How Can The NFL Have More Meaningful Games

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

I don't think you'd find many Steelers or Texans fans who would agree with you. The Jets got 2 pre-season games in December to get into the playoffs. It screws with the competitive balance of the league IMO. I would like to see the NFL do something to address this but realistically there's no way to force a team to play their starters.

My problem with the competitive balance argument is this...

People get all up in arms over a team that has home field wrapped up and nothing to play for. But how about a team that is 6-8 with 2 games to go and they've been eliminated from the playoffs. While they may be playing their starters realistically that team has checked out and is just going through the motions. Do you gig that team just as you would for gigging the 14-0 team that is resting their guys? One team is playing their starters, one isn't, same results. A team that isn't going all out to win a game.

In the end I believe it all comes out in the wash. The good teams make the playoffs, the bad ones don't, and the ones on the fence really only have themselves to blame.