corta765 Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 One of the things that I think we all could agree on as fans of football in general is the fact sometimes the playoff situation gets semi unfair when a team that is 9-7 or even 8-8/7-9 wins their division yet a team can be 10-6 or 11-5 and miss. Additionally because of the divisional structure its impossible for wildcard teams to get a home game. To me the current structure really limits competition minus for the division crown which many seasons is already decided. The schedule also is weighted in a way that a team could potentially host an fellow AFC outer divisional foe only once over the course of 6 years. Here is my proposal: A return to two divisions to each conference that look like this: AFC EAST: NE, BUF, MIA, NYJ, CLE, PIT, BAL, & CIN AFC WEST: KC, LAC, OAK, DEN, TEN, HOU, IND, & JAX NFC EAST: DAL, NYG, PHI, WAS, DET, GB, CHI, MIN NFC WEST: NOLA, CAR, TB, ATL, LAR, SEA, SF, & ARZ Playoff wise division winners are guaranteed a home game but best record determines home field so if the 2nd place team in the AFC East has a higher record then the top in the AFC West they are the 2nd seed and get the 1st round bye. The first round would allow wild card teams the ability to host playoff games again and create a far greater want to win every game and not rest players week 17 so you can secure a home game. Schedule wise I still would want to keep an element of historical rivalries with the current divisions, but teams would play 75% of conference every year as opposed to the current format where a team only plays 66%. It would like like this using the AFC East as an example: BUF plays: NE, MIA, NYJ 1x plus 1 additional game that rotates each year ie: 2017 Bills v Pats, 2018 Bills v Phins, 2019 Bills v Jets. 4 games CLE, PIT, BAL, CIN 1x 4 games 4 games against AFC West (based off previous division structure so play either AFC West or AFC South) KC, LAC, OAK, DEN 4 games 4 games against NFC team rotating as currently structured so NOLA, CAR, TB, ATL 4 games Obviously all of the games flip if you hosted a team the last time you played you go there the next time minus the divisional rivalry game where each teams gets a home game. This schedule evens out a lot of inconsistencies where we have consecutive years of the Bills at KC or hosting CLE. Instead you still play your current division plus one additional rivalry game so you are getting home games against current rivals 2 out of 3 years. With CLE, PIT, BAL, CIN we are home every other year and that increases rivalries with all of those cities. My favorite part is instead of having to wait potentially 6 years to host OAK at home it trims the time down to 4 years. To me this would be simplest solution to create a far more balanced and fair conference while keeping and creating some new rivalries. I know some fans who would say flip MIA with IND or who think four divisions are fine but the playoff alignment just needs to be adjusted, this is just in my eyes the best solution and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Bangarang Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 Get rid of the divisions. Have an AFC and NFC conference only. The schedule consists of playing the 15 teams from the conference and 1 non conference game. The top 6 teams from each conference make the playoffs.
Real McClappy Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 13 minutes ago, Bangarang said: Get rid of the divisions. Have an AFC and NFC conference only. The schedule consists of playing the 15 teams from the conference and 1 non conference game. The top 6 teams from each conference make the playoffs. Both ideas are great but I prefer this one.
corta765 Posted November 22, 2017 Author Posted November 22, 2017 21 minutes ago, Bangarang said: Get rid of the divisions. Have an AFC and NFC conference only. The schedule consists of playing the 15 teams from the conference and 1 non conference game. The top 6 teams from each conference make the playoffs. This isn't bad although playing the NFC once a year really blows because it means my chance to see the Packers Eagles etc.. at home comes down to once every 32 years. That is why I would keep the four NFC games and play 75% of the AFC. But if you don't care about the NFC games the idea of just conferences straight up is pretty neat.
rant_and_go_returns Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 I would like to see more teams in the playoffs, with a wild card round that starts in overtime. Last place in the division is out. Division winners get a bye. Then if you need more parity, 1st round of the draft is last placed teams only.
BillsFanMike Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 Great topic. I like the idea of having two divisions per conference. I think this would level the playing field. It would take away from the powerhouse teams winning their division every year. (Patriots) And we would probably see more teams make the playoffs that don't usually get in. I love the idea of best record gets to the playoffs instead of a 8-8 team winning their division and getting to the playoffs and a 9-7 or 10-6 team missing out because they didn't win their division.
corta765 Posted November 22, 2017 Author Posted November 22, 2017 4 minutes ago, BillsFanMike said: Great topic. I like the idea of having two divisions per conference. I think this would level the playing field. It would take away from the powerhouse teams winning their division every year. (Patriots) And we would probably see more teams make the playoffs that don't usually get in. I love the idea of best record gets to the playoffs instead of a 8-8 team winning their division and getting to the playoffs and a 9-7 or 10-6 team missing out because they didn't win their division. I am not sure if it would take away from powerhouse teams, Pittsburgh and NE would both I think still be close to what they are at now in my division structure especially because NE would play CLE/CIN who are both weak and PIT would be playing us, MIA, & NYJ. I think this would eliminate the years you have teams that go 11-5 but play a incredibly weak schedule and truly even out the best of the best. 1
MDH Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 55 minutes ago, Bangarang said: Get rid of the divisions. Have an AFC and NFC conference only. The schedule consists of playing the 15 teams from the conference and 1 non conference game. The top 6 teams from each conference make the playoffs. Yeah, I've preferred this idea for years. Your out of conference opponent would be the one that finished in the same position in the other conference.
Utah John Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 These are interesting ideas that won't go anywhere in the hidebound NFL, unless the league's masters at CBS and Fox tell them to do this. My point is that you can usually tell when Bills fans recognize another year has slipped away, when their focus turns from the Bills to other topics like this one. Not blaming anyone or criticizing, but this seems to happen every year.
