NFL looking to shorten preseason and expand playoffs

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Sunday that the league is “urgently discussing” the possibility of shortening the preseason from four games to three, with that adjustment coming hand-in-hand with an expansion of the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams

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I like the only 3 preseason games part (i'd actually prefer only 2). I don't love the idea of watering down the playoffs, but don't mind it too much. Only 1 team from each conference would get a bye which would make it even more important to get that #1 seed. Plus, as a fan i'd much rather watch 2 extra playoff games then an extra week of preseason.

I don't love the overall idea, but I kind of like it. It beats going to an 18 game regular season or putting a team in London or any of that other garbage.


http://nfl.si.com/2013/09/29/nfl-expand ... preseason/

Yeah, there's definitely worse ideas out there. Better than the 18-game regular season, anhow. Personally, I'd love it if they could just somehow get rid of the bye during the playoffs. It's just too powerful. But that would require going to 16 teams in the playoffs which is too many.

JSeahawks":22yfxds3 said:

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Sunday that the league is “urgently discussing” the possibility of shortening the preseason from four games to three, with that adjustment coming hand-in-hand with an expansion of the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams

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I like the only 3 preseason games part (i'd actually prefer only 2). I don't love the idea of watering down the playoffs, but don't mind it too much. Only 1 team from each conference would get a bye which would make it even more important to get that #1 seed. Plus, as a fan i'd much rather watch 2 extra playoff games then an extra week of preseason.

I don't love the overall idea, but I kind of like it. It beats going to an 18 game regular season or putting a team in London or any of that other garbage.


http://nfl.si.com/2013/09/29/nfl-expand ... preseason/

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Agree on shortening the preseason, don't like playoff expansion. I think Rog has a hard on for London and other foreign markets. Don't be surprised if eventually the regular season is expanded to 17 games, 8 home, 8 away, and 1 game on foreign soil (see London, Canada, Mexico etc etc)

Sports Hernia":3rhxytbb said:

I think Rog has a hard on for London and other foreign markets.

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Wouldn't untapped hundreds of billions of dollars just out there for the taking make you hard, too? American football has the potential (CALM DOWN, soccer fans) to supplant football/soccer around the globe as the dominant sport over the next hundred or more years.

Again, soccer fans, calm down; I said it has the POTENTIAL to do that.

The formula is perfect now, they need to leave it alone!

VivaEfrenHerrera":263msqv8 said:

Yeah, there's definitely worse ideas out there. Better than the 18-game regular season, anhow. Personally, I'd love it if they could just somehow get rid of the bye during the playoffs. It's just too powerful. But that would require going to 16 teams in the playoffs which is too many.

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(I do see 18-20 games with 2 preseason games and 16 in the playoffs as pretty much a lock in the future, just too much potential money lying there not to).

I don't want to see any expansion for the playoffs but especially not the regular season. Just think of all the records that will be destroyed by adding games.

It will never happen, but one less pre-season game and a second bye would be my vote. We already have barely average teams making the playoffs, we don't need any more. But, it will generate more $$$, so of course they're looking into it.

AbsolutNET":bfuaevwi said:

We already have barely average teams making the playoffs, we don't need any more. But, it will generate more $$$, so of course they're looking into it.

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I hate this reasoning. I just don't understand it. It's all relative. And, using this rationale the Steelers and Giants would be less a SB or two, because curmudgeon's like Abs didn't like the wild card, either.

peachesenregalia":wawpbqtr said:

RolandDeschain":wawpbqtr said:

Sports Hernia":wawpbqtr said:

I think Rog has a hard on for London and other foreign markets.

Click to expand...

Wouldn't untapped hundreds of billions of dollars just out there for the taking make you hard, too? American football has the potential (CALM DOWN, soccer fans) to supplant football/soccer around the globe as the dominant sport over the next hundred or more years.

Again, soccer fans, calm down; I said it has the POTENTIAL to do that.

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No, it doesn't. American football would be nothing more than a novelty, just like NFL Europe was. There is no potential for anything. Soccer will be King for centuries to come.

