Rockmolder
15 years ago
NFL mulls season-ending divisional games so teams will use starters 

By Steve Wyche

ORLANDO, Fla. -- In an effort to have teams use their top players through the final games of the season, the NFL is considering making the last week -- and possibly weeks -- consist of all divisional matchups.

"Potentially, Week 17 will all be divisional games," commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday during his closing remarks at the NFL Annual Meeting. "That will address this to some extent. It will not necessarily eliminate the issue."

Goodell said the league actually is considering pairing division rivals in the final two games of the season.

While teams that clinch playoff berths routinely rest key players late in the season, an uproar of sorts erupted last season when the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts sat many starters in the second half of a Week 16 game that they eventually lost to the New York Jets.

The rationale for sitting players is to minimize injury risks and have key starters as healthy as possible for postseason play. But by scheduling teams against division opponents in the final week (or weeks), it could force teams to use those key starters because a division title -- and a playoff berth -- might hang in the balance.



I think that this'd mean that we'd play the Vikings in week 17.

The Vikings and Packers are the two best teams in the division. If you go with those two, chances are that we'll still be playing for something. Bears - Packers and Lions - Vikings wouldn't give you that.

Next to that, especially if Favre comes back, it'll be way more of a battle for honor, anyway. Both teams will play hard, regardless. I can see the Vikings or Packers just giving one up to the Lions by sending in back-ups.
Formo
15 years ago
I'm so indifferent about that 'issue'. I mean, to me, teams not playing their starters is such a nonissue, it's almost insulting to me to considering changing the rules/schedule to battle it.

When I got to the Dome, I go to watch the Vikings. Not any one individual player.
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Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago
This idea was discussed months ago in one of our threads. The general consensus seemed to be that we should finish out the season with a three-game round robin. Perhaps with another three-game round robin before the bye week. I like it. I don't think fans should have to shell out hundreds of dollars to be subjected to meaningless games. Keep the drama alive all the way to the end of the season.

If the NFL followed my idea and based division championships primarily on divisional record, this would be even more compelling. It would make it impossible for a team to run away with the division before the fourth quarter of the season.
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