Maybe unpopular opinion here on practice squads and the playoffs

[dollars 2 donuts]

OK, even in advance I know this is self serving for the Bills and Bills fans, but it doesn't change the fact that I think these are two particular right and helpful moves.

 

Allow teams to have 5-7 call ups from the practice squad in the last 2-3 weeks of the season.

 

This just in: the League makes money...a lot of it.  Additionally, we know they want to expand by at least one more game shortly.  In that instance you see the League go to a 20 week season and I would be fine with it.  However, injuries, especially late in the season, are still a problem ad especially for teams you are going to be counting on for ratings during the playoffs.  Therefore, give at least a little bit of your inventory of players (cash cows) a break.  Maybe this should just be the last two weeks of the season, but teams generally know where they are in the playoff hunt and such a move as letting more players come up give a real possible rest bit for teams to at least lick their wounds and getting ready for the post season.  For the lesser teams (I'm looking at you, Raiders) you get an opportunity to tryout some of your younger, prospective talent in real games.  This maybe would have come in handy for the Bills against the Jets.

 

Simple Home Field Advantage is enough of a reward...expand the playoffs to 8 teams and give all teams two weeks off before the playoffs start.

 

This League rewards first place too much.  Enough.  You are going to be home all the way through the playoffs.  You are going to get two weeks off, as well.  However, everyone else should, too.  It is ridiculous (yeah, I said it) to put teams through a meat grinder, especially as we have now with no break.  It doesn't help the level play at all for the divisional round, regardless of whether you lose 2 WRs or not.  Finish the season, give everybody a break, and then EVERYBODY plays.  Your special, top conference team, but not that special.  There is a reward and then there is just unfair.  I think the NFL is unfair with this and besides baseball where attrition is a little bit different and less taxing NO OTHER SPORT DOES IT.  If you want work something out with the NCAA where the Semi Finals are during the week after the ending of the NFL season and then the Championship a week before the Super Bowl, I don't care...leave it if you want to, but I think it would be beneficial to both the paid NFL Minor (NCAA) and the paid NFL Major Leagues.

 

Just my Dollars to Donuts.

 

Go Bills!

 

 

[Cash]

I like the first idea; I dislike the second one. 

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

They really should ditch the 7 seed and go back to 2 seed byes but never will lol it seems a little more arbitrary who ends up the 1 out of the two best teams with some teams resting guys down the stretch etc 

 

the 7 seed produces occasionally a good game but they are 1-a bunch record wise 

Edited January 14 by Generic_Bills_Fan

[Doc Brown]

I think having maybe 3 to 5  practice squad call ups is reasonable for the last week of the season.  Not a fan of anything beyond that.

 

I want the NFL to go back to the old format of six teams and two byes.  I think a 7th seed team only one once beat a 2nd seed team since the new format (and that was the stupid Cowboys losing to GB)?  Eight teams waters down the importance of the regular season.  If they keep it at 7, they obviously should keep this format and a team that plays consistently well enough to earn the one seed deserves the bye.

[dollars 2 donuts]

11 minutes ago, Cash said:

I like the first idea; I dislike the second one. 

 

9 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

They really should ditch the 7 seed and go back to 2 seed byes but never will lol it seems a little more arbitrary who ends up the 1 out of the two best teams with some teams resting guys down the stretch etc 

 

the 7 seed produces occasionally a good game but they are 1-a bunch record wise 

 

7 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

I think having maybe 3 to 5  practice squad call ups is reasonable for the last week of the season.  Not a fan of anything beyond that.

 

I want the NFL to go back to the old format of six teams and two byes.  I think a 7th seed team only one once beat a 2nd seed team since the new format (and that was the stupid Cowboys losing to GB)?  Eight teams waters down the importance of the regular season.  If they keep it at 7, they obviously should keep this format and a team that plays consistently well enough to earn the one seed deserves the bye.

 

Respect to all of you and thank you gentlemen, but just to add a little bit more and make the case.

 

Football is not a contact sport.  Football is a collision sport.  High impact and damage, sometimes intended and even if it isn't but does occur, oh well, drink milk.

 

That said it is a whole lot...a whole freaking lot to have one team not only have HFA, but they get pass.  I believe in advantages, but I do not believe in passes.  

