Group A

Russia: New York Jets

Winning the rights to host the 2018 World Cup was the only way this Russian squad was going to even make it into the tournament, and for the Jets, if that rule existed in the NFL, that would probably be their only way in, too. Going back to 2016, Russia has won just six out of their last 19 contests, and coincidentally enough, going back to 2016, the Jets have won just six out of their last 19 contests, as well.

Due to an unfortunate timing of veterans retiring from international play as well as injuries to some of the players they have brought in to try to replace them, Russia is anything but ready to compete at the highest level, even with some scattered talent along their roster. You could say the same for the Jets, who beyond a few proven players here and there, are really just waiting for that next wave of younger drafted players to take the reigns and form a new regime.

As for 2018, there isn’t much hope for either of these squads, who seem to have a lot of figuring out to do.

Egypt: Indianapolis Colts

Sometimes linking an NFL team with a World Cup team is just so obvious, and that’s the case with Egypt and the Indianapolis Colts.

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah (Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images)

Egypt’s entire World Cup chance revolves around their 26-year-old superstar, Mohamed Salah. There are not many African players in the continent’s history who can say they matched what Salah has been able to do in the Premier League this season, and a Ballon d’Or award (awarded to the best futbol player in Europe each year) could be in store for him yet – just the second in African history to win the award, if so. However, the big question for Salah and the World Cup isn’t of talent or production, it’s availability. He suffered a shoulder injury playing for Liverpool in the Champions League final, and he’s questionable to be available to start the tournament.

As you read that I’m sure you already began to form the connection between the impact Salah has on his steam and the impact quarterback Andrew Luck has on the Colts. Luck has been sidelined for over a year now, and simply put, the Colts go as he goes – as of late, he hasn’t played, and thus, the Colts haven’t played well.

For both Egypt and Indianapolis, they are only as good as their superstar’s availability. If they’re healthy, both can capitalize on an unstable group/division for their respective teams.

Uruguay: Los Angeles Chargers

Uruguay has had a tougher road to their qualification than they probably would have liked. They finished second in the CONMEBOL qualifiers but had to do so without their main strikers; Luis Suarez for the first four matches and Edinson Cavani for the first two -– both the team’s top two goal scorers, and one of the best forward duos in the world. But Suarez and Cavani aren’t the only duo worth boasting from this Uruguay squad. On the defensive side, they have Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez, who both play together at Atletico Madrid.

When I was thinking of an NFL team with of a defensive and offensive duo like the one Uruguay has, I couldn’t help but think of the Los Angeles Chargers. Philip Rivers and Kennan Allen represent the combination Suarez and Cavani bring to their respective teams on offense. When clicking, they’re one of the best of their competition. The same can be said on the flip side with Chargers cornerbacks Casey Hayward and Jason Verrett. Those two present chemistry much like that of Godin and Gimenez at Athletico and on Uruguay.

With a strong duo on each side and a good supporting cast of talent around them both, Uruguay and San Diego make a pair themselves.

Saudi Arabia: Buffalo Bills

Bills QB Josh Allen (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Perhaps the biggest parallel between the Buffalo Bills and the Saudi Arabian national team is that both broke their tournament droughts for the first time in a long time in 2018. For Saudi Arabia, this is their first World Cup since 2006, and for the Bills, this past postseason was their first time making the playoffs since 1999.

Another similarity between these two is that they’ve both been through a heavy rotation of coaching changes recently. With Sean McDermott now in Buffalo, the Bills are on their third head coach in four years. For Saudi Arabia, they’re on their third coach in less than a year. Lack of coaching familiarity and lack of inexperience will make sustained success tough for both of these squads. Almost none of the current players on Saudi Arabia have had even a shot at success against some of the bigger clubs, and that can now be said with Buffalo, as well, as they are about to begin molding their rookie quarterback Josh Allen.

Don’t expect too much from Buffalo or Saudi Arabia in their respective short-term futures.