NFL needs new anti tanking measures

[Grogan14]

Its getting completely out of control, where at least half the teams in the league will be actively trying to lose the next 2 weeks.
Look at the Jets, Chiefs, Giants, Dolphins, as the most egregious examples.

There needs to some incentive for sub .500 teams to try and win for the last quarter of the season.

My proposal(s)

1. Teams with 5 or fewer wins draft order is determined by best point differential getting top pick and second best 2nd pick etc.(Tier F)
2. Teams with between 6 and 8 wins, draft order is determined by best point differential getting top pick in that tier and second best 2nd pick etc.Tier D)
3. teams with 2 best point differential in tier F get an extra 3rd round draft pick
4. teams with 2 best point differential in tier D get an extra 4th round pick


The product is becoming unwatchable for the last 4 games because most games both teams have nothing to play for and are trying to lose
Check out the Xmas games to see what I am talking about

 

[Grogan14]

email sent to Goodell

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Too complex
5 worst team records draft in reverse order for at least 1st 2 rounds

 

[Grogan14]

Too complex
5 worst team records draft in reverse order for at least 1st 2 rounds

I could live with that suggestion but need tie breakers

 

[TommyD4207]

Bottom 5 teams - lottery.

Honestly if you really want to avoid talking- all non-playoff teams, lottery. Unweighted.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Let teams do what they want. How many times have we seen them take the wrong player #1. Jarmcus Russell? You think the Bears want to take a mulligan on Caleb Williams and reconsider Maye?

 

[sb1]

If a lottery then there’s nothing stopping teams from tanking to get in the lottery. It’s also an admission from the league that tanking is a problem and I don’t think they want to do that.

 

[TommyD4207]

If a lottery then there’s nothing stopping teams from tanking to get in the lottery.

You know...except a playoff appearance.

 

[Steve102]

If a lottery then there’s nothing stopping teams from tanking to get in the lottery. It’s also an admission from the league that tanking is a problem and I don’t think they want to do that.

You mean like the chiefs effort vs. Tennessee this past weekend?

To your point, the league will never admit that tanking is a thing... too much gambling money involved. The draft is such a crap shoot IMO anyway. Teams still find ways to screw it up.

 

[sb1]

You know...except a playoff appearance.

I was thinking a bottom 5 lottery. Non Playoff would be better but do you want to give an already good team in a brutal division who just missed the playoffs by a little bit a shot at a franchise changing player?

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I think tanking is the most over talked about issue in sports. Who really cares. Teams tank down the stretch of seasons because they sucked ass for the year and thus the games are meaningless.

It stinks if your playoff spot comes down to what another team does against a tanking team but all sports have pretty standardized schedules. Like I'm sure Bills fans are annoyed we play the tanking Jets/Dolphins down the stretch but those teams are tanking because they suck and BUF already played them twice each during that sucky season while we only played once.

I just don't think it's an actually impactful issue and attempts to curb it end up just doing more bad than good.

 

[ViperGTS]

You know...except a playoff appearance.

Nah, entire league is in the lottery, including SB winners. Let's make it completely fair, just because my team is better, shouldn't get penalized.

 

[TommyD4207]

I was thinking a bottom 5 lottery. Non Playoff would be better but do you want to give an already good team in a brutal division who just missed the playoffs by a little bit a shot at a franchise changing player?

Why not?
I'd just be happy if the top 5 wasn't titans browns jets every year.

 

[Vindicate]

At the end of the day, in football, if it gives starters rest and an opportunity for rookies depth to shine, it's oddly not the worst thing. There are always less quality games this time of the year, but boy are the quality ones a joy to watch.

I dunno. Otherwise, the lottery really is the only approach imo. Which doesn't stop tanking, it just makes landing the 1 less of an assured thing.

 

[lancerman]

Who cares if teams tank.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I think you have to understand that tanking doesn't stem from the guys on the field, it comes from the front office. That's whose motivations you need to consider.

Just picking by record incentivizes the GMs of the worst of the worst teams to sell off pieces, let guys go and go with younger guys who might not be as good right now. When you have a lottery, the teams at the bottom have less incentive to do that, but now the teams in the middle of the lottery are incentivized to tank their way to better odds in it. And the teams who are pushing for a playoff spot just to be fodder for the better teams now has thoughts that this isn't their "window" to push for the playoffs so they end up selling. You see that all the time in other sports that have lotteries.

