Maybe unpopular opinion here on practice squads and the playoffs

[The Frankish Reich]

2 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

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.

The more teams you let in the playoffs, the greater the likelihood that a good team that simply got healthy or hot at the end of the season will make the Super Bowl. I always believe the playoffs should facilitate the best to rise to the top.

[Virgil]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

We could give them content. 

 

The NFL does like exclusive paid content....

[The Frankish Reich]

Just now, Shortchaz said:

I like 8 playoff teams with everyone getting a bye

This does have the advantage of moving the Super Bowl to President's Day weekend. A move so obvious it should've already happened. But I think they're keeping that spare week in the hope of going to an 18 game season. More regular season games = more money.

[Augie]

44 minutes ago, US Egg said:

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

 

The Shield’s brain trust are currently buckled down somewhere trying to figure out how to fill the remaining weeks of the original 52 with exclusive NFL content, and seek to add additional weeks so that they can have more games every year. 

[Chaos]

1 hour 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.

But isn't this the same unfairness the OP is complaining about to start with.  The teams that have it locked up can get extra rest.    The reality is the rules are the same for everyone.  During this season the Broncos went 6-2 against playoff teams, the best of anyone.  The Bills were 3-3 against playoff teams, and lost to the dolphins and falcons.   The Broncos earner the advantage.  The Bills now need to overcome the disadvantage. 

[Rocky Landing]

I especially dislike the change that gave only a single team a first week bye. Two teams was fine, but really unfair to give one team such a huge advantage. And it still doesn't address the reality of weaker vs. stronger divisions. I didn't think adding a playoff team per conference was a good idea. Six teams per conference makes more sense, IMO.

[Kirby Jackson]

2 hours 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 love it. I don’t see the league going for it for the sense of tanking and competitive balance. It makes so much sense though. How many teams were resting guys the last week or 2? 7? 8? The Bills were and at one point had to bring Spencer Brown in because Grable got hurt. If Brown got hurt in a meaningless game, who does that help? That’s dumb.

[NoSaint]

1) the nfl isn’t going to encourage week 18 being more preseason like 

 

2) I’m not sure more playoff teams are better. And fewer isn’t happening. I have at one point thought it’d be interesting if round 1 was a division championship with 1-2 of each division facing off though. I can hear the complaining about a 7 win team getting in though. 

[NoSaint]

47 minutes ago, Rocky Landing said:

I especially dislike the change that gave only a single team a first week bye. Two teams was fine, but really unfair to give one team such a huge advantage. And it still doesn't address the reality of weaker vs. stronger divisions. I didn't think adding a playoff team per conference was a good idea. Six teams per conference makes more sense, IMO.

yea, in such a short season and with a ball that bounces in lucky ways…. It’s a pretty massive reward for what sometimes can be dumb luck but short of no byes, it’s hard to remedy 

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

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

 

I don't see how this changes that? Just in week 18 up to 4 or 5 PS guys (I'd probably say 4 just double the number eligible) can get a game check. 

 

And I'd keep the rule that it can only be guys who haven't maxed their free elevations out already in the previous 17 weeks.

57 minutes ago, Chaos said:

But isn't this the same unfairness the OP is complaining about to start with.  The teams that have it locked up can get extra rest.    The reality is the rules are the same for everyone.  During this season the Broncos went 6-2 against playoff teams, the best of anyone.  The Bills were 3-3 against playoff teams, and lost to the dolphins and falcons.   The Broncos earner the advantage.  The Bills now need to overcome the disadvantage. 

 

I don't buy his rationale on the 1 seed though. I do think he might be onto something on week 18 elevations. 

[MJS]

26 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I don't see how this changes that? Just in week 18 up to 4 or 5 PS guys (I'd probably say 4 just double the number eligible) can get a game check. 

 

And I'd keep the rule that it can only be guys who haven't maxed their free elevations out already in the previous 17 weeks.

Yeah, I thought that would be the issue, if they let those who had already maxed their elevations be elevated again. That's what I thought they meant. If that stays in place, there wouldn't be an issue in allowing more elevations that week.

[boyst]

2 hours ago, Flipnmi said:

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.

Like Drew Brees talked about when they were renegotiating during / around the holdout and vested former players were pushing for better benefits - the players playing and vested with 3 years are the ones who should get the benefits. The veterans had their chance, I remember him saying. As a continuation of this they also decided not to change the eligibility years and wanted as much money possible for the players who were vested.

 

This means expanding the roster to add more positions of guys that will likely get 1-2 years drains some cash for the veterans of the team.

