Opinion: Should NFL widen its field

[Doomsday101]

Football fans are deathly afraid of change.

You don't need to change what is working

 

[parchy]

You don't need to change what is working

Tex would be shaking his head at you right now.

Consistent change is the only reason the NFL is what it is today. The league will get stagnant with a bunch of grouchy old followers who refuse to better the game unless we embrace change.

I'm not saying the field definitely does or does not need to be widened, but I'm willing to bet the vast majority of people who decried the idea didn't even really think about it.

 

[DFWJC]

I understand you question of widening the playing field.

But please to not cross generations and say things like Adrian Peterson would have 2700 yards, etc. It does not work that way and you know it. With the training and fitness programs of today, people are faster and stronger...but put a guy like Jim Brown on today's regiment and maybe HE runs for 2700 yards in 2009. And maybe Perterson is very good but not nearly as strong or fast as he is now if placed in the league 40 years ago. You cannot cross generations like that.

Still your argument to widen the filed based on today's players is valid....enough to debate anyway.

 

[parchy]

but put a guy like Jim Brown on today's regiment and maybe HE runs for 2700 yards in 2009.

 

[DFWJC]

How can that possibly confuse you. The point is that you cannot cross generations without making nonequivalent projections.

 

[Doomsday101]

Tex would be shaking his head at you right now.

Consistent change is the only reason the NFL is what it is today. The league will get stagnant with a bunch of grouchy old followers who refuse to better the game unless we embrace change.

I'm not saying the field definitely does or does not need to be widened, but I'm willing to bet the vast majority of people who decried the idea didn't even really think about it.

I thought about it and I don't think it needs to be changed. It is that way in the CFL where the players in that league are not as talented as they are in the NFL they also have 20 yard end zone it is minor league compared to the NFL where things should be harder if it were easy it would not be as good as it is. There are certain changes that Tex was for that I did not mind such as instant replay but its object was not to change the game but to help ensure the calls being made were correct, that still is far from perfect and chances are it will always be less than perfect

 

[TwoDeep3]

If you reverse the rules that allow the receiver a huge advantage. Bring back the ability for the DB to maul the receiver. Bring back stick 'em.

Then maybe those ideas would work.

Otherwise - I'd rather see a change in a game that states you cannot win on a field goal in OT.

 

[THUMPER]

I thought the 17th game internationally was a foregone conclusion with bye week following.

I actually LIKE the expansion Globally. Change - Its a good thing IMO.

I think it would suck because most fans would not be able to attend a game if it is in another country. Would it be considered an "away" game for both teams? If so then how do you balance out the "home" games? Also, it would be difficult on the players to travel that distance. It's one thing to play in Canada or Mexico but to fly to Europe or Asia is a tough flight for guys my size and they would not be at their best come game time.

I know the NFL will do it but I don't like it. It's not that I am against "change", but change for change's sake is not well thought out.

Some changes I would like to see:

1. As I said, increasing the roster size to 60. It was at 60 back in the 80s at some point and then they lowered it to 53 for some reason. I think it hinders teams' ability to develop younger players. Also, I would like to have more depth.

2. What I call a "Legend's Clause" for the salary cap. I hate it when a guy has played for the same team his whole career is let go because of the cap hit. I would be in favor of adding a clause that if a player has been with the same tam for 10 years then his cap hit is only the veteran minimum, anything above that would not be included in the cap and the tam could pay him as much as they want to. I hated seeing Emmitt in a Cardinals uniform.

3. Allowing teams to rotate QBs whenever they like. Under the current rules, if your 3rd string QB comes in then your starter has to sit out (or something like that). I've never understood that rule and would like it to go away thank you. It would be nice to be able to bring in your strong armed QB for a desperation pass at the end of the half, or your speedy guy at times. I would like to have the freedom to play any player and any position I choose at any time in the game. I understand about linemen numbers and needing to let the officials know who is eligible, and that's fine. It just seems like an archaic rule that has outlived its time.

