Bucs Fans Get Another Gift
December 27th, 2020
Joe hasn’t been this happy on a Sunday morning since a wild night in Vegas last century. But today tops that. The Bucs are back in the playoffs.
And to make today even better, the NFL has added another gift.
NFL.com is reporting now that fans should expect a 17-game regular season in 2021. More real football!!
“In turn, the preseason would be cut to either two or three games. There still would be one bye week per club, extending the total regular season to 18 weeks and pushing back the Super Bowl into the second week of February,” wrote Tom Pelissero & Ian Rapoport.
Per the report, the 17th game would be an out-of-conference game and the extra week could lead to an international week with games staged outside the United States.
Of course, more games means more money for the NFL, and that’s always at the root of major decisions.
December 27th, 2020 at 7:58 am
I honestly don’t really care for adding games. Keep the game the way it is.
December 27th, 2020 at 8:00 am
So who gets the extra home game, and who gets the extra away game?
December 27th, 2020 at 8:09 am
Yeah, not exactly excited about this change. It’s fine the way it is.
December 27th, 2020 at 8:33 am
17games? Not sure I get that? As the other posters have questioned who gets the extra home game or will that always be in London…Mexico City..Beijeng…$$ will decide.
I thought they’d take the easy way out and convert two preseason games to regular season and simply drop the preseason altogether. The games are meaningless anyway. However the chance to practice against other teams is still a way that could get teams ready to play. Simply hold a week long camp for four teams at a time and let them bang on each other in whatever drills or format they decide.
18 games would have been neat and clean and generated even more $$
December 27th, 2020 at 9:05 am
Change is part of life, and that includes the $$NFL$$. I hate the overseas games. Most sports fans in other countries have their own sports and soccer. Except for ex-pats, how many actually like American football? I am glad there will be preseason games. How else are coaches going to figure out who to cut?
December 27th, 2020 at 9:37 am
“How else are coaches going to figure out who to cut?”
They simply expand on the current practice of “joint” practices. No everybody doesn’t fire one up although that’s an idea I guess…it’s what the Bucs have done in recent years…invite teams to camp or visit their camp for practice blasting somebody different than their teammates.
They could easily expand on this…have 8 sites with four teams that have joint practices for a week. A chance to see three different teams under many different situations that can be artificially created by the coaching staffs.
The cream would still rise.
December 27th, 2020 at 10:39 am
The players and coaches have been clamoring for fewer pre-season games. So cutting that down to 2 games would be great. Not sure about having an extra regular-season game. I guess if all teams had an “international” game, with no home-field advantage, that would eliminate the unevenness of a 17-game schedule. But, players and coaches aren’t going to like that travel, unless of course it was followed by the bye week. However, you cut it, there will be some negatives and positives.
December 27th, 2020 at 11:20 am
NO damned International Week !! Play them in the US or don’t play them. Travel and time issues cause too many problems.
December 27th, 2020 at 11:21 am
Should be 18 with 2 bye weeks.
December 27th, 2020 at 11:23 am
Stop the International games. Stop Thursday night games. Go to two preseason games and leave it at sixteen regular season games.
December 27th, 2020 at 11:25 am
the extra game just messes up the balance of the schedule, but thats ok i guess, im more wondering why if we lose a preseaon game, and add a regular season one, why that would push back the superbowl. same number of weeks/ games would be played, just one more counts. it shouldnt change the timing of the season at all.
December 27th, 2020 at 11:34 am
The balance of home and away games would be evened out by the preseason. I assume there would be an even number total. And though that isn’t exactly fair it’s probably how it will be.
December 27th, 2020 at 11:37 am
I’m a season ticket holder and I would much rather pay for a regular-season game instead of the preseason garbage that they make us pay at regular price. I’m all for more regular-season and less preseason.
December 27th, 2020 at 11:44 am
I hope that means expanding the game day roster and loosen up the IR rules, it is in the interest of everyone other than the owners bean counters to have the very best players available on the field!
December 27th, 2020 at 11:57 am
TampaTown Says:
December 27th, 2020 at 11:23 am
Stop the International games. Stop Thursday night games. Go to two preseason games and leave it at sixteen regular season games.
_________________________
This is the way I feel also. I hate the Thursday night games.
The players are human beings not machines or robots.
December 27th, 2020 at 5:48 pm
TTown
I third that motion….
December 27th, 2020 at 6:10 pm
Sounds like the NFL is trying to make for lost covid revenue. If thats the case why not 18 regular season games and 2 preseason games and up the cap space from 175 mil to 185 mil in 2021.
December 27th, 2020 at 6:56 pm
International?
Not with COVID still spreading. That won’t happen.
December 28th, 2020 at 3:42 am
I hate overseas games. We haven’t been that lucky with those. I believe it distract players. The new places , sightseeing turn to be real distractions. Specially for players that never been outside the US. Again not a good idea on my mind.
December 28th, 2020 at 3:43 am
BTW, the pandemic has hit harder in Europe. I don’t think any player would want to go through that.