 

This is big reason I think Brees is a world class POS as well as knocking some chicken head up and having to hide it. 

[Chaos]

26 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I do think he might be onto something on week 18 elevations

I don't agree.  It basically provides a penalty to the teams that need to win the last week.  Personally, I would rather see the schedule redone so that each team plays the other 15 teams in its conference and three interconference games.   Timing and injuries still matter, but this would provide the most level playing field for the playoff determinations.  

[GunnerBill]

26 minutes ago, Chaos said:

I don't agree.  It basically provides a penalty to the teams that need to win the last week.  Personally, I would rather see the schedule redone so that each team plays the other 15 teams in its conference and three interconference games.   Timing and injuries still matter, but this would provide the most level playing field for the playoff determinations.  

 

That is 18 games though. I take the point on penalising teams who need a win to get in week 18... but win more games sooner. That's the answer. And over the last few years we have seen guys go down in week 18. I think if they league can avoid that and keep more of the best players on the field for the post season it is worth considering. 

[WotAGuy]

The league makes obscene amounts of money and I think it’s only fair that each team send WotAGuy a check so I can do obscene things with it. 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

4 hours 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!

 

 

[RedDog3940]

One change I would like to see for the playoffs is relative to seeding and home games.  Instead of each division winner automatically getting a home game, change it so each division winner qualifies for the playoffs, however, do seeding based on conference record.

[billsfan89]

5 hours 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.

I prefer 6 teams two byes but I can live with the current format. I do think the NFL should allow extra PS call ups for week 18 is fine but I also think adding a second bye to the schedule is a good idea. So many times players are hampered by a lingering injury and they just need an extra week off to nurse it.

[folz]

As far as only one team getting a bye week (which I also do not like), the main argument I hear is that the #1 team earned it/deserved it and it is incentive for the regular season.

 

First of all, winning your division and ensuring one of the top 4 seeds and home playoff games is plenty of incentive.

 

Secondly, as far as awarding the best team, did Denver really earn/deserve a bye week more than New England this season?

 

Both teams finished with a 14-3 record.

 

Tie breakers are: Head-to-head, conference record, record vs. common opponents (if more than 4), strength of schedule.

 

1. Denver and New England did not play head-to-head this year.

2. Both teams had a 9-3 conference record.

 

So, the number one seed came down to the third tie-breaker this year with record vs. common opponents.

The teams shared 5 common opponents (with NE facing the Jets twice, Den once only; while Den faced the Raiders twice, NE once only).

Denver went 6-0 vs. those teams; New England went 5-1.

 

New England's only loss in that group was a 13-20 loss to the Raiders in week one. That week one game became the deciding factor this year for the #1 seed.

 

But is Denver really the better team? They played two close games vs. the Raiders (winning 10-7 and 24-17). They easily could have lost one to the Raiders. And conversely, Denver struggled a bit vs. the Jets (winning 13-11), while NE beat the Jets twice (27-19 and 42-10).

 

The Patriots had 490 points on the year, and surrendered 320 points. Point differential of +170.

The Broncos had 404 points on the year, and surrendered 311 points. Point differential of +93.

 

And I know the Pats got knocked for their strength of schedule, but Denver wasn't that far ahead in that category:

Patriots opponents were 113-176 (or a 39.10% win percentage)

Denver's opponents were 121-166-2 (or a 41.87% win percentage)

 

At least this year, for instance, I do not see why Denver should get an advantage over New England. Honestly, how did they earn it more? Apparently just by beating the 3-14 Raiders by 3 points (10-7) in week 10. That was the deciding factor for the #1 seed.

 

Edited January 15 by folz

[Buffalo716]

Looking back at history I think how the number one seed fairs is way more dependent on their quarterback and coach then it is overall roster 

 

The teams that have advanced the most in the AFC with the number one seed is Tom Brady with the Patriots, Peyton Manning with the colts and Peyton Manning with Denver .. and the chiefs with Patrick mahomes

 

San Diego and Tennessee blew it when they had the number one seed... Ravens blew it 

 

Quarterback is huge especially in the modern NFL.. Josh has the Tom Brady effect to where now the other team knows if you give him the chance he's going to get it done.. and that effects the quarterback on the other side also

 

History is on the bill side right now.. because mahomes Brady Manning and roethlisberger were the guys who have got it done from the number one seed in the last 20 some years 

 

Bo nix, Maye and Stroud are not there yet

Edited January 15 by Buffalo716