How Would You Improve The NFL?

[BillsImpossible]

The NFL has an excellent product. I'm hooked for life, like a fish. It looks great on television, it sells like crazy and is super popular but there's still room for a lot of improvement.

I'd change 5 things.

First thing I would do is get rid of Thursday Night Football games.

Wouldn't a, "Saturday Night Main Event," game before SNL be better overall for the league, fans and advertisers? Wouldn't Saturday Night NFL games give us more reasons to party and have friends over? What's a better day to party and watch football, Thursday or Saturday? ULD. Um, like duh.

Thursday Night games are a diminished product. Sometimes I forget there's a game on. Players need more than 3 and a half days to recoup after Sunday. People want to see the best, and they're not getting it on a Thursday evening.

College football doesn't want the NFL to tread on their television territory, but so what? Most college games are over by 8:00 pm, and most college games aren't as interesting as a single NFL game and the preseason proves it. (NFL preseason HoF game got higher ratings than Stanley Cup Final and World Series...) I want to see the Bills vs. the Broncos in the steel cage match on Saturday Night Football, aka, "SNF"

SNF followed by SNL.

"Oooh yeh, Elizabeth!" Haven't watched television on a Saturday since GLOW, and those hot roller derby chicks.

2nd thing I would do is make the first 2 preseason games FUN, controlled scrimmages with some imagination to make them TV audience worthy. No pads, just helmets. Which quarterback can throw the longest ball? What offensive line can push a 3,000 lb (sponsored by) Ford truck 10 yards quicker than the other? Field goal kickoff competition. What team has the more accurate kicker? Punting competition - what punter can pin it inside the 5 the most? Wide receivers? 1 on 1 races. Who's faster? What team has the faster wide receivers as a group? Which QB can hit the bucket in the corner of the endzone most out of 30 throws each? The first 2 preseason games need to go.

Third thing I would do is implement full-time referees, and mandate helmets for them. How can the league's current crew of referees be their best after working 40+ hours all week at their normal jobs?

Most people are exhausted after working all week. The NFL is a multi-billion dollar business in a game of inches, but they hire part timers to make the most critical game time decisions? Huh? It just doesn't make sense anymore. Full-time officiating crews need practice and repetition to get better at their jobs, just like the players do, and just like us. The more we do something, the better we get at it with repetition. I also think NFL referees should be younger than the guys we see every Sunday. Nothing wrong with a head referee who is 62 years old like Ed Hochuli, or is there? The game is faster than it's ever been, 4.2 speed is the new 4.4, and aging sucks but it's reality. Why don't the refs wear SOME form of helmets? How in the hell has the NFL gone so long without a referee getting killed or seriously injured? Would full-time refs, wearing protective head gear be better at calling the game?

Fourth, I would invite more fan/viewer participation in the game experience. The NFL should be more interactive during the game with their fans. Online voting should be more encouraged. Did Brady make the first down? Was the receivers foot out of bounds? Did Lynch fumble the ball, or was his knee down?

"What Do You Think, Fans?" TM

Go to NFL.com and vote now. Viewer Voting Percentages (VVP's) will be shown by city after the following commercial break. 1 lucky voter will win a new truck.

Welcome back. Well, Steve it looks like the majority of the VVP's think he didn't get two feet down. 86% of, "Official," NFL voters do not think it was a reception. For only $14.99 per month, you can become an, "Official," NFL I-REF now by going to NFL.com and signing up today.

The fifth and last thing I would do is add 1 more regular season game for teams within playoff contention only. Kind of like a pre-playoff finale. The NFL is coming close to an entire division being decided by one game or less. 16 is an even number. 17 is odd, but much more decisive than 8-8.

[Mace]

Linemen should get hammers, skill position players bows, QB gets magic, coach gets 3 "no turn" cards per game. Fans get to point and click on fans at the game to undress them if they're on camera. Each coordinator gets a Pox choice where some opposing player cannot play. Home team gets to negate a single Pox or No Turn Card when the choice is revealed.

Just my thought.

[TacklingDummy]

I'd change the Super Bowl to Saturday.

[gr8slayer]

I'd start fresh on the rule book, there are just too damn many rules.

[Mace]

I'd change the Super Bowl to Saturday.

That's just insane.

[mjt328]

The main thing that needs to be cleaned up is the on-field product. As another poster pointed out, there are too many rules - and it ultimately gives the refs too much control over the game.

I understand the focus on player safety, but there is too much gray area on personal fouls. I've seen defenders get 15 yard penalties for brushing a QB on the helmet. Late hits are a total judgment call by the refs. Many leading with the helmet calls turn out to be clean hits on replay. In my opinion, unless a play is clearly dirty - teams shouldn't be penalized. Questionable hits can still be sent to the league for review. If they are deemed illegal, players can still be fined and/or suspended. This system would discourage dangerous hits, but keep ticky-tacky penalties from affecting the outcome of games.

Rules should also be loosened up on offensive holding and defensive pass interference. Again, there is too much wiggle room for refs from game to game and play to play. Let offensive players hold, unless they are clearly grabbing onto a jersey or grabbing a body part. Eliminate illegal contact completely. Allow more contact downfield. Interference can't be called unless the ball is already in the air, clearly catchable, and receivers are basically tackled or knocked over. These calls can be HUGE to a game. I just think everything should be taken out that isn't blatant and clear to everyone watching.

Eliminate all pointless rules, such as illegal formations and nonsense like the field goal blocking rule in the Jets-Pats game. Get rid of the overly complicated definition of a "catch" and anything that confuses common sense, like the Tuck Rule. If a rule gets put into play once every decade, it probably doesn't need to exist.

Put a sensor in the football (similar to hockey) that allows officials to tell electronically where balls should be spotted, and whether teams get first downs/cross the goal line.

I like the current setup for replays. However, all plays should be subject to challenge/review, including penalties.


