In September, there were 32, by the turn of the year there were 12, and now, with only three weeks until SuperBowl LIV, there are just eight remaining NFL franchises battling it out for one of sport’s greatest prizes.

In what has been the NFL’s 100th season, it has certainly been a year worthy of celebration. With an off season dominated by Antonio Brown and his antics, becoming public enemy number one and rubbing up more teams than was previously thought possible, we then said goodbye to Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Andrew Luck who retired at just 29 years of age, and Colin Kaeperneck continued to dominate headlines despite being out of work. During the season itself, multiple teams proved the bookmakers wrong, with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns all failing to make the play-offs.

Last weekend’s wildcard round provided some shocks. Huge favourites New England Patriots lost to massive underdogs Tennessee Titans 20-13. This is the first time in four years the Patriots will not play in the Super Bowl, and the first time they have failed to reach the Divisional round of the playoffs since 2009. The Titans are still the least favourites to win the Super Bowl, let alone reach it. They play away to the Baltimore Ravens and are 33/10 to clinch the victory this Saturday. The Ravens meanwhile are the in form team and this is illustrated by their odds, they are 2/9 to win this weekend and 2/1 to become Super Bowl champions next month.

Staying in the AFC, with perhaps the fixture of the divisional round, AFC South Champions Houston Texans travel to no. 2 seed the Kansas City Chiefs, pitting Deshaun Watson of the Texans up against Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, two of the best quarterbacks in the game. Despite Houston’s last gasp winner against Buffalo in their wildcard game, it is Kansas City that are the overwhelming favourites to progress to the next round at 2/9, with the Texans only 33/10 as they aim to become the first team to win at Arrowhead Field since October. The Chiefs are one of the favourites to go all the way, with odds of 7/2 to lift the famous Vince Lombardi trophy on 2nd February.

In the NFC Divisional Round games, Seattle travel to Green Bay and San Francisco play host to Minnesota. The two homes sides are the top two seeds in their conference and the bookmakers would seem to agree. The Green Bay Packers are just 1/2 to beat the Seattle Seahawks who are 8/5. This promises to be a high scoring game, with the total points being over 47 having odds of 10/11.

Perhaps the most closely contested of the weekend could be the first fixture on Saturday, the Minnesota Vikings, riding high after their upset over the New Orleans Saints, travel west to face the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings are 13/5 to win and 14/1 to come from behind at halftime. The hosts, with Jimmy Garoppolo leading the line from quarterback, are on fire. They won their first eight games of the regular season and ended it with a victory over the Seahawks just a couple of weeks ago. The 49ers are 3/10 to win and go through to the NFC Championship game, and are 10/3 to become Super Bowl champions for a sixth time.

With the Patriots being knocked out so early, the door has been swung wide open for all the other teams to win Super Bowl LIV, but the bet that could end up being a real winner is the Seattle Seahawks at 12/1 to win only their second Super Bowl. Recently buoyed by the return of fans favourite running back Marshawn Lynch, who even on a bad day strikes fear into the heart of any NFL player, the Seahawks are definitely dark horses to repeat their feats of the 2013 season. Star quarterback Russell Wilson is back in top form and the team have had their first winning season since winning the Super Bowl. They will have to beat three teams ranked higher than them, but at 12/1 they are certainly worth keeping an eye on.

The 32 Tour Card winners from the 2022 PDC Qualifying Schools will join a further 96 players as PDC professionals in 2022.

The top 64 from the PDC Order of Merit after the World Darts Championship secured their Tour Cards, with a further 28 players beginning the second year of their Tour Card and four players stepping up from the PDC's Challenge and Development Tours.

2022 PDC Qualifying Schools

UK Q School Automatic Tour Card Winners (x4): James Wilson, Darren Webster, Ross Montgomery, Josh Rock

European Q School Automatic Tour Card Winners (x4): Jose Justicia, Brian Raman, Luc Peters, Krzysztof Kciuk

UK Q School Tour Card Winners from Order of Merit (x13): Jamie Clark, Ted Evetts, Connor Scutt, Richie Burnett, Kevin Burness, Scott Waites, Nathan Rafferty, Cameron Menzies, John O'Shea, George Killington, Mickey Mansell, Nick Fullwell, Shaun Wilkinson.

European Q School Tour Card Winners from Order of Merit (x11): Mario Vandenbogaerde, Jules van Dongen, Kevin Doets, Tony Martinez, Danny Jansen, Radek Szaganski, Damian Mol, Jimmy Hendriks, Ricardo Pietreczko, Vladimir Andersen, Rowby-John Rodriguez. 

It’s not an original opinion, but I think it will be a Gerwyn Price Vs Michael van Gerwen final on the 3rd of January. The Welshman’s stumbling block will come in the form of a rejuvenated RvB , but over four sets I give him the edge on this occasion. ‘The Green Machine’ is likely to have a slightly tougher route to the final, but like many others, I do back him to win a fourth World Championship.  

