The 18-Game Season

[Mr_Blizzard]

As most fans have heard by now, Roger Goodell and the NFL Team Owners are considering expanding the NFL regular season to 18 games. Link. I have not seen a specific topic dedicated to this issue, so let the discussion begin.

 

Fellow TSW contributors: what are your thoughts?

Edited December 30, 2010 by Mr_Blizzard

[KD in CA]

I think they should leave it at 16, that is plenty to sort out the good from the bad. And whatever they do, no more teams in the playoffs!

[BuffaloWings]

I think they should leave it at 16, that is plenty to sort out the good from the bad. And whatever they do, no more teams in the playoffs!

Agreed. I don't know if I'd want to suffer for two more weeks if I was a Carolina fan.

 

I think greed is taking over if they do this. They have a great product right now - why fix something that isn't broken?

[NoSaint]

Agreed. I don't know if I'd want to suffer for two more weeks if I was a Carolina fan.

 

I think greed is taking over if they do this. They have a great product right now - why fix something that isn't broken?

 

Not saying it's right but a lot of season ticket holders would say they are paying for practice sessions with the preseason games. It's frustrating to pay the same price for those - although I'm sure my seasons will jump considerably if this does pass.

[PromoTheRobot]

If they want to extend the season add a 2nd bye week and maybe add another wild card playoff team and extend the playoffs by a week. Drop a pre-season game or two as well. You can see how hard it is to get through just 16 weeks. It takes a huge toll on the players.

 

PTR

[Chandemonium]

I think they should keep it at 16 games, but if they do go to 18, I think they need to add a 2nd bye week and expand the roster to 60 players.

[Mr_Blizzard]

If they want to extend the season add a 2nd bye week and maybe add another wild card playoff team and extend the playoffs by a week. Drop a pre-season game or two as well. You can see how hard it is to get through just 16 weeks. It takes a huge toll on the players.

 

PTR

 

My opinion - 16 weeks is plenty. A team that makes the playoffs as a wild-card (if they make it to the superbowl) plays a 20 game season. If that potential goes up to 22, that's asking a LOT from the linemen, RB's and QB.

 

If they NFL wants to extend the season, add another bye-week. It may drive the fantasy football folks crazy, but it would be better for the players.

Edited December 31, 2010 by Mr_Blizzard

[bbb]

I'm wondering how many people who don't want to go to 18 games are season ticket holders? I hate paying for 2 regular season prices and then getting only 7 home games of the real season.

 

Give me 18 games - 8 home games, one in Toronto, and make me only pay one ripoff preseason game.

 

I've had season tickets for 25 years now, and there is no way I've been to more than 6 preseason games in all those years. That's a lot of wasted money!

[reddogblitz]

I think it's fine the way it is. Don't change anything. Look at how decimated most teams are due to injuries now. Add 2 more games and see what happens. I also think it will make the end of the season less dramatic as more teams will be eliminated by week 17 making those last 2 weeks a snooze fest with playoff teams plays subs and bad teams playing sub too.

 

I'm also surprised the owners want to chop pre season games. Pre season is where they make a lot of money because they don't have to pay the vets the fat pay checks and the season ticket holders still have to pay full price.

 

Also, with only 2 pre season games, when will teams get to try guys out in real "games"? When will a QB like Brian Brohm get playing time to "develop"?

 

Sounds to me like this will do more harm than good.

 

If anything, drop 1 and make the season 17 weeks and maybe add another wild card or two if you want to make the playoffs longer.

[bbb]

Do they want to make the playoffs longer? I hope not.

[Talley56]

I think the NFL needs to handle the season and playoffs the same way the College basketball should be handling the NCAA tournament: It's all fine the way it is, if it aint broke don't fix it.

[billsfan89]

Not going to happen it will shorten careers and owners love the pre-season games. Pre-season games are full price yet they don't have to pay players regular season game checks. Why change that if you are the owners.

 

Also coaches need those extra pre-season games to sort out practice squad and final roster additions and cuts. If you don't think so then why do coaches schedule more and more scrimmages each season? All in all rosters are so depleted by the end of the season adding 2 more game to the season is just going to further water down the talent pool to the point where playoff rosters are even less representative of how the teams started the season.

[reddogblitz]

Interesting, everyone seems to be against it. I wonder if the NFL has asked fans what they think of this rooster-a-mamee idea?

[jr1]

4 months is long enough for the regular season

[truth on hold]

Not in favor of 18. As a matter of fact, I'd like to see them go back to a 14 game schedule. And also lose 2 of the 4 pre season games. This game loses far too many of its stars to injuries, and I'm ready for the playoffs now.

Edited December 31, 2010 by Joe_the_6_pack

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

well at least we might see Bills games in january again

[mattsox]

I think they should leave it at 16, that is plenty to sort out the good from the bad. And whatever they do, no more teams in the playoffs!

 

Exactly. 16 is enough. I'm sick of the Greed of the owners. They are effectively killing the NFL. There are too many injuries in the game as it is. It seems like compared to the 80s, 90s there are waaaay more injuries. You're just gonna have a watered down product on the field.

 

I'm also not in favor of expanding the playoffs. I'm sick of seeing 12-4 teams losing to 8-8 teams. It's garbage. If you're 8-8 or less you should be eliminated from competition, unless you win the division. Keep the playoffs as is. No expanding!!!!

 

They also need to get rid of teams. Get rid of Jacksonville and Carolina, they both suck and barely have a fan base anymore. 30 Teams would make it more competitive. Have a retraction draft, just like the college one, but this will be drafting Pros. This would also help. Better coaches and talent on the teams. Bring back 3 divisions. East, Central and West. 5 teams per division. It was great that way.

 

My underlining point is. I'm sick of greedy owners ruining an amazing game. NFL Football is an amazing game. I hate how they keep trying to tinker with the game. No to 18 Games, Expanding the playoffs and No more Teams!!!!

[The Chief Corky]

16 games is enough. Damn if i want to see the Bills go 4-14.

Plus, it would give those old fart dullfins (1972) an even better shot of never having another team go undefeated.

[Nanker]

I'd prefer 17 games - with two preseason games.

The 17th game should be a rotating rubber match between division opponents and played out of the country.

The League is hot to put a product overseas. They should showcase the divisional rivalries - not Arizona Vs. Carolina.

 

If they do go to 18, I'd much rather see the Conference rivalries be fostered than playing more inter-conference games.

e.g., The AFCE would play the AFCC and AFCS one year, then rotate to the AFCW the next, and so on.

Keep the inter-conference games at 4. Yeesh.

[shane nelson]

All for it, with a few conditions of course. 2 game pre-season and start the season Labor Day weekend, if not the weekend before. NFL schedule maker needs to get a lot smarter. More Sept, Oct games in cold weather climate and more Nov, Dec and January games in warm weather or dome stadiums. Don't let the NFLPA fool you. Players hate training camp and it causes a large number of injuries. The 18 game schedule will not add two weeks to the players season. It will reduce 2 weeks of much hated camp. With all of the mini camps and excellent conditioning programs training camp is not needed as it was 20 years ago.