NFL: 17 Game Season

Chris5225

Registered User
Dec 29, 2019
271
95
With NFL expected to expand regular-season schedule to 17 games this week, a look at likely dates, per report

It's been speculated for quite some time, and the motivation for the owners is obvious. Is this a good thing for fans though?

Every record that is broken moving forward will be have to be viewed through the lens of that 17th game.

Fans of teams who finish just outside of the playoffs will inevitably look to that 17th game and whether or not they played at home that year.

No extra bye week and the continued existence of preseason just makes the whole thing seem greedy.

An odd number of games will only be ok for so long. This will inevitably lead to an 18 game season, likely within the next 5 years.
 

GKJ

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
185,633
37,428
With NFL expected to expand regular-season schedule to 17 games this week, a look at likely dates, per report

It's been speculated for quite some time, and the motivation for the owners is obvious. Is this a good thing for fans though?

Every record that is broken moving forward will be have to be viewed through the lens of that 17th game.

Fans of teams who finish just outside of the playoffs will inevitably look to that 17th game and whether or not they played at home that year.

No extra bye week and the continued existence of preseason just makes the whole thing seem greedy.

An odd number of games will only be ok for so long. This will inevitably lead to an 18 game season, likely within the next 5 years.
Every team in the conference will still play the same amount of home and road games, so that's not really a consideration. And they're going to ditch at least one of the pre-season games. If anything, this past season proved we don't really need pre-season games at all.

Is it a good thing for fans? Until there's evidence that fans want less NFL football, no. Pre-season games still do huge ratings. If they were smart they'd add an extra bye week which would add another week to the season. The future is not records or historical integrity, it's fantasy football, added content, and sports betting (in many cases still includes fantasy football). If your team does well, it's just a bonus.
 

StreetHawk

Registered User
Sep 30, 2017
25,591
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Every team in the conference will still play the same amount of home and road games, so that's not really a consideration. And they're going to ditch at least one of the pre-season games. If anything, this past season proved we don't really need pre-season games at all.

Is it a good thing for fans? Until there's evidence that fans want less NFL football, no. Pre-season games still do huge ratings. If they were smart they'd add an extra bye week which would add another week to the season. The future is not records or historical integrity, it's fantasy football, added content, and sports betting (in many cases still includes fantasy football). If your team does well, it's just a bonus.
They should ditch 2 pre-season games. More teams are not even playing any starters in them these days. Pre-season helps the younger players lock down jobs during training camp.

Not sure if there was a analysis done between the number of serious injuries in the month of September vs. those that occured in pre-season in prior years to see whether pre-season or not, it's still going to lead to injuries as players go from 0 to 60 in a matter of a few weeks.

Makes sense to have that extra game be a home game for 1 conference each year to ensure that playoff competition within each conference is fair. Don't like that they did not add an extra bye week though. Push the Super Bowl into week 3 of February.
 

GKJ

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
185,633
37,428
They should ditch 2 pre-season games. More teams are not even playing any starters in them these days. Pre-season helps the younger players lock down jobs during training camp.

Not sure if there was a analysis done between the number of serious injuries in the month of September vs. those that occured in pre-season in prior years to see whether pre-season or not, it's still going to lead to injuries as players go from 0 to 60 in a matter of a few weeks.

Makes sense to have that extra game be a home game for 1 conference each year to ensure that playoff competition within each conference is fair. Don't like that they did not add an extra bye week though. Push the Super Bowl into week 3 of February.
Their end game for the Super Bowl is to have it Presidents' Day Weekend. At the same time, I don't get why that's so important, if you're into February, the game should be played on Saturday anyways.
 

Didalee Hed

I’m trying to understand
Sep 14, 2019
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2,005
I’ve read that in this proposed 17 game schedule Green Bay would pick up the chiefs in kc

Not great, Bob
 

StreetHawk

Registered User
Sep 30, 2017
25,591
9,425
I’ve read that in this proposed 17 game schedule Green Bay would pick up the chiefs in kc

Not great, Bob
Rotational setup. 1st place teams play each other for game 17. Seattle draws Pitt. Tenn draws NO, while Washington draws Buffalo.
 
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93LEAFS

Registered User
Nov 7, 2009
33,841
20,898
Toronto
Has it been explained how Home and Away for the extra game will be decided? The only thing that makes sense to me is have it rotate between Conferences by year, so one year AFC gets all the extra home games, the next NFC does, since these extra games are cross-conference. If you have the same teams in the wild-card with a split in home/away games its ridiculous, and its the most even way to make sure each team gets the extra home game every 2 years. Edit: Just saw the schedule. That at least makes sense.
 

MaxV

Registered User
Nov 6, 2006
4,888
590
New York, NY
Odd number doesn't make sense.

Either keep it at 16 or change it to 18.

To me, the better idea would be to expand the playoffs.
 

Rhaegar Targaryen

Registered User
Jun 25, 2016
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4,203
It’s stupid. Dallas’ 17th game is against the Patriots, who we played two seasons ago, and both games are somehow in New England?
 

Kaners Bald Spot

Registered User
Dec 6, 2011
22,704
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Kane County, IL
Has it been explained how Home and Away for the extra game will be decided? The only thing that makes sense to me is have it rotate between Conferences by year, so one year AFC gets all the extra home games, the next NFC does, since these extra games are cross-conference. If you have the same teams in the wild-card with a split in home/away games its ridiculous, and its the most even way to make sure each team gets the extra home game every 2 years. Edit: Just saw the schedule. That at least makes sense.
The bolded is what's happening. It's already been announced that the NFC will get 9 home games in 2022.

Cross division and cross conference schedules are already done on a 4 year rotating basis.

So for example year my team (the Bears) are playing the NFC West, AFC North, extra AFC game against the AFC West, and then the two other games are also by corresponding division placement in record. (Tampa, and NY Giants) along with a home and away game vs. the other division. It's how schedules have been created since Houston entered the league in 2002.
 
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Halladay

Registered User
Feb 27, 2009
65,105
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H Town
Roger trying fool everyone by saying player safety is their number one concern yet they add a 17th game. Sure thing Roger.
 

GKJ

Global Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
185,633
37,428
It’s stupid. Dallas’ 17th game is against the Patriots, who we played two seasons ago, and both games are somehow in New England?
Yes, AFC has all the home games this year. Conferences scheduled the alternate the extra home game each year.

Probably why the league had to do the new TV deal the way they did.
 

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