NFL Scheduling Idiots Week 18

[flv2]

we know the NFL maximizes profit but creating purposeful disadvantages 6 days before crucial games is BS especially when they claim to do just the opposite

In 2018 the NFL scheduled the Chargers to a 13:05 ET Saturday Wild-card game at the Ravens. The following week they were scheduled to a 13:05 ET Saturday Divisional Round game at the Patriots. Hard to be more unfair than that.

 

[rjdriver]

This is like watching a tennis match.

All that said...

1. We have to take care of business. The Rams are a division game and they are never easy. It's not like we curb stomped them in LA and they have a history of out coaching us. Needless to say that recently they have beat the living piss out of us in Seattle.

2. It's silly to think the Lions won't bring their A game. Spoilers happen all the time in situations just like this. Detroit has waited a long time to play in a game like this after years of futility. This is a statement game for them, a chance to show they have arrived. These guys are professionals and they are playing for respect. I certainly validate the "business decision" argument a few have made, and maybe you are right. But you know what else could be business decision? Having a Rod Tidwell like game on national television against the Packers.

 

[BASF]

The answer is simple, ratings. Rodgers is one of the most polarizing figures in the NFL. A lot of people despise him and will tune in to watch him be eliminated in the playoffs. A lot of people really like him despite being non-Packers fans due to his play style. I think the main reason it wasn't Eagles/Giants for home field was the Eagles destroyed them in their previous game.

 

[Lagartixa]

People who started watching World Cups recently might not know why the final round of the group stage (teams are split into groups of four, and in the group stage, each team plays the other three in its group) consists of two simultaneous games. It's because the Argies are a bunch of dirty cheaters. Not in this last edition - I consider that title completely legit. But they stole the crap out of their first title in 1978.

In '78, there were fewer teams - 16 instead of the 32 from the last several (and it's going up to 48 in 2026, making the qualifiers as irrelevant as the NBA and NHL regular seasons). In '78, there were two group stages - one with four groups of four, and then a second with two groups of four constructed from the top two teams from each of the groups from the first group stage. The winners of the two second-group-stage groups advanced to the final, and the second-place teams went to the third-place match. In the second group stage, both the host Argentina and their arch-rival Brazil ended up in group B. Brazil won its first game 3-0 and Argentina won its first game 2-0. The two teams then battled to a 0-0 draw, so going into the final round of the second group phase, both teams had three points. Brazil's third game was held before Argentina's, and Brazil won it 3-1. So Brazil then had six points and a goal difference of +5.

The Argies took the field against Peru later knowing they had to win by four goals or more to advance. More than that, the Argentine military dictatorship government knew it as soon as Brazil's game ended, and communicated with the military dictatorship government of Peru. Huge payments were made to Peru from Argentina's ministry of agriculture, and Argentina took some of Peru's political prisoners. The result: the Argie-born Peruvian goalie and his team lost 6-0, which, especially at that time, was something like a 77-0 score in gridiron football (or, say, 164-30 in an NBA game). Argentina advanced to the final and Brazil was forced into the third-place match without having lost a single game in the World Cup.
In the next World Cup, in Spain in '82, the group-stage crap continued as Algeria was eliminated when Austria and Germany went into their final game knowing that if Germany won by one or two goals, both teams would advance and Algeria would be out. Germany won 1-0 and there were widespread accusations that the Germans and Austrians had fixed the result (unproven, as far as I know, unlike the case of the Argies and Peruvians, to which some of those responsible ended up admitting back in the aughts).

After that, FIFA changed the rules and made it so the final two games of the group-stage "round robins" were held simultaneously to avoid Argie-style cheating in World Cups.

You'd think the NFL would take the same care 40 years later, but you'd be wrong.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I can see both sides on this. I'm actually stoked to NOT have to play at the same time as GB. Checking your phone every 10 minutes etc. I'd rather we play our game w/zero chance of being eliminated by a GB win until AFTER we play. Keeps the game very intense imo. As far the victim, it's not fair stuff, I just can't even muster up any energy to be shocked that GB and Lord Rodgers would get the benefit of playing Detroit if Detroit is already eliminated.
Then again, Detroit could come in loose and ready to knock out a hated rival. I just can't see a team coached by Dan Campbell just throwing the towel just because they get eliminated. He's not wired that way. I think we win and GB loses. But a 9-8 season, finishing strong is a positive.

Losing to 5 average to crap teams didn't help. Bucs/Saints/Panthers/Falcons/Raiders. All very winnable games. Let's just get that W on Sunday, and see how it plays out.
Go Detroit! Of course, they've only won in GB like 3 times since 1993.

 

[hulbe]

Seahawks need to find some reason to delay the game to 8:20 eastern time

 

[RiverDog]

If we win I doubt Detroit will put forth a big effort to beat Green Bay. I think most players are not going to want to endanger their health and careers in a meaningless game that is the last one of the season.

