Obviously I’m in the minority on this one, but I am not a fan of expanding the NFL season to 18 games. I hate to admit it, actually, I don’t hate to admit it, but I like preseason games. While six games was a bit too much, the current four game preseason is perfect. The only thing I hate is having to pay full price for them with my season ticket package. It’s like paying Super Bowl prices for regular season games, it ain’t right.
The thing I do love about the preseason games is watching the young players play and develop. Without four games to play I think it will seriously effect how players develop and even more important their ability to come in and play their rookie year. With talk of a new developmental league being formed it will be like baseball’s minor leagues and it will much harder for the fans to follow their team’s draft choices when they are playing for teams out of town.
I also like having four weeks of stress-free football before kicking off the real deal. It makes opening day special. On the other end the thought of attending non-playoff games in late January and possibly playoff games in February in Green Bay is not very enticing. I can see thousands of no-shows at those games if the temperature is 20 below with a windchill of 50 below. I know I’m not going, twenty-five years ago maybe, but not now. I remember the first week in February 1996 in which the temperature never got above zero one time, with a low of 31 below. Daytime highs were around minus 15. Can you imagine hosting a playoff game in those conditions? It would make the 2007 loss to the Giants feel like sunny Tampa.
I know this is a battle I’m going to lose as the NFL always gets it’s way. With 18 games though, you can expect to see teams rest their starters the very second they lock up their playoff spot, regardless of whether or not they are playing a division foe the last few weeks of the season. The risk of injury will be increased dramatically, especially considering possible weather conditions late in the year.
And finally, how can you develop a young QB without giving him playing time? Without preseason games where would Matt Hasselbeck be today? Stories like Hasselbeck’s are all over the NFL at other positions as well. I love watching those players. It will also be interesting to see how bad the quality of play will be the first few weeks of the regular season, it could be ugly.
I hold out hope that it won’t happen, but I think it will be part of the new CBA between the NFL and the players association. Money talks and the TV networks pay the bills, so get ready for football in late February. It’s going to be interesting.