 

I would sacrifice the week off for everybody as long as EVERYBODY plays in round 1.  That ground should be even.  

 

 

[boyst]

The players union doesn't want this as it takes money away from the vested players

[Virgil]

I like idea 1.

 

For idea 2, I think you have to consider and assume the 18 game schedule is coming.  When that happens, I would expect two bye weeks for everyone and an 8 team playoff.  With the 8 team playoff, I would expect a week off between the regular season and post season.  That's essentially 3 weeks off within the season, which I think would make a huge difference to player health, IR designations, etc.  

 

The only pushback I see is the NFL not wanting a full week with no content before the playoffs start.

[Gugny]

5 minutes ago, Virgil said:

I like idea 1.

 

For idea 2, I think you have to consider and assume the 18 game schedule is coming.  When that happens, I would expect two bye weeks for everyone and an 8 team playoff.  With the 8 team playoff, I would expect a week off between the regular season and post season.  That's essentially 3 weeks off within the season, which I think would make a huge difference to player health, IR designations, etc.  

 

The only pushback I see is the NFL not wanting a full week with no content before the playoffs start.

We could give them content. 

[MJS]

The league wants week 18 games to be compelling. They don't want teams to rest starters. For that reason, they aren't going to allow more practice squad call ups.

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, MJS said:

The league wants week 18 games to be compelling. They don't want teams to rest starters. For that reason, they aren't going to allow more practice squad call ups.

 

But the compelling games would still be compelling. Ravens vs Steelers wouldnt be a rest players game. Nobody thinks Bills - Jets in week 18 was compelling or would be any less so if we played a few ps guys.

[US Egg]

Two bye weeks and two weeks between playoffs? Oh Vey! Season should end before Valentines Day. 

[Kelly to Allen]

The last 2 weeks you should be allowed to elevate 4.

 

In the playoffs up it to 6 elevations

 

Add a super bowl roster spot if you make the super bowl 

 

 

[MJS]

23 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

But the compelling games would still be compelling. Ravens vs Steelers wouldnt be a rest players game. Nobody thinks Bills - Jets in week 18 was compelling or would be any less so if we played a few ps guys.

The players association will also be against it because they want players to be rostered, not be stuck on practice squads.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

41 minutes ago, Virgil said:

I like idea 1.

 

For idea 2, I think you have to consider and assume the 18 game schedule is coming.  When that happens, I would expect two bye weeks for everyone and an 8 team playoff.  With the 8 team playoff, I would expect a week off between the regular season and post season.  That's essentially 3 weeks off within the season, which I think would make a huge difference to player health, IR designations, etc.  

 

The only pushback I see is the NFL not wanting a full week with no content before the playoffs start.

 

Yeah can't see them going for that.  Unless they come up with the some kind of a play-in tournament for the last seed 7 V 10, 8 V 9 in week 19 at the home field of the 7th and 8th seeds.  Who ever wind those two games are the 7th and 8th seed the following week.  Those two teams didn't get a week off but that's the penalty you pay for being between the 7 and 10 seed.  That would give 4 games televised in week 19, two Saturday and two Sunday.

[Mike in Horseheads]

1) I like more call ups late in the season

2) I like playoffs as they are, Bills just need that 1st seed

 

Edited January 14 by Mike in Horseheads

[Don Otreply]

Maybe with eighteen game seasons we go to 57 man game day rosters for the entire season, with those additional PS call ups DTD was suggesting during the playoffs, players union would get behind that I would think…,

[Flipnmi]

1 hour ago, boyst said:

The players union doesn't want this as it takes money away from the vested players

Please explain your concern.  Inactive players on the 53 still get a full game check, as would the practice squad players that are called up.

[The Frankish Reich]

1 hour ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

OK, even in advance I know this is self serving for the Bills and Bills fans, but it doesn't change the fact that I think these are two particular right and helpful moves.

 

Allow teams to have 5-7 call ups from the practice squad in the last 2-3 weeks of the season.

