Running NFL Week XVI thread

Of course it's harder to make the NFL playoffs! They play fewer games than the NHL (84) and NBA (82) do.

That doesn't change the fact that the NFL artificially evened its playing field. This season will be the first of many that sees teams who have no business playing important January games in the playoffs.

 

Dye, find other talking points and maybe, just maybe, the board's hockey people will give a shit about your opinion.

 

Not really worried about that.

 

Just like we're not really worried about your opinion about hockey.

 

You know what I called that year? THE GREATEST YEAR IN HISTORY.

And while I rail against the NFL's deadening mediocrity, there's no way a sub-.500 team will make the playoffs this year. Yes, it's possible. But forget it. It's not happening. The Giants and Falcons would have to lose their last two, the Packers would have to lose their finale and the Niners, Panther and Rams would all have to lose one game. At least one team--and as many as three--are sneaking in at 8-8. Viva la parity!

 

You seem to spend a lot of time responding to it, though.

 

When a sport bothers me, I don't watch it. But that's just me.

 

Communist.

 

Apparently with hockey, people don't watch it even when it doesn't bother them.

 

Zing!

 

Depends how you define bothers.

I think the NFL is legislated mediocrity. That, I'm not a huge fan of.

But it's got an event feel to each game that no other league can match.

That, and fantasy football is the crack cocaine of my soul. I derive entertainment from that, even when the games suck nard.

I'm convinced nobody would give a shit about the NFL if not for gambling.

 

Let me help those who are illiterate or have comprehension issues: I don't hate the NFL. The sport of football does not bother me. The Taglibue designed league-wide-parity is troubling.

Because of the Tags' decree, the great team no longer exists. Teams are good for a couple years, then get split up because of the cap. How is that good for the league?

The league is at its most exciting when there are dynasties. The Packers in the sixties; Pittsburgh and Dallas in the seventies; the Giants, 49ers and Redskins in the eighties; Dallas and the 49ers in the nineties. Those teams' greatness forced other teams to improve or get left by the wayside.