Football A solution to the "sitting starters" in Week 16/17?

**OnTheWarpath15** · 01-06-2010, 03:13 PM

I think the draft pick idea is ridiculous, and could never work.

How can you reward good teams with extra draft picks, and widen the balance between the haves and the have nots?

I heard this proposal by a listener to Sirius NFL Radio:

Schedule all non-conference and non-division games at the beginning of the year, and backload all the division games over the last 6 weeks of the season.

Division titles would likely still be on the line, and teams would have much more to play for at the end of the season.

Thoughts?

**The Franchise** · 01-06-2010, 03:13 PM

Works for me.

**Buck** · 01-06-2010, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

I think the draft pick idea is ridiculous, and could never work.

How can you reward good teams with extra draft picks, and widen the balance between the haves and the have nots?

I heard this proposal by a listener to Sirius NFL Radio:

Schedule all non-conference and non-division games at the beginning of the year, and backload all the division games over the last 6 weeks of the season.

Division titles would likely still be on the line, and teams would have much more to play for at the end of the season.

Thoughts?

Reward them with a Home game to begin and end the next season.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 01-06-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckinKaeding

Reward them with a Home game to begin and end the next season.

Good teams often start at home the next season anyway.

And honestly, that's not much of an incentive.

Hey, Jim Caldwell - play Peyton Manning in Week 17 and we'll let you open at home next year.

I think he'd have to try damn hard not to laugh.

**The Franchise** · 01-06-2010, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Good teams often start at home the next season anyway.

And honestly, that's not much of an incentive.

Hey, Jim Caldwell - play Peyton Manning in Week 17 and we'll let you open at home next year.

I think he'd have to try damn hard not to laugh.

Hey, Jim Caldwell - play Peyton Manning in Week 17 or we'll make you sit him Week 1.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 01-06-2010, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Hey, Jim Caldwell - play Peyton Manning in Week 17 or we'll make you sit him Week 1.

That's the thing:

You can't force coaches to play these guys, but you sure as hell can make the decision to sit them tougher.

**The Franchise** · 01-06-2010, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

That's the thing:

You can't force coaches to play these guys, but you sure as hell can make the decision to sit them tougher.

The only problem with that is the NFLPA would throw a fit.

The only other solution is that the NFL makes a rule stating that if a player starts for the team for more than 14 games throughout the season...and you sit him when he's healthy.....he is required to sit for a minimum of 2 games.

SDChiefs · 01-06-2010, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Hey, Jim Caldwell - play Peyton Manning in Week 17 or we'll make you sit him Week 1.

This could do it.

**Buck** · 01-06-2010, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Good teams often start at home the next season anyway.

And honestly, that's not much of an incentive.

Hey, Jim Caldwell - play Peyton Manning in Week 17 and we'll let you open at home next year.

I think he'd have to try damn hard not to laugh.

Okay how about this. This is pretty drastic, but I think it would work to have teams want to win.

-Change each Conference to 8 teams in the playoffs.

-Backload the Schedule w/ Division Games

-Team w/ best Division Record (regardless of W/L record) makes the playoffs.

-Next best 4 records in Conference Make the Playoffs as well

- Best division record among 4 teams with most wins get 1-4 seeds

- Best overall record determines 5-8 seeds

**Buck** · 01-06-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckinKaeding

Okay how about this. This is pretty drastic, but I think it would work to have teams want to win.

-Change each Conference to 8 teams in the playoffs.

-Backload the Schedule w/ Division Games

-Team w/ best Division Record (regardless of W/L record) makes the playoffs.

-Next best 4 records in Conference Make the Playoffs as well

- Best division record among 4 teams with most wins get 1-4 seeds

- Best overall record determines 5-8 seeds

You could also just make the final 3 games of the year Division games w/ the other 3 spread out. Every year you would flip flop which teams get 2 home games and 1 away to end the season.

I am actually liking this idea except for the fact that we could potentially see a 4-12 team make the playoffs.

**Bearcat** · 01-06-2010, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckinKaeding

Okay how about this. This is pretty drastic, but I think it would work to have teams want to win.

-Change each Conference to 8 teams in the playoffs.

-Backload the Schedule w/ Division Games

-Team w/ best Division Record (regardless of W/L record) makes the playoffs.

-Next best 4 records in Conference Make the Playoffs as well

- Best division record among 4 teams with most wins get 1-4 seeds

- Best overall record determines 5-8 seeds

With 8 teams, you're taking away the byes, which is one of the incentives to keep playing.

I think it's overblown, and like Bugeater said, a lot of it has to do with FF as well as gambling. Teams earn the right to do whatever they want/need to do in order to prepare for the playoffs by clinching early. If the season ticket holders don't like it, sell your tickets that week.... and boo-f***ing-hoo, it means you get to watch one of the best teams in the league in the playoffs.

That said, dropping the first round playoff ticket prices in half or having free concessions during the playoffs or something like that would be a good way for teams to keep their fans happy in a situation like that.... but since when is the NFL about the fans?

**dirk digler** · 01-06-2010, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

I think the draft pick idea is ridiculous, and could never work.

How can you reward good teams with extra draft picks, and widen the balance between the haves and the have nots?

I heard this proposal by a listener to Sirius NFL Radio:

Schedule all non-conference and non-division games at the beginning of the year, and backload all the division games over the last 6 weeks of the season.

Division titles would likely still be on the line, and teams would have much more to play for at the end of the season.

Thoughts?

Yep I read that suggestion last week sometime. Damn good idea.

**DaneMcCloud** · 01-06-2010, 03:17 PM

That may or may not work.

If a team is 13-0 or 14-0, it wouldn't matter a bit. If a team has the division locked up early, which happens every year, I don't think it would matter.

There is no simple solution.

**dirk digler** · 01-06-2010, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

That may or may not work.

If a team is 13-0 or 14-0, it wouldn't matter a bit. If a team has the division locked up early, which happens every year, I don't think it would matter.

There is no simple solution.

Good point.

**** it I say take away their first round draft choice for the next year

**OnTheWarpath15** · 01-06-2010, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

That may or may not work.

If a team is 13-0 or 14-0, it wouldn't matter a bit. If a team has the division locked up early, which happens every year, I don't think it would matter.

There is no simple solution.

True, but that's an exception, and certainly not the rule.

Unless you expect there to be 2-3 teams every year that go on a Colts/Saints-like run.

In theory, wouldn't a team have to have at least a 6 game lead in the division for the last 6 games, all in the division, not to matter?

What are the odds of a team being 10-0 and the other 3 teams being 4-6 or worse?

01-06-2010, 03:13 PM	Topic Starter
OnTheWarpath15 MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2121115	A solution to the "sitting starters" in Week 16/17? I think the draft pick idea is ridiculous, and could never work. How can you reward good teams with extra draft picks, and widen the balance between the haves and the have nots? I heard this proposal by a listener to Sirius NFL Radio: Schedule all non-conference and non-division games at the beginning of the year, and backload all the division games over the last 6 weeks of the season. Division titles would likely still be on the line, and teams would have much more to play for at the end of the season. Thoughts?
Posts: 60,750

01-06-2010, 03:13 PM	#2
The Franchise Most Valuable Villain Join Date: Dec 2006 Casino cash: $2065047	Works for me.
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01-06-2010, 03:17 PM	#13
DaneMcCloud Supporter Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Hollywood, CA Casino cash: $10053648	That may or may not work. If a team is 13-0 or 14-0, it wouldn't matter a bit. If a team has the division locked up early, which happens every year, I don't think it would matter. There is no simple solution.
Posts: 88,960