strong offensive drive from the Eagles that was ended by a five-yard touchdown run by Chibwe and two-point conversion to cut the score to 34-20, but any chances of an unlikely comeback were put to bed on the Bulls’ next possession (41-20).

The final touchdown of the game came from departing QB Wodaege who ran the ball in for the Eagles from inside the five, and Gareth “Tish” Pullen trundled across the line for the two-point conversion to make the final score 41-28 to the Bulls.

After the game Interim Head Coach Darren Hill informed the team that he would not be putting himself forward for the position on a regular basis. Further details will be announced in due course.

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Hill delighted with performance against the Caesars

16 Jun
Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football , ,

Interim Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Darren Hill was a very happy man following Sunday’s win over the Nottingham Caesars.

The Eagles won the game at Harvey Hadden Stadium 40-19 to hand the hosts only their second defeat of the season, and speaking afterwards Coach Hill praised the Caesars, who broadcasted the game via their CaesarsTV service:

First of all I would like to thank the Caesars; they have a great team and an excellent set-up and whilst the weather unfortunately meant the game couldn’t be transmitted live, their coverage of the game is second to none and a great advert for the sport in the UK.

Heading into the game the Eagles were heavy underdogs having lost three straight and were given no hope by most people outside the club, and Hill was happy to see things finally click for his side:

I think we were the only people not surprised by the result on Sunday. We have known all season what this team is capable of and although results so far haven’t been what we had hoped for, we always knew we were capable of a performance like that.

Both the O and D were excellent but I would like to single out the offensive line for the hard work they have put in and it showed on Sunday; they dominated from start to finish, allowing us to have by far our best running and passing production of the season.

Similarly our D are now penetrating well and getting pressure on the QB. Our secondary put in another outstanding effort with another five-pick performance.

To hold the high-flying Nottingham offense to only two TDs on the day was a great achievement but our offense won us the game, picking up huge running yards and outpacing the Caesars secondary.

Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster added:

All in all I’m absolutely delighted with that result. 395 yards of total offense with over 200 yards rushing says it all. #GIRFUY

You can watch the game in full here:

Due to the Saxons withdrawing from competition the Eagles are not back in action again until Sunday 17th July, against the Doncaster Mustangs at Bedford International Athletics Stadium.

Kick-off is midday, with admission £2 each for adults (for which you receive a free programme) or free for under-18s.

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Hill and McMaster on Caesars defeat

27 Apr
Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football , , ,

Interim Head Coach Darren Hill and Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster have been reflecting on Sunday’s defeat against the Nottingham Caesars.

The Eagles went down 26-6 against the Caesars in what was the team’s third game in successive weekends, and Coach Hill was the first to admit to being a little disappointed with how the season has started:

Sunday saw us complete the third straight game in a row and it’s fair to say it has been a rough start to the season so far.

After three successful training camps we were hoping to come out firing on all cylinders but we’ve come up short so far with only one win and two losses.

Our run game has improved each week and we now have two weeks to study the game film and make adjustments as we look forward to the rest of the season, starting away at Peterborough.

McMaster agrees, and wants his offense to relax and express themselves more:

Sunday ends the toughest part of our season, having played three games on the bounce without any opportunity to practice in between.

We didn’t develop the momentum on offense we were hoping to, and we’ve suffered from being a young team as everyone gets very uptight during games – they aren’t playing with the freedom and expression they should be.

That lead to a performance like Sunday’s where we moved the ball well and didn’t have many three and outs, but we made mistakes at key points and poor execution throughout the game kept us out of any contention.

The positives are we’re expecting several players back from injury after the weekend and our injuries from the game don’t seem to be too bad, so we should be at full strength before Peterborough. I’m confident well be able to rectify the problems moving forward.

The game against the Saxons takes place on Sunday 8th May at Thorney Rugby Club, kicking off at 2.30pm.

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Coach Hill on Doncaster win

19 Apr
Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football , ,

Interim Head Coach Darren Hill paid tribute to his defense after Sunday’s win over the Doncaster Mustangs.

The Eagles beat the Mustangs 13-12 at the Keepmoat Stadium on Sunday, in a game which saw plenty of turnovers – including five interceptions from Hill’s D.

Speaking after the game Coach Hill said that he was very happy to get the first win of the season:

After losing in week one it was important for us to get back to winning ways, and whilst it wasn’t pretty we managed to come away from our furthest away trip of the season with the result we needed.

Whilst our Offense isn’t quite firing on all cylinders yet there was a huge improvement in our run game with the OL creating some nice holes for our RBs.

Our Special Teams also performed well, recovering an on-side kick, returning a punt for a TD which was unfortunately negated by a penalty and the extra point being the difference between winning and tying the game.

This victory however belongs to our D. From start to finish they shut down the Doncaster run game forcing them to try and beat us through the air.

The Mustangs have an excellent QB and some very good receivers but our five interceptions – including one returned to their end zone and one picked off in our end zone in the last minute of the game – sealed our victory.

There is still lots to work on but I am happy with where we are as a team. Several beers on the long trip home were exactly what we needed after a hard fought win, and we look forward to continuing this momentum as we face another challenging opponent this Sunday at BIAS.

The Eagles are back in BAFANL action this Sunday with our first home game of the season, against the Nottingham Caesars.

Kick off is midday at BIAS, with admission priced at £2 each for adults (for which you receive a free programme) or free for those under-18.

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Hill: Plenty of positives to take from Sandwell

13 Apr
Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football , ,

Interim Head Coach Darren Hill was keen to focus on the positives following the opening day defeat against the Sandwell Steelers.

The Eagles went down 24-6 at last season’s Division Two champions on Sunday, and speaking afterwards Hill said:

The first game of the season is always an anxious time for a coach, particularly this year as we enter a new division and face a number of teams we haven’t played before.

Whilst the result wasn’t what we hoped for there are a huge amount of positives to take from the game.

Due to a number of unforeseen circumstances we took a fairly new and inexperienced squad with us to Sandwell. All the players will have benefited enormously from the game time and we made some crucial plays in all three phases of the game. Overall I’m pleased with where we are as a team.

Sandwell are a well coached, well organised team and I wish them well for the rest of the season.

The Eagles are back in action this weekend away to Doncaster Mustangs, and Coach Hill is looking forward to seeing a positive reaction from his players:

Traditionally we have always started the season slowly and then built momentum as the season progresses and with some key players returning to action this week we are looking forward to face another new challenge as we travel to Doncaster.

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2016 Captains Named

14 Mar
Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football , , , , , , ,

Linebacker Gareth Pullen, Cornerback Chris Parr, Wide Receiver Ross Hubbard and Offensive Lineman Danny Cousins have been named Captains for the 2016 season.

Defensive Captains Pullen and Parr are vastly experienced players and joined the Eagles in their inception, with Pullen being named 2015 Defensive MVP. Offensive Captains Hubbard and Cousins meanwhile are both second-year players with the Eagles, Cousins being named 2015 Rookie of the Year.

Commenting on the appointments, Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster said:

Since our inception in 2013 our coaching staff have picked the captains based on commitment, personality and leadership abilities, and this year marks the first time the players have voted for the club captains themselves.

I’m absolutely delighted with the choices. I think these guys are clear leaders in the locker room, and people the players can look up to. They lead the players not just by performance, but by example.

I’m also very proud of each of these four players, who have really developed themselves as well as their game over the last two years, and I feel confident will be able to leave their mark on the team.

Defensive Coordinator Darren Hill added:

This is just reward for the tremendous effort they have put in both on and off the field and I have no doubt the players have made the right choice.

The first game of the season takes place on Sunday 10th April (1.30pm) when the Eagles travel to face the Sandwell Steelers. The first home game of the year is against the Nottingham Caesars two weeks later, kicking off at midday.

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Coach Hill pleased with progress

22 Feb
Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football , , , ,

Defensive Coordinator Darren Hill described himself as being “delighted” with the progress made by the team during this off-season’s training camps.

The second non-residential training camp of the winter took place in Bedford this past weekend, and was attended by over 50 players across the two days.

Commenting on the sessions, Hill said:

The second camp was another great success. Both days saw a combination of scheme install, individual and group skills, film review, group and team practice.

I am delighted with the progress the team is making as a whole and all the players have improved tremendously over the last two days.

This weekend the team welcome Kent Exiles to Bedford International Athletics Stadium for a controlled scrimmage, which gives rookies and first-year players valuable game day experience, and an opportunity to embed what has been learnt during the pre-season so far.

As a result of this weekend’s scrimmage there is no practice for the senior team on Sunday. Youth Team training will take place at BIAS on Sunday afternoon between 1 and 3pm.

