When the NFL players association and the owners were negotiating the current collective bargaining agreement in the summer of 2011, one of the proposed topics was expanding the regular season to an 18 game schedule. Currently, the league operates on a 17 week season. Each team plays 8 home games, 8 away games, and has a 1 week bye between week 4 and week 12.
Personally, I am in favor of expanding the season to 18 games. Extending the season means more games, tighter playoff races toward the end of the season and more sundays to eat, drink and "pig out" with friends. Ultimately the players voted down the notion of a 18 game season because of health risk (a topic that has become important to many current NFL players). But, If they were to expand the season to 18 games here is how I propose the league structure the schedule:
- Each team continues to play their 3 division opponents twice (6 games in total) from week 1-16.
- Each team will continue to play one out of conference division in weeks 1-16 (ex: NFC East plays AFC East)
-Each team will continue to play 2 in conference games against teams from the other 2 division in their conference (ex:NFC east vs. NFC North or NFC South or NFC West)
-Each team will continue to play another division in their conference (ex: NFC East vs NFC West)
- Each team will have 2 bye weeks. The first bye week must fall between after week 3 and before week 8. The second bye week must occur between week 10 and week 16, essentially making week 9 a "re-start or second start" of the season where every team is playing.
-Week 18 and Week 19 will be treated as "flex weeks". Schedules will be determine after week 17. If there are close division races the top teams will play each other in Week 18 to determine the division winner. If a division winner has been determined already by week 18 and the second place team is fighting for a wild card position with another team in the conference then those two teams will play each other in week 18.
-Week 19 will be used as a tie breaker week. If a division is still yet to be decided the two teams fighting for first place will play each other for the division title. Also, teams directly battling for seeding will play each other. For example, if the number 2 seeded team and the number 3 seeded team are separated by 1 game in the loss column, they would play each other for the right to a first round bye.
I believe that this schedule structure will provide for a better end of season experience for the NFL fan. With an 18 game schedule there are better odds of an under .500 winning percentage team not making the playoffs because more winning teams will be involved with important games down the stretch. This schedule makes football more meaningful towards the end of the season in more cities. I think it would also place a greater emphasis on winning your divisional games and your division. Having to fight through an 18 game season just to make the playoffs could be exhausting for a team. This schedule system rewards teams that play consistent winning football over the course of the season.
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