Basically, I would do everything in my power to eliminate the possibility of bad calls from the sport.

[Scumbag College]

1. The officiating is horrid at times and it seems at least one game a week is decided by a marginal call. I'd almost want the NFL to do what the NHL does when they review a play; go to the main office and talk to someone at headquarters about the play. Also, there are so many ambiguities on what's a catch, fumble, interference, and other judgment calls.

2. TD's call to changing the Super Bowl to Saturday is spot on. It would be bigger than New Year's Eve as far as a party night.

3. Line up the bye weeks so that all teams in one division are off on the same week and have them play each other in divisional games the week after their bye week.

4. I hate that when a D-Lineman jumps into the neutral zone and the offensive lineman moves, that it's defensive offsides. There's other rules that I hate, that one sticks out.

5. I miss kickoff returns.

[BuffaloRedleg]

I have no way to do it, but I'm sick and tired of this QB driven league. This league is made up of teams that have QBs and teams that don't.

Even moreso, you absolutely will not win a Superbowl without a hot or great QB.

I know the vertical passing game is fun to watch, but I'm pretty sick of there being basically one way to win in this league- get a franchise QB and the rest is gravy (for the most part). I wish you could still win a SB with stout defense and ball control, but nowadays that's just not possible.

Maybe I'm harkening back to a time that hasn't existed in decades and I'm showing my sad bias as a fan of a team that hasn't been able to put it together at the QB position, but oh well that's my two cents.

[BertSquirtgum]

That's just insane.

Why?

[Oaf]

All refs have "other" 40hr-week jobs? What do they do? Why can't the money-printing NFL give these guys a salary allowing them to focus on the game?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

The NFL has an excellent product. I'm hooked for life, like a fish. It looks great on television, it sells like crazy and is super popular but there's still room for a lot of improvement.

I'd change 5 things.

The only one of those ideas that's workable is full time refs with helmets, and I agree with that. The others are poor ideas and Saturday football competing with college is actually barred by law (http://mentalfloss.com/article/12751/why-nfl-cant-play-friday-and-saturday-and-other-times-congress-interfered-football)

Here's my comprehensive reform plan:

1) Keep Thursday night football, but limit it to weeks 1, and then 4-17. Both teams appearing on TNF must be coming off their bye weeks.

2) Any foreign game must be played during the preseason. Do your stupid London or Toronto crap if you must, but no team should be deprived of a home game that matters.

3) There should be no limitations on the size of the practice squad, nor restrictions on who can be signed there. Since the NFL doesn't have a minor league, the practice squad should be kept open for guys who need extra time to develop.

4) I like the idea that any play should be reviewable for any reason, subject to the challenge rules. Penalties can and should be overturned if replay shows they were bogus.

5) Pass interference should follow the college rule, 15 yards and auto first. Illegal contact and defensive holding should be 5 yard and replay the down penalties without an automatic first.

6) The Thanksgiving games should be hosted by the cities that cannot host the Super Bowl, on a rotating basis (subject to the TNF rule I laid out above)

7) I love the idea of Super Bowl Saturday

8) Ditch the completely asinine taunting and celebration penalties. Throw a flag if the idiot uses a prop or dances so long that he's interrupting the next play, but otherwise let it go.

I have more radical ideas than that, but I'm not sure the world is ready. Like replacing the Pro Bowl with the two worst teams playing each other, winner gets #1 overall pick.

[Meathead]

"Oooh yeh, Elizabeth!" Haven't watched television on a Saturday since GLOW, and those hot roller derby chicks.


awesome sanford and son reference, but still ...

racist

[Night Train]

1. The SB to Saturday idea is quite good. That halftime show drags it out so much and I wind up hitting the sack before it ends, due to work being an early start.

2. No more Thursday games. With the insane amount of injuries these days, those games are not fair to the players at all. Start playing Saturday night games in early December, once the college season concludes. I hate the Thursday games. Dumb idea but the owners are all about greed.

3. Start the season earlier. It's not marshall law that it must be after Labor day. People will attend NFL games any time of year and summer vacation will not hurt this.

4. Reduce pre-season to 2 games. Start camp in June.

5. Do not expand the schedule to 18 games. The playoff rosters would be full of 3rd stringers with an IR list a mile long.

6. Eliminate bands at halftime. Dogs catching frisbees or large breasted women dashing 50 yards for a new cellphone should be the only choices.

[YardRat]

Lots of good ideas here, so I will just jump on other's bandwagons...

1. Review and revise the rule book...get rid of some (tuck) revise others (15 yards for pass interference especially).
2. Full time officials. It's going to cost, but they can afford it. Also, limit years of service to 15-20 to keep young fresh blood rotating into the ranks.
3. Saturday Super Bowl.
4. Thursday night games, after a bye week only.
5. Full divisions share a bye week, and play each other the week after.
6. I like the 'interactive voting' idea, but that's up to the networks. I believe Sunday Ticket is ahead of the curve on this, others should follow suit.
7. Ditch the Pro Bowl.

You have to have limits on practice squad, etc, to keep teams from stashing players. All penalties can't be subject to review, it would slow the game down too much.

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Good thread, BTW.

[Oldbillsfan]

1) Saturday SB
2) NFL Ticket available on Cable
3) No more exclusive license for Ea Sports Madden Football
4) Probowl is skills competition
5) Better schediling
6) No Europe or Mexico game
7) Move kickoffs back to the 30
8) Stop making new rules every season
9) No more pink apparel

[Forward_Lateral]

I'd change the Super Bowl to Saturday.

So much this. TD, normally I disagree with you, but you are 100% correct here. Why it's not on a Saturday is both stupid, and puzzling.

[Forward_Lateral]

I'd make a touchback go out to the 30 or even 35 yard line to entice teams not to just boot it through the endzone.

