NFL modifies West Coast formula

by THE_TRUTH on Mar 24, 2009 12:32 PM CDT

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4009230&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines

NFL owners voted Monday to modify the schedule to ease the burden of cross-country road trips.

Last year, the Patriots and the Jets had to make West Coast trips to play AFC West opponents and NFC West teams. The Patriots chose to remain on the West Coast twice last season -- for back-to-back games against San Francisco and San Diego in October and Seattle and Oakland in December -- to minimize the wear-and-tear the schedule presented.

Under the new plan, teams wouldn't have to visit two West Coast teams, just one, along with a team closer to the Midwest. Specifically, Oakland will be paired with Denver, and San Diego will be paired with Denver. In the NFC, Arizona and San Francisco will be paired as will St. Louis and Seattle.

Teams that have road games against Denver and Oakland will get home games against Kansas City and San Diego. The opposite scenario will also be true. The same format of home-and-away games with the paired cities holds true for the NFC as well.

Currently, the AFC South and the NFC West are scheduled to play the AFC West in 2010, which is when the new plan would be starting.

Makes sense to me. Cross country trips can be grueling treks for any team on either coast ESPECIALLY back-to-back weeks. I'm not sure how this might effect KC, but I think that we'd be at a disadvantage at playing away games against stronger opponents than obviously at home.

Does this give a disadvatage to midwest teams? I can't see a scenario, but I'm sure something will pop-up once the scheduling is made in 2010.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.

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Seems like we're getting

shafted to me.

My crystal ball says Jay Cutler cries himself to sleep every night.

by IISaiNtII on Mar 24, 2009 12:49 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah, the more I think about it

The more I’m thinking the scheduling is going to be biased for the coast teams and we’ll get stuck with a tougher (home/visiting) schedule versus SD and Oakland.

Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."

"My job is not to collect talent, but to build a team. Individuals make the Pro Bowl. Teams win championships. That is our goal."—Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.

by THE_TRUTH on Mar 24, 2009 12:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Yep

That’s exactly what I’m thinking. More hostile away visits.

My crystal ball says Jay Cutler cries himself to sleep every night.

by IISaiNtII on Mar 24, 2009 1:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Not sure what you see that I don't

As it stands now… when divisions are scheduled against the AFC West… Oakland and SD are paired and KC and Denver are paired. So in 2008 the AFC East against the West was…
NE/Jets away Oak/San
NE/Jets home Den/KC
Buf/Mia away Den/KC
Buf/Mia home Oak/San

In 2005 the home and aways were reversed. All the NFL has decided was to change the pairings from Oak/SD Den/KC to Oak/Den and SD/KC. How does that increase our hostile away visits?

by dragon6172 on Mar 24, 2009 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions