2012 NFL Season Thread

[Mings]

I don't like when half a league makes the playoffs. It should be a special thing, like nailing a 10 when you are a 4.

[CS85]

I don't like when half a league makes the playoffs. It should be a special thing, like nailing a 10 when you are a 4.

I agree, but if that's the bargaining chip it takes to finally get rid of pointless exhibitions, I'm all for it.

[illwauk]

I don't have a problem with 14 teams. Puts more emphasis on finishing first in the conference, and 16 games is a small sample size.

Agreed. I don't get the uproar.

Simply put, the NFL's playoff system is currently as close to perfect as any of the 4 major leagues. 12 teams in a 32 team league isn't too many like basketball and hockey, and it's not too few like baseball. It also means something to be the #1 seed rather than the #2 seed, the #2 seed rather than the #3 or #4, but it still means something to win your division rather than being a wildcard... each tier has its own reward aside from simply getting to play a team with a worse record in the same round as everyone else.

I supposed I could live with 14 if it comes to that, but if they go 16, they may as well go single-table in each conference.

[BlueSky]

NFL playoff format: Ain't broke; don't "fix" it.

[tBBP]

I've spoken on this before, but here's how I see it.

If they must have a preseason (and I can understand the need for it; tune-ups for the regulars, tryouts in practical game situations for the hopefuls), I'd say cut one off and leave it at three. I previously also believed the regular season would be better off at fifteen games...but I could live with sixteen. Eighteen, however, is pushing it. I haven't heard or seen any more chatter about that since the offseason so I don't know if that's still on the table or not, but then comes this talk of an expanded postseason (the timing of which I find odd since all that Bountygate findings stuff came out right about the same time; deflection tactic, perhaps?). Whatever the case, it seems the league really wants more games in one fashion or another--which doesn't exactly jive all that well with the push for player safety. And it's a simple numbers thing: the more games players play, the more chances they expose themselves to risk of injury.

But anyway, back to this playoff thing. The league really just needs to leave well enough alone in this regard. Four teams get rewarded for finishing 1-2 in their conference with an off-week, while the other eight slug it out for the chance to face one of them. Nothing wrong with that at all. But, I'll also add this in: I kinda like the way this whole backloading of team schedules with division games has turned the last fourth of the season into a de facto division tournament. It's crunch time now, and each of the divisions are pretty much having to battle each other for that top spot (or two), the playoffs before the playoffs, in effect, and it serves as a nice segue into the postseason. It also ramps up the intensity, which in turn gets fans into it, which increases ratings, which means, for the league and its owners, more $$$. It's a win-win-win-win for all parties involved.

I definitely don't like all the changes the NFL has made over the past few years...but that one they got exactly right.

[IceCap]

I don't have a problem with 14 teams. Puts more emphasis on finishing first in the conference, and 16 games is a small sample size.

Agreed. I don't get the uproar.

Simply put, the NFL's playoff system is currently as close to perfect as any of the 4 major leagues. 12 teams in a 32 team league isn't too many like basketball and hockey, and it's not too few like baseball. It also means something to be the #1 seed rather than the #2 seed, the #2 seed rather than the #3 or #4, but it still means something to win your division rather than being a wildcard... each tier has its own reward aside from simply getting to play a team with a worse record in the same round as everyone else.

I supposed I could live with 14 if it comes to that, but if they go 16, they may as well go single-table in each conference.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with the current 12 team format. You're right, it does hit that sweet spot.

I just don't think expanding it to 14 teams is that much of a big deal. 16 teams? Yeah, that's probably a bit much, but I don't see the harm in at least discussing 14 teams. It's not like discussing a potential 14 team playoff is RUINING THE NFL FOREVER (not your words or sentiment, I know, but it is an attitude some have, which I just don't get).

I mean a 14 playoff might reduce preseason without adding any regular season games. That's a plus, right? I mean nothing is as over-hyped as it is pointless as preseason NFL football.

[HedleyLamarr]

It's not like increasing the number of playoff teams will reduce the number of preseason games being played. The season isn't being extended any....it's adding more games onto Wild Card weekend.

[The_Admiral]

It's extending the season for four teams -- two that would have been done, and two that would have had a bye. That's not enough to knock off a preseason game for everyone, since they're pretty protective of that racket that is the preseason.

[pmoehrin]

I don't have a problem with 14 teams. Puts more emphasis on finishing first in the conference, and 16 games is a small sample size.

