NFL 2013 International Series preview

With 2012 coming to an end I'm continuing my look ahead to sporting events I'm excited about in 2013, and there isn't one I'm looking forward to more than than the chance to see my favourite NFL team playing here in the UK - but the 2013 International Series isn't just about the Pittsburgh Steelers coming to town, there is so much to be excited about.

The growing popularity of the game over here and the further ambition of the league to expand it's audience has led to us getting two games next year. We'll see some of the best players in the league in a match-up between the AFC North and NFC North in September, and then we'll get our first chance to show some support to our London Jaguars (ours for a game each year for four years at least!) in October. So, lets preview this thing...

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

Founded in 1933, then known as the Pirates, this is one of the most historic and successful franchises in the sport. Under the continued ownership of the Rooney family, one of the worst teams in the league turned into one of the best after the hiring of Chuck Noll and the most brilliant run of drafting in league history during the glorious 1970s.
The Steelers won four Super Bowls in that decade and a dynasty was born. They have remained perennial challengers ever since, with Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin both guiding the teams to rings this century to make a league record total of six Super Bowl wins.
This winning history has led to them having the third most Hall of Fame inductees of any franchise, and the most for any club founded 1933 or after. Owners Art and Dan Rooney, Head Coach Chuck Noll, and players like Terry Bradshaw, 'Mean' Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Rod Woodson and Dermontti Dawson have been recognised for the impact they had on this historic franchise and on the game as a whole.

Honours:
Super Bowl wins:           1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 2005, 2008
Conference Champions: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1995, 2005, 2008, 2010
20 Division Titles
27 Post-season appearances

Players to watch:
You have to start with 'Big' Ben Roethlisberger. This former Offensive Rookie of the Year is only bettered by Tom Brady for championship rings and is famed for his ability to extend plays, break out of tackles and complete plays that would never be drawn up on the chalkboard. Although not regarded as 'elite', Ben has shown an ability and a determination to win, despite playing behind some inconsistent offensive lines and decreasing support in the running game. Ben is supported up by a bunch of young talented fast and tricky wide receivers and an increasingly admired tight end that can do it all.
On the other side of the ball, legendary defensive coach Dick LeBeau has created one of the best units over the last decade, consistently figuring at the top of the rankings for yards and points allowed. He has been helped by two former defensive players of the year in Troy Polamalu and James Harrison.


Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings were created through a league expansion in 1961 and went on to rise through this first decade to be the best team by the end of the decade, picking up the best record and the NFL Championship in 1969. 
Like the Steelers, the 1970s was the real rise to prominence of the Vikings, built on a punishing defense and dominant D-line, earning the side the nickname "The Purple People Eaters".
The people eating line was led by Alan Page, the first defensive player to win the league MVP award in 1971. He led the team to near total dominance of their division through the decade and is one of six players to have their numbers retired by the franchise, along with legendary quarterback from the same era, Fran Tarkenton.
The good times were less frequent through the 1980s and early 1990s, until they put together one of the greatest teams not to win the Super Bowl with the 1998 team. A young Randy Moss was mentored by the outstanding Cris Carter. They set a new NFL points scoring record and scored at least 24 points in every game, but couldn't even get to the Super Bowl.
A slight decline in the 2000s has seen the signing of Brett Favre, a legend of the Vikings' divisional rival Green Bay, being the biggest headline they made. He took them to a NFC Championship game in his two years on the team.

Honours:
NFL Championship wins: 1969
Conference Champions: 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976
18 Division Titles
26 Post-season titles

Players to watch:

Adrian Peterson is probably the best running back in the game and should retire as one of the best ever. If you go to London next year to watch any one player, this is that one player. He broke all sorts of records in an outstanding rookie season in 2007, including the league record for single game rushing yards. He has backed this up ever since, leading the league in rushing in 2008 and going over 1000 yards each year until his 2011 season was seriously curtailed by injury. In 2012 he has started every game after coming back from a torn MCL and ACL that ended his 2011 campaign. The injury hasn't slowed him down as he miraculously leads the league again in rushing. He is the main event of the offense, although all-purpose Percy Harvin is an exciting threat whenever and however the ball gets in his hands.
On the defense there are some hard working and strong tackling linebackers, but the real impact player and difference maker is sack king Jared Allen. His 114 sacks is the most by any player during the time he has been in the league. He has come as close as anyone to taking Michael Strahan single season sack record. He's forced 27 fumbles, 4 safeties, 5 interceptions and a defensive TD.



Series Match-up and possible story lines:
The all-time series is tied up at 8-8, although the Steelers are on a three-game winning streak after wins in '01, '05 and '09. The most famous match-up was Super Bowl IX - The Steel Curtain vs. The Purple People Eaters, future hall of famer Terry Bradshaw vs. future hall of famer Fran Tarkenton. The Steelers won 16-6 thanks to an MVP performance from Franco Harris and a late Bradshaw TD throw.