4. Make more plays reviewable. I hate it when they say that a play that could effect the outcome of a game is not reviewable. Pass Interference is a prime candidate. It can move a team from the 50 to the 1 in a single play that might have been called incorrectly, let's put in some guidelines for making that reviewable.

5. Get rid of the rules that are too difficult to interpret consistently. The "Horse Collar" rule for instance, is so complicated that it is rarely called the same way twice. Either simplify it or get rid of it. That one should have never been put in from the get go. I realize that players nowadays represent a HUGE investment by the teams and they want desperately to protect that investment but this is still football and it is a contact sport. Either let them play or put flags on them and eliminate all contact completely. Lots of these complex rules involve trying to ensure the players' safety. If they wanted to be safe then they wouldn't, and shouldn't, be playing football.

6. Hire full-time officials. The part-time thing is a holdover from the days when football was struggling financially and they couldn't afford to pay them full-time. That is no longer the case and we need guys whose primary job is officiating NFL football games, not guys who do it as a hobby.

7. Get rid of Jeannie Woosington! That former 49ERs pansy WR should never have been put in charge of anything associated with football other than doing the dirty laundry. This is the guy handing out fines and discipline for REAL football players? He gives a bigger fine for a guy who wrote a dying friend's name on his socks that he did for a vicious cheap shot. He is more concerned with the "integrity" of the uniforms than he is for the health of the players themselves. Get him out of here. Put Mike Ditka in charge of it or someone like that.

There, that's 7 things off the top of my head I would like to see changed.

Personally, I would take the "foot" out of football and get rid of kickers altogether but that's just me and Hos.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

No. I don't think the field needs to be any wider. It works great the way it is no reason to change it up.

 

[juck]

I think they should make it like a Chinese Checkerboard.

thats a nice sig.do u photograph?i have a darkroom in my home.all black n white.

 

[kmp77]

I hope the NFL never changes the overtime rules. College OT is crap.

I dissagree. I think there should be a change to the NFL OT. Just split the difference to what they have now to the college game. Keep OT the same except give the other team one chance to match the score. If they don't, game over.....if they score more points, game over.....if they match, then sudden death.

I just don't like how two teams can play perfectly even, then in OT one team is given an advantage based on random chance.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I dissagree. I think there should be a change to the NFL OT. Just split the difference to what they have now to the college game. Keep OT the same except give the other team one chance to match the score. If they don't, game over.....if they score more points, game over.....if they match, then sudden death.

I just don't like how two teams can play perfectly even, then in OT one team is given an advantage based on random chance.

I disagree...both teams have an equal chance. They have to play defense or offense. Stop the other team and you win.

 

[DeaconMoss]

2 preseason games.
16 games.
No playoff byes.
Expand playoff by two teams and 1 seed plays 8 seed week one of playoffs. Keep OT the way it is. play games during the week. Tuesday, Wednesday we need more football. This will give more teams chance to play on TV. Start Monday night games earlier.

 

[parchy]

I disagree...both teams have an equal chance. They have to play defense or offense. Stop the other team and you win.

I like college OT but I've come around on the NFL system. It's pretty great that one play can end the game. And historically the winning percentage for teams that win the coin toss is like barely above 50%.

 

[5mics]

I would rather drop a preseason game or two but not make them regular season games. 16 is enough IMO.

The change I would really like to see is to raise the roster limit to 60 so that teams can carry more depth. If they lengthened the season then it would have to be raised even more, maybe to 64, due to more injuries.

I definitely agree, it would a MUST to raise the roster limit if they add more games; I'd like to see it raised to 60 even now.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I like college OT but I've come around on the NFL system. It's pretty great that one play can end the game. And historically the winning percentage for teams that win the coin toss is like barely above 50%.

I hate the college OT rules. It's too easy to just kick a FG. If they started at the 50 I might like it a little more. To me sudden death is part of football.

