tongue as rivalries, then again, the first time a guy from the Browns sucker punches Jay Cutler, you've got yourself a rivalry. But you could rotate the games after two or three seasons if one of the teams wants to switch it up.
I just think it gives the fans of those teams a chance to show their allegiances every single year. I'm sure out by the Bay, you either root for the 49ers or the Raiders. In New York, it's either Jets or Giants. Even in some Texas cities (not many, though), it's either Dallas or Houston. But they don't always play each other.
In this format, they would.
And if the league wanted to try and make it fair, your second extra game could be a result of how your first opponent fared last year.
Stick with me here. Let's say the Cowboys and Texans play every year. Well, going off last year's standings. The Cowboys won the NFC East and the Texans were second in the AFC South. Based on that, the Cowboys would then play a third-place time from another AFC division and the Texans would get a fourth-place team from another NFC division.
That way, if you're stuck playing the Colts every year, at least you're going to also face another last-place team. There's some tweaking to do, but it could work.
And in a year like this, where the Cowboys are pitted to play the Texans anyway, that's fine. Play them twice! Nothing wrong with that - only enhances the rivalry.
That is what the NFL is seeking, right? They want compelling stuff that people want to see. At this stage, it's hard to create history. Unless two teams keep winning every year like New England and Indianapolis, it's difficult to form rivalries.
But geographic rivalries will always be there. People from Houston simply don't like people from Dallas. I'm sure there are rivalries like that all over, especially when it comes to football allegiances.
So, I'm not exactly going to wave my pompoms around for an 18-game schedule. But if it does happen, and it probably will, I think the NFL has a no-brainer opportunity in front of them.
For one of the extra games, at least.