Coaches delighted with first camp

22 Jan
Michael Dilley All News, Senior Football , , , , ,

The Eagles Senior coaches have hailed the first camp of 2016 pre-season schedule as a huge success.

More than 50 players attended the weekend-long mini-camp, which consisted of a combination of installations, walk throughs, targeted practice sessions and film reviews.

Commenting on the weekend, Defensive Coordinator Darren Hill said:

“Our first ever training camp was a tremendous success. We got our returning players quickly back up to speed, demonstrated to our rookies the standards expected to play football for OVE and embedded a huge amount of both scheme and technique”.

Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster believes the team is further ahead of where he expected them to be.

“Given that was our first camp, I was delighted with both the enthusiasm and the progress,” he said.

“To be so far along so early in the season is terrific, and it gives us a great platform to build on”.

This weekend the team travel to Cambridge for a scrimmage with the Cambridge University Pythons, and the coaches are looking forward to giving rookies and first-year players exposure to game days, and returning players a chance to knock some rust off ahead of the new season.

“The scrimmage against Cambridge Uni will really cement the plays we have installed and give our rookies much-needed game-like experience,” said McMaster.

Coach Hill added:

“Everyone is looking forward to our scrimmage against Cambridge Uni as a means of solidifying the huge steps we have taken already, as we look towards another challenging schedule in 2016”.

As a result of this weekend’s scrimmage there is no practice for the senior team on Sunday. Youth Team training will take place at Bedford International Athletics Stadium on Sunday afternoon between 1 and 3pm.

Settle vs Hill: The Results

17 Nov
Michael Dilley All News, Features , , , ,

In our most recent Head to Head of the season Running Back Paul Settle took on Defensive Coordinator Darren Hill. Here’s how they got on…

Bills 22 Jets 17

SETTLE: I’m gonna go with the Jets just because I like their name as it sounds fast and I hate getting bills! I’m also feeling Christmassy at the moment and New York is a great place to Christmas shop so I’ve heard!?!?! So Jets it is!!
RESULT: Erm, let’s just put this down to early nerves and move on shall we? 0-1.

HILL: A difficult game to start with. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Bills, back in the day they lost 4 Super Bowls in a row, which takes some doing and my father in law lives just outside Buffalo. The Jets have also routinely sucked and haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the 1960s. However they are playing at home. Jets to win a close one.
RESULT: Home advantage seems to be the only reason Coach Hill sided with the Jets, and it means he’s also off to a bad start. 0-1.

Lions 18 Packers 16

SETTLE: I kinda like both the outfits and I’m gonna base most of my decisions on kits I like and the odd player I know. It has to be the Packers for the win mainly because I’ve always had a man crush on Christopher Parr and he follows the Packers!! And I like to eat cheese!! They have something to do with cheese right??!
RESULT: Oh boy. 0-2.

HILL: Easiest pick of the week. Detroit are awful, Green Bay aren’t. Green Bay will win by loads.
RESULT: Awkward. 0-2.

Cowboys 6 Buccaneers 10

SETTLE: Can’t stand Pirates they’re thieves so definitely going with the Cowboys for the win, and my mum loved the TV show Dallas so it’s gotta be Cowboys for the win without a doubt!!
RESULT: As much as I’d love Settle to have been right, he’s 0-3 and off to an absolute flyer.

HILL: Nellie is blaming me for his loss last week because he picked Tampa Bay on the strength of my recommendation of Tampa Bay and ex-Florida State Quarterback Jameis Winston. The Buccaneers QB was great, his Wide Receivers, and in particular first round pick Mike Evans (6 drops) were awful. It doesn’t matter, they are playing Dallas and they were bad without Dez Bryant and Tony Romo, Bryant is back Romo isn’t. Jameis is going to have a sore back after carrying his team to their fourth win of the season.
RESULT: We’re off the mark. 1-2.

Panthers 27 Titans 10

SETTLE: Now I’m no expert but I know that guy Cam Newton plays for the Panthers as he keeps flashing up in NFL videos on my FB page. He looks pretty good, a bit selfish but hey, you know what them QB’s are like!! So Panthers to take this one…
RESULT: First thing we can agree with so far, Settle’s no expert. He got this one right though, and he’s under way. 1-3.

HILL: Carolina are undefeated and this week they face the other Heisman winning rookie QB in Marcus Mariota. The reason he was taken second in the draft is because Tennessee weren’t very good, they still aren’t. Cam Newton keeps the Panthers undefeated.
RESULT: We’re off the mark. 2-2.