I wouldn't make that assumption. The vast majority of Lions players are playing for their jobs. They know that during the offseason, coaches are going to be going through film to see who's been naughty and who's been nice, and it could drive some of their decisions on next year's roster. I would be very surprised to see any Lions player mail it in.

What's more concerning about games being mailed in is if you happen to need a team to be beat whose opponent has already qualified for the playoffs, like our needing the Chargers to beat the Broncos to help with the draft picks. In this case, the Chargers coaches may decide to rest some of their starters and protect them from injury, use it as a de facto bye.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Seahawks need to find some reason to delay the game to 5:30 eastern time

The Hawks game is at 4:25 Eastern Time (1:25 in Seattle)
One hour isn't gonna' make a difference. Hawks will be done a little under an hour before the GB game starts.
Just win on Sunday.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I wouldn't make that assumption. The vast majority of Lions players are playing for their jobs. They know that during the offseason, coaches are going to be going through film to see who's been naughty and who's been nice, and it could drive some of their decisions on next year's roster. I would be very surprised to see any Lions player mail it in.

What's more concerning about games being mailed in is if you happen to need a team to be beat whose opponent has already qualified for the playoffs, like our needing the Chargers to beat the Broncos to help with the draft picks. In this case, the Chargers coaches may decide to rest some of their starters and protect them from injury, use it as a de facto bye.

Chargers have something to play for though, they can move up in the seeding. We need them to win that game, big time.
Hawks could jump all the way down to 6 if Denver wins that game.

 

[RiverDog]

Yeah, but not by much. They don't have a shot at a guaranteed home game or first round bye. It may not be enough motivation to keep them from resting at least a few of their key players.

 

[kidhawk]

If money didn't matter I would 100% agree with having the AFC South title game on SNF. Unfortunately money does matter to the NFL and higher ratings mean more money. The NFL schedule caters to the East Coast rather than West Coast because money matters. If money didn't matter St. Louis would have a football team. Life isn't fair.

You're thinking too small. Rodgers is higher ratings than Geno or Goff. Get Rodgers into the playoffs and your ratings increase and revenues stay up. I understand this fully, and I know that's why they did it. My point is that the NFL needs to be honest about it instead of saying they are going to put teams at the same time slot to keep from anyone getting an unfair advantage due to scheduling. That's now been shown unequivocally to be BS.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Yeah, but not by much. They don't have a shot at a guaranteed home game or first round bye. It may not be enough motivation to keep them from resting at least a few of their key players.

Look at the opponents they would play if the move up. MUCH better situation. They absolutely have something to play for.
They win on Sunday, they get the 5 seed instead of the 6 seed. That would mean they play either Jacksonville or Tennessee. Instead of playing Cincy or Baltimore. I can't see them mailing it in at all. 5 seed is a much better road imo.

 

[RiverDog]

Look at the opponents they would play if the move up. MUCH better situation. They absolutely have something to play for.
They win on Sunday, they get the 5 seed instead of the 6 seed. That would mean they play either Jacksonville or Tennessee. Instead of playing Cincy or Baltimore. I can't see them mailing it in at all. 5 seed is a much better road imo.

Understood, and you may be right. But there's another thought that you'd more than likely end up playing that opponent anyway, just another week down the road, and that getting a player additional rest or not subjecting them to injury was more important. It all depends on how the coaches view it.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Fair enough. I just don't see them resting a bunch of guys. And they better not. Denver just almost beat KC on the road.
Go Bolts!

 

[RiverDog]

Fair enough. I just don't see them resting a bunch of guys. And they better not. Denver just almost beat KC on the road.
Go Bolts!

If we were in the same situation as the Chargers, I'd definitely rest K9 and Tyler Lockett, at least not give them as many reps. I'd also limit DK's playing time.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Stop, you're bringing me down

 

[WmHBonney]

I don't get all of the "a 9-8 team doesn't deserve to be in the playoffs" bs. If that were the case, Beastquake never would have happened. It's simple to me. You play by the rules. The NFL just shit all over one of their own rules and it benefits the Packers.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

See NFC South..........

 

[Hawknballs]

This was a garbage move by the NFL that is an obvious attempt to get Rodgers in the playoffs, plain and simple.

Yeah the Seahawks should have won another game or two if they didn't want help, but fact of the matter is that the NFL re-arranged the schedule under the false guise of equity and totally screwed Seattle in that regard. Lions coaches and players will be in a completely different mindset if they know winning doesn't get them in. Decisions will be made differently. It isn't played in a vacuum.

So say whatever you want about how much it matters or doesn't matter, it's still a screw job, or at least a hand job for Rodgers.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Don't lose all 4 NFC South games and to the Raiders. Then it's a non-factor. Conspiracy stuff doesn't change the fact that the Hawks blew several games they should have won. Not sure what the deal is with so many people playing the victim/conspiracy/the league hates us card.
Oh well, we all have our opinions on it, and that's fine.

Just get that W on Sunday, only thing that matters right now. THEN, pull for Detroit to get the upset.