[jamze132]

I would issue a lifetime ban to Bill Belichick for whining about a penalty or play that didn't go his way. He was the NFL's darling for a decade and got his fair share of wins, courtesy of NFL officials.

**** him.

[Raptor]

I agree on the Thursday games, it should go.

They wont make a Sat night game though because College football would have a huge issue with that given its their night. The NFL and college try to play nice and not infringe on each other

I'd like to see a scheduling format where say every team plays every other team in the AFC every year with only 1 NFC matchup a year. So in essence the Bills would play the 15 other teams in the division and 1 other NFC team based on their record the previous year. I would use this to elimanate the divisional format so the best teams from each conference would get in each year and you have a clearer picture of who the best team is in each conference because they play everyone at least once. This also gets rid of the strength of schedule nonsense for the most part

Plus I'll give credit where credit is due, this was an idea a poster/writer had from another site(Merk, sure some have heard of him). Thought it was a good idea

[TacklingDummy]

I'd like to see a scheduling format where say every team plays every other team in the AFC every year with only 1 NFC matchup a year. So in essence the Bills would play the 15 other teams in the division and 1 other NFC team based on their record the previous year. I would use this to elimanate the divisional format so the best teams from each conference would get in each year and you have a clearer picture of who the best team is in each conference because they play everyone at least once. This also gets rid of the strength of schedule nonsense for the most part

I like it.

[sukie]

1. Allow players to have nicknames on thier jerseys

2. The elimination of the fair catch on punts. XFL punt returners will not be allowed to take the easy way out when the oncoming stampede gets uncomfortably close. And to make things worse, any punt over 25 yards is a live ball, just like a kickoff.

3.All kickoffs into the end zone must be brought out.

4.One change in favor of the offense is that a receiver will only need one foot in bounds on a pass completion.

5. Hire a Wrestling CEO as commissioner and have strippers as cheerleaders.

Oh wait...

[swiper]

I'd like to see a scheduling format where say every team plays every other team in the AFC every year with only 1 NFC matchup a year. So in essence the Bills would play the 15 other teams in the division and 1 other NFC team based on their record the previous year. I would use this to elimanate the divisional format so the best teams from each conference would get in each year and you have a clearer picture of who the best team is in each conference because they play everyone at least once. This also gets rid of the strength of schedule nonsense for the most part

I agree too. It would make each game have just a little more meaning.

- - - Updated - - -


1. Allow players to have nicknames on thier jerseys

2. The elimination of the fair catch on punts. XFL punt returners will not be allowed to take the easy way out when the oncoming stampede gets uncomfortably close. And to make things worse, any punt over 25 yards is a live ball, just like a kickoff.

3.All kickoffs into the end zone must be brought out.

4.One change in favor of the offense is that a receiver will only need one foot in bounds on a pass completion.

5. Hire a Wrestling CEO as commissioner and have strippers as cheerleaders.

Oh wait...

Shoot me now. Spare me that agony.

[GvilleBills]

awesome sanford and son reference, but still ...

racist
He can correct me if I'm wrong, but that seemed like the Macho Man. Keeping with his Saturday Nights Main Event theme.
But by all means, make it about you.

[sukie]

I do believe a 18 game schedule with only 2 preseason games... Boom do it.

[Historian]

Cut the commercials in half.

Get professional announcers for every game...not ex-jocks.

[trapezeus]

regular season games won't be changed to saturday because the NCAA and NFL have a deal to not infringe on each other's territory. The only time saturday games happens is after the college football season has ended.

i would give the refs ipads/ipad minis so that on instant replay, they can review from the spot on the field so they can make a quick decision and go. or the nfl should just let the booth ping the ref and tell them the call is over-ruled. this pomp and circumstance of running to the sideline and talking to the booth, looking at the screen, running back, slows down the game and kills the momentum of the big play they are reviewing.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

regular season games won't be changed to saturday because the NCAA and NFL have a deal to not infringe on each other's territory.


They wont make a Sat night game though because College football would have a huge issue with that given its their night. The NFL and college try to play nice and not infringe on each other

I posted a link about this already. It's not an agreement between college and the NFL, it's an agreement between the NFL and congresss. If the NFL puts Saturday night games on during the college season, they lose their antitrust exemption for broadcasting and get their balls sued off immediately.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1293

The first sentence of section 1291 (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1291) of this title shall not apply to any joint agreement described in such section which permits the telecasting of all or a substantial part of any professional football game on any Friday after six o’clock postmeridian or on any Saturday during the period beginning on the second Friday in September and ending on the second Saturday in December in any year from any telecasting station located within seventy-five miles of the game site of any intercollegiate or interscholastic football contest scheduled to be played on such a date if—

1) such intercollegiate football contest is between institutions of higher learning both of which confer degrees upon students following completion of sufficient credit hours to equal a four-year course, or(2) in the case of an interscholastic football contest, such contest is between secondary schools, both of which are accredited or certified under the laws of the State or States in which they are situated and offer courses continuing through the twelfth grade of the standard school curriculum, or the equivalent, and
3) such intercollegiate or interscholastic football contest and such game site were announced through publication in a newspaper of general circulation prior to August 1 of such year as being regularly scheduled for such day and place.


You have to have limits on practice squad, etc, to keep teams from stashing players.

You can't "stash" players on the practice squad, because any other team can come along and sign them to their own roster, and they have to clear waivers to reach the practice squad in the first place. The problem with practice squad rules is that you have a lot of bubble players who would benefit from sitting on the PS for a while, and teams that would love to put them there, but they've exhausted their eligibility.


All penalties can't be subject to review, it would slow the game down too much.

It would still be subject to the rules on challenges. You get two a game, lose a timeout if you are wrong, and a 3rd if you are right twice. It wouldn't slow the game down any more than the challenge system already does.

IMO, If you can review a game-changing judgment call with respect to a catch or fumble, why shouldn't you be able to be able to review a game-changing hold or pass interference?

