2015 NFL thread

[Ravenshire]

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I'm happy for Brian, but I think any division winner that doesn't have a winning record should forfeit their playoff spot.

On that note, I think it's time to revamp the NFL divisions and schedule. I propose four 8-team divisions with the same divisional round robin. That would give us 14 games. The powers that be and the fans wouldn't want to revert to a 14 game schedule; last seen in 1977. I propose getting rid of the bye week and going to a 17 game schedule; the NFL has long been proposing an 18 game schedule so it's a sort of compromise (the players' union will have something to say). Each team will play the same positioned team from the other divisions based on the previous year's standings to make up the additional three games.

Proposed divisions:

East:
New England
Jets
Giants
Buffalo
Washington
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Carolina

Midwest:
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Detroit
Chicago
Green Bay
Minnesota
Indianapolis

South:
Dallas
Houston
New Orleans
Atlanta
Tampa Bay
Miami
Jacksonville
Tennessee

West:
Oakland
San Francisco
San Diego
Denver
Kansas City
St. Louis
Arizona
Seattle

The only big rivalry I see this fucking up is Dallas/Washington; they'll just have to take one for the team. Besides, rivalries come and go (anybody else remember how heated the Jets/Dolphins were in the 80s?). If you're a Skins fan, imagine the instant rivalry playing Baltimore twice a year. Dallas can get it on with Houston and New Orleans.

When Jacksonville moves its franchise to London we can swap them with Carolina.

I'm a purist at heart so I would only want to see a playoff with division winners, but the business end of the NFL makes this a pipe dream. That considered, I recommend the top two teams from each division. Division winners get first round home field advantage. Second placed teams are seeded and matched up in strict accordance with record and requisite tie-breakers. I forgot to mention that under the new system we can dispense with the useless conference structure.

Makes sense to me (now I sound like Larry Culpepper). What do you think?

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I'd rather they add four more teams (total of 36) and go back to the 6 divisions they used to have, keeping the conference division as is.
Five division rivals - 10 games.
One game from each division, cross conference, seeded by win/loss record - 3 games
Two games from each division, same conference, seeded by win/loss record - 4 games

Seventeen game regular season and reduce pre-season to 3 games for a total of 20 played, same as now.

Proposed divisions:
NFC East Teams
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington Redskins

NFC Central Teams
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
New Orleans Saints
-- Expansion --

NFC West Teams
Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams
-- Expansion --

AFC East Teams
Buffalo Bills
Jacksonville Jaguars
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Tennessee Titans

AFC Central
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers
-- Expansion --

AFC West Teams
Denver Broncos
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland Raiders
San Diego Chargers
-- Expansion --

Possible expansion cities:
Portland
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Salt Lake
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Milwaukee
Sacramento
(if you think Salt Lake, Oklahoma City, Omaha or Milwaukee are too small, they're all bigger than Green Bay)

Canadian?
Toronto
Montreal
Vancouver BC

But, before the NFL does anything concerning the teams or their alignment/scheduling, they need to get full time, properly trained, well paid officiating. I would recommend taking un-drafted free agents, offer them an alternative to maybe sticking with a team for a year or two or a career backup position where they'll rarely see the field and almost never start (the two most common fates awating most undrafted rookies who get signed). Hell, tell the teams that there will be an eighth round where new officials are selected before undrafted signings can begin. Offer them league rookie minimum to officiate and train them for at least a year. I would even go so far as to expand the officiating crew by one for each game (with the rookie/trainee with limited or no officiating power) at least until the current old farts are replaced. Get well paid, well trained, young talent who can keep up with the guys playing the game and (after some likely initial growing pains) have a far better officiated league, easing the old fart part-timers out along the way.