Bears 37 Rams 13

SETTLE: Got to be the Bears, right? As they are big and scary in the wild and seeing as teams must be named after what they think they’re gonna play like they must be good!! And that massive Fridge guy used to play for them!! So Bears it is…GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
RESULT: Got to be honest, I laughed when Settle picked the Bears here. Should have known better. 2-3.

HILL: Another team from the eighties having a tough year are the Bears. St Louis aren’t great but they win this one comfortably.
RESULT: I thought so too, goodness only knows where this came from. 2-3.

Saints 14 Redskins 47

SETTLE: Redskins. Not sure why I’m going for these – probably cos their QB has dreads hanging out the back of his helmet which always looks pretty cool (ED – do you want to tell him or shall I?).
RESULT: Haven’t really got a clue how but Settle’s back to .500. 3-3.

HILL: I’ve been a Redskins fan for more years than I care to mention, we’ve had our ups and downs, and recently it’s been more down than up. The Saints, despite having a better record are a terrible team and over the last two weeks their once vaunted defence has allowed back to back QBs to have career games. This continues and the Redskins win at home.
RESULT: This one cost Rob Ryan yet another job. 3-3.

Dolphins 20 Eagles 19

SETTLE: I’m going select the Dolphins just because I’ve seen the TV show Ballers with the Rock and it looks like a nice place to live if you’re rich and in the NFL and own a yacht!!! Remember to buy tuna not using the nets which trap Dolphins though kids!!!
RESULT: Ballers is a great show to be fair. 4-3.

HILL: As a Redskins fan it has been interesting to watch the Chip Kelly experiment from afar. He started off well but didn’t trade up to get his college QB Mariota and I think this comes back to haunt him. He seems to have lost the players and he doesn’t have a decent QB. Having said all that Miami were one of the 6 teams to play in London this year…they were awful. Eagles win.
RESULT: If they’d had their starting QB for the entire game would the Eagles have won? We’ll never know. 3-4.

Browns 9 Steelers 30

SETTLE: Steelers sounds like they’re thieves but I’m going to go for the Steelers to take this one mainly because in the Batman film when the ground opened up after Bane rocked up in the stadium that receiver kept on playing whilst a major super hero baddie was trashing the field he was on!! So surely beating the Browns will be no problem?!?!
RESULT: They didn’t have enough for Bane but had plenty in the tank to beat Johnny Football and co. 5-3.

HILL: Currently one of the only saving graces of being a Redskins fan is that you aren’t a Browns fan. The franchise has been a model of ineptitude for as long as I can remember. Everything they do turns to rubbish. When Johnny “Football” Manziel was picked late in the first round a couple of years ago I was asked why he dropped so far. I replied that was because he was a good college QB but would achieve nothing in the NFL. That the Browns gave up draft picks to go and get him tells you everything you need to know about the Browns. The Steelers are having a poor year by their high standards but they still have enough to beat the Browns.
RESULT: Darren hits the nail on the head. 4-4.

Vikings 30 Raiders 14

SETTLE: Purple who plays in purple?!?!?! Raiders look far harder than the boys in purple and it would be embarrassing to lose to a team playing my wife’s favourite colour!! (Ed – do you want to tell him…oh forget it)
RESULT: Losing to a team in purple. Who’d have thought it? 5-4.

HILL: Another tough one to call. Minnesota are on a four-game winning streak. Oakland lost their last one but are having a decent season after years of struggling under old owner Al Davis whose pick of JaMarcus Russell with the first pick of the 2007 draft and subsequent signing of him to a $61 million deal was so awful that the NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to completely restructure rookie contracts. I slightly favour the home team to win a close one. Raiders win.
RESULT: It should say enough about how far the Raiders have come this year that both our guys backed them against the much-improved Vikings. They were both wrong to do so though, so let’s move on. 4-5.

Patriots 27 Giants 26

SETTLE: I have a Giants t-shirt and am feeling Christmassy still so for the same reason as the Jets I’m gonna go with Giants to upset the Patriots. Any Given Sunday and all that!!
RESULT: Oh Paul, so close and yet so far. 5-5.