 

[5mics]

I actually think this is a horrible idea too. Teams already have enough problems keeping key guys healthy for the playoffs...adding 1 or 2 more "real" games only exposes teams to more injury. I'm not a big fan of 4 or 5 preseason games, but the first one and last one the starters/key guys hardly play for most teams, lessening the chance at injury.

Well, we all know that the NFL won't drop pre-season ($$$) games so I'd rather have 1 or 2 of them be real ones. Raising the roster limit would be a must if this happens...

 

[jobberone]

Nope. Not today.

 

[igtmfo]

Ah, to bring back the days of the "end sweep" ... but LBs are as fast as RBs nowadays, so I don't know if the wider field would help.

Can a lot of stadiums widen the field, even, without bumping up against the stands?

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I think it would suck because most fans would not be able to attend a game if it is in another country. Would it be considered an "away" game for both teams? If so then how do you balance out the "home" games? Also, it would be difficult on the players to travel that distance. It's one thing to play in Canada or Mexico but to fly to Europe or Asia is a tough flight for guys my size and they would not be at their best come game time.

I know the NFL will do it but I don't like it. It's not that I am against "change", but change for change's sake is not well thought out.

Some changes I would like to see:

1. As I said, increasing the roster size to 60. It was at 60 back in the 80s at some point and then they lowered it to 53 for some reason. I think it hinders teams' ability to develop younger players. Also, I would like to have more depth.

2. What I call a "Legend's Clause" for the salary cap. I hate it when a guy has played for the same team his whole career is let go because of the cap hit. I would be in favor of adding a clause that if a player has been with the same tam for 10 years then his cap hit is only the veteran minimum, anything above that would not be included in the cap and the tam could pay him as much as they want to. I hated seeing Emmitt in a Cardinals uniform.

3. Allowing teams to rotate QBs whenever they like. Under the current rules, if your 3rd string QB comes in then your starter has to sit out (or something like that). I've never understood that rule and would like it to go away thank you. It would be nice to be able to bring in your strong armed QB for a desperation pass at the end of the half, or your speedy guy at times. I would like to have the freedom to play any player and any position I choose at any time in the game. I understand about linemen numbers and needing to let the officials know who is eligible, and that's fine. It just seems like an archaic rule that has outlived its time.

4. Make more plays reviewable. I hate it when they say that a play that could effect the outcome of a game is not reviewable. Pass Interference is a prime candidate. It can move a team from the 50 to the 1 in a single play that might have been called incorrectly, let's put in some guidelines for making that reviewable.

5. Get rid of the rules that are too difficult to interpret consistently. The "Horse Collar" rule for instance, is so complicated that it is rarely called the same way twice. Either simplify it or get rid of it. That one should have never been put in from the get go. I realize that players nowadays represent a HUGE investment by the teams and they want desperately to protect that investment but this is still football and it is a contact sport. Either let them play or put flags on them and eliminate all contact completely. Lots of these complex rules involve trying to ensure the players' safety. If they wanted to be safe then they wouldn't, and shouldn't, be playing football.

6. Hire full-time officials. The part-time thing is a holdover from the days when football was struggling financially and they couldn't afford to pay them full-time. That is no longer the case and we need guys whose primary job is officiating NFL football games, not guys who do it as a hobby.

7. Get rid of Jeannie Woosington! That former 49ERs pansy WR should never have been put in charge of anything associated with football other than doing the dirty laundry. This is the guy handing out fines and discipline for REAL football players? He gives a bigger fine for a guy who wrote a dying friend's name on his socks that he did for a vicious cheap shot. He is more concerned with the "integrity" of the uniforms than he is for the health of the players themselves. Get him out of here. Put Mike Ditka in charge of it or someone like that.

There, that's 7 things off the top of my head I would like to see changed.

Personally, I would take the "foot" out of football and get rid of kickers altogether but that's just me and Hos.

That was an interesting read. Thanks.

I dont think its change simply for the sake of change. I think its decentralization of a sport that is just busting at the seams to go global.

For me, it the way of things or atleast the shape of things to come.