[Thief]

Put a chip in the ball to trigger a notification that shows if and exactly when a ball crosses the goal line.

- - - Updated - - -

In stead of reviewing more plays, double the number of Refs.

[justasportsfan]

Stop protecting Brady and the PAts.

[Bill Cody]

I have no way to do it, but I'm sick and tired of this QB driven league. This league is made up of teams that have QBs and teams that don't.

Even moreso, you absolutely will not win a Superbowl without a hot or great QB.

I know the vertical passing game is fun to watch, but I'm pretty sick of there being basically one way to win in this league- get a franchise QB and the rest is gravy (for the most part). I wish you could still win a SB with stout defense and ball control, but nowadays that's just not possible.

Maybe I'm harkening back to a time that hasn't existed in decades and I'm showing my sad bias as a fan of a team that hasn't been able to put it together at the QB position, but oh well that's my two cents.

I agree with you. To me the product is not as good as it used to be. Too much passing, too little defense, the rules are stacked in favor of the offense. The goal posts need to be narrowed, today's kickers are too good. The games used to take 3 hours now they're almost 3 1/2. College does a better job with replay (faster), rules for OT (fairer). I would also mandate much safer helmets. The technology is there to limit concussions with better helmets but the NFL and the players resist because the helmets wouldn't look as "cool". That's ridiculous. Maybe if the helmets actually protected the brains of players you would be able to allow players to play defense again.

[trapezeus]

Put a chip in the ball to trigger a notification that shows if and exactly when a ball crosses the goal line.

- - - Updated - - -

In stead of reviewing more plays, double the number of Refs.

but wouldn't you need chips in players knee pads and elbow. We know the ball goes over, but the question is when it does based on the guy being down. i guess you could still leave the player being down a subjective call, but know exactly when the ball is over.

i don't think the NFL will ever change that regarding first downs and touchdowns. Part of the drama is having that play reviewed with your friends and waiting the announcement and then, out comes the changes and it justifies your view or doesn't. i had read an article on how the NFL reviewed lazer markers for 10 yards so that they could get the measurement right from sidelines wasting no time and being accurate. but one senior NFL referree said that the NFL values the drama and history in the chains and it will never go away.

I can't say that i disagree with this line of thinking.

[Albany,n.y.]

[QUOTE=IlluminatusUIUC;3863665]The only one of those ideas that's workable is full time refs with helmets, and I agree with that. The others are poor ideas and Saturday football competing with college is actually barred by law (http://mentalfloss.com/article/12751/why-nfl-cant-play-friday-and-saturday-and-other-times-congress-interfered-football)


4) I like the idea that any play should be reviewable for any reason, subject to the challenge rules. Penalties can and should be overturned if replay shows they were bogus.

QUOTE]

I like that, but let's do away the 2 limit challenge. Instead, you still get the 2 challenges, but you are allowed to challenge any call the rest of the game-At the risk of a 15 yard penalty if the call is not overturned. That would make the obvious call when a coach is out of challenges still worth the challenge, but keep bad coaches from challenging every play they don't like.

[ServoBillieves]

Midgets. One of the offensive linemen has to be a midget. 4' 10" or less. Make the QB work for his paycheck. Also, paintball guns for the inactives. If theres a sideline catch you can spray Julian Edelman in the facemask. No 15 yard call. In the 2 minute drill the opposing team should be allowed to have 35 players on the field. Matt Schaub needs a way to guarantee a pick six. Id say the Pro Bowl should be a death match. Put the best players out there with strategically placed weapons and leashed tigers. Thin the ranks for next season and even the playing field. I think every announcer needs to pass a test before a game. If they cant name a player correctly or screw upna call their tounge will be cut out. Easiest way to get rid of Chris Collinsworth.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I like that, but let's do away the 2 limit challenge. Instead, you still get the 2 challenges, but you are allowed to challenge any call the rest of the game-At the risk of a 15 yard penalty if the call is not overturned. That would make the obvious call when a coach is out of challenges still worth the challenge, but keep bad coaches from challenging every play they don't like.

Hmmmmmm, I like it.

[Albany,n.y.]

All refs have "other" 40hr-week jobs? What do they do? Why can't the money-printing NFL give these guys a salary allowing them to focus on the game?

There are a lot of professionals & businessmen. Some are multi-millionaires, they would never give up their in week jobs-the NFL couldn't pay them enough. I think the NFL likes the idea that the more successful their refs are off the field, the lesser chance of anyone being able to buy them off.

Here's an example, Mike Carey is worth millions. I saw his story in a report on refs, I don't remember which program it was on, but they went to his factory with him & it's a multi-million dollar business. :

Outside of football, Carey is also a co-owner of Seirus Innovation, a privately held company that manufactures ski and snowboarding gloves, face protection, and other cold-weather accessories. He is an inventor who owns or shares eight ski apparel patents, including “Cat Tracks,” a protective device which he created at age 30 to slip over the sole of a ski boot, preventing damage away from the ski run. Mike’s wife, Wendy, is the Chief Financial Officer of Seirus.

http://www.football-refs.com/active-refs/mike-carey/

[Thief]

but wouldn't you need chips in players knee pads and elbow. We know the ball goes over, but the question is when it does based on the guy being down. i guess you could still leave the player being down a subjective call, but know exactly when the ball is over.

i don't think the NFL will ever change that regarding first downs and touchdowns. Part of the drama is having that play reviewed with your friends and waiting the announcement and then, out comes the changes and it justifies your view or doesn't. i had read an article on how the NFL reviewed lazer markers for 10 yards so that they could get the measurement right from sidelines wasting no time and being accurate. but one senior NFL referree said that the NFL values the drama and history in the chains and it will never go away.

I can't say that i disagree with this line of thinking.No, it just helps in the cases where you can see the knee, but not the ball. Pause it when the knee is down, and you have no question if the ball is over or not.

