NFL – Notes on Week 1 and the chances of an 18 game regular season

The NFL has been pushing to convince NFL team owners to promote an 18 game season. Commissioner Roger Goodell has pointed out that the NFL has the right to impose an 18 game regular season, and a 4 game preseason, as it would be in perfect accordance to the previous agreement the league has with its players.

Some team owners, like Bob Craft from the New England Patriots, have already spoken out their desire to move on with an 18 game regular season. He has said for an interview with the Associated Press that an extended season is a win-win situation. And it probably is, if you take into consideration what each team will make in terms of ticket sales and televised rights.

Commissioner Goodell is right about the fact that the contract between the league and the player’s labor agreement could take in an 18 game season. Yet that is not the main issue, as this agreement expires once this current issue is over. And trust me here, the extended regular season is going to be one of the key-issues when it comes to negotiating a new collective agreement among players and the league.

Some owners, on the other hand, are proposing the season to be kept at 20 games. To do so, they are agreeing to an 18 season regular season, but they are trying to bring down the number of preseason games from 4 to 2. This must be an attempt to keep the health of their players.

Yet, this is one of the most dangerous and physically demanding sports. Injuries are one of the most important issues in this sport, a factor that teams need to take into account every season. Only the healthier teams at the end of a regular season make it to the conference finals. And that is where two extra games could make a difference.

Take this NFL season opener as a reference: The Detroit Lions have already lost their starting QB Matthew Stafford to a separated shoulder. Ryan Grant’s torn ligament in his ankle might hurt the Green Bay Packers quite a bit. The Philadelphia Eagles lost fullback Leonard Weaver and center Jamal Jackson to season ending injuries. And the Jets lost defensive tackle Kris Jenkins to a torn ACL. The Indianapolis Colts lost safety Bob Sanders to a torn bicep injury, and it is uncertain when he will be back.

And things are not going to get better for week No 2. Leave it at 16 or move to an 18 regular season game? Let’s see what Goodell and the players and the owners come up with at the end of the season.