IMO, lottery systems just transfer the motivation to tank from teams that would suck anyway to teams in the middle of the pack. It creates a scenario where you either want to be contending or tanking, no in between. That's the biggest problem the NBA in particular has IMO. It's case of not being able to see the forest through the trees for me - you end up spending so much time worrying about a laughing stock team just making themselves more of one that you water down the middle of your league where the teams should actually more competitive even if they aren't "great".

 

[Brotherblues]

Bottom 5 teams - lottery.

Honestly if you really want to avoid talking- all non-playoff teams, lottery. Unweighted.

Really the only way.

If it's straight up playoffs or lotto, you eliminate any and all reason for a team to want to lose any games.

The only drawback would be I don't trust this league to run a fair and ethical lotto.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Bad teams who are out of playoffs start preparing for the next year by cutting salary and giving prospects more playing time is normal in all professional sports. Situations where a team tries to lose from the start of the season, AKA Sucking for Luck, is more damaging to the sport. This is especially true if multiple teams do the same thing.

Given their normal level of play, how are we going to be able to tell if the Jets are tanking next year?

 

[DaBruinz]

The interesting thing about this "tanking" talk is that the teams people are talking about doing it have ZERO chance to end up in the top 5.

(2 wins) The Raiders continue to suffer the curse of Jon Gruden. However, they are in year 1 of rebuild. They have an interesting ownership group, an experienced HC, A some-what talented QB and some good pieces. Their O-line beyond their LT is their issue.

(3 wins) The Jetes are a complete ClusterF**K. But then, they came into the season without a real #1 QB. They were praying that Glenn could work a miracle with Justin Fields.

(2 wins) The Giants aren't much better than the Jetes. I think them losing Cowden was a bigger hit than they care to admit in terms of talent evaluation. But this was also someone of a start of a rebuild for them. So not winning a lot of games was to be expected.

(3 wins) Arizona is just a poorly run team from Ownership down. Much like the Jets. Their hopes have been tied to Kyler Murray, but they might have finally realized that he's not the answer.

(3 wins) The Browns - Another team with ownership issues. They attempted to hitch their wagon to DeShaun Watson and that was a nightmare as he can't stay healthy. They'll be pressing RESET again and trying to start a rebuild around either Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders.

(3 wins) The Titans are another team with Ownership issues. They've hitched their wagon to Cam Ward, but he's not had a lot of offensive talent around him. They bought into the over-hype of LT Dan Moore, but have learned that Moore cannot be trusted to protect your QB. Moore is on pace to allow more pressures this year than in 2024, but fewer than 2023. Considering that those numbers are 41 and 56 respectively, it's not a good thing.

(4 wins) The Commanders seemed to have a bright future at the start of the season. However, injuries really plagued them. Particularly to their Franchise QB, Jayden Daniels.

(5 wins) The Saints are in a rebuild and searching for an identity.

(5 wins) The Bengals are another team with ownership issues. They have an extremely talented QB, great WRs, a great RB, but their O-line is bad.

(6wins) The Falcons are in a transition year. They committed to Michael Penix, but he got injured for the season. They have some talented pieces and solid O-line. They're looking to play spoilers in their last 2 games.

(6 wins) The Chiefs window seems to have closed. Even when healthy, Mahomes wasn't the same. They were missing 2 key WRs to start the year in Rice and Brown. Kelce turned 36 in October. They had some injuries to their new LT and they've got a tone of money committed to just 8 players..

(6wins) The Phins finally benched Tua. His contract is an albatross for them and they're likely going to be paying him to play for another team next season, one way or another. They have some good pieces in Waddle and Achane on offense. Their defense seems to be aging some and they don't have that young STUD defensive standout.


I'm curious WHICH of the teams above are "tanking" except maybe the JETES. Miami, at best, can get to the 7th pick if they lose out and get help with wins from the Falcons, Chiefs, Bengals and Saints by those 4 teams all winning out. Otherwise, Miami is looking to be the 10th-12th pick depending on coin flips or however they figure that out.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I think you have to understand that tanking doesn't stem from the guys on the field, it comes from the front office. That's whose motivations you need to consider.

In many cases, landing that top pick gets the current HC/GM combo canned, making tanking even less useful.