[Mr. Pink]

No Thursday Night Football.

No Football in Europe.

Allow for WRs to be bumped all over the field, as long as the ball is not out of the QBs hands. - If you want running the football to matter again and for stout defenses to matter, just get rid of the 5 yard rule.

[justasportsfan]

remove 1 preseason game and add a couple of teams to the playoffs.

[mjt328]

1. Allow players to have nicknames on thier jerseys

2. The elimination of the fair catch on punts. XFL punt returners will not be allowed to take the easy way out when the oncoming stampede gets uncomfortably close. And to make things worse, any punt over 25 yards is a live ball, just like a kickoff.

3.All kickoffs into the end zone must be brought out.

4.One change in favor of the offense is that a receiver will only need one foot in bounds on a pass completion.

5. Hire a Wrestling CEO as commissioner and have strippers as cheerleaders.

Oh wait...

He Hate Me?

[imbondz]

I would make sure the Bills were on Prime Time 8X/year or more

[Ed]

This is probably too radical, but I would consider just doing away with punting all together. 4th down plays are the most exciting, but no one ever goes for it. I can't stand watching teams just automatically punt on 4th and 1. Someone mentioned narrowing the goal posts, which I really like. That would probably give teams more incentive to just go for it on 4th down than try a FG.

18 game schedules don't seem to be very popular, even with fans, but I would love it. How can more regular season games and less preseason games be a bad thing?

[Mr. Pink]

This is probably too radical, but I would consider just doing away with punting all together. 4th down plays are the most exciting, but no one ever goes for it. I can't stand watching teams just automatically punt on 4th and 1. Someone mentioned narrowing the goal posts, which I really like. That would probably give teams more incentive to just go for it on 4th down than try a FG.

18 game schedules don't seem to be very popular, even with fans, but I would love it. How can more regular season games and less preseason games be a bad thing?

Old boy network mentality would never allow for getting rid of punting.

Want a radical idea? Eliminate helmets. Players will stop leading with their heads and everyone would likely be more respectful of head shots as it could happen to them.

[swiper]

I do believe a 18 game schedule with only 2 preseason games... Boom do it.

They are apparently talking about it. I think that each team would have 2 byes also.

[Homegrown]

Cut the commercials in half.


Hallelujah ...

[Generalissimus Gibby]

1) Pass Intereference gets reduced from spot of the foul to 15 yard penalty.
2) Reduce TV timeouts, man I was Arrowhead back in 2011 and by the middle of the third I was almost bored because of all the media timeouts
3) Draft lottery for the top ten picks. This prevents teams from just slacking off in the final weeks of the season in hopes of getting a better draft pick
4) End blackouts, enough people go to the stadium that a few more people staying at home isn't going to lose anyone money
5) More cold weather superbowls
6) Reduce the number of pre-season games to two
7) Reduce the draft to six rounds
8) Change the playoffs as follows:
a- Teams with better records host, meaning that if a division winner gets in but has a worse record than a wildcard then the wildcard gets to host on account of having a better record
b - No sub .500 teams in the playoffs.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

This is probably too radical, but I would consider just doing away with punting all together. 4th down plays are the most exciting, but no one ever goes for it. I can't stand watching teams just automatically punt on 4th and 1. Someone mentioned narrowing the goal posts, which I really like. That would probably give teams more incentive to just go for it on 4th down than try a FG.

18 game schedules don't seem to be very popular, even with fans, but I would love it. How can more regular season games and less preseason games be a bad thing?

I halfway like this idea, so lets meet at midfield, no punting on 4th and 5 or less beyond the fifty yard line and no punting at all within the other teams 35. You can still try for a field goal but no punting. Oh, and lets make the kicking game more important. Yes, narrow the goal posts but for a successful kick of more than 50 yards give the kicking team 4 points instead of 3.

[Turf]

The single biggest thing they can do to make the NFL the NFL again, is to reinstate the 30 sec time clock, and put the plays back in the game so you can run the ball when behind, and not eat up half a quarter with a drive. Too many commercials, not enough plays.
Lets be real. What else is on Sunday that if a game runs 3.5 hours you can't sell the additional commercial time. The games are abbreviated and too short.

[PromoTheRobot]

I would bring back the second bye week. That would extend the regular season by another week without adding more games. Also I would mandate that any team that plays on a Thursday night has to be coming off a bye week. None of this 4-day turnaround garbage. I would consider adding Wednesday Night football, but again, only for teams coming off a bye.

I would add a third wild card playoff team. Only the #1 seed gets a bye. 2 play 7, 3 play 6, 4 plays 5.

Drop two pre-season games and replace them with scrimmages.

I'd modify the pass interference penalty. 15 yards for a penalty within 20 yards of the LOS, 20 yards 20 yards from LOS or more. Less than 15 yards is still spot of foul.

I would adopt the college rule of one foot inbounds for a completion.

I would change OT rules so that each team gets a possession even if a team scores a TD on the first possession. I always thought that was a stupid rule. It's like ending a baseball game because the team batting first hit a home run.

PTR

[better days]

This is probably too radical, but I would consider just doing away with punting all together. 4th down plays are the most exciting, but no one ever goes for it. I can't stand watching teams just automatically punt on 4th and 1. Someone mentioned narrowing the goal posts, which I really like. That would probably give teams more incentive to just go for it on 4th down than try a FG.

18 game schedules don't seem to be very popular, even with fans, but I would love it. How can more regular season games and less preseason games be a bad thing?

Well, I like punting in the game. I think it is an exciting part of the game. You never know what will happen, a long return or fumble where the kicking team recovers the ball or the ball lands on the 1 yd line.

I would be happy with an 18 game season, but I want to see the season start the first week of September.

[Fletch]

The NFL is merely adding more playoff games away from making the regular season irrelevant just like it is in the NBA and NHL.

