The 7 Best NFL Performances In London

Football in London is not an uncommon sight. The city is home to 12 professional football teams, so fans in the city have no shortage of players to root for and games to watch. It’s a huge part of the culture there.

American football, however, is a much scarcer and foreign commodity—although it’s becoming increasingly common. The NFL will play four games in London for the first time ever this season, representing yet another increase in the League’s footprint in a city where soccer (or, as they say, football) reigns supreme.

What started with one game at Wembley Stadium in 2007 has now become a larger fixture at Wembley Stadium—where the League reports solid ticket sales and fan interest in the games. The League is clearly interested in having a presence in the country, leading to speculation that there could be an NFL team across the pond some day.

Week 3 kicks off the NFL’s International Series, with the Ravens and Jaguars facing off at 9:30 a.m. eastern time this Sunday—you can catch that game streaming live right here on Complex. The International Series includes three more games in London, and another game in Mexico later this year. In honor of the NFL heading across the pond, let’s take a look back at the seven best individual performances on the field in London:

Now there’s a name you probably haven’t heard in a while.

The former Giants running back emerged as the star of the first-ever NFL game in London, rushing for 131 yards on 23 carries on the day in a 13-10 Giants win over the Dolphins. Jacobs bailed out a struggling Eli Manning that day, as Manning was just 8-for-22 passing for 59 yards.

This London game bore special significance, as it was the first time that Drew Brees ever faced the Chargers—his old team.

And he let the Chargers know they made a mistake by letting him leave with a truly elite performance. Brees was 30-for-41 passing with 339 yards and 3 TDs, lifting the Saints to a 37-32 win. This stands as the best quarterback performance in the history of London games.

The then-Jets running back has the best game of his NFL career against the Dolphins in 2015, rushing for 166 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. The 166 yards were the most Ivory has ever had, and the most by a running back in a London game, and this output helped the Jets to a 27-14 win.

Collins put himself on the map as an elite talent last season, and he had arguably his greatest game across the pond against the Rams. Collins had eight tackles and two interceptions—including one pick-six. That returned TD turned out to be the difference in the game, as the Giants won 17-10.

When Tate went to London, he put up numbers that one might expect from his old teammate Calvin Johnson. The Pro Bowl receiver caught seven passes for 151 yards and a touchdown that Sunday as the Lions narrowly beat the Falcons, 22-21. Tate led the team in receptions and yards—accounting for nearly half of Matt Stafford’s 325 passing yards.

Dez had plenty of opportunities to throw up the X in this one. Bryant caught six passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars in London in 2014.

This performance included a 68-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Bryant, making for a highlight-reel day in London. Bryant’s 158 receiving yards remain the second-most he’s ever had in his seven-year career.

The Bears beat the Bucs in London by a score of 24-18—and this was thanks almost entirely to Matt Forte. Forte rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, and also threw in 38 receiving yards. Overall, he accounted for 183 of the Bears’ 395 yards of offense—about 46 percent of all of the team’s yards. This game represented Forte at his best: A potent running back capable of making big plays out of the backfield and in the passing game.