Agreed. I don't get the uproar.

To me, it's injuries. You run the risk of injury with all the teams gunning for the #1 spot, even against the inferior teams, and especially the #2 seed. If #2 knows that it'll play on Wildcard weekend, then they'll throw all their cards to get the top seed and a bye. And the injury risk rises, to which the lowest seed (#7) can take advantage on...and we know how people grumble when the worst seed does well in the postseason.

I don't know if its so much injury related as its just one less game to play, hence one less opportunity for you to get knocked out of the playoffs.

Preseason I really don't care too much about in terms of what the NFL does, but I'm also not a season ticket holder. If I was I would be furious about having to pay full price for two meaningless games.

As far as the NFL goes with safety, to me their hypocrites. They want player safety right up to the point to where it hurts the bottom line. Let's get rid of kickoffs because they're too dangerous, but let's have an 18 game regular season and Thursday Night games every week even though every single player and coach in the league is against it.

Let's protect our quarterbacks, even though injuries are about twice as likely to occur on passing plays as running plays and it makes for more plays and longer games.

The NFL is not trying to make the game safer. They're trying to avoid criticism on the issue while still keeping their profits up.

As far as more playoff games, to me its not a safety issue, its a quality of play issue. Do you really want a team like the New York Jets at 6-7 still looking at a good chance to make the playoffs? Under a 14 or 16 game playoff they would have a really good chance at making it. To me its not fair to the teams like Denver, Houston, New England, San Francisco who've played great all year long and they get treated the same as a team that is far less talented and far less inconsistent.

Plain and simply its a money grab. The most boring week in the NFL season is week 17 because you only have maybe 2 or 3 meaningful games going on and the owners want to change that and bring in more playoff money on top of it.

The NFL and the MLB are the only two major pro sports that still have meaningful regular seasons. You add 2-4 more teams on, I think that would change.

[Gothamite]

it seems the league really wants more games in one fashion or another--which doesn't exactly jive all that well with the push for player safety.

Of course it does - if they want to add more games, they need to find a way to make the sport safer.

No contradiction there at all.

[HedleyLamarr]

It's extending the season for four teams -- two that would have been done, and two that would have had a bye. That's not enough to knock off a preseason game for everyone, since they're pretty protective of that racket that is the preseason.

However, it's not extending the length of the NFL's "playing season" calendar, which is why adding a playoff game won't (and shouldn't) make the NFL consider chopping off a preseason game or two.

Besides, I'm thinking every NFL player wouldn't mind playing at least three more games after Week 17 every season.

I like the current 12-team playoff format, and would prefer that not to change. However, looking back at the standings each season, you would have to go back to 2004 before a three or four Wild Card team format would have included teams with losing records. Sure, there's a handful of 8-8 teams that would have been included, but there were also a lot of 9-win teams....some 10-win teams....even an 11-5 team....that missed the playoffs in this current format. I wouldn't really support the 16-team format, but the 14-team format wouldn't be as bad as many folks think it would be. More often than not, you would be inviting one more team that has a winning record.

[The_Admiral]

Worth considering is that we're slipping away from the allegedly great Parity Era of the NFL. In a league where the Steelers are competitive every year, the Ravens seem to be too, the Packers are some sort of football hydra, and the Patriots have been hanging 60 points every week for like six years, 7 seeds just might be the confounding variable we need to shake things up a little bit if we still care about that Any Given Sunday hooey.

[NEW.ERA]

The Lambs are back and Adrian Peterson should be MVP, no questions about it.

[Kramerica Industries]

Baltimore is disintegrating right now. Easily the worst they have looked since Harbaugh was named the head coach.

[BrySmalls]

Hmm, maybe the sputtering offense still has something to do with their recently fired OC.

[CS85]

Packers win the NFC North once again.

[Island_Style]

You know things are bad for your team when you are begging to see Jordan Palmer play.

[Cujo]

If there was any question before today, Peyton Manning and the Broncos are FOR REAL.

[Kramerica Industries]

Hmm, maybe the sputtering offense still has something to do with their recently fired OC.

Then they shouldn't have fired him. Five 3-and-outs today, and a 31-3 deficit at home. Baltimore hasn't been thumped like this at home since Billick's final season.

[BrianVlietDesign]

As a Ravens fan, watching this team is downright embarrassing. I'm glad I didn't drive 3 hours to see them play today.