Between that and the 27/7/365 coverage of opinionated drivel, much of which is designed to generate controversy, the NFL is becoming less enjoyable by the season.

[better days]

1) Pass Intereference gets reduced from spot of the foul to 15 yard penalty.
2) Reduce TV timeouts, man I was Arrowhead back in 2011 and by the middle of the third I was almost bored because of all the media timeouts
3) Draft lottery for the top ten picks. This prevents teams from just slacking off in the final weeks of the season in hopes of getting a better draft pick
4) End blackouts, enough people go to the stadium that a few more people staying at home isn't going to lose anyone money
5) More cold weather superbowls
6) Reduce the number of pre-season games to two
7) Reduce the draft to six rounds
8) Change the playoffs as follows:
a- Teams with better records host, meaning that if a division winner gets in but has a worse record than a wildcard then the wildcard gets to host on account of having a better record
b - No sub .500 teams in the playoffs.

I like some of your ideas, but you will NEVER see TV timeouts reduced, we are talking MONEY here.

[pmoon6]

1.) Take away the "defenseless receiver" penalty. WR are supposed to be afraid to go across the middle.

2.) Don't allow holding on every play to protect the "elite" QBs. They might not be so elite then.

3.) Allow the "horsecollar"

4.) Bring back the "headslap".

5.) Hire full time officials and pay them a commensurate wage considering the league generates untold billions of dollars. The off season, they can train more officials and spend time at team camps explaining the new rules and the nuances of the ones already in place.

6.) Do away with league fines unless the foul is so blatant and violent, you have to do it. That would mostly happen post whistle.

7.) Get rid of drug testing, but make all the players sign a waiver that whatever substance they put in their body's is not subject to lawsuits.

8.) Blow the whistle and stop the play when the players forward progress is stopped. The loose whistle is a reason why more players get hurt and teams get turnovers they shouldn't get, all in the name of an unlikely break out of the pack and a fan "Ooooh Ahhhh" moments.

That's just off the top of my head.

[better days]

1.) Take away the "defenseless receiver" penalty. WR are supposed to be afraid to go across the middle.
1.) I like that

2.) Don't allow holding on every play to protect the "elite" QBs. They might not be so elite then.
2.) It seems teams with "elite" QB's get to hold much more than teams with lesser QB's. Either call holding EVERY time by EVERY team or do away with the holding penalty & allow ALL teams to hold.

3.) Allow the "horsecollar"
3.) Won't happen because of safety concerns

4.) Bring back the "headslap".
4.) I like it, but it won't happen because of safety concerns.

5.) Hire full time officials and pay them a commensurate wage considering the league generates untold billions of dollars. The off season, they can train more officials and spend time at team camps explaining the new rules and the nuances of the ones already in place.
5.) I like it, but I would call for mandatory retirement at age 55. And I do not want to see female refs.

6.) Do away with league fines unless the foul is so blatant and violent, you have to do it. That would mostly happen post whistle.
6.) I don't think a player should be fined for stupid stuff & if he was not penalized in the game, there should be no fine after the fact.

7.) Get rid of drug testing, but make all the players sign a waiver that whatever substance they put in their body's is not subject to lawsuits.
7.) I like it

8.) Blow the whistle and stop the play when the players forward progress is stopped. The loose whistle is a reason why more players get hurt and teams get turnovers they shouldn't get, all in the name of an unlikely break out of the pack and a fan "Ooooh Ahhhh" moments.
8.) I disagree with this one, I LOVE the Ooooh Ahhhh moments. I don't think the whistle should be blown until the player is down or his progress is clearly stopped.

That's just off the top of my head.

[pmoon6]

BD. I posted the last one because of the Baltimore game a couple years ago. I think it was David Nelson getting held up for 5 seconds and the play was never stopped. The ravens yanked at his arms and tried to strip it and it finally came out. Even Nelson fought tooth and nail. Mike Peraira the commentating official said "It was a good call, the receiver was moving ahead slightly". Way to cover that ass on a ridiculous non call. the Ravens won that game because it was overtime and they got the ball within FG range.

You see other stuff like this in lots of games. The reason is the refs and their masters want to see something special come out of it. Turnover, players pops out of the pile to make a big play, whatever. After two or three seconds, progress is stopped whether the runner goes down or not.

[Ed]

I halfway like this idea, so lets meet at midfield, no punting on 4th and 5 or less beyond the fifty yard line and no punting at all within the other teams 35. You can still try for a field goal but no punting. Oh, and lets make the kicking game more important. Yes, narrow the goal posts but for a successful kick of more than 50 yards give the kicking team 4 points instead of 3.

Well, I like punting in the game. I think it is an exciting part of the game. You never know what will happen, a long return or fumble where the kicking team recovers the ball or the ball lands on the 1 yd line.

I would be happy with an 18 game season, but I want to see the season start the first week of September.
I haven't really sold myself on eliminating punting all together as I do think it can be a unique and interesting part of the game. It's more that I'm just tired of coaches never having the balls to go for it on 4th down unless they have to. I thought about saying no punting once you're passed the 50, so that would add some more 4th down plays, but still keep punting in the game. Another thought I had was limiting each team to a certain amount of punts per game, so that they have to use them wisely and can't just be a pussy all game.

[Historian]

Drop two pre-season games and replace them with scrimmages.

.

PTR

I like this.

[Mr. Pink]

Holding happens on every down. Anytime you feel like pointing it out in a situation that hurt, people harp on it. "oh they scored a TD but look Mario was held!" They don't mention anything when the play before he was held but it was a 2 yard dumpoff over the middle. Just an example but people always seem to concentrate on holding when something negative occurs when in fact you can find it every play if you want to.

So do you want the refs to blow the whistle constantly instead?

[stuckincincy]

Give the tv viewership a break from their advertising Holy Trinity - Trucks, beer, and boner pills.

