If I was NFL commissioner, the changes I'd make

[ChuckyTheGoat]

I like posting my ideas on these things. Nobody needs to agree with me.

1) Change the kickoff rule.
...It's too confusing. More importantly, it changes the history of the game.
...When I pay for a ticket to the Roman Coliseum, I want to see the collisions. Give me a 20% discount on my ticket, if you're taking contact out of the game.
...The one change I'm good with = still allowing Fair Catch of kickoff in the field of play. Fair Catch puts the ball @ the max of spot OR 25-yard line.
...Touchback in the end-zone returns the ball to the 20-yard line.

2) Return to 16-game schedule.
...I hate the odd number of games.
...Bring back the kickoffs. Amp up the intensity on these games.

3) Removal of the Thursday nite games, with the exception of Thanksgiving games.

4) Replace the Thursday nite games with the 9:30am Eastern window on Sunday.

5) No more neutral-site London games. Expansion with two European teams. London and Berlin come in. 34 teams, London/Berlin join the AFC East and NFC East.
...Per Item 4, 9:30am is held as the European window.
...I'm also OK with occasional East/West double-header on Monday Nite. Much better than the Thursday games on the short-week. If you need to play a few Thursday games, those will be two teams coming off the bye week.

6) 34 teams, expand the playoff to ten teams in each conference.

7) Similar to the NBA, the playoff bracket is tiered. First weekend is: 7 vs 10 and 8 vs 9. If you need more ticket revenue, it comes in the playoff games.

8) Seeds 1 thru 6 get a bye past the first weekend of games.

9) Division winner is no longer guaranteed a home game. Division winner can be seeded as low as #6.

Let me know what you think. I'm open to suggestion. I know, too much time on my hands.

[mjsuax13]

1. Great points and agreed.
2. Yes- 17 is a cash grab. Make it a 16 week schedule with TWO bye weeks. Guys need time to recharge.
3. Yes. Thanksgiving only.
4. Are you saying play an earlier game? Interesting.
5. Not sure if they are ready for this yet but certainly a worthwhile idea. Neutral site games suck mostly but a team in London to start would make sense. I also think they could look back at St Louis and even consider Toronto/Mexico City.
6. Yes.
7. Yes and charge more anyway. You will get your 17th game revenue as the incentive of making the playoffs and charging more.
8. Yes.
9. No opinion here.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Hey, mj. Thx for the reply.

2) I have no problem with two byes. Eliminating the 4th pre-season game was a great move. I'd be OK with a Thursday game between two teams off byes.

4) I'm referring to all these London games they've been playing. That's a much better window than Thurs nite.
...Ask any football coach. Playing on three days makes no sense. Need rest time and prep time. Playing on the short turnaround produces a bad product and is only asking for injuries.

5) I'm of the opinion that the London games have been an experiment for overseas expansion. I think there's enough interest for the European continent to support two NFL teams. There's only one thing that NFL owners like more than Money...and that's MORE MONEY.

7) I really think the NBA got it right on the expanded playoffs. NBA playoff games are probably 10x better than NBA regular season games. Could be the same thing for NFL, go ahead and add some playoff games.

9) I've seen the weak Division winner hosting the top wildcard too often in the 4/5 games. If the wildcard is three games better, the Division winner shouldn't be hosting. FYI: the CFL has a similar rule where the bottom playoff team in the Conference can be eclipsed by a better record in the opposite Conference.