One thing of interest looking ahead is how many of the young receiving core and promising running backs will be on the Steelers roster next year. Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Rashard Mendenhall, Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer are all out of contract for 2013 and salary cap pressures make it unlikely all will be kept. 
How well the young group of high draft picks on the Steelers O-line gel will also be an interesting factor. They will need to keep improving if they can help keep Big Ben clean and unhurt from a match-up with Jared Allen.
Another area to watch will be how well the special team coverage unit for the Steelers can contain Harvin. Both teams are capable of playing out close games, and in close games special teams can be the difference maker.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

San Francisco 49ers

The team was established in 1946, becoming the city's first major league professional sports franchise. A few division winning seasons and play-off appearances littered a largely uneventful first 30 or so years of existence, but the 49ers real history started in 1979 with the arrival of revolutionary offensive mind Bill Walsh as head coach and the drafting of Joe Montana. 
Walsh's 'West Coast offense' marshalled by Montana was supported by Dwight Clark for the first two Super Bowl wins in the firs half of the 1980s. Then Montana was given a new weapon to throw balls to in 1985, when the team traded up to take Jerry Rice in the first round of the draft. Pretty much every receiving record in the league was to fall to Rice over the next decade and more and he helped the team to three more championships - back-to-back wins in '88 and '89 under Montana and a triumph under Steve Young in 1994.
Needless to say, a number of characters from these glory years have made it to the Hall of Fame and/or had their numbers retired by the team out of respect. Their rise in the 1980s coincided with American Football getting exposure in the UK for the first time, and as a result they have a strong loyal following in the UK.
The glory years didn't continue and the franchise slumped through the noughties, but a punishing defense and functional offense saw them host the NFC Championship game in 2011 and things are looking up for the Gold Rush.

Honours:
Super Bowl wins:           1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994
Conference Champions: 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994
18 Division Titles
24 Post-season appearances

Players to watch:

The defense is the real strength of the team, lead by possibly the best pair of linebackers in the league - Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. Willis has been outstanding ever since coming into the league and has been voted the best linebacker in the league on three occasions and has been voted to the Pro-Bowl in each of his five seasons in the league. Bowman broke out in his second year, 2011, when he was second in the league for solo tackles and was voted All-Pro by the Associated Press.
Frank Gore has carried the load for the 49ers offense since stepping up in his second season, 2006. That year he broke all the franchise records and was consistent in yards per carry as well as leading the team in receptions. He has consistently broken 1000 yards, apart from his injury hit 2010 season. Although Gore still leads the offense, other players like Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree are increasingly making plays for the team, whoever the QB is.





Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags are a relative newcomer in the league compared to the other teams we'll see in 2013, but they are ours to keep for four years at least. They enjoyed a faster start to their existence than the other franchises coming to town. After coming in to the league in the 1995 expansion, they made the play-offs in four of their first five years and had the best regular season in the league in 1999.
Defeat in the 1996 AFC Championship game is as good as it has gotten so far for the Jaguars and little success followed their 14-2 1999 season. Attendances haven't been great and the spectre of relocation has loomed over the franchise in recent times, but under the new ownership their is renewed optimism and they only need to sell out seven games in Florida for the next four years because they should be getting one sell out each year at Wembley Stadium.

Honours:
2 Division titles
6 Post-season appearances

Players to watch:
The Jags have a couple of exciting receiving talents emerging in Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon, along with the rangy and skillful tight-end Marcedes Lewis, that give the team some threat in the passing game. However, the star of the show is still pint-sized running back Maurice Jones-Drew. 'MoJo' showed what he was capable of as a rookie, leading the AFC in all purpose yards from scrimmage and scoring 16 total touchdowns. He proved himself as an all-around offensive threat in his first few years in the league, and proved his toughness playing the 2010 season with a torn meniscus in his left knee. He then proved he was one of the best running backs around by leading the league in rushing yards in 2011.
Despite having some good defensive coaching talent over recent times, this is an area that doesn't really have an outstanding player in relation to the rest of the league. Rashean Mathis is the holder of all franchise defensive backs records and is joined by some other talent in the backfield. Ahead of them is hard working linebacker Paul Posluszny. 'Poz' has consistently put up high tackle numbers since joining the league after a stand out college career.

Series match-up and possible story lines:
The two sides have only met three times before, the Jags lead the series 2-1 but the 49ers won the last meeting of the sides in 2009.

The big storyline in San Fran this year is the switch of starting QB from Alex Smith to Colin Kaepernick even though Smith has been putting up career numbers and leading the team to a winning season. The switch from the conservative offense that Smith manages to the more explosive and varied game that Kaepernick brings to the table long-term will be interesting to watch. San Fran could very well be coming to London as Super Bowl champs too.

For Jacksonville, it remains to be seen what they can do in the draft for next year with this season already finished for them. Because of the beauty of the reverse order draft in the NFL, they will be looking to get a high draft pick next year - an they don't have to look further than divisional rivals the Indianapolis Colts to see how that can bring a change in fortunes one year tot he next. If they can get a quarterback that can manage the football and a player in the front seven defensively that can make impact plays, they will be a team who can at least compete.

Tickets are already on sale for both games and I've got mine booked. Can't wait. Hope anyone reading this gets theirs too and I hope to see lots of people their and maybe meet a few more UK NFL fans. Give me a shout on Twitter if you're going - @markill