[Victor7]

Lifetime ban to the massive POS that is Bill Belichik right off the bat

2nd Bye week idea is nice. Give teams a 2nd opportunity to heal. Injuries are more and more common every season. It diminishes the "quality" of the product when 3rd and 4rd stringers are out there.

If someone intentionally hurts another player that player has to be out for as long as the injured player is out.

Flopping and/or "*****ing" fouls. Brady and the crying nancies would get at least a flag a game.

Something needs to be done about the receivers and the fouls that get called on them. I realize its for safety but defenders are starting to have nowhere to hit.

Less TV commercials. Yeah that's gonna happen !!

Black out rules.

Public ownership. Why the Pack and not us ?? For a team in such a dire situation as ours when it comes to Ralph's passing publicly owning some shares of the team would be nice.

[JohnnyGold]

Love this thread, I think I made a similar one awhile back, because I have 5 things that I believe in quite strongly that should be amended in the NFL:

1) A few posters have mentioned this, but it bears repeating... Super Bowl Saturday. It would (if you can believe it) probably double the popularity of the big game, as if that's even possible. I've watched it alone, I've watched it with my wife, I've watched it with friends, I've watched it with family. One thing and one thing only remains constant: at some point at the end of the third quarter/beginning of the fourth quarter, a team gets a little momentum, scores a td, and about half the party says "well, that's it, looks like this one is in the books, i have to work tomorrow, see you guys for st. patty's day." And that's the end of the night, the room is deflated, the party is over. You can call me a p*ssy, call me whatever you like, but it's hard to have a rip-roaring good time at 11pm on sunday night in the middle of february, when you have to go to work in the morning. The Super Bowl is too big, too important in American culture, to be held on Sunday night.

2) Scheduling. Another poster made a post saying a team should play every team in your conference once (15 games) and a corresponding team from the opposing conference once (1 game) for a total of 16 games. I like that idea, but (I think) I came up with a better one awhile ago. If you recall, before realignment, there was a higher degree of random assignments when it came to scheduling. The schedule maker had their pick of who played who within the conference and without. While the MLB still sticks to that method of scheduling, I don't think it has a place in the NFL... i DO however, think that there needs to be more variation between the schedules of teams within a division: not less.
Bear in mind: i LOVE LOVE LOVE discussing the minutia of scheduling, divisional alignments, and stuff like this, so I could easily turn this into a 10 paragraph post, but I'll leave you with the abbreviated version: in my mind, 6 divisional games is more than enough when it comes to "common opponents." If the Patriots beat the Bills 2 times, that essentially becomes a 3 game lead for the patriots: over the course of a 16 game schedule, that's more than enough of a "tie breaker" to warrant us playing essentially the same schedule as them. So to fix that, I would make a schedule consist of the following:
1) a home and away against the 3 teams in your division (6 games)
2) 2 games against corresponding teams from each division within your conference (afc east 3rd and 4th place teams play the 3rd and 4th place teams from the afc south, west and central) (6 games)
3) 4 games against corresponding teams from each division in the opposing conference (4th place in the afc east plays 4th place in the nfc east, north, south and west) (4 games)
That comes out to 16 total games, and, in my opinion, creates enough diversity within divisional scheduling to make a truly effective test for the division champions from the season before, and teams who had a mediocre to bad schedule. For fun, this is what New Englands 2013 schedule would look like vs. ours:

NE: Buffalo (2x), Miami (2x), New York Jets (2x), Baltimore, Cincinnati, Houston, Indianapolis, Denver, San Diego, Washington, Green Bay, Atlanta, San Francisco (excluding teams in the afc east, these teams have combined for 38 total wins this season)

Buf: New England (2x) Miami (2x) New York Jets (2x), Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Oakland, Kansas City, Philladelphia, Detroit, Tampa Bay, Arizona (excluding teams in the afc east, these teams have combined for 27 total wins this season)

3) Any penalty that is currently enforced as "half the distance to the goal" should be tacked on to the yards needed to gain a first down instead. Rather than 1st and 11 yards, it becomes first and 15, as it should.* (this is *****ing genius, i know, thank you, thank you)

4) Forget tinkering with Thursday Night Football: Monday night football needs to become watchable again. I say do this: Move kickoff to 7pm, and make it always an interconference matchup, in which every team gets a game. No MNF game on the last week of the season. So: 16 weeks of MNF, every team gets a game against an NFC team. This way, you would have a rooting interest in every game-- think about it, the giants/vikings game has absolutely NO implication for a bills fan: those are 2 nfc teams battling each other for draft position. But if that was the winless giants vs., say, the bengals, the jets, or the browns... a game that is likely equally as boring, but as a Bills fan, I am watching, rooting for the NFC team to win. I may be dating myself here, talking about an era of football where the games mattered for playoff standings, not fantasy points, but that's what made/makes the game so magical. The implications of every single game. Goodell needs to make those matchups meaningful for EVERY fan, not just fans of teams in Dallas, New York, Philly and Pittsburgh.

5) No more instant replay.
Watch our comeback against Houston.
The game couldn't have happened today.
The magic of the sport is being neutered every time something amazing happens, and is then overturned because it just wasn't amazing enough.
I don't care if the ref made a mistake. I honestly would rather see the Bills lose the Super Bowl on the last second because of a blown call, than I would see instant replay continue for even another week. I hate it hate it hate it.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I don't care if the ref made a mistake. I honestly would rather see the Bills lose the Super Bowl on the last second because of a blown call, than I would see instant replay continue for even another week. I hate it hate it hate it.

