Opinion: Our Sincere Apologies to Europe for Subjecting You to Poor NFL Games
As a nation, we’ve been responsible for some pretty embarrassing exports. Think of the Kardashians. Krispy Kreme donuts. David Hasselhoff. The Backstreet Boys. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
And now, once again, the NFL is heading to Europe this weekend.
For nearly twenty years, we’ve been sharing our version of football, starting in the United Kingdom and now adding Germany to the mix. Unfortunately, the quality has been, to put it mildly, disappointing. Think of it like the Urban Meyer era in Jacksonville.
Out of the 39 games played since 2007, only two featured teams with winning records. (One of these was last season when the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins both arrived in Frankfurt, Germany with identical 6-2 records.) We’ve also witnessed 12 matchups where both teams had losing records, including a memorable face-off between two 0-3 teams (Vikings vs. Steelers) back in 2013.
It doesn’t get any better! More than half of the 78 teams that have played in Europe – a total of 40 – entered the games with losing records, including nine who didn’t manage to win. Among them were the 2017 Cleveland Browns, who finished that season without a single victory after a 1-15 record the season prior.
The U.K. and Germany are two of our key allies, yet what do we do? We send them the worst of the NFL? It really exemplifies the idea of “ugly Americans.”
Sadly, the lineup for this year isn’t much better.
To kick off the International Series, the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets will face off in London on Sunday. The Vikings enter the game undefeated, making them only the second team to carry a perfect record across the ocean. Meanwhile, Sam Darnold has been having an impressive season, leading one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses.
As for the other team.
The Jets are sitting at .500 and, shockingly, failed to score any touchdowns in their most recent outing. Oh, and this was at home! Additionally, Aaron Rodgers seems to be focusing more on off-field drama rather than on-field highlights, with speculation surrounding his rapport with Jets coach Robert Saleh.
While soap operas may be entertaining, the British already have their royal family for that sort of intrigue.
Following the Jets versus Vikings game, the Jacksonville Jaguars will take over London for two weeks. Seriously, what did London do to deserve such treatment? The Jaguars have played in London more than any other team – these games will be their 12th and 13th – and they’ve never brought a winning record with them. Remember those nine teams who arrived winless? The Jaguars were among them thrice and might just make it four on this upcoming trip. If Roger Goodell is aspiring for a knighthood, this strategy seems poorly thought out.
The Jaguars will be going up against the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots, two teams that have only managed a total of three wins and 10 offensive touchdowns this season. Certainly, not the legendary Tom Brady’s teams.
This year’s European tour will conclude in Germany, which has had its share of good games. In 2022, Tom Brady had a standout performance as he and the Buccaneers narrowly defeated Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks in Germany’s first-ever game. Last season, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs surged to a 21-0 start in the first half before Miami made it a nail-bitter with two touchdowns in the third quarter.
This year, however, Germany may not be as fortunate. While the New York Giants vs. Carolina matchup seems slightly better with Andy Dalton taking over as the Panthers’ quarterback, the bar for quality was already set pretty low.
Moreover, fans in Munich will still have to watch Daniel Jones. How does one say “I’ve seen better quarterbacks in NFL Europa” in German?
I’m positive the NFL doesn’t intend to send their least impressive teams and matchups to European fans. Still, the league seems indifferent to the situation. With expatriates wanting a taste of home and local fans eager to experience a live game, the stadiums will fill regardless of the teams’ poor records.
So, on behalf of all Americans, I extend my apologies to the citizens of London and Munich. You all deserve far better. But hey, at least we haven’t made you sit through a game with Jerry Jones.
