Possible division realignment

[Geordie]

I would like the NFL to stop having division teams play each other so much. I don’t want to watch the dolphins play the jets or bills or pats twice a year. I’d rather have some variety. That goes for other teams too. I don’t care about the bears-packers for the 10th matchup in 5 years.

I agree with this. I would take it a step further, move to an 18 game schedule, keep the conferences mostly separate, each team plays every other conference team and leaving the other 3 games on the schedule for inter conference games. That way there shouldn't be too much debate about who the best and worst teams are in each conference. Once a year is more than enough time to see the likes of the Jets, Bills and Pats in my view !

 

[Ryan1973]

If the Chargers do move to London, what would be the most likely divisional shakeup?

I wouldn’t hate Fins to south, Texans to west and Chargers to east. Something tells me they would never even consider swapping them with the Cowboys

Where did you hear that the Chargers might move to London? I haven't read or seen anything on that. It makes no sense because they are moving into a new stadium with the Rams next year.

 

[Ray R]

Moving the Chargers to London is one of they dumbest idea the NFL has had in a long time. Greed mainly. If you want to move a football team move the Bills to Toronto and move the Chargers to Mexico City.

Canadian Bills Stamped and the Mexican Drug Chargers.

Ye of little faith!

 

[Ray R]

Not sure how many guys will want to play for a London team. They'd be losing a lot of money and the travel would be grueling.

If you want to play in the NFL, you take what you can get.

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

I'm all for keeping 2 games vs each division opponent. The intradivision competition adds another dimension to the NFL, even if you set aside the rivalries. But the rivalries are important and we should try be kept most intact. I could see a realignment maybe killing off one or two rivalries - it happens, but the NFL should keep division action meaningful and I like the fact that playing outside teams can sometimes be an event, depending on history. Look at NE and Indy in the 00's

 

[Phinglander]

Even as a UK NFL fan I'm not sure about having a permanent team here at all. If they're expecting all fans over here to suddenly switch allegiance to the London team they're very much mistaken. I'd prob want them to do well but the second them winning comes at the expense of the fins I'll be rooting for the other team. I'd expect every game to be sold out but not necessarily by fans of the London franchise. Chargers prob the best team though since the fan base isn't there for home games as it is. Personally I'm happy with 4 games a season over here (tho Im sure that's still 4 too many for lots of you )

 

[marino13zach54]

How could you guys be cool with this? I'd be pissed if we didn't play our rivals twice a year. I live for those games.

You are going to tell me that the miracle against the Pats last year wasn't twice as sweet because we hate them so very much because they are rivals?

Come on. If it ain't broken, don't try to fix it.

 

[The Ghost]

First off, never say never.

If the league was ever going to separate us from the AFC East, doing it while we are at rock bottom would make the most sense.

The AFC East is starting a state of major transition.

The Patriots are clinging to their past with white knuckles. I wouldn't be surprised if Kraft pushes for us to leave the division. He can't be thrilled we tanked the season and have amassed the draft arsenal we have. The post Belichek/Brady Pats will crumble.

The Bills didn't hit the home run with Josh Allen, just hoping to turn a double at this point. Better coach, better roster than the....

The Jets are going nowhere. I would talk **** on Gase but his bank account gets the last laugh. I don't care, bodes well for us moving forward that they remain in the position they currently are for as long as possible.

You know that privately those 3 teams are not happy we are tanking.

I'd prefer to stay in the division as is that's for sure. I live about an hour and a half from Metlife so it presents a yearly opportunity to see my team live.

 

[Crump]

Id be down with us being in a division of hmmmm, Miami, Atlanta, Carolina, and dont give a **** about who the 4th team is. i could potentially see my boys twice every year once they get good

 

[MD]

If you want to play in the NFL, you take what you can get.

Not that easy. London will attract no marquee players. Why would a free agent go there when he won't be taxed as high nor will the cost of living be what it is in London? Any team there will try and compete with lower tier FAs and what they can draft.

 

[Mike13]

The Chargers arent moving to London. Spanos is a piece of **** but he's not crazy

 

[The Goat]

There arent real rivalries in the NFL anymore. If it meant I dont have to see the Patriots twice a year, I am all for it. The NFL needs good football. That's their problem. The product has gone down the ****ter since they have made the QB so important. If a team doesnt have a QB, its a terrible product nowadays.

The last real rivalry that the general NFL fan cared about was the Colts and Patriots but that was basically because it was a Peyton and Brady rivalry. a QB rivalry.

I could not possibly disagree more with this.

The probable reason it seems that way to you, imo, is that the Dolphins haven't really been all that good in decades.

PIT/BAL is genuine heat.
PHI/DAL is genuine hatred.
The Seattle/SF series was getting pretty serious a few years ago, and will again.

 

[Rowdy1972]

I could not possibly disagree more with this.

The probable reason it seems that way to you, imo, is that the Dolphins haven't really been all that good in decades.

PIT/BAL is genuine heat.
PHI/DAL is genuine hatred.
The Seattle/SF series was getting pretty serious a few years ago, and will again.

My point is that outside those fan bases, no one really cares. Its not like college where everyone stops what they are doing to watch Michigan/OSU or Bama/Auburn. General fans tune into those games. General fans arent setting their clocks to watch Seattle and SF haha Its a regional thing in the NFL now. How many people watch the Dolphins and Bills? No one thats not a fan of those teams.

 

[phins_4_ever]

The Nfl owners make a majority of their money from tv not from ticket sales so making sure the fans of the 30 teams not playing (32-2 :) ) actually want to watch the game is important.

Like?
If one 1pm game is Patriots vs Bills or Dolphins vs Jets or Packers vs Bear and the other is Browns vs Atlanta I'll give you a bet that most people would tune to one of the rivalry games rather than the snoozer Browns vs Atlanta. Unless the Browns vs Atlanta are both undefeated any rivalry game will win out. Period.

You are a casual football fan so you do not care about rivalry games. I understand that. But reality is that that if you give people a a choice between Packers vs Bears and Jacksonville vs Detroit (if all records are equal) for a Monday Night game they will pick the Packers vs Bears game - hands down. Even you as a casual football fan.

 

[phins_4_ever]

Even as a UK NFL fan I'm not sure about having a permanent team here at all. If they're expecting all fans over here to suddenly switch allegiance to the London team they're very much mistaken. I'd prob want them to do well but the second them winning comes at the expense of the fins I'll be rooting for the other team. I'd expect every game to be sold out but not necessarily by fans of the London franchise. Chargers prob the best team though since the fan base isn't there for home games as it is. Personally I'm happy with 4 games a season over here (tho Im sure that's still 4 too many for lots of you )

Plus, once the novelty of having maybe a handful of games is replaced by a permanent team I am sure support will falter as well. The NFL is counting on the interest for a novelty to translate directly to a permanent solution.