Buffalo DID lose a championship on a blown call and it was just about the worst thing ever. There is no way I'd tolerate that.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

1) More ideas, abandon all talk of an 18 game schedule. Most guys are already too banged up after 16 games.
2) Get rid of the Probowl, it means nothing and does nothing for the game.
3)

[K-Gun]

lighten up the helmet so it can't be used as a weapon

No TV time outs

no commercial breaks except at the end of each quarter

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Buffalo DID lose a championship on a blown call and it was just about the worst thing ever. There is no way I'd tolerate that.

possibly twice, Miami in January 1999 (Reed was in) and January 2000 (we won't even talk about that one because I'm still not ready to).

[BillsImpossible]

Super Bowl Saturday makes so much sense, it's an awesome idea. The 2 biggest reasons holding it back are tradition and nostalgia. It seems like most fans here are in favor of it, so I hope the NFL is on to this already.

But what about Sunday? I don't know who said it, but somebody came up with an excellent idea - the NFL's #1 Draft Pick should be decided by a game between the two worst teams. There it is. Super Bowl Saturday, and "Blooper Bowl," Sunday. Of course the team that WINS gets the top pick, and it would be a great day to sit back, get over a hangover and relax after the Big Game. I'd watch Jacksonville vs. Oakland, why not? What the hell else am I going to do on a Sunday in early February?

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Super Bowl Saturday makes so much sense, it's an awesome idea. The 2 biggest reasons holding it back are tradition and nostalgia. It seems like most fans here are in favor of it, so I hope the NFL is on to this already.

But what about Sunday? I don't know who said it, but somebody came up with an excellent idea - the NFL's #1 Draft Pick should be decided by a game between the two worst teams. There it is. Super Bowl Saturday, and "Blooper Bowl," Sunday. Of course the team that WINS gets the top pick, and it would be a great day to sit back, get over a hangover and relax after the Big Game. I'd watch Jacksonville vs. Oakland, why not? What the hell else am I going to do on a Sunday in early February?

Actually that would be a great idea, but I'd call it the toilet bowl. The winner gets the first overall pick and the golden toilet seat, which would be called the Bidwell, Ford, and Wilson trophy. To make it more interesting, the game would be played in Lambeau Field or Orchard Park, some really cold venue.

[swiper]

Topless cheerleaders.

I win.

[Mace]

Why?

After I just posted :


Linemen should get hammers, skill position players bows, QB gets magic, coach gets 3 "no turn" cards per game. Fans get to point and click on fans at the game to undress them if they're on camera. Each coordinator gets a Pox choice where some opposing player cannot play. Home team gets to negate a single Pox or No Turn Card when the choice is revealed.


My saying switching Super Bowls to Saturdays is "just insane" went totally beyond you. Enough said.

Have the Super Bowl on Saturdays and offer a "sell a clue" booth. By damn you convinced me.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Topless cheerleaders.

I win.

Yeesh 400 lb+ pound 50 year olds with saggy tits that touch the ground? Am I the only one nauseated by the thought of that?

[Mr. Pink]

Unfortunately the ways to ultimately improve the sport from a sport perspective will negatively impact the business aspect of the game. The following is a list of things that would make the games better.

1. No Salary Cap - teams can keep their homegrown talent as long as they want if they can pay for it. Doesn't affect FA cuz guys can still decide to go into FA if they want to try for more money.

2. Less games so players stay healthier. Go back to a 12 or 14 game schedule.

3. Let defenders actually play defense. Defenseless receiver? Gone. Illegal Contact? Gone. Can you imagine how useless and ineffective guys like Ronnie Lott would be in today's NFL? Lott would be fined weekly when he wasn't suspended.

4. Full time officiating.

5. Eliminate instant replay.

6. Contraction. There is too many teams and the talent is watered down. There are plenty of guys on NFL rosters that have no business being on one and wouldn't have been 20 years ago. We're literally seeing 1987 replacement level talent on some teams.

As I said, none of this would help from a business standpoint but would help the game experience therefor making the game better for the fans.

[stuckincincy]

Bring back the bump 'n run. That will teach those twittering prima donna WRs a lesson. :chicken:

[Thief]

No, it just helps in the cases where you can see the knee, but not the ball. Pause it when the knee is down, and you have no question if the ball is over or not.

After Fred Jackson got screwed on his touchdown, anyone wanna change there tune on the chip in ball issue?

[Mahdi]

The reason MNF got so big was that everyone is at home, there is nothing else to do, and it gives you something to look forward to on a Monday.

Thursday Night Football has the same idea just not to the same extent. You can't move it to Saturday because ratings would plummet. People go out with their wives, GF and families on Sat night or to other events. It would not work.

TNF is good. I like having an NFL game to watch that day. See other teams you don't usually see on Sunday when you watch your own team or because that team is usually never given a Monday or Sunday night game.

[Jry44]

I would take the skirts back off of the quartrrbacks and receivers, and eliminate pass interference being a spot call.

[stuckincincy]

I would take the skirts back off of the quartrrbacks and receivers, and eliminate pass interference being a spot call.

:jig:

[ServoBillieves]

Tom Brady must be castrated... oh wait he already is? Shoot. Well let's just make sure he doesn't get absurd calls in his favor anymore. Him, Brees, and Peyton are so babysat that it's pathetic. You play a full contact game. You deserve to get a helmet to the chest and shoulder because that is THEIR JOB. Hitting a ****ing player to dislodge the ball is the point of the game. Protecting players is beyond pathetic. It really makes me re-think the NFL as a whole seeing God-awful penalties like hurting the quarterbacks feelings and touching Tom Brady's pants.

[Historian]

the NFL's #1 Draft Pick should be decided by a game between the two worst teams. There it is. Super Bowl Saturday, and "Blooper Bowl," Sunday. Of course the team that WINS gets the top pick, and it would be a great day to sit back, get over a hangover and relax after the Big Game. I'd watch Jacksonville vs. Oakland, why not? What the hell else am I going to do on a Sunday in early February?

The Repus Bowl!

[stuckincincy]

Expand the roster. Which will never happen because the NFLPA is more like a guild than a union.