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Fixing NFL Divisional Structure


corta765

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With the talk of a possible London team and many proposals for divisional changes I wanted to explain an idea I had which in my eyes would completely balance the league and the playoffs. It looks like this:

 

AFC East: BUF, NE, MIA, NYJ, PIT, CIN, CLE, BAL

AFC West: KC, OAK, DEN, LAC, IND, HOU, TEN, JAX

NFC East: PHI, DAL, NYG, WAS, ATL, TB, CAR, NOLA

NFC West: SEA, ARZ, LAR, SF, DET, GB, MIN, CHI

 

Schedule wise it works like this you play everyone in your division once with a single additional game against your former division rival (aka BUF would play NE, MIA, NYJ on a rotating basis). Then you would crossover against the other division playing four of the teams there and the next season playing the four you didn't. And with the NFC we would do it the same way the NFL does with four team a year rotating.

 

For the playoffs division winners are guaranteed homefield, but the top two records get the bye. So potentially the top two teams in each conference could be from the same division.

 

Here are the advantages:

-Far more balanced schedule where you play 75% of your conference yearly

-Better chance for bigger matchups on a more routine basis

-Playoffs would finally allow wildcards to host playoff games again

-You would never see an 8-8 7-9 division champion again

-Rivalries would be created with Buffalo playing close foes like PIT and CLE yearly and same for other matchups

 

It looks like if a team moves to London it probably is coming from the AFC. If the Jags or Chargers move you would just switch MIA into their place. Probably not the fairest thing for the Phins but that is a casualty of the NFL's obsession to go to London.

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I would get rid of divisions all together and just have 2 conferences. You play everyone in your conference once and 1 team from the opposing conference. The top 6 records from each conference make the playoffs. 
 

No more nonsense of having teams with better records being a WC team.

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Just now, Bangarang said:

I would get rid of divisions all together and just have 2 conferences. You play everyone in your conference once and 1 team from the opposing conference. The top 6 records from each conference make the playoffs. 
 

No more nonsense of having teams with better records being a WC team.

 

The NFL would never approve killing the NFC crossover game down to just 1. You see the ratings when Brady plays Rodgers etc.. that won't ever be stopped.

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4 minutes ago, Bangarang said:

I would get rid of divisions all together and just have 2 conferences. You play everyone in your conference once and 1 team from the opposing conference. The top 6 records from each conference make the playoffs. 
 

No more nonsense of having teams with better records being a WC team.

 

Stop making sense.........

 

Image result for stop making sense gif

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2 minutes ago, Bangarang said:


They can still have that in my scenario.

 

I just can't see the NFL eliminating divisions I think they like the rivalries they make and for owners they like the guarantee of revenue it brings knowing they get a home game in the playoffs. I actually do agree with your proposal though of no divisions just conference.

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I think the league should re-align to have divisions that make sense.

 

AFC EAST:
Buff
NE
NYJ
BAL
 
AFC SOUTH:
MIAMI
HOUSTON
TENN
JACKSONVILLE
 
AFC NORTH:
INDI
CLE
PITT
CINCI
 
AFC WEST:
RAIDERS
BRONCOS
CHIEFS
CHARGERS
 
NFC EAST:
GIANTS
PHILI
WASHINGTON
CAROLINA
 
NFC SOUTH: 
ATLANTA
NO
DALLAS
TAMPA
 
NFC NORTH:
CHI
MIN
GB
DET
 
NFC WEST:
SF
ARI
SEA
RAMS

 

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not a hope home-and-home is removed from divisions

 

pro sports love this FANTASY of a rivalry in their marketing tools

 

there aren't that many anymore, and the NHL deprived us of Montreal/Toronto in the playoffs for 40 years now, one of the few serious pro rivalries that exist.... :(

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Bangarang said:


They can still have that in my scenario.

Once every 16 years? lol

 

Great players' entire careers would go by before they got a chance to play each other.

1 hour ago, Bongo said:

I would move Buffalo to AFC North and Baltimore to AFC East. East is 4 teams on the Eastern coast. North are 4 teams all within a pretty tight Northern geography circle.

Yes, the division that makes the most sense is Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Cincinatti.

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3 minutes ago, wagon127 said:

Television does, and that's where the NFL gets all their money.

 

and the sugarbaby division is the NFC East, they sacrifice nightly to get Washington back in contention to show even more Prime Time games

 

 

Edited by row_33
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36 minutes ago, wagon127 said:

Television does, and that's where the NFL gets all their money.


I guess this is why we see Rodgers and Brady every Sunday night on prime time...

 

Its all a moot point because it’ll never happen but the NFL can still have big names to pick from to put on prime time.

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2 minutes ago, Bangarang said:


I guess this is why we see Rodgers and Brady every Sunday night on prime time...

 

Its all a moot point because it’ll never happen but the NFL can still have big names to pick from to put on prime time.

There's quite the difference between once every 4 years, vs. once every 16 years. But please, keep exaggerating to further emphasize your point.

Edited by wagon127
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Tbh, im pretty bored with the current format and facing the same 3 teams for 3/8ths of every single season.

 

I hold very little animosity or care about the dolphins and jets, other than me hating nyc sports teams.  I hate new england, but that would be regardless of division.  

Edited by May Day 10
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7 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

Tbh, im pretty bored with the current format and facing the same 3 teams for 3/8ths of every single season.

 

I hold very little animosity or care about the dolphins and jets, other than me hating nyc sports teams.  I hate new england, but that would be regardless of division.  

 

been awhile since the Bills and Fish played and it mattered

 

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