Keane Barry is the one to watch for me. His second-round contest with Jonny Clayton at last year’s tournament often goes unnoticed. But with a major semi-final and another year’s experience under his belt I think he can go far... Many even a win over the reigning World Champion! 

It’s a tough call with Peter with everything going on in his personal life, which may play a part in this year’s World Championship. But as I’ve previously stated I think Keane Barry has a lot to offer and Wright is certainly vulnerable, especially in the earlier rounds.  

Steve Beaton Vs Danny van Trijp could have some real pace to it, but I’ll say Scott Williams Vs Ryan Joyce. The Northeast thrower has seen a return to form in the past couple of months and that makes him a very harsh draw for Williams, who himself, has had an excellent year. I’m not sure which way it will go, but I can see this one being a five-set thriller.  

As ever, I think there’s a bucket full of seeds that could be in trouble. Gabriel Clemens will have his hands full with either Willie O’Connor or Beau Greaves, and I’d make Alan Soutar a favourite against Daryl Gurney. But I think Mensur Suljovic may have to watch his back in his second-round match, both Mike de Decker and Jeff Smith are very capable on their day and the Austrian hasn’t hit the height in the last 18 months or so.  

For me, it’s always about seeing players we don’t see on a regular basis, which this year includes a certain Gary Anderson! The international qualifiers are always a highlight, particularly those qualified from the Asian Tour, and there’s plenty of capable throwers out there for 2023.  

BDO announce return of iconic venue
The British Darts Organisation have announced the return of an iconic venue as they stage the One80 L-Style World Masters this coming October.

After the recent departures of several high-profile names within the organisation this is welcome good news for all attached with the BDO.

The Circus Tavern will play host to one of the BDO’s premier events over the next three years, with the event also being shown on Eurosport. Having been the home of the PDC World Championships for over 20 years there is certainly darting history engraved into the walls of this great.

Billy Joe Saunders will face Shefat Isufi for the WBO Interim super middleweight title on Saturday, May 18 at The Lamex Stadium, home of Stevenage Football Club.

For Saunders, 27-0, the big night in the centre of pitch at Stevenage will represent a first professional fight on home turf in Hertfordshire, with the 29-year-old southpaw stylist hailing from nearby Hatfield. 

The former undefeated WBO middleweight titleholder will now break new territory by moving up to 168lbs and seeking to reign at a second weight class.

 His opponent is the WBO No.1 ranked Munich-based Serbian Isufi, who holds a record of 27-3-2 with 20 KOs. The 29-year-old is the holder of the WBO Intercontinental title and has made two defences of the belt he won by defeating David Zegarra via an 11th round stoppage for the vacant title in July 2017.

Isufi has previously fought for and won the IBF European title at light heavyweight, as well as the WBC Eurasia Pacific Boxing Council cruiserweight title. Isufi is undefeated as a super middleweight. 

"I am very, very happy for the fight, more or less, to be taking place in my home town," said Saunders on the new venue development. "Stevenage and Hatfield is my area and I am excited to be fighting in front of my ’home’ fans and I am finally home. 

"This is my real homecoming from the time I turned pro really. 

"I know I have got great support there and I look forward to them all coming out and seeing me put on a brilliant display of boxing. I am just happy I am in this position now and Frank (promoter, Warren) has made it work. 

Saunders added: "It is good times and I reckon it will be a complete sell-out. I’ve got a lot of support in the town and it’s a bonus that Stevenage is just along the A1, which is what all my supporters will be travelling on." 

Saunders was initially set to fight for the full WBO world championship against Isufi following the planned move of the champion Gilberto Ramirez to light heavyweight. After notifying the governing body of his intention to leave the division, the Mexican later retracted his statement, although he will fight for the first time at light heavyweight on April 12 in Los Angeles. 

Saunders is unfazed by the about-turn and states that he would prefer to personally part the champion from his belt in the ring. 

"It is what it is and no problem," Saunders reasoned. "I shall fight this No.1 ranked opponent and I will be taking his spot and then I will fight Ramirez after. Let’s get that fight going on. 

"If he moves up I would become world champion but I don’t want to win it that way because I want to beat the champion.

 "It is all good vibes from me, I am willing to fight anybody in the super middleweight or middleweight category and put on a masterful display." 

Promoter Frank Warren added: "I am delighted to be returning Bill to his home patch for what is a significant development in his career.

"Moving up to super middleweight opens up all sort of doors for future fights, the massive fights he craved at middleweight where his willingness to fight the other champions was not reciprocated. 

"Bill has operated at middleweight for a long time now and reached the top, so we both now believe the time is right to expand his horizons and move up a weight. 

"If he is successful against Isufi - and we are not underestimating the threat he poses - Bill will either become world champion or fight Ramirez for the title should he stick around at super middleweight. 

"Stevenage is new territory for us and I am looking forward to breaking new ground. I am sure the local fans will come out in numbers to support their local man as Bill enters this next phase of his career."