Neutral-site championship game = permanent?

[sb1]

The NFL is telling us, without telling us, that neutral-site conference championships may become the norm

Sometimes, it takes careful analysis to understand where the NFL’s hockey puck is going.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

If the NFL wants to permanently make conference title games played at neutral sites, it's a horrible idea

It's a seed that, for some speculating about it, has been planted with a possible Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs AFC title game taking place in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Could the NFL push for the NFC and AFC conference games to take place at a neutral

ftw.usatoday.com

#FireGoodell if this sees the light of day. As pointless and dumb an idea as there's been in years.

 

[Guts]

I hope not
#1 seed deserves HFA throughout

 

[Nehalem]

Not surprised.

When they were talking about having 8 playoff teams and no byes. Don't want: the NFL will probably decide it was such a great success and make it permanent.

Honestly it kinda makes sense though. With the current structure the #1 seed gets a big advantage over the #2.

That just means they should go back to the old 6 team, 2 team bye structure.

 

[Tunescribe]

The NFL is telling us, without telling us, that neutral-site conference championships may become the norm

Sometimes, it takes careful analysis to understand where the NFL’s hockey puck is going.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

If the NFL wants to permanently make conference title games played at neutral sites, it's a horrible idea

It's a seed that, for some speculating about it, has been planted with a possible Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs AFC title game taking place in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Could the NFL push for the NFC and AFC conference games to take place at a neutral

ftw.usatoday.com

#FireGoodell if this sees the light of day. As pointless and dumb an idea as there's been in years.

So damn stupid. It would defeat the purpose of vying for home field in the playoffs, especially for cold-weather teams.

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

Yeah don't do it.

 

[FCB02062]

if it makes the owners $, they will do it.

 

[crawhammer]

#1 seed loses much appeal with this stupidity.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I'd rather have them eliminate divisions and just have conferences to avoid the mind f*ck playoff scenarios, losing teams making the playoffs and playing the same teams multiple times per year.

 

[Hyped]

Dunno...I like the idea of playing an important game in a dome without the weather being a factor. If we do it for Superbowls....then why not all other playoff games?

The truth about homefield advantage is that your fans freeze to death in the stands more than the opposing team does on the sidelines (they run around, have heaters, big coats, and get to go inside at half time).

 

[Nehalem]

#1 seed loses much appeal with this stupidity.

Why? #1 seed still gets the bye week. I would think one less playoff game is an even bigger appeal.

Really the problem is before we had
#1 - bye + homefield advantage throughout

#2 - bye

#3/4 - home game in round 1

#5/6 - Wildcard, just happy to be playing
----------------------
So basically there was a distinct advantage in moving up through the seeding.

Now, #1 gets too much advantage over #2.

 

[p8ryts]

The NFL is telling us, without telling us, that neutral-site conference championships may become the norm

Sometimes, it takes careful analysis to understand where the NFL’s hockey puck is going.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

If the NFL wants to permanently make conference title games played at neutral sites, it's a horrible idea

It's a seed that, for some speculating about it, has been planted with a possible Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs AFC title game taking place in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Could the NFL push for the NFC and AFC conference games to take place at a neutral

ftw.usatoday.com

#FireGoodell if this sees the light of day. As pointless and dumb an idea as there's been in years.

Mini super bowl events. First they try to eliminate the physical nature of the game, then they try to eliminate the verbal and demonstrative element on field and now they will try to remove the impassioned home town fans.

 

[Tunescribe]

I'd rather have them eliminate divisions and just have conferences to avoid the mind f*ck playoff scenarios, losing teams making the playoffs and playing the same teams multiple times per year.

I like this line of thinking. If you had two 16-team conferences teams could play everyone in their own conference each season and fill out the schedule with teams from the rival conference. They also need to get back to two teams earning a first-round bye.

 

[carmelo15]

So damn stupid. It would defeat the purpose of vying for home field in the playoffs, especially for cold-weather teams.

Trying to make the regular season pointless like the nba

 

[sb1]

Has to be a money grab. Can't wait for a Super Bowl in China next.

 

[Tunescribe]

if it makes the owners $, they will do it.

Since when did you become so pessimistic? Oh, wait ...

 

[denverpatsfan]

So ridiculous. Imagine paying for season tickets for year and your team makes it to the CG. Then you can't go because Krafty Bob's travel agency took most of the tickets for resale?!! They do it every Super Bowl. Why not for this game too.

 

[GaryfromTO]

It burns my ass that Buffalo is even hosting a game this weekend, let alone the potential for the AFC Championship game being played in Atlanta. When the Cinci/Bills game was called, the Bengals were leading. If the game was not be resumed or replayed, then the Bills should have another loss. They would drop to the # 3 seed and would be playing in Cincinnatti this weekend.
Should they get past the Bengals, the NFL bends over backwards to accomodate the Bills yet again thus screwing the Chiefs (assuming they defeat the Jags), out of their rightful home field advantage.
I have no love for the Chiefs but this is just wrong. (Of course the OT rules only got changed after Buffalo whined about that too)
If there's any justice, the Bengals will beat the Bills this weekend.

 

[Brandon_Cox]

Do I think it's a bad idea? Absolutely. But the vibe here on the ground in Atlanta is pretty interesting. I've been to SEC championship games, as well as the college semi-finals and finals at MBS. The atmosphere is insane and they're the loudest sporting events I've been to. Buffalo and KC have the closet thing to rabid college fan bases in the NFL and it would make for an intense atmosphere if they play. They're going to divide the stadium in half with the opposing fans on each side. That's the appeal; 50-50 fans from each team.

They sold 50K tickets in the first 24 hours to Buffalo and KC fans. I'm hoping to scam a ticket and attend. And hell yes, I'll wear Pats gear

 

[Drunken Cicerone]

I agree with no byes, allow another team in. Imagine the cut stomping the patriots would have had at the hands of KC

 

[denverpatsfan]

Did the Buff and Cincy ticket holders get first dibs on these seats? Or was it first come on Ticketmaster? Which means the scalpers and "official" ticket agencies of your favorite team gets the seats? Or was it a "lottery"?

How much to fly to ATL and stay in a hotel for 2-nights?