Should NFL Adopt 3rd Place Game Week Before Super Bowl?

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

The best thing I can think of that would actually have both teams wanting to win and players and coaches buying in is if the winner of this 3rd place game starts the next season 1-0 while all other teams start the season 0-0. You could say the loser starts 0-1 but I think that is too harsh. 

[MJS]

Both teams would be trying to lose.

[sherpa]

The injury list for that proposed contest would be longer than a metro phone book.

Even the fans would call in sick.

 

On another note, they could call it the "Gale Sayers Bowl," you know...."I am third."

 

Oh just nevermind.

[mannc]

11 hours ago, Dr.Sack said:

I’m a big fan of soccer: World Cup, Olympics whose tournaments all have a losers bracket / 3rd place bronze game.
 

Before you drag me for saying “everyone deserves a trophy” who wouldn’t want to see a Bills v Packers game tomorrow? I’d rather watch a 3rd place game then a meaningless Pro Bowl game. 
 

One last chance to see our 2020 Bills take down MVP Rodgers would have been fantastic. 
 

This is something I think the NFL should adopt and could be much prouder of than the Pro Bowl. 

NFW

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Winner of the game gets Adam Gase and Gregg Williams as guest coaches for four games in the following season.

[CSBill]

3 hours ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

The best thing I can think of that would actually have both teams wanting to win and players and coaches buying in is if the winner of this 3rd place game starts the next season 1-0 while all other teams start the season 0-0. You could say the loser starts 0-1 but I think that is too harsh. 

 

Now we're taking. Creativity wins.

[Thurman#1]

I would watch if the Bills were in it. Otherwise no way.

 

So, I don't think it's worth doing.

1 hour ago, sherpa said:

The injury list for that proposed contest would be longer than a metro phone book.

Even the fans would call in sick.

 

On another note, they could call it the "Gale Sayers Bowl," you know...."I am third."

 

Oh just nevermind.

 

 

I suppose you could give the winner the 3rd pick next year and the loser the 4th. 

 

Even then not really worth watching.

[Rochesterfan]

5 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

That's just not true.

 

When the game starts, professional athletes play to the best of their ability.

 

And even if it was true, you can correct that by building an incentive into the game.

Winner gets an additional 2nd round pick, after everyone else in the league gets their 2nd round pick, in the subsequent draft.

 

Or something like that.

 

 

 

Have you watched the Pro-Bowl in the last 15 years - or a preseason game - heck even a week 17 game when everything is locked up.  
 

Teams and players go onto the field and give a fraction of their effort at various times now in meaningless games.  The Pro-Bowl players are notorious for only giving a small fraction of their effort.

 

Even if you give an extra draft pick - that is a disincentive for the players - that is another high pick to potentially replace a current player that is risking injury in a totally meaningless game.

 

I could see the NFL try something right up until a player blows out a knee and therefore misses the start of the next year in a 3rd place game and that leads to these players losing out on contracts and the NFLPA going WTF are you doing?

 

It is part of the reason the Pro-Bowl is dying off - we do not need another meaningless games.  If you want something to fill this week - get rid of the week off and play the Super Bowl - other than that - let it go.  I would rather see more college players practicing and getting ready for the draft than a 3rd place NFL game.

[GunnerBill]

Nope

[All_Pro_Bills]

The fundamental problem with a 3rd place game is the winner-take-all set up of professional sports.  In the NFL there's one successful team each season and 31 unsuccessful teams.  This is also true in college sports such as the structure of the NCAA Basketball tournament.  And recently the BCS for football.  Pretty much who care which team finished 3rd or 4th.  You both lost.  If you want to decide which team gets 3rd a coin toss would be enough for me.    

 

In the Olympics there's the practice of gold, silver, and bronze metals.  In college football there are dozens of post regular season bowl games but these at this point these are mostly revenue generators and an opportunity for alumni to take a trip during the holiday break.  

 

Youth sports are different in this country.  These are developmental leagues where the main objective is to train players and gain experience and proficiency at some sport.  Although you still get some over-invested parents and coaches making it out to be game 7 of the World Series with the score tied in the bottom of the 9th.  Its amazing how somebody can get so worked up over an 8 year old youth league game to the point of getting kicked off the field or out of the building.

But these are generally set up as activities to play.  As for 3rd place, who will remember?  Maybe the parents who get to drag themselves out of bed on what would otherwise be a free Saturday to drive 45 minutes or longer to some soccer field to play some game for a 3rd place trophy.

 

 

[Big Turk]

6 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

That's just not true.

 

When the game starts, professional athletes play to the best of their ability.

 

And even if it was true, you can correct that by building an incentive into the game.

Winner gets an additional 2nd round pick, after everyone else in the league gets their 2nd round pick, in the subsequent draft.

 

Or something like that.

 

 

 

How does that benefit the players?? They don't give 2 craps about a draft pick. Half of those players won't even be on the team the next year.

 

C'mon man. You are trying to do way too much glossing with this. 

[Joe Mama]

The NFL did this in the late 50's or early 60's pre super bowl era, it was called the "runner up bowl" -it stunk.

[eball]

Nope, nope, and nope.  Other than the Olympics in which third place earns a medal, this is an absolutely terrible idea.  The injury risk alone makes it a non-starter; there’s a reason why the Pro Bowl always looks like flag football.  Who the hell cares whether you finish 3rd or 4th in the NFL?

[dgrochester55]

So, lets say that this does happen and Josh Allen gets a torn ACL or achilles injury during the game.   Allen is out for part or all of next year, Buffalo is not nearly as competitive with Barkley or Fromm in 2021 and we still got destroyed by the Chiefs and missed out on a super bowl last week.   No, 100 percent no.   Not worth the risk and do not feel like the players from either losing team would be up for it.   I would much rather enjoy 2020's 13-3 season with two playoff wins for what it was and begin the hope for a super bowl next year.

Edited January 31, 2021 by dgrochester55

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Kind of off topic but I always thought the NHL should have a losers tournament for the number 1 pick. Single elimination. Winner gets #1 pick. I would watch. Loser is slotted based on regular season record. 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Buffalo_Stampede

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

10 hours ago, reddogblitz said:

 

I was going to post this too but you beat me to it.

 

I remember watching the 1965 game. Cowboys played some scrubs IIRC. not all, but some.  My Dad was not too thrilled about that.  He wanted to win. Tom Matte started at QB for the Colts due to Unitas and Cuozzo being out.  First QB to wear a wristband with the plays written on it.

 

I think it'd be awesome if the guys really played to win like a real game, but they won't.

 

Did you click on the link, was alot I didn't know about the game.  Packers were in a couple of times and Lombardi called it the S**t Bowl and is for losers,  Needless to say the Packers lost the game too, but then won the next couple of championships.  Was offically known as Bert Bell Bowl and Bell actually died while at an NFL football game.

[bigK14094]

No, it would be  just another preseason game.  Fromm or Webb would start for the Bills.

[Figster]

20 hours ago, TBBills said:

How about doing this for the first pick in the draft?

 

Why does this idea sound intriguing to me? I'll tell you why. Rewarding teams for doing bad ends up putting elite players on poorly managed football teams IMO. Why not reward the better managed teams the one player that gets them over the top.Creme of the crop going to cellar dwellers I think in many instances is a miss use of the worlds best athletes coming out of college IMO.

 

Generally speaking, the Idea of rewarding well managed teams with better players has merit in my humble opinion. 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Figster

[reddogblitz]

4 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Did you click on the link, was alot I didn't know about the game.  Packers were in a couple of times and Lombardi called it the S**t Bowl and is for losers,  Needless to say the Packers lost the game too, but then won the next couple of championships.  Was offically known as Bert Bell Bowl and Bell actually died while at an NFL football game.

 

I looked at the link before I saw your post.  I knew they used to have it cuz I watched it 😁.

 

As you pointed out, the players weren't into it and suspect today's players definitely would not be.

[Mat68]

No.  I feel this way about the NBA and now NFL.  I dont believe the NFLPA would approve it, but the week before the Finals in the NBA and week before the Superbowl the 2 worst teams play the winner get the top pick.  New coaches coach, players on a bad team get a soild amount of pub they dont get.  Maybe helps FA or a way to flash for the new coaching staff. 

 

Pay em what guys make in the probowl.   Winning team makes more than losing team.  Coaches included. This does away with the probowl game.  The pro bowlers are all honored before the game.  The 2 superbowl teams are honored at half time.  This year Jets vs Jaguars for Lawerance.  Heck Meyer on the sidelines or in the box with Kahn?  Pay the coaches ike the players.  Could be 2 lame duck coaches.  Would be wild.