HILL: Bill Belichick is one of the best coaches in the game. He sometimes takes “gamesmanship” to the edge but he and Tom Brady have been at the top of the game for years. Unfortunately for the rest of the league the Commissioner decided to wind them both up during the off season. They are both on a mission and are destroying everyone they play. Their offence has played 32 quarters of football. They have scored in each of the last 31. They are too much for the Giants of New York and make the short trip back to New England with the win.
RESULT: The Giants ran them close but the unstoppable Patriot machine ploughs on. 5-5.

Chiefs 29 Broncos 13

SETTLE: Just watched Christian Okoye A Football Life documentary so I’m gonna say Chiefs!!!
RESULT: Regardless of how he got there Settle calls it right. 6-5.

HILL: Similarly Peyton Manning has been one of the best QBs in the league for a lifetime. After several neck surgeries he struggled at the start of the year but his offensive co-ordinator has adjusted and played him in his more familiar shotgun formation and the Broncos defense is playing absolutely lights out. Denver will be too strong for the Chiefs at altitude, Denver wins and Denver joins Indianapolis and Tennessee as places where an extraordinary percentage of the population name their children Peyton (boys) or Payton (girls) after the QB.
RESULT: Not quite the way it was planned. 5-6.

Cardinals 39 Seahawks 32

SETTLE: Running back with dreads hanging out the back of his helmet and I love skittles so Seahawks will take this against the Cardinals! And they’ve incorporated rugby tackling into their program so they must have some sense.
RESULT: The Seahawks don’t know if they’re coming or going at the moment. 6-6.

HILL: Another close game. Arizona are playing really well, as their record shows. Seattle have been in back to back Super Bowls, winning one and losing the other. Early in the season they struggled with the way they lost the last Super Bowl and the expectations of their players to get paid. However they have started coming into their own and at home they will be too much for Arizona.
RESULT: The Cards upset the Hawks and battle of brains once again comes down to Monday Night Football. 5-7.

Texans 10 Bengals 6

SETTLE: Texans. JJ Watt that’s why…
RESULT: How on earth did that happen? No matter, Settle finishes 7-6 and takes the win.

HILL: An easy one to finish. The Texans have the best defensive player in the league in JJ Watt, in the last 4 years the only player to average more than a sack per game, and 3 sacks off NFL Legend Lawrence Taylor’s 63 sack 4 year record, and they are still rubbish. The Bengals are on a rare winning streak and to be honest most people, even their own fans, aren’t expecting it to last, but it won’t finish against the Texans. Cincinnati to win easily.
RESULT: Ouch. Coach Hill finishes 5-8 but I’m sure this’ll be the last we hear of it. Honest.

As a result of this week’s scores the Players have extended their lead against the Coaches and Staff by 74-55 to 71-58. Be sure to check back on Thursday for this week’s predictions.

Did any of this week’s results in the NFL surprise you? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment in the box below, by posting on our Facebook page, or by sending us a Tweet.

Previous Results

Wide Receiver Chris Cowley 6-10 vs Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster 6-10
Tight End Jack Judge 11-5 vs Head Coach Will White 13-3
Offensive Lineman Danny Cousins 8-7 vs Vice Chairman Mark Chilton 9-6
Running Back Matt Duffin 10-4 vs Running Back Coach Neil Duffy 10-4
Wide Receiver Jack Davis-Fletcher 6-8 vs Treasurer Michael Dilley 8-6
Offensive Lineman Jon Amokah 11-3 vs Youth Team Head Coach Nick Benning 8-6
Offensive Lineman John Rudgard 9-5 vs Special Teams Coordinator Gary Villiers 7-7
Defensive MVP Gareth Pullen 6-7 vs Chairman and Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster 5-8

Head to Head: Settle vs Hill

12 Nov
Michael Dilley All News, Features , , , ,

If there’s one thing sure to split opinion quickly it’s the age-old battle of who knows more about the NFL, the players or the staff?

To try and resolve the issue once and for all players take on coaches and backroom staff one on one to see who really knows their stuff.

The concept is pretty simple: each week one Eagles player and one staff member will go head to head predicting the outcome of the weekend’s NFL games, and by the end of the season the true power houses will emerge.

Heading into this week where Running Back Paul Settle meets Defensive Coordinator Darren Hill, the players have the edge with a score of 67-49 to 66-50.

Let’s see what the weekend has in store…

Bills @ Jets (Thursday Night Football)

SETTLE: I’m gonna go with the Jets just because I like their name as it sounds fast and I hate getting bills! I’m also feeling Christmassy at the moment and New York is a great place to Christmas shop so I’ve heard!?!?! So Jets it is!!

