The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

I have several problems with the Thanksgiving (TG) games. Putting aside specific stats concerning the Cowboys and Lions, all other things being equal, it's a pretty big edge to be at home on a very short week and then get 10 days off before you meet your next opponent when they only get 6. I'm also tired of the Cowboys and Lions every frickin' year.

Now it appears we will have an 18 game season.

Here's a suggestion:

Give every team a bye the week before TG. This way all byes are equal and a road team has full time to prepare for the TG game. That edge is now gone.

Have 4 games on TG and make them all division games. For example, this year could have been NFC and AFC East. 10 days later have those same divisions play division games. Then the 10-days-off edge is gone too. To continue the example it coulda been 'Skins at Cowboys and Eags at Giants on TG day. 10 days later the Eags and 'Skins could be hosts to the Cowboys and Giants respectively.

Division matchups bring great ratings and would usually be competitive regardless of record. Imagine Pitt at the Bengals and the Ravens at the Dog Pound. That would be a "crappy year" and I'd watch that before the Pats at the Lions in a heart beat.

In 4 years every team could play on TG. In 8 years every team could host. It would be fair. It would be competitive. The ratings would be huge.

Of course we'd have 9 days of no NFL leading up to TG.

Whattayathink?

DarthMonk

The NFL has moved to Thursday night games for the last 7 or 8 weeks of the season anyway (including TG). This already eliminates the Dallas/Detroit monopoly on the short week (and they aren't always the home team either), so I don't really see the need for a change to the system as it stands now. Now, if you had asked the same question 5 years ago...

Deadskins wrote:The NFL has moved to Thursday night games for the last 7 or 8 weeks of the season anyway (including TG). This already eliminates the Dallas/Detroit monopoly on the short week (and they aren't always the home team either), so I don't really see the need for a change to the system as it stands now. Now, if you had asked the same question 5 years ago...

You make ONE good point but Dallas has hosted a TG game every year since 1966 except twice, '75 and '77.

I believe Detroit just hosted its 70th consecutive TG game.

I'd toss the other Thursday games.

DarthMonk

DarthMonk wrote:

Deadskins wrote:The NFL has moved to Thursday night games for the last 7 or 8 weeks of the season anyway (including TG). This already eliminates the Dallas/Detroit monopoly on the short week (and they aren't always the home team either), so I don't really see the need for a change to the system as it stands now. Now, if you had asked the same question 5 years ago...

You make ONE good point but Dallas has hosted a TG game every year since 1966 except twice, '75 and '77.

I believe Detroit just hosted its 70th consecutive TG game.

I'd toss the other Thursday games.

DarthMonk

Not a bad plan other than the almost week and a half without football in the middle of November, which I'm pretty sure the owners would call profit lost and would be totally against it.

1niksder wrote:

DarthMonk wrote:

Deadskins wrote:The NFL has moved to Thursday night games for the last 7 or 8 weeks of the season anyway (including TG). This already eliminates the Dallas/Detroit monopoly on the short week (and they aren't always the home team either), so I don't really see the need for a change to the system as it stands now. Now, if you had asked the same question 5 years ago...

You make ONE good point but Dallas has hosted a TG game every year since 1966 except twice, '75 and '77.

I believe Detroit just hosted its 70th consecutive TG game.

I'd toss the other Thursday games.

DarthMonk

Not a bad plan other than the almost week and a half without football in the middle of November, which I'm pretty sure the owners would call profit lost and would be totally against it.

Exactly. So I need to represent the players and make it part of the 18 game deal!

DarthMonk

DarthMonk wrote:Exactly. So I need to represent the players and make it part of the 18 game deal!

DarthMonk