My "NFL For Dummies"

As a UK-based fan of the NFL for over 20 years now, I'm increasingly aware that the number of very keen and well-informed UK fans and members of forums and Facebook groups like those for BBC Radio 5 Live and Channel 5 TV, plus others like the NFL Rants and Raves podcast show is greater than ever.

Now, I love the game and enjoy every aspect of it, but I'm feeling more than a little left behind in the raw knowledge department.

In the UK's Premier League we have, and have done for some time now, a select few big teams with well-heeled financial backers, a top-name manager and world-class squads, not to mention a long and glittering history of success. Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have consistently led the way and shared out the major honours between them, only occasionally being joined by others (Aston Villa and Manchester City, currently) who dare to threaten the quadropoly (did I just make that up?).

Who are the equivalents in the NFL? Which are the teams that would expect to do well and which are making up the numbers, or worse? Will the Oakland Raiders - my team - stop being the AFC West whipping boys any time soon and, if so, how?

Well, the NFL is a very different beast from the English Premier League. For starters, there's the Draft that happens in the closed season each April, where the top performers from College football are picked by the NFL teams to add to their roster of players. The key point here is that the teams with the worst record from the previous season pick first so that the weaker squads get the chance to bring in good new players, so providing their scouting is accurate and they bid wisely, they should be in a position to benefit. A good rookie Quarterback or a speedy young running back with safe hands could make all the difference to a struggling franchise.

Then there are the owners - hugely powerful individuals (corporate ownership is not allowed) who can be involved to greater or lesser degrees in all decision-making, with varying levels of success and therefore popularity.

The format of the league itself is pretty complicated. There are two Conferences - the AFC and the NFC - each split into four roughly geographical Divisions - North, South, East and West. Play-off games are played between the divisional winners and the best-placed runners-up in a mini group format to decide the overall Conference champions. These two teams then play in the Superbowl to become NFL champions.

Statistically-speaking, the big three, if you like, are;

• the Green Bay Packers (3 Superbowls, 12 Championships - twice with 3 successive Championships, 12 Conference championships)
• the Chicago Bears (1 Superbowl, 9 Championships - twice with 2 successive Championships, 21 Conference championships)
• the New York Giants (3 Superbowls, 7 Championships, 21 Conference championships)
  

These are also, along with the Arizona Cardinals, the oldest surviving NFL franchises. However, past glory is certainly no guarantee of present-day success. The lower leagues in English football are full of once-proud names that are now almost forgotten; Blackpool, Preston North End, Sheffield United, even "big" clubs like Leeds United and Newcastle United who, whilst far from forgotten, are no longer part of the elite of the game.

The last 10 years of the NFL have seen 3 Superbowls for the New England Patriots (2001, 2003-4), 2 for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2005, 2008) and 13 other different teams reaching or winning the Superbowl.

On current form the strongest teams would have to be the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Indiannapolis Colts, the San Diego Chargers, the Minnesota Vikings, the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints. After two Superbowl wins in the last 4 years, the Steelers had an average year with a 9-7 record. The Rams, Lions and Buccaneers were this season's strugglers.

As far as star players is concerned, out of a squad of 45-ish players, the big names are the Quarterback, the running backs and the wide receivers.

The big Quarterbacks are Peyton Manning (Colts), Drew Brees (Saints), Aaron Rogers (Packers), Tom Brady (Patriots), Philip Rivers (Chargers) and the evergreen Bret Favre (Vikings), still going strong at 40 despite his move from Green Bay to Minnesota.

The top Running Backs are LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Steven Jackson (Rams), Brian Westbrook (Eagles), Marion Barber (Cowboys) and Marshawn Lynch (Bills).

The best Wide Receivers are Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Andre Johnson (Texans), Randy Moss (Patriots), Reggie Wayne (Colts), Steve Smith (Panthers) and Anquan Boldin (Cardinals).

The main names as Head Coach are probably Bill Belichick (Patriots), Mike Tomlin (Steelers) and Tom Coughlin (Giants).

So, putting this all together, what do we get? Well, at the time of writing, we have yet to play this year's Conference games or the Superbowl, but the Jets play the Colts and the Vikings play the Saints to sort that out, and of these four the last Superbowl appearance was by the Colts who won in 2006. The Colts and the Saints would seem to be favourites for the Superbowl on current form, but the sentimental and the neutral may well hope the Vikings can win for Favre. However, at this end of the season injuries, fatigue and on-the-day tactics will all play a part as well as form and desire.

Remember, almost as soon as this season is done and dusted, the process of drafting new, young, keen college players begins, plus coaches and players out-of-contract (free agents) might well move around as well (some have already - Tom Cable's position at Oakland is not secure and Chan Gailey is new HC of the Bills) and the balance may yet change for next season.

That's just my assessment, but what do I know..?