HILL: A difficult game to start with. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Bills, back in the day they lost 4 Super Bowls in a row, which takes some doing and my father in law lives just outside Buffalo. The Jets have also routinely sucked and haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the 1960s. However they are playing at home. Jets to win a close one.

Lions @ Packers

SETTLE: I kinda like both the outfits and I’m gonna base most of my decisions on kits I like and the odd player I know. It has to be the Packers for the win mainly because I’ve always had a man crush on Christopher Parr and he follows the Packers!! And I like to eat cheese!! They have something to do with cheese right??!

HILL: Easiest pick of the week. Detroit are awful, Green Bay aren’t. Green Bay will win by loads.

Cowboys @ Buccaneers

SETTLE: Can’t stand Pirates they’re thieves so definitely going with the Cowboys for the win, and my mum loved the TV show Dallas so it’s gotta be Cowboys for the win without a doubt!!

HILL: Nellie is blaming me for his loss last week because he picked Tampa Bay on the strength of my recommendation of Tampa Bay and ex-Florida State Quarterback Jameis Winston. The Buccaneers QB was great, his Wide Receivers, and in particular first round pick Mike Evans (6 drops) were awful. It doesn’t matter, they are playing Dallas and they were bad without Dez Bryant and Tony Romo, Bryant is back Romo isn’t. Jameis is going to have a sore back after carrying his team to their fourth win of the season.

Panthers @ Titans

SETTLE: Now I’m no expert but I know that guy Cam Newton plays for the Panthers as he keeps flashing up in NFL videos on my FB page. He looks pretty good, a bit selfish but hey, you know what them QB’s are like!! So Panthers to take this one…

HILL: Carolina are undefeated and this week they face the other Heisman winning rookie QB in Marcus Mariota. The reason he was taken second in the draft is because Tennessee weren’t very good, they still aren’t. Cam Newton keeps the Panthers undefeated.

Bears @ Rams

SETTLE: Got to be the Bears, right? As they are big and scary in the wild and seeing as teams must be named after what they think they’re gonna play like they must be good!! And that massive Fridge guy used to play for them!! So Bears it is…GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

HILL: Another team from the eighties having a tough year are the Bears. St Louis aren’t great but they win this one comfortably.

Saints @ Redskins

SETTLE: Redskins. Not sure why I’m going for these – probably cos their QB has dreads hanging out the back of his helmet which always looks pretty cool (ED – do you want to tell him or shall I?).

HILL: I’ve been a Redskins fan for more years than I care to mention, we’ve had our ups and downs, and recently it’s been more down than up. The Saints, despite having a better record are a terrible team and over the last two weeks their once vaunted defence has allowed back to back QBs to have career games. This continues and the Redskins win at home.

Dolphins @ Eagles

SETTLE: I’m going select the Dolphins just because I’ve seen the TV show Ballers with the Rock and it looks like a nice place to live if you’re rich and in the NFL and own a yacht!!! Remember to buy tuna not using the nets which trap Dolphins though kids!!!

HILL: As a Redskins fan it has been interesting to watch the Chip Kelly experiment from afar. He started off well but didn’t trade up to get his college QB Mariota and I think this comes back to haunt him. He seems to have lost the players and he doesn’t have a decent QB. Having said all that Miami were one of the 6 teams to play in London this year…they were awful. Eagles win.

Browns @ Steelers

SETTLE: Steelers sounds like they’re thieves but I’m going to go for the Steelers to take this one mainly because in the Batman film when the ground opened up after Bane rocked up in the stadium that receiver kept on playing whilst a major super hero baddie was trashing the field he was on!! So surely beating the Browns will be no problem?!?!

HILL: Currently one of the only saving graces of being a Redskins fan is that you aren’t a Browns fan. The franchise has been a model of ineptitude for as long as I can remember. Everything they do turns to rubbish. When Johnny “Football” Manziel was picked late in the first round a couple of years ago I was asked why he dropped so far. I replied that was because he was a good college QB but would achieve nothing in the NFL. That the Browns gave up draft picks to go and get him tells you everything you need to know about the Browns. The Steelers are having a poor year by their high standards but they still have enough to beat the Browns.