 

This just in: the League makes money...a lot of it.  Additionally, we know they want to expand by at least one more game shortly.  In that instance you see the League go to a 20 week season and I would be fine with it.  However, injuries, especially late in the season, are still a problem ad especially for teams you are going to be counting on for ratings during the playoffs.  Therefore, give at least a little bit of your inventory of players (cash cows) a break.  Maybe this should just be the last two weeks of the season, but teams generally know where they are in the playoff hunt and such a move as letting more players come up give a real possible rest bit for teams to at least lick their wounds and getting ready for the post season.  For the lesser teams (I'm looking at you, Raiders) you get an opportunity to tryout some of your younger, prospective talent in real games.  This maybe would have come in handy for the Bills against the Jets.

 

Simple Home Field Advantage is enough of a reward...expand the playoffs to 8 teams and give all teams two weeks off before the playoffs start.

 

This League rewards first place too much.  Enough.  You are going to be home all the way through the playoffs.  You are going to get two weeks off, as well.  However, everyone else should, too.  It is ridiculous (yeah, I said it) to put teams through a meat grinder, especially as we have now with no break.  It doesn't help the level play at all for the divisional round, regardless of whether you lose 2 WRs or not.  Finish the season, give everybody a break, and then EVERYBODY plays.  Your special, top conference team, but not that special.  There is a reward and then there is just unfair.  I think the NFL is unfair with this and besides baseball where attrition is a little bit different and less taxing NO OTHER SPORT DOES IT.  If you want work something out with the NCAA where the Semi Finals are during the week after the ending of the NFL season and then the Championship a week before the Super Bowl, I don't care...leave it if you want to, but I think it would be beneficial to both the paid NFL Minor (NCAA) and the paid NFL Major Leagues.

 

Just my Dollars to Donuts.

 

Go Bills!

 

 

Agree on the first opinion. The NFLPA should like that too since it gives guys on the practice squad an opportunity to show their stuff.

 

I can't agree on the second one. I'd kind of prefer division winners only with no wild card. Or figure out a way to have the wild cards play each other only while the division winners all rest. (that would require realignment) Right now my biggest gripe is that division winners don't get enough for, well, winning the division.

[dave mcbride]

1 hour ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

OK, even in advance I know this is self serving for the Bills and Bills fans, but it doesn't change the fact that I think these are two particular right and helpful moves.

 

Allow teams to have 5-7 call ups from the practice squad in the last 2-3 weeks of the season.

 

This just in: the League makes money...a lot of it.  Additionally, we know they want to expand by at least one more game shortly.  In that instance you see the League go to a 20 week season and I would be fine with it.  However, injuries, especially late in the season, are still a problem ad especially for teams you are going to be counting on for ratings during the playoffs.  Therefore, give at least a little bit of your inventory of players (cash cows) a break.  Maybe this should just be the last two weeks of the season, but teams generally know where they are in the playoff hunt and such a move as letting more players come up give a real possible rest bit for teams to at least lick their wounds and getting ready for the post season.  For the lesser teams (I'm looking at you, Raiders) you get an opportunity to tryout some of your younger, prospective talent in real games.  This maybe would have come in handy for the Bills against the Jets.

 

Simple Home Field Advantage is enough of a reward...expand the playoffs to 8 teams and give all teams two weeks off before the playoffs start.

 

This League rewards first place too much.  Enough.  You are going to be home all the way through the playoffs.  You are going to get two weeks off, as well.  However, everyone else should, too.  It is ridiculous (yeah, I said it) to put teams through a meat grinder, especially as we have now with no break.  It doesn't help the level play at all for the divisional round, regardless of whether you lose 2 WRs or not.  Finish the season, give everybody a break, and then EVERYBODY plays.  Your special, top conference team, but not that special.  There is a reward and then there is just unfair.  I think the NFL is unfair with this and besides baseball where attrition is a little bit different and less taxing NO OTHER SPORT DOES IT.  If you want work something out with the NCAA where the Semi Finals are during the week after the ending of the NFL season and then the Championship a week before the Super Bowl, I don't care...leave it if you want to, but I think it would be beneficial to both the paid NFL Minor (NCAA) and the paid NFL Major Leagues.

 

Just my Dollars to Donuts.

 

Go Bills!

 

 

I really like the the first idea and love the second one. I think you are absolutely right. As I wrote in a separate thread, I hate the bye system because of the certainty of injuries for non-bye teams—and this is irrespective of whether the Bills get a bye or not. Home field and getting to play the 8 seed should be a good enough incentive.

Edited January 14 by dave mcbride

[Shortchaz]

I like 8 playoff teams with everyone getting a bye