[seaborneq]

Seems like the NFL would make the bye week coincide with the Thursday night game. Either before the Thursday night game or after.

[Kermit]

Not sure what you mean.

[vegasridah]

It would benefit the team to have their bye the week after playing Thursday night.

[rm18]

sea ur drunk pal

[seaborneq]

Not sure what you mean.

Each team has to play on Thursday night and each team gets a bye week. Why not have the bye help the team that plays on Thursday night, either before of after the Thursday game. If you are playing on Thursday you don't play on Sunday.

[seaborneq]

It would benefit the team to have their bye the week after playing Thursday night.

But the NFL doesn't do that. That makes sense.

[seaborneq]

sea ur drunk pal

Would you rather play two games in four days or two games in 14 days??? Just wondering

[Kermit]

Would you rather play two games in four days or two games in 14 days??? Just wondering

But you would have to have teams starting on bye in the second week for this to work.

[Cookie Monster]

Schedule is a very interesting issue. NFL should be easy as there is one game weekly, so all teams have time go home after each game. Only exception would be a road Sunday game followed by a road Thursday game, that must be avoided. Besides that, there are a few minor issues (Dallas and Detroit must play home on Thanksgiving). MLB and NBA are harder to schedule, I remember reading an article about competition on MLB for best schedule, almost always won by the same family business.

Back to NFL, I always thought there is an easy fixed way to schedule:
Weeks 1-4: All interconference games (scheduled on a way there is a 1st vs 1st on each week).
Weeks 5-8: NFC plays vs rotating division (4), AFC plays divisional games and a bye (3+1). The division getting bye would play next Thursday.
Weeks 9-12: AFC plays vs rotating division (4), NFC plays divisional games and a bye (3+1). The division getting bye would play next Thursday.
Weeks 13-14: Play vs previous year same divisional place in conference.
Weeks 15-17: Divisional games.

I find this schedule most logical. Fist games interconference, vs a team you would not meet again in 4 years is a nice warmup. Having each division bye at same time is fair. Ending on divisional play is often meaningful, or at least good spoiler chance.

[seaborneq]

Schedule is a very interesting issue. NFL should be easy as there is one game weekly, so all teams have time go home after each game. Only exception would be a road Sunday game followed by a road Thursday game, that must be avoided. Besides that, there are a few minor issues (Dallas and Detroit must play home on Thanksgiving). MLB and NBA are harder to schedule, I remember reading an article about competition on MLB for best schedule, almost always won by the same family business.

Back to NFL, I always thought there is an easy fixed way to schedule:
Weeks 1-4: All interconference games (scheduled on a way there is a 1st vs 1st on each week).
Weeks 5-8: NFC plays vs rotating division (4), AFC plays divisional games and a bye (3+1). The division getting bye would play next Thursday.
Weeks 9-12: AFC plays vs rotating division (4), NFC plays divisional games and a bye (3+1). The division getting bye would play next Thursday.
Weeks 13-14: Play vs previous year same divisional place in conference.
Weeks 15-17: Divisional games.

I find this schedule most logical. Fist games interconference, vs a team you would not meet again in 4 years is a nice warmup. Having each division bye at same time is fair. Ending on divisional play is often meaningful, or at least good spoiler chance.

Makes more sense than the algorithm that the NFL uses now. Easiest way it seems is to let the bye coincide with the Thursday night game. It's only one game and one bye week per team. If they want to put a better product on the field it only makes sense.