Any realistic adjustments the NFL can make (or is making?) at this point so they're more NBA than MLB or are we good/screwed??

[transplantbillsfan]

I'm more and more pessimistic about this season every day.

 

Frustrating because the NBA is doing a great job. And while it's a little weird, the product looks pretty good.

 

MLB looks like it's on a fast downward spiral to the season being canceled.

 

Obviously with the NBA having a MUCH smaller league than any other major sport makes the bubble option viable.

 

But the NFL does have the benefit of going last.

 

As of this moment players supposedly have reported, but Training Camps really don't begin for a couple weeks.

 

So what can the NFL do to make this season start on time and make it all the way to the Super Bowl with only minor hiccups along the way? Is it even possible? Any reports on the NFL already adjusting in the midst of the other major sports league's successes and failures?

[Warcodered]

I mean if you're not going to bubble your going to get more cases your system has to be prepared for that. Also makes sure all the teams are taking this ***** seriously. It's also just different for football with baseball they're playing so many games.

[RiotAct]

doomed

[Rc2catch]

I can’t see anyways they can do this without the “bubble” 

Just too many players to monitor. NBA has tiny rosters and is easier to maintain. 
NFL just has no shot to constantly monitor this with so many players. 
I hate hate hate the idea of the season dying but it’s a matter of when, not if. 

[Augie]

The rosters and the staffs are so much bigger than the NBA I don’t see any way they could ever effectively “bubble” even if they were willing. The NBA “bubbles” in one resort in one city where they play all the games. Not an option for the NFL. They are going to try to play, but I don’t think there is much of a chance they can get thru a full season. 

 

 

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Edited August 2, 2020 by Augie

[SCBills]

NFL teams playing one team/one game per week is a massive difference between them and MLB.  
 

If the players, coaches and organizations take this seriously, they should be ok.  
 

It seems there’s strict protocols in place if someone tests positive, at least for Buffalo, and id imagine league-wide.  
 

For games, I’d imagine pre-game will include mandatory testing... and if everyone in the game have all tested negative, it’s very unlikely they’ll pass it along should they test positive a couple days later for whatever reason. 
 

MLB is dealing with the worst case scenario right now and I’m sure the NFL has been examining this case study in as much detail as possible in order to avoid what happened to the Marlins, happening here.  The other teams/games affected by the Marlins recklessness is already somewhat mitigated by NFL teams only playing one game per week against one team.  

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Of all sports, the NFL seems like the best able to handle COVID. They lose people every week.

[NewEra]

Everything is roses.....

the season will go according to plan....

bills will go 17-0 and win the super bowl.

 

#lookhowfunicanbe
 

[Logic]

What I'm curious about is this:

Let's suppose the NFL marches full speed ahead with the season even in the event of multiple infection outbreaks. They've cynically indicated that there are plenty of football players without jobs who will be happy to step in if NFL regulars start dropping like flies. So let's assume that happens, the NFL says "damn the torpedoes!" and just keeps playing games, with an eye on playing a full season because, ya know, money.

How good and worthwhile will the product be if, for example, a team missing a bunch of key players due to COVID plays a team ALSO missing a bunch of key players due to COVID. And that's ON TOP of whoever will be missing due to regular football-related injuries. As an example, let's say it's the Bills (already without starting NT Star Lotulelei due to opt out) minus Josh Allen, Mitch Morse, Quinton Spain, Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, Taron Johnson, and Josh Norman vs the Chiefs (already without a starting guard and running back due to opt out) minus Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mecole Hardman, Sammy Watkins, Juan Thornhill, Chris Jones, and, hell, Andy Reid. Is that a game you even want to watch? Are the final records of teams who lose this many players (and possibly coaches) to infection even reflective of the quality of those teams to begin with? Would a championship won during such a season even really be worth much?

It's either going to be a very short season, forced to shut down because of too many outbreaks, or if it IS a full season, it's going to be a very watered down level of play. Either way, it's not good.

[BullBuchanan]

Is there something they could do? Yes.
Is there anything else they will do? Probably not.

I'm not sure what the numbers look like for people who have completely self-quarantined with no person to person contact outside their household, but we've done it. I think in lieu of an official bubble, if everyone bubbled inside their own homes, it would drastically reduce the possibility of someone getting infected. Is it realistic that all of these kids will make responsible life choices? Probably not. 

[BillsPride12]

8 minutes ago, Logic said:

What I'm curious about is this:

Let's suppose the NFL marches full speed ahead with the season even in the event of multiple infection outbreaks. They've cynically indicated that there are plenty of football players without jobs who will be happy to step in if NFL regulars start dropping like flies. So let's assume that happens, the NFL says "damn the torpedoes!" and just keeps playing games, with an eye on playing a full season because, ya know, money.

How good and worthwhile will the product be if, for example, a team missing a bunch of key players due to COVID plays a team ALSO missing a bunch of key players due to COVID. And that's ON TOP of whoever will be missing due to regular football-related injuries. As an example, let's say it's the Bills (already without starting NT Star Lotulelei due to opt out) minus Josh Allen, Mitch Morse, Quinton Spain, Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, Taron Johnson, and Josh Norman vs the Chiefs (already without a starting guard and running back due to opt out) minus Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mecole Hardman, Sammy Watkins, Juan Thornhill, Chris Jones, and, hell, Andy Reid. Is that a game you even want to watch? Are the final records of teams who lose this many players (and possibly coaches) to infection even reflective of the quality of those teams to begin with? Would a championship won during such a season even really be worth much?

It's either going to be a very short season, forced to shut down because of too many outbreaks, or if it IS a full season, it's going to be a very watered down level of play. Either way, it's not good.

