A few things about the NFL that I just don’t understand...

[shaunpinney]

International games
As an international fan, I like it, but as a home-town season ticket holder I can see the problem also. It would be more common-sense to have them as away games for both teams.

Thursday night football
All about the money, I don't have that much of an issue with it tbh, all teams are in the same boat when it comes to preparing etc. I'd be ok with them being scrapped though, if there was any evidence that having a short week heightens the injury risk to players.

18 game seasons
IMO that would be too long and fatigue / injuries would take their toll toward the end of the Season making the SB a below par exhibition of the best players.

4 Game pre-season
I actually quite like pre-season, more so that I get see fringe players compete for positions. I think McVay did it right this year by NOT playing the starters. It was used as a "shake-the-roster-tree" rather than "look-how-vanilla-our-offense-can-be"

Limiting Practice
Stupid

 

[dieterbrock]

International games
As an international fan, I like it, but as a home-town season ticket holder I can see the problem also. It would be more common-sense to have them as away games for both teams.

Lol.

 

[FrantikRam]

Mexico City is much more favorable to London - AND it's a Monday Night game. So it will kick off at 5pm PT - 7pm in Mexico City. On top of that, while the flight is long, it's basically like flying across the country.

London last season for the Rams was a 5am PT start. 5am! Luckily the Cardinals had to deal with that too obviously.

I also like Thursday games, but I wish the league would incorporate bye weeks before Thursday games to make them safer - and to make the product better (and eliminate what I call "Thursday weirdness" - i.e. Brian Hoyer lighting up the Rams last season).

I think the league should go to an 18 game season, but to keep the integrity of NFL history, do this:

-Increase salary cap % to players
-Increase the roster to 65-70 players (not sure exactly how many for the below)
-Players can only play in 16 games

So you would need to strategically sit your starting QB and other stars (and everyone on the team) for two games.

 

[LesBaker]

Wasn't that part of the NFL's deal with Stan to move the team? That he had to "donate" home games played internationally?

Yup that was one of the conditions, 4 international "home games". And remember they also required the stadium to be built as a two-team home venue like MetLife in NJ for the Giants and Jets.

 

[551staaa]

Pat Kirwan has what I believe to be a very good scheduling model for the NFL. There would be two preseason games followed by a seventeen game regular season with two bye weeks. One of the bye weeks would be BEFORE a Thursday night game, giving a team ten days before the Thursday game and ten days after. This would put some teams with very early or very late bye weeks, but only to accommodate a Thursday night match-up. The loss of preseason games could be made up with either a developmental league, as mentioned earlier, or a couple of joint practices with other teams that would include live scrimmages. Imagine some of these Thursday night match-ups with well rested teams. In the words of that great American, Butthead, "That would be cool!"