Vikings @ Raiders

SETTLE: Purple who plays in purple?!?!?! Raiders look far harder than the boys in purple and it would be embarrassing to lose to a team playing my wife’s favourite colour!! (Ed – do you want to tell him…oh forget it)

HILL: Another tough one to call. Minnesota are on a four-game winning streak. Oakland lost their last one but are having a decent season after years of struggling under old owner Al Davis whose pick of JaMarcus Russell with the first pick of the 2007 draft and subsequent signing of him to a $61 million deal was so awful that the NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to completely restructure rookie contracts. I slightly favour the home team to win a close one. Raiders win.

Patriots @ Giants

SETTLE: I have a Giants t-shirt and am feeling Christmassy still so for the same reason as the Jets I’m gonna go with Giants to upset the Patriots. Any Given Sunday and all that!!

HILL: Bill Belichick is one of the best coaches in the game. He sometimes takes “gamesmanship” to the edge but he and Tom Brady have been at the top of the game for years. Unfortunately for the rest of the league the Commissioner decided to wind them both up during the off season. They are both on a mission and are destroying everyone they play. Their offence has played 32 quarters of football. They have scored in each of the last 31. They are too much for the Giants of New York and make the short trip back to New England with the win.

Chiefs @ Broncos

SETTLE: Just watched Christian Okoye A Football Life documentary so I’m gonna say Chiefs!!!

HILL: Similarly Peyton Manning has been one of the best QBs in the league for a lifetime. After several neck surgeries he struggled at the start of the year but his offensive co-ordinator has adjusted and played him in his more familiar shotgun formation and the Broncos defense is playing absolutely lights out. Denver will be too strong for the Chiefs at altitude, Denver wins and Denver joins Indianapolis and Tennessee as places where an extraordinary percentage of the population name their children Peyton (boys) or Payton (girls) after the QB.

Cardinals @ Seahawks (Sunday Night Football)

SETTLE: Running back with dreads hanging out the back of his helmet and I love skittles so Seahawks will take this against the Cardinals! And they’ve incorporated rugby tackling into their program so they must have some sense.

HILL: Another close game. Arizona are playing really well, as their record shows. Seattle have been in back to back Super Bowls, winning one and losing the other. Early in the season they struggled with the way they lost the last Super Bowl and the expectations of their players to get paid. However they have started coming into their own and at home they will be too much for Arizona.

Texans @ Bengals (Monday Night Football)

SETTLE: Texans. JJ Watt that’s why…

HILL: An easy one to finish. The Texans have the best defensive player in the league in JJ Watt, in the last 4 years the only player to average more than a sack per game, and 3 sacks off NFL Legend Lawrence Taylor’s 63 sack 4 year record, and they are still rubbish. The Bengals are on a rare winning streak and to be honest most people, even their own fans , aren’t expecting it to last, but it won’t finish against the Texans. Cincinnati to win easily.

Summary

Match Settle Hill
Bills @ Jets (TNF) Jets Jets
Lions @ Packers Packers Packers
Cowboys @ Buccaneers Cowboys Buccaneers
Panthers @ Titans Panthers Panthers
Bears @ Rams Bears Rams
Saints @ Redskins Redskins Redskins
Dolphins @ Eagles Dolphins Eagles
Browns @ Steelers Steelers Steelers
Jaguars @ Ravens Ravens Ravens
Vikings @ Raiders Raiders Raiders
Patriots @ Giants Giants Patriots
Chiefs @ Broncos Chiefs Broncos
Cardinals @ Seahawks (SNF) Seahawks Seahawks
Texans @ Bengals (MNF) Texans Bengals


Previous Results

Wide Receiver Chris Cowley 6-10 vs Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster 6-10
Tight End Jack Judge 11-5 vs Head Coach Will White 13-3
Offensive Lineman Danny Cousins 8-7 vs Vice Chairman Mark Chilton 9-6
Running Back Matt Duffin 10-4 vs Running Back Coach Neil Duffy 10-4
Wide Receiver Jack Davis-Fletcher 6-8 vs Treasurer Michael Dilley 8-6
Offensive Lineman Jon Amokah 11-3 vs Youth Team Head Coach Nick Benning 8-6
Lineman of the Year John Rudgard 9-5 vs Special Teams Coordinator Gary Villiers 7-7
Defensive MVP Gareth Pullen 6-7 vs Chairman and Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster 5-8

You can let us know what you think of their predictions by leaving a comment in the box below, by posting on our Facebook page, or by sending us a Tweet. Be sure to check back to Tuesday to see how they got on.