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Yes, yes, yes, nothing can possibly challenge the boringness--err, traditional entertainment--that is soccer. :roll:

pehawk":hykjgp8w said:

AbsolutNET":hykjgp8w said:

We already have barely average teams making the playoffs, we don't need any more. But, it will generate more $$$, so of course they're looking into it.

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I hate this reasoning. I just don't understand it. It's all relative. And, using this rationale the Steelers and Giants would be less a SB or two, because curmudgeon's like Abs didn't like the wild card, either.

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Lets just stop keeping track of wins and losses to begin with, that way everyone gets in.

AbsolutNET":app68gb1 said:

pehawk":app68gb1 said:

AbsolutNET":app68gb1 said:

We already have barely average teams making the playoffs, we don't need any more. But, it will generate more $$$, so of course they're looking into it.

Click to expand...

I hate this reasoning. I just don't understand it. It's all relative. And, using this rationale the Steelers and Giants would be less a SB or two, because curmudgeon's like Abs didn't like the wild card, either.

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Lets just stop keeping track of wins and losses to begin with, that way everyone gets in.

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Well, that's the only way fat kids like you got trophies. Of course you like that idea.

That's interesting.

So how would this work?

Scenario 1:

#1 seed bye
#2 through #4 (all division winners) host WC teams.

Scenario 2:

#1, #2, #3 seed bye

#4 seed hosts #7.
#5 WC hosts #6

week 2:

#1 2nd bye
#2/#3 hosts WC winners.

Have to be scenario 1. I can't see a 2 week bye happening for the top seed.

Realistically, it would simply cost the #2 seed's bye week. But it would also increase the likelihood of having sub .500 teams in the postseason. The other issue would be that half the teams would only have 9 home dates instead of 10. Trading in essence 16 regular season games for 2 postseason games. From a ticket revenue perspective, it would be a net loss.

Not sure how compelling a #2 v. #7 seed playoff matchup would be. Maybe the NFL wants to better ensure their #1 seeds make it to the SB.

Ugh. The system is fine as it is. 50% of the teams in the playoffs would blow. The playoff race is exciting as it is, and if you bump in two more teams, you're going to have multiple years where a 7-9 team gets in.

I hope they stick with a current schedule. Preseason games do actually matter.

12 teams is enough. This isn't the NBA where 16 teams make the playoffs and the 7 and 8 seeds are under .500.

Don't fix what ain't broke.

MANUNITED23":3kjsfakj said:

I hope they stick with a current schedule. Preseason games do actually matter.

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Exactly. There's a lot of young talent that are fighting for their NFL life in weeks 3 and 4.

Just think about Russell Wilson never getting a shot at starting in the preseason and having Flynn be the QB in week 1. How would our team be right now?

C-Dub":2hd5oss4 said:

MANUNITED23":2hd5oss4 said:

I hope they stick with a current schedule. Preseason games do actually matter.

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Exactly. There's a lot of young talent that are fighting for their NFL life in weeks 3 and 4.

Just think about Russell Wilson never getting a shot at starting in the preseason and having Flynn be the QB in week 1. How would our team be right now?

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I dont think anybody needed 4 preseason games to know that Russell Wilson was better then Matt Flynn. From what i've heard it was pretty obvious from the very first mini camp. Hell, some of us knew it the day that he was drafted.

As Seahawks fans, we're in a prime position to argue against more teams in the playoffs. 7-9 playoff game at home, suckas!

JSeahawks":2kk7nykk said:

C-Dub":2kk7nykk said:

MANUNITED23":2kk7nykk said:

I hope they stick with a current schedule. Preseason games do actually matter.

Click to expand...

Exactly. There's a lot of young talent that are fighting for their NFL life in weeks 3 and 4.

Just think about Russell Wilson never getting a shot at starting in the preseason and having Flynn be the QB in week 1. How would our team be right now?

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I dont think anybody needed 4 preseason games to know that Russell Wilson was better then Matt Flynn. From what i've heard it was pretty obvious from the very first mini camp. Hell, some of us knew it the day that he was drafted.

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They needed 4 to prove he was better. I doubt you start Wilson in the regular season after he's only played well against 3rd and 4th stringers. Those 3rd and 4th games against the 1's showed he was the real deal.