Should the league change how it schedules games?

[McMuffin]

The rash of injuries on this team and around the league in general is making the game less entertaining.  Thursday night games, overseas games, flex scheduling, and in 2021 the move to 17 games has made a naturally dangerous game even less safe for players.  Money rules everything in the NFL as owners are not ruling out an eventual move to an 18 game season.  Should the league rethink its approach to growing the game or should things stay the same?  What are your thoughts?

[Augie]

The league will go to 18 games and continue to push the envelope as long as we keep watching and they keep making more money. What they SHOULD do will never happen, and this will continue to be a game of attrition every season. 

[machine gun kelly]

8 minutes ago, Augie said:

The league will go to 18 games and continue to push the envelope as long as we keep watching and they keep making more money. What they SHOULD do will never happen, and this will continue to be a game of attrition every season. 

Augie, agreed, but when they go an 18 game schedule (probably with the new CBA), they need to adjust the game day dress to 53 out of maybe 55, and will need to have a second bye.  Obviously one earlier in the season and one later.  It will make the overall season longer, but they can continue to shave preseason games to maybe only one with some competitive practices.  It means we could be starting the NFL Season on Labor Day.  Given theSB will be deeper into February, they would have to prioritize even more the warm weather climates, or domes.

 

Besides the owners don’t care what the avg. fan thinks, just the revenue generation, and revenue streams.  It’s not like every other business on the planet doesn’t operate the same way.  There is no right and wrong in the equation, just what is most likely expected.

[McMuffin]

7 minutes ago, Augie said:

The league will go to 18 games and continue to push the envelope as long as we keep watching and they keep making more money. What they SHOULD do will never happen, and this will continue to be a game of attrition every season.

With streaming outlets now paying out big money for games there is no doubt that the league will continue on this path to create more revenue.

[Augie]

1 minute ago, machine gun kelly said:

Augie, agreed, but when they go an 18 game schedule (probably with the new CBA), they need to adjust the game day dress to 53 out of maybe 55, and will need to have a second bye.  Obviously one earlier in the season and one later.  It will make the overall season longer, but they can continue to shave preseason games to maybe only one with some competitive practices.  It means we could be starting the NFL Season on Labor Day.  Given theSB will be deeper into February, they would have to prioritize even more the warm weather climates, or domes.

 

Besides the owners don’t care what the avg. fan thinks, just the revenue generation, and revenue streams.  It’s not like every other business on the planet doesn’t operate the same way.  There is no right and wrong in the equation, just what is most likely expected.

 

You can expand the rosters to 90, but there are just not enough good football players out there. Look what happens now when we are down to our 5th CB. It’s not pretty, and that won’t change. I wouldn’t mind a 2nd bye week now. 

[mannc]

24 minutes ago, McMuffin said:

The rash of injuries on this team and around the league in general is making the game less entertaining.  Thursday night games, overseas games, flex scheduling, and in 2021 the move to 17 games has made a naturally dangerous game even less safe for players.  Money rules everything in the NFL as owners are not ruling out an eventual move to an 18 game season.  Should the league rethink its approach to growing the game or should things stay the same?  What are your thoughts?

There is no evidence that there are more injuries in Thursday games.  I do agree that the overseas games should go.

[machine gun kelly]

Just now, Augie said:

 

You can expand the rosters to 90, but there are just not enough good football players out there. Look what happens now when we are down to our 5th CB. It’s not pretty, and that won’t change. I wouldn’t mind a 2nd bye week now. 

Again agreed my friend, just guessing what they will do, not what is better. Probably.

[HappyDays]

18 minutes ago, Augie said:

The league will go to 18 games and continue to push the envelope as long as we keep watching and they keep making more money. What they SHOULD do will never happen, and this will continue to be a game of attrition every season. 

 

When they inevitably add the 18th game, I hope they do it with the addition of a 2nd bye week and ensure that teams always have a bye before their TNF game. That will more than make up for the extra game and I hope the NFLPA refuses any other compromise. 

[McMuffin]

2 minutes ago, Augie said:

You can expand the rosters to 90, but there are just not enough good football players out there. Look what happens now when we are down to our 5th CB. It’s not pretty, and that won’t change. I wouldn’t mind a 2nd bye week now. 

