NFL drops 18 game schedule proposal... but...

...now they’re pushing 17.

Sources: NFL drops 18-game proposal, now wants 17-game...

They’d drop 2 preseason games. Am I crazy, or does this sound reasonable?

https://imgflip.com/memegenerator

I don't mind losing 2 preseason games. In fact, might prefer it. I don't love adding a 17th game, and question where in the formula it would come from?

Keep it at 16 you greedy, unconscionable a-holes.

"Nothing is more important than player safety" - Goondell

...other than money. Money is definitely more important.

So Jeff Fisher would be Mr. 7-10?

Dropping 2 preseason games make player evaluation more difficult, but it allows us to start the season earlier...

Not bad. If they add another BYE week.

Add more games extend the Team Rosters can't have one without the other.

No leave it at 16.

Just keep it at 16 and cut back on preseason games. If anything expand the playoffs with more wild card teams.

deters said:

Just keep it at 16 and cut back on preseason games. If anything expand the playoffs with more wild card teams.

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no more play-off teams..hate seeing average teams in the dance

I'd be all for dropping ALL preseason games (yeah, I know cash cow for owners, not gonna happen) and have scheduled rotating joint practices for half of preseason. And just play 16 games and playoffs as is. But, yes, greedy owners like Krafty Bob want more $. I'd go for leaving everything but add TWO, yes TWO more playoff teams per conference and LEAVE the 2 bye weeks...I really don't care if a 7-9 or 8-8 team makes the playoffs - it's happened in the current system. Under the awesome FCB proposal, last year Pittsburgh at 9-6-1 and and Tennessee at 9-7 would've made it from the AFC and Minnesotta at 8-7-1 and either Atlanta or Washington at 7-9. So 1/4 teams under .500.
In 2017 we would've had Baltimore and San Diego both at 9-7 and and 2 of Dallas, Detroit, and Seattle who all finished 9-7. In 2016 we would've had Denver and and Tennessee at 9-7 and Tampa at 9-7 and Washington at 8-7-1.
So, to counter the argument that "we'll have schitty losing teams making playoffs, etc, argument...here we have stone cold lock of the week proof - going backwards if there were 2 additional playoff teams per conference for the 2016, 2017, and 2018 seasons we would have had TWELVE additional playoff teams and six more playoff games - I mean, who doesn't love playoffs? Of those 12 teams only ONE was under .500. Seriously, is there a big difference between a 9-7 Mike Mularkey Tennessee team making the playoffs and a 9-7 Bill O'Brien team making the playoffs?

Is there another big sports league on the planet with an odd number of games? Because that will be the next argument for why they need 18.

"We're going to drop this incredibly ****ty idea. What we now want to do is replace it with this almost equally ****ty idea."

- The NFL

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Is there another big sports league on the planet with an odd number of games? Because that will be the next argument for why they need 18.

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Agreed. That said, this would be the “fairest” way to handle the international games - everyone has a neutral site game each year, 16 total for the league. Neutral site game can be designed formulaically to fit the current scheduling concept:
- if a conference game, could be division you played last year (or will play next year) where 1st would play 2nd and 3rd would play 4th (since teams in the same standing position are already facing each other). For the Pats, they would be playing either the Titans or the Chargers in a neutral field if this format were in effect this year.
- if out of conference, could be one game against team in the same position as you from one of the 3 divisions your not playing this year. Can be rotated like current format (every division plays the same division). Pats would face Rams, Bears, or Saints on a neutral field this year under this approach.

Other approaches would work too. Every team would still have 8 home games.

Hey assh0les, why don’t you just drop two preseason games, keep the regular season at 16, and increase the cost of season tickets at the amounts the data shows the two preseason games would have generate per franchise? Costs go down, revenues go up, and Robert Kraft is still able to afford his tugs by old Asian women who actually look like men. Everyone is happy.

The 17th game would obviously be an international game - and you’d expect a second bye week to come after that game (as they do now).

Would the teams be OK with that? I imagine the owners would be for it to increase global exposure and exploit new markets...

“16” is the sweet spot

how bout getting rid of ties and the pro bowl!

What's wrong with the way things are? I like the current format. I like 4 pre-season games because it gives other guys a shot to make the team. I also don't want the playoffs expanded. Keep it the way it is now.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Is there another big sports league on the planet with an odd number of games? Because that will be the next argument for why they need 18.

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The NFL wants to be the first professional sports league that plays a schedule set to a prime number.