Realignment in the NFL

[Thorn]

There's always talk of realignment in the NFL, but it probably won't happen. How would you realign the NFL if it was up to you? I did this some time ago, and it's based strickly on geography. Even at that, it takes some fudging.

Eastern Conferance

New England
New York
New York
Buffalo

Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Washington
Baltimore

Cleveland
Cincinnati
Indianapolis
Detroit

Chicago
Green Bay
Minnesota
St. Louis

Southwestern Conferance

Carolina
Tennessee
Kansas City
New Orleans

Tampa Bay
Jacksonville
Miami
Atlanta

Houston
Dallas
Denver
Arizona

San Diego
Oakland
Seattle
San Francisco

[Dutchrudder]

Indy sure would be in a sweet spot
With that setup.

[houstonspartan]

You have to keep Houston with Indy and Tennessee. The Texans, Titans and Colts have to remain in the same division. Those rivalries have gotten deep seated.

[spurstexanstros]

Two words to why it wont happen.....Jerry Jones

[The Pencil Neck]

It won't happen any time soon because you're losing the AFL/NFL distinctions.

[ziggy29]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

Indy sure would be in a sweet spot
With that setup.

Not so sure. I think Detroit will be a pretty good team in a couple more years, and Cleveland could be considerably improved as well. And Indy keeps getting a little older and a little less dominant each year.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by The Pencil Neck

It won't happen any time soon because you're losing the AFL/NFL distinctions.

Does that really matter? Some of the original NFL teams now play in the AFL conferance. I'm not really promoting it, it'll never happen for many reasons, but it's interesting to play around with. I think the Houston, Dallas, Denver, Arizona division would potentially be a very high scoring division.

[Doppelganger]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

Indy sure would be in a sweet spot
With that setup.

And DC would be screwed.

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by Thorn

Does that really matter? Some of the original NFL teams now play in the AFL conferance. I'm not really promoting it, it'll never happen for many reasons, but it's interesting to play around with. I think the Houston, Dallas, Denver, Arizona division would potentially be a very high scoring division.

I think there's still some power to the old AFL/NFL breakdown although it's diminishing over time, I think it will be a long time before it doesn't matter.

A Houston, Dallas, Denver, Arizona division would be pretty exciting.

[Doppelganger]

The problem with this is the regional aspect would dilute markets. For example, if you put NY and NY in the same division, that splits your fan base. It is tougher to be a Giants and Jets fan if they play each other 2x a year. Instead, if you put them in different conferences, where they only play in preseason and once every 4 years, its easier. Not splitting your fan base means more league revenue.

[gwallaia]

The divisions will remain as they are now...... forever.

[LonerATO]

I would like to see teams realigned by their geography

[Texaninlild]

There would be a lot of blackouts in the Florida division. The kitties and fishies have a hard time selling tickets.

[Texan4Ever]

Originally Posted by LonerATO

I would like to see teams realigned by their geography

Ditto. The Cowboys in the East, really? Make the divisions aligned geographically and make the divisions competitive unlike the West divisions.

[DexmanC]

Originally Posted by Thorn

There's always talk of realignment in the NFL, but it probably won't happen. How would you realign the NFL if it was up to you? I did this some time ago, and it's based strickly on geography. Even at that, it takes some fudging.

Eastern Conferance

New England
New York
New York
Buffalo

Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Washington
Baltimore

Cleveland
Cincinnati
Indianapolis
Detroit

Chicago
Green Bay
Minnesota
St. Louis

Southwestern Conferance

Carolina
Tennessee
Kansas City
New Orleans

Tampa Bay
Jacksonville
Miami
Atlanta

Houston
Dallas
Denver
Arizona

San Diego
Oakland
Seattle
San Francisco

You'll be convicted of NFL Heresy by destroying the NFC East.
The Football Gods would never go for it.

[spurstexanstros]

Originally Posted by DexmanC

You'll be convicted of NFL Heresy by destroying the NFC East.
The Football Gods would never go for it.

Jerry thinks he sees a football God everytime he looks in the mirror.

[DexmanC]

Originally Posted by spurstexanstros

Jerry thinks he sees a football God everytime he looks in the mirror.

Jerry went to the surgeon, to be made in the football God's image.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by DexmanC

You'll be convicted of NFL Heresy by destroying the NFC East.
The Football Gods would never go for it.

It wouldn't be the first time I've gone against the popular opinion. LOL

[Hervoyel]

To the extent that it's possible for the NFL to be aligned perfectly it is aligned perfectly. I'd change nothing at all. 32 teams should be a carved in stone absolute limit (I actually preferred 28) and the current divisions are pretty damn good if you ask me. Nice balance of the old and the new.

The only change I'd make to the league would be to make Bud Adams accept a renamed franchise in Houston and change the Texans name to "Oilers". It's the way things should be. The Texans are at least as snake-bit as the Oilers were and "Texans" is some idiotic retread stupidity that we had to settle for because Bud got away with stealing our teams name. We got raped on that deal and keeping the name and history should have been the condition we gave him to leave his lease early.

But I digress. Alignment is as good as it's going to get. I say tinker with nothing.

[GP]

I would switch with Seattle.

And make it retroactive. We're playing next weekend.