How Can The NFL Have More Meaningful Games

[firstdown]

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.

Maybe the Steelers should have helped themself and not relied on another team to get them into the playoffs. Its their fault for loosing 5 games in a row.

[mlmdub130]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

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.

except when we lose to the chargers second and thrid teir guys

i like the league the way it is right now, , the one thing they could do is charge less for the preseason as a season ticket holder i think it is a big effing joke to pay full price for a terrible preseason game, i couldn't even give them away this year

and as far as taking it overseas and into different countires f that, i would be pissed if the skins lost a home game so they could play in englan witha bunch on fguys who don't really give a rat ass about the teams playing watching

if it ain't broke don't fix it

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Maybe the Steelers should have helped themself and not relied on another team to get them into the playoffs. Its their fault for loosing 5 games in a row.

Yeah, I completely get that and you're right. I just don't like to see a team like the Jets get into the playoffs when they didn't really "earn it". At the end of the day though, you're right, if you take care of business in October and November it makes December moot.

[WaldSkins]

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.

The Steelers also had a 5 game losing streak that included loses to the Browns,Chiefs, and Raiders so i don't wanna here anything from Lamar Woodley about teams having it in for them.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

It doesn't really look like anyone is arguing that a team should be punished for benching starters once they have their playoff seed wrapped up, but if anyone was I'd show them this: New Orleans Saints place starting defensive end Charles Grant on injured reserve - ESPN

Grant, one of the few starters the Saints did not rest during the final game of the season, was hurt in New Orleans' 23-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

[WaldSkins]

I'm glad the Chargers rested there starters, we would have had a massacre on our hands.

[Ruhskins]

This is such a non-issue. There were plenty of good games this weekend, and any team that has the luxury to rest their starters, should.

[tryfuhl]

If Brady gets hurt in a game like that Mr. Goodell might change his mind

[GusFrerotte]

The NFL has hit the saturation point in terms of the games, the hype, the lunacy of the players' salaries, and expansion. you already have too many teams in the NFL, why expand to other countries, other than maybe in North America, but then again do you think the average Mexican can afford the on average $80-85 ticket? You already have rolling blackouts with Jacksonville, Detroit, a few others. Do not forget that not too long ago the NFL asked the feds to bail them out for being 2 billion $ in the red for operating expenses. Expansion just dilutes the talent pool anyway, thus the current level of mediocrity in the current NFL. You want the Skins to win another Superbowl? Then you should put a fork into any expansion talk. What happens if say Richmond, VA gets a bunch of investors to vye for a NFL franchise and get it? The already divvied up Skins TV market(Ravens, Panthers) will be further cut into.

[GusFrerotte]

You want better quality play from the players? That is an easy one. Give all players the same base salary, then for every TD, attaining a certain yardage mark, pancakes, sacks, receptions, FG's made, give them a hefty bonus. Paying these bastards $100 million up front is moronic.

[GusFrerotte]

IF a team wants to rest their players that is their business. THe only teams that usually do that are already in the playoffs. Why would the commish want teams beat up for the playoffs, when it is the league's time to shine?

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

You want better quality play from the players? That is an easy one. Give all players the same base salary, then for every TD, attaining a certain yardage mark, pancakes, sacks, receptions, FG's made, give them a hefty bonus. Paying these bastards $100 million up front is moronic.

If you did that then there would be more guys playing hurt and therefore being more detrimental to the team.

[FRPLG]

There's nothing fair that can be done. Matty is right...it all comes out in the wash.

[Zerohero]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

You want better quality play from the players? That is an easy one. Give all players the same base salary, then for every TD, attaining a certain yardage mark, pancakes, sacks, receptions, FG's made, give them a hefty bonus. Paying these bastards $100 million up front is moronic.

The real problem with salaries is the rookie situation. At least guys like Haynesworth actually had to play years in the league before the big payday. Rookies should not be the highest paid player on the team, and i believe it is being addressed the new bargaining agreement.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

Yeah, I completely get that and you're right. I just don't like to see a team like the Jets get into the playoffs when they didn't really "earn it". At the end of the day though, you're right, if you take care of business in October and November it makes December moot.

The Jets are in so they earned it in my mind.

Only 12 of 32 teams make the playoffs, it's not an easy thing to do so I don't buy this stuff about teams "backing in" or not "earning it". It's a long grind of a season, teams have plenty of chances to prove their worth. Who else deserved to get in over the Jets?