Two concepts to repair the NFL’s seventeenth recreation downside

When the NFL expanded the common season from 16 to 17 video games in 2021, the probabilities have been infinite.

A 32 workforce league divided into two conferences and eight divisions was configured completely for a 16 recreation season. Each workforce performed each house and away towards the opposite groups in its division. Then video games towards each workforce from one division in every convention. Lastly groups performed a recreation towards the 2 different groups from their very own convention who completed in the identical spot within the divisional standings the 12 months earlier than.

All the bases have been lined by the 16 recreation schedule. This meant the seventeenth recreation might be something the league imagined.

What we obtained was the least impressed components conceivable. The matchup for the seventeenth recreation pits every workforce with an opponent from a predetermined division within the reverse convention who completed in the identical spot within the standings the earlier 12 months.

In 2024, the AFC East was matched up with the NFC North. As a result of the Jets and Vikings each completed in third place in 2023, they performed that seventeenth recreation.

In 2025, the AFC East is matched up with the NFC East. The Jets draw the Dallas Cowboys since each groups completed in third place in 2024.

It’s powerful to imagine this was the most effective the NFL might do.

Absolutely there are methods the additional common season recreation can be utilized so as to add pleasure to the schedule. Listed below are two concepts.

Decide probably the most compelling matchups.

I don’t assume there’s any purpose there must be a components to find out the opponent for the additional recreation. The components makes loads of sense for the opposite 16 video games.

The league ought to use the additional recreation to schedule matchups the followers need to see.

Jets-Giants, Rams-Chargers, Ravens-Commanders, Steelers-Eagles, Dolphins-Buccaneers, and lots of different AFC-NFC geographic rivalries are solely performed as soon as each 4 years. These matchups might be scheduled with far more frequency.

It wouldn’t must solely be geographic rivalries, although. The league might guarantee there’s a Tremendous Bowl rematch each season.

The final couple of years, Jets-Giants might have been skipped to provide a Jets-Packers and allowed Aaron Rodgers to face his previous workforce.

Give every workforce one impartial website recreation.

One of many points of getting an odd variety of video games within the common season is it produces an imbalance of house and street video games. With a 17 recreation schedule, half the league will get 9 house video games whereas the opposite half will get 8.

The NFL has addressed this by giving all AFC groups 9 house video games in odd numbered years and all NFC groups 9 house video games in even numbered years.

I counsel a distinct answer. Give each workforce 8 house video games, 8 true street video games, and 1 impartial website recreation every year.

The league at present performs a variety of video games overseas every season as a part of its Worldwide Collection. In every of these video games, one of many two groups has to sacrifice a house recreation. In a world the place each workforce has a impartial website recreation baked into the schedule, the Worldwide Collection might be that recreation.

All impartial website video games wouldn’t have to be overseas, although. The NFL might be inventive with its venues.

The league might begin to atone for its therapy of deserted cities like San Diego, Oakland, and St. Louis by providing them common season soccer. Locations like San Antonio, Portland, Sacramento, and Salt Lake Metropolis which have confirmed themselves to be nice sports activities cities however lack an NFL workforce might get video games.

The league might additionally enterprise into small city America. Massillon, Ohio, was crucial to the event of American skilled soccer however turned too small to help a workforce because the league moved into huge cities. A recreation there with skilled soccer returning to its roots could be fairly a narrative.

Nice faculty stadiums comparable to Michigan Stadium, Notre Dame Stadium, Loss of life Valley, and the Rose Bowl (amongst others) would function compelling venues.

The NHL’s Winter Traditional, Heritage Traditional, and Stadium Collection and MLB’s Discipline of Goals Recreation, Little League Traditional, and Rickwood Discipline video games have proven the joy that comes from enjoying at distinctive locations. How about an NFL recreation at Churchill Downs or Daytona Worldwide Speedway? Central Park has proven that or not it’s transformed right into a live performance venue. Why not set up non permanent seating for a Jets-Giants recreation?

The additional common season recreation provided the NFL a chance to create some further buzz in its schedule. That has not occurred. With these two modifications, it might.