Steptide Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 I say keep everything as is and just expand the playoffs to 14 teams with 3 wildcard teams in each conference
RoyBatty is alive Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 Conceptually i like it but practically you have too disperse geographically, esp the NFC "West" you are going to have Carolina & Atl & tb playing AZ, SEA and LA? Tampa Bay to Seattle, that is brutal.
corta765 Posted November 22, 2017 Author Posted November 22, 2017 4 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said: Conceptually i like it but practically you have too disperse geographically, esp the NFC "West" you are going to have Carolina & Atl & tb playing AZ, SEA and LA? Tampa Bay to Seattle, that is brutal. Its one game a year, teams already have to do that yearly, and as is you already have division situations where NYG go to Dallas, JAX to HOU, KC to OAK/LAC etc.. Not disagreeing there isn't some faults but the problem I kept finding is when you start moving teams to fix the geographic situation DAL loses their rivalries with NYG/DAL/PHI, MIA loses theirs with BUF/NYJ etc.. something that would never fly to start with even though on paper it makes more sense to have DAL in the NFC West and TB in the NFC East.
Heavy Kevi Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 I think if you are going to do realignments or scheduling changes they should apply some of the spirit of the newer NHL scheduling, where every team plays in every arena, every year. Obviously thats not possible because we don't have 82 games in the NFL, but they should put emphasis on getting teams into all the other stadiums as often as possible. Could create new rivalries and bring fans in to see their favorite team, in their hometown, even if their team isn't from there.
corta765 Posted November 22, 2017 Author Posted November 22, 2017 15 minutes ago, Steptide said: I say keep everything as is and just expand the playoffs to 14 teams with 3 wildcard teams in each conference I would at least like to see Wildcard's having the ability again to host. I know it won't happen because for owners hosting a playoff game is big money so even winning a bad division is a reward. But I would rather see the playoffs seeded by record. I have read enough that shows with 14 teams the caliber of competition would still be fairly high most seasons and it makes the one available bye that much more important. But it seems the NFL has cooled on this a bit. Also when the NFL expanded to 6 teams per conference it did so because something like only 33% of the league was making the playoffs and they wanted it around 40%. Currently its at 37% and if they moved it to 14 teams they would get back to 43%. 1 minute ago, Shotgunner said: I think if you are going to do realignments or scheduling changes they should apply some of the spirit of the newer NHL scheduling, where every team plays in every arena, every year. Obviously thats not possible because we don't have 82 games in the NFL, but they should put emphasis on getting teams into all the other stadiums as often as possible. Could create new rivalries and bring fans in to see their favorite team, in their hometown, even if their team isn't from there. With my proposal at least in the divisions I have this would happen far more often where we would see PIT/BAL/CIN/CLE, cities that are close by where games every year and home games every other would increase the rivalry. I really do hate that because of the way the schedule was the Bills didn't get to see Big Ben or Manning that often in their primes because of the emphasis on where you placed in your conference. Obviously those games probably wouldn't have went very well haha but just as fans of the game it would've been nice to have played them more then once every 6 years at home. And Manning I don't believe played in Buffalo the last time he was with the Colts because it was a week 17 game.
PromoTheRobot Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 Or just add a third wild card and give a bye to the #1 seed only. Also let wild cards host a game of they have a better record than the division winner.
Mark Vader Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 I think everything is fine the way it is. We don't need another realignment, and the schedule rotation is great. We definitely do not need more playoff teams.
RoyBatty is alive Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 34 minutes ago, Mark Vader said: I think everything is fine the way it is. We don't need another realignment, and the schedule rotation is great. We definitely do not need more playoff teams. If we adopt the hockey model for playoffs though the drought should end quickly
rant_and_go_returns Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 31 minutes ago, Mark Vader said: I think everything is fine the way it is. We don't need another realignment, and the schedule rotation is great. We definitely do not need more playoff teams. Ratings are down, same teams always in, same teams always out. Major faults with the NFL, like how you can make money loosing and loose money winning. They need spectacles, not superstars. Instead of 8 teams in, 8 teams out. Then unleash the battle royale.
Fadingpain Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 (edited) 5 hours ago, Bangarang said: Get rid of the divisions. Have an AFC and NFC conference only. The schedule consists of playing the 15 teams from the conference and 1 non conference game. The top 6 teams from each conference make the playoffs. And then you seed the 6 teams who make the playoffs and they play each other 1 vs. 6, 2 vs. 5, 3 vs. 4. With team turnover and free agency these days, it is impossible to keep teams together and thus "divisional rivalries" don't really exist. That's the only reason to have divisions. There is no doubt the divisional system makes it easier for some teams to make the playoffs and very hard for others. You could argue the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins have it as bad as any teams in the league, being perpetually stuck in N.E.'s shadow. Other random teams in very weak divisions in given years get a free ride to the playoffs. Going to a conference/seed system eliminates all that and makes a level playing field. Edited November 22, 2017 by Fadingpain
OldTimeAFLGuy Posted November 22, 2017 Posted November 22, 2017 (edited) 4 hours ago, Utah John said: These are interesting ideas that won't go anywhere in the hidebound NFL, unless the league's masters at CBS and Fox tell them to do this. My point is that you can usually tell when Bills fans recognize another year has slipped away, when their focus turns from the Bills to other topics like this one. Not blaming anyone or criticizing, but this seems to happen every year. ....it is interesting.....especially if yu look at more teams in & more playoff games meaning more money for the greedmeisters.....and more playoff games means more TV revenues for coverage....then again, the Super Bowl ends up in June and conflicts with the Stanley Cup finals....hockey and football in JUNE....LOL............ Edited November 22, 2017 by OldTimeAFLGuy
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