How I'd

As we enter July, training camp is in the not too distant future. Time for me to reflect on the state of the game while providing several suggestions to St. Roger and Mr. Smith (NFLPA head).

First off, the NFL is the best sport league and team sport on the planet. With all apologies to FIFA, this past World Cup showed exactly why America will never embrace futbol like the rest of the world. When you have a sport where men run around for 90 minutes and are lucky to score 1 combined goal by 2 teams, you have a problem. I won't even mention the whimsical nature in which the sport seems to be officiated. So if the NFL is the BEST around, what could make it better? Here are several ideas. The impending CBA negotiations must be considered as well as St. Roger's mission to "expand" the game.

First, whether we like it or not, an 18 game regular season will become a reality. As fans, we should embrace for one important reason-- a shortened pre-season. But if St. Roger is intent on more regular season games, he needs to think really big and not just give each team one more home game. No, he needs to take those extra 2 weeks worth of games and play them on neutral sites. We are talking 32 extra meanigful games a year. Play 8 of them in London. Play 8 of them in LA. Play 4 in Mexico City. Play 4 in Tokyo. Play 4 in Germany. Play 4 in Canada. It doesn't matter the break out of where these games are played. The point is to use these "extra games" and take them to the fans who don't have a home team. By doing this, you also eliminate the need for expansion or teams moving from one city to another.

Second, if we are going to expand the regular season, then by all means extend the number of teams making the playoffs from 12 to 14 teams. Don't get me wrong. I don't want an NBA/NHL playoff format where 1/2 the teams make the playoffs. By capping the number at 14, you stay below the .500% threshold. The additional teams would be a 3rd wildcard team from each conference. The first playoff round would have 6 games instead of 4. Three games would be played on Satruday and 3 on Sunday. The only teams recieving a bye would be the 2 teams with the best overall record in the AFC and NFC. This would also help ensure games are more meaningful at the end of the year.

Third, there would be no divisional games in the 1st month of the season. Additionally, the last 3 weeks of the season would be a round robin of all divisional opponents. This would ensure more meaningful games at the end of the year.

Fourth, I'd expand rosters from 53 to 60 with 55 players dressing on game day.

Fifth, I'd add a "disabled list". Instead of forcing teams to place players on injured reserve and thus ending a player's season, the disabled list would allow a team to deactivate a player but be able to bring them back later in the season. Let's say a player pulls his hamstring in week 3, a team could put him on the DL while activating a replacement until the injured player could come back.

Sixth, I'd move the kickoff up to the 35 yard line. I know the NFL wants returns as part of the game, but pushing up the kickoff, you also end some of the violent collisions that cause so many injuries on special teams. It would also reduce the number of needless illegal block in the back penalties. Additionally, it would provide a little balance to the defense by making the offense start more often at the 20 yard line. In a league being dominated by offensive stats, this would make an offense earn their points by forcing longer drives.

Seventh, I'd change the OT format (but not in the way the NFL has done for the playoffs). Each team would be guaranteed at least 1 possession (regardless of what the other team does). With the kickoff being from the 35, there would more likley be drives starting at the 20. This would make it harder for teams to make 2 first downs and kick a FG to win the game. After each team has their one possession, revert back to sudden death. BTW, if a team fumbles the OT kickoff, that would count as their possession and the recovering team could kick a FG to win the game on their possession. This OT format would be the same for regular and postseaon games. Finally for pre-season games, there would be no OT if a game ends tied at the end of regulation.

So what do you think? Have any suggestions on how to improve the game?