Agreed.  A second bye week should be added.  Or a team should not play a Sunday and Thursday game in the same week.

[BADOLBILZ]

 

They should go to 18 games with two byes and give us football all thru the sporting wasteland of February.   Otherwise it's fine, IMO.   The whining about it is usually from fans whose teams are injury prone.   The schedule wasn't an issue when this roster was young and not missing games and Thursday night wasn't a problem when McD was undefeated on Thursday nights etc..

[mannc]

1 minute ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

They should go to 18 games with two byes and give us football all thru the sporting wasteland of February.   Otherwise it's fine, IMO.   The whining about it is usually from fans whose teams are injury prone.   The schedule wasn't an issue when this roster was young and not missing games and Thursday night wasn't a problem when McD was undefeated on Thursday nights etc..

I’d like see the return of Labor Day weekend games…

[US Egg]

The NFL’s convinced they can continually “gild the lily” and everyone likes it and that their cow will never run dry. 

[Walking Tall]

Go to 18 games but give every team 3 weeks off. The NFL should shut the league down after the 5th, 10th and 15th games. All teams are off at the same time in a 21 week schedule.

Edited 1 hour ago by Walking Tall

[T.E.]

9 minutes ago, mannc said:

I’d like see the return of Labor Day weekend games…

They've got to figure a way to get the SB fall on the day before President's Day too. Or just move it to Saturday, like everyone on earth wants.

[Robert Paulson]

9 minutes ago, mannc said:

I’d like see the return of Labor Day weekend games…

Nothing like a 1 pm home opener at rich stadium knowing you had monday off!

 

[QB Bills]

What they should try to do is schedule byes around the Thursday games. No playing on 4 days rest. Only teams coming off a bye play Thursdays. As much as possible, of course. Can't have that in week 2 obviously. 

 

And they'd never do it, but it would be great to go back to 16 games. For someone who's a bit ocd when it comes to numbers, 16 is perfect.

Edited 1 hour ago by QB Bills

[BuffaloBillyG]

If the NFL could, they would schedule games 7 days a week 365 days a year. 

[ColoradoBills]

22 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

Augie, agreed, but when they go an 18 game schedule (probably with the new CBA), they need to adjust the game day dress to 53 out of maybe 55, and will need to have a second bye.  Obviously one earlier in the season and one later.  It will make the overall season longer, but they can continue to shave preseason games to maybe only one with some competitive practices.  It means we could be starting the NFL Season on Labor Day.  Given theSB will be deeper into February, they would have to prioritize even more the warm weather climates, or domes.

 

Besides the owners don’t care what the avg. fan thinks, just the revenue generation, and revenue streams.  It’s not like every other business on the planet doesn’t operate the same way.  There is no right and wrong in the equation, just what is most likely expected.

 

Going to 18 games (even with another bye) will only make things worse.  The starters don't play preseason as it is.

Cutting out preseason for more in-season games is too much for these guys.

 

Add playoffs and the total season is now pushing 7 months.  It's too violent of a sport for these guys to keep healthy.

Dressing a few more low-impact players is not going to drop the snap count for the key starters at all.

Trubisky is not going to spell Josh Allen not will any other important player.

 

All this for an extra 2 weeks when?  In the summer before Labor Day or do we play games outdoors throughout January and into February.

@Augie is right.  It's just about money and IMO it is diluting the sport.

[GunnerBill]

15 minutes ago, Walking Tall said:

Go to 18 games but give every team 3 weeks off. The NFL should shut the league down after the 5th, 10th and 15th games. All teams are off at the same time in a 21 week schedule.

 

They will never do this but I would be for it.

[Augie]

3 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

Going to 18 games (even with another bye) will only make things worse.  The starters don't play preseason as it is.

Cutting out preseason for more in-season games is too much for these guys.

 

Add playoffs and the total season is now pushing 7 months.  It's too violent of a sport for these guys to keep healthy.

Dressing a few more low-impact players is not going to drop the snap count for the key starters at all.

Trubisky is not going to spell Josh Allen not will any other important player.

 

All this for an extra 2 weeks when?  In the summer before Labor Day or do we play games outdoors throughout January and into February.

@Augie is right.  It's just about money and IMO it is diluting the sport.

 

“The human body was not meant to play this game.” I remember hearing that, and I think he had a point.