I've been saying from the beginning at the very BEST case scenario we are going to see an ugly football season with a garbage product on the field.  That is the absolute best case, but I'm still not convinced there will be a complete season yet either.  I am at a point where I think it will at least kick off

[Logic]

3 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

I've been saying from the beginning at the very BEST case scenario we are going to see an ugly football season with a garbage product on the field.  That is the absolute best case, but I'm still not convinced there will be a complete season yet either.  I am at a point where I think it will at least kick off

Agreed.

And for me personally, a championship won during a year without fans in the stands and with multiple squads decimated by infection from a deadly pandemic wouldn't be very satisfying. I know others disagree, but that's how I feel.

Would people really be happy about the Bills winning their first ever Lombardi during a season in which a deadly pandemic ravages league rosters, street free agents face off with vanilla playbooks, and no fans are there to celebrate? To whom does that sound like a worthwhile endeavor?

[Warcodered]

1 minute ago, Logic said:

Agreed.

And for me personally, a championship won during a year without fans in the stands and with multiple squads decimated by infection from a deadly pandemic wouldn't be very satisfying. I know others disagree, but that's how I feel.

Would people really be happy about the Bills winning their first ever Lombardi during a season in which a deadly pandemic ravages league rosters, street free agents face off with vanilla playbooks, and no fans are there to celebrate? To whom does that sound like a worthwhile endeavor?

I mean as opposed to not winning one this year no I'd rather they win. I'd still want them to do it again in a year without this crap to shut people up but if the NFL is competing I'd want the Bills to win.

[BillsPride12]

7 minutes ago, Logic said:

Agreed.

And for me personally, a championship won during a year without fans in the stands and with multiple squads decimated by infection from a deadly pandemic wouldn't be very satisfying. I know others disagree, but that's how I feel.

Would people really be happy about the Bills winning their first ever Lombardi during a season in which a deadly pandemic ravages league rosters, street free agents face off with vanilla playbooks, and no fans are there to celebrate? To whom does that sound like a worthwhile endeavor?

I'm with you 100%.  What is the point of winning our first title if we couldn't have a Parade and celebrate it and no home playoff games where fans can attend and enjoy the atmosphere.  Very sad situation all the way around.  I think there are still a lot of fans in denial at how lame this season is going to turn out either way.

[Logic]

4 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

I mean as opposed to not winning one this year no I'd rather they win. I'd still want them to do it again in a year without this crap to shut people up but if the NFL is competing I'd want the Bills to win.

Well sure, if the season goes all the way through a championship game, it's better that they win than not win. 

But if we're talking about the level of satisfaction derived from a Lombardi won during a COVID-affected season vs the satisfaction derived from a Lombardi won during a normal season, it's not even close, right? It certainly isn't for me.

[y2zipper]

I'm not as pessimistic on MLB and I think ultimately baseball will make it, but I don't think every team will play exactly 60 games. The league manages postponements and cancellations of games due to weather a lot. Postponing a team because of positive tests and shuffling games around is going to happen but I think MLB makes it through the regular year and that teams will take it more seriously now that there's been an outbreak.

 

NBA is in a bubble right now and showing that model to work. It'll be more interesting to see how NBA handles next year with more teams coming in given that this season is going to finish into next season.

 

The NFL has the luxury of going "Next Man Up" provided that a bunch of starting quarterbacks don't test positive. The harder adjust for the NFL is what happens if they have to cancel or postpone a game because of an outbreak with games only played once per week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BullBuchanan]

12 minutes ago, Logic said:

Well sure, if the season goes all the way through a championship game, it's better that they win than not win. 

But if we're talking about the level of satisfaction derived from a Lombardi won during a COVID-affected season vs the satisfaction derived from a Lombardi won during a normal season, it's not even close, right? It certainly isn't for me.

Whoever wins championships this year across all the leagues (assuming football is somehow affected) is going to be marred by an asterisk forever.

[BillsPride12]

17 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

Whoever wins championships this year across all the leagues (assuming football is somehow affected) is going to be marred by an asterisk forever.

Exactly.  I get that they need to play games from a business standpoint because of the money.  But from a fans standpoint, what's the point?

[BullBuchanan]

1 minute ago, BillsPride12 said:

Exactly.  I get that they need to play games from a business standpoint because of the money.  But from a fans standpoint, what's the point?

I'm already dreading the expanded playoff format this year and the inclusion of a likely 17th regular season game next year. They are effectively starting the league over and tossing out the record books. Comparisons of teams and players is now going to require an annoying amount of math PLUS perspective on how the structure impacts the league as a whole. It's really shortsighted in my opinion.

[SCBills]

49 minutes ago, Logic said:

Agreed.

And for me personally, a championship won during a year without fans in the stands and with multiple squads decimated by infection from a deadly pandemic wouldn't be very satisfying. I know others disagree, but that's how I feel.

Would people really be happy about the Bills winning their first ever Lombardi during a season in which a deadly pandemic ravages league rosters, street free agents face off with vanilla playbooks, and no fans are there to celebrate? To whom does that sound like a worthwhile endeavor?

You’re assuming rosters are all ravaged.  So far we’ve had some opt-outs, but a very small amount and no players that really move the needle.  
 

Will the Lakers, Clippers, Celtics or Bucks not count their ring because it’s in a bubble?  
 

If MLB gets its act together and the Yankees roll through, are they not going to claim it?

 

Personally, this is why I love Beanes approach of year after year success and not just loading up for one year at all costs.   If Allen improves, we’re set for a long while and that’s all that matters to me.... SB trophy or not. 
 

Might fall apart and the season might play out great.  Hard to envision anything right now.... but people worried about the NBA bubble and it’s been absolutely phenomenal. 
 

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by SCBills