18 game schedule

I'm sure most off you have heard that the league is talking about eliminating 2 preseason games and adding 2 regular season games under the next CBA. They want this because it adds revenue. The players union is against it because of the safety issues of players playing 2 additional games. Most fans believe that losing 2 preseason games will make it more difficult for UDFAs to show their worth. May I offer a solution that addresses all of these issues?

Keep the 4 preseason games and go with 18 regular season games. Every player must be inactive for at least 2 games between weeks 3 and 15. This would force teams to carry an additional punter and kicker on the roster or practice squad so the practice squad and/or roster would have to be increased. Eliminate the bye week since each player gets 2 bye weeks. Play the Super Bowl 1 week after the Conference Championship Games. This allows the SB to be played on the same dates it would otherwise be played.

This should give the teams the additional revenue while protecting player safety. Coaches would have to decide which games to deactivate key players, giving us fans yet another reason to critisize the coaching staff on sites like steelersfans.com. the additional roster spots enable more players that are on the roster bubble to make a team, which in turn gives the union more dues paying members.

I don't pretend to be the smartest guy in the world (though definitely in the top 10) but this seems like a workable solution to me. Does anyone else see this as an answer?

 

We are going to see some bad football early in the year. We already see fundamentals
being neglected. Border line players get screwed not enough oppurtunities to show what they got.

 

Good god I hope this never happens, no way in hell do I want to play 2 games without our starters. I get other teams will not have their starters either but that is not the answer. People pay to come and watch the stars and adding 2 game without the stars will not be good. Besides everything I am hearing is the Players Union is very strong about adding extra games for the players.

 

The mighty dollar speaks again. It happened in NCAA football to such a degree that the players should start clubs vs being student athletes in name only. I remember when their season was 10 games and a bowl, thats it. Big Ten said 10 games was enough when other conferences were becoming like NCAA basketball and having conference championships to see who wins the conference that had already been determined in the regular season. MONEY MONEY MONEY. How much is Enough? Why don't we just skip a few decades of BS and go right to 32 games or better yet, mimic a hockey season schedule.

 

There's gonna be a strike before next CBA is negotiated. NFL hasn't had a strike since the early 90's. This means the Redskins will win the Super Bowl.

Redskins win Super Bowls during strike shortened seasons.

 

How about expanding the playoffs by four teams? I'd be more for that than an increased regular season.

 

We'll see that, but we will also see more key injuries in the playoffs. No one wins when their stars are missing in the biggest games.

I really wish they would stop tinkering with the NFL, the amount of games is perfect and the playoff structure is perfect.

 

Not the worst idea I have heard.
It could work, not sure the owners and players would go for that but its an idea.
Preseason could also be 3 games as well instead of 4 or 2.
Just alternate who gets 2 at home every other year.

 

The league always brings up the 18 game season as a bargaining chip to get concessions from the union during CBA negotiations, the union will never agree to it.......

https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/nfl-18-game-season-obstacles

 

Keep it 16 games drop it to 2 or 3 pre-season games.

 

This may have some merit. Since the vets play little in all but 2 preseason games just keep 2. But let the teams have more organized scrimmages to evaluate young talent.

 

Like everybody involved isn't making enough freakin money already?

 

Fantasy football Incorporated would be seething. Sitting stars would not be profitable for the NFL.

 

I wouldn't mind an 18 game season. Zero preseason games, if your team isn't ready then tough titty. Have 2 bye weeks and none of this 3 games into the season crap.

 

How about leaving it the way it is and stop trying to make more bucks?

 

What they could do for "Player Safety" is allow teams to move players onto the roster when another player is hurt.

They don't allow them to not count a hurt starter against the 53.

Should be some kind of roster exemption to allow teams to come into the game with a healthy game day roster.

Too many times you see them having to keep a guy and bring a guy onto the roster while cutting another guy so they can make the numbers work.

Looking at teams with the most injuries the last few years, I'm seeing once they get past a certain point, it just keeps adding up.

 

This was actually being contemplated in the same breath as an 18 game season. It also includes re-seating teams based on overall records vs where they stand in their Division. This could mean that a top Division team with a poor record could miss the playoffs or be seated much lower as a Wildcard. Interesting stuff.

https://www.si.com/2014/03/27/nfl-playoff-expansion-eight-teams-per-conference

 

If a team can win it's division but not make the playoffs then why even have divisions?

 

Exactly! I remember when there were only 2 NFL conferences, East and West, and unless you finished first in either, no playoffs. They did try a consolation game for a few years for the two 2nd place finishers (Steelers lost to Detroit in one of them). Same held true for MLB for 60+ years, only two Leagues, no divisions.