Last week's Divisional Games

[BengalYankee]

I hate Roger Godelle's mandatory divisional games the last week of the season.

For example, this year's last week's games are boring with truly one bona fide game that would be the Chargers vs Raiders.

If you flipped week 17 and 18 you would have had exciting interconference games as well as inter-divisional games.

I remember over the years last week's games had many teams scoreboard watching including AFC v NFC games where many cities would be affected by one game. Who cares about any of the NFC games???

What is worse the NFL tries to schedule all the teams in a division the same time. What if I wanted to also watch Ravens vs Pitt, I can't.

It's boring having the Bengals play the same 3 teams at the end of the year.

[Johnny Cupcakes]

If we didn’t win last week, and if the Browns would have, it would have set this up to be the biggest game of the year for each team, just like the LAC v LVR game is. Luckily, we wrapped it up and don’t have to worry about it, but if we didn’t, there’s no way that Mayfield, Burrow, and a bunch of starters don’t go out there to play.

The league designed the last week to lean in to creating a more meaningful week, and I think for the most part, it’s worked.

[Interceptor]

But on the flipside - hey, it's the Bengals!

I hope after this season this team will be nationally televised and I won't have to stream anymore.

[BengalYankee]

(01-07-2022, 03:18 PM)Chip Smallwood Wrote: If we didn’t win last week, and if the Browns would have, it would have set this up to be the biggest game of the year for each team, just like the LAC v LVR game is. Luckily, we wrapped it up and don’t have to worry about it, but if we didn’t, there’s no way that Mayfield, Burrow, and a bunch of starters don’t go out there to play.

The league designed the last week to lean in to creating a more meaningful week, and I think for the most part, it’s worked.

It would have worked solely for Cleveland and Cincy fans. Just like the LAC v LVR game is good for their fans.

Maybe, you have forgotten, but I have not. I have seen tons of last week games involving the NFL since the early 1970's and their have been tons of games where one game involves countless cities. No NFC game will affect a AFC team. I remember a Christmas game between the Vikings and Bengals where it affected both AFC cities and NFC cities. I remember a Bengals vs Raiders game on MNF the last game of the week and year. That game affected many cities.

Dallas vs Phily and Wash vs NY Giant does not affect a AFC city. Very few people outside of LAC and LVR will watch that snooze of a game.

[NUGDUKWE]

(01-07-2022, 03:19 PM)Interceptor Wrote: But on the flipside - hey, it's the Bengals!

I hope after this season this team will be nationally televised and I won't have to stream anymore.

After this year I think its safe to predict at least a few primetime games.

[*Go Cards*]

(01-07-2022, 06:16 PM)BengalYankee Wrote: It would have worked solely for Cleveland and Cincy fans. Just like the LAC v LVR game is good for their fans.

Maybe, you have forgotten, but I have not. I have seen tons of last week games involving the NFL since the early 1970's and their have been tons of games where one game involves countless cities. No NFC game will affect a AFC team. I remember a Christmas game between the Vikings and Bengals where it affected both AFC cities and NFC cities. I remember a Bengals vs Raiders game on MNF the last game of the week and year. That game affected many cities.

Dallas vs Phily and Wash vs NY Giant does not affect a AFC city. Very few people outside of LAC and LVR will watch that snooze of a game.

Not positive but think this was the Christmas Eve game that the wind chill was almost 40 below zero. Think air temperature may have been 13 below. 

It was the 2nd Sunday in a row that it was this crazy cold and my Father declined going per the weather to both games. The previous week I was able to get a friend to go but this particular game I could not get anybody to go or even give the ticket away outside. 

It was the last year in Riverfront and went down to hang out with some of my Fathers friends from West Carrolton. Anyway I only had two seats at the time on 16th row but they could not believe I was crazy enough to drive all the way there by myself to see a meaningless game for the Bengals. 

Said that they had two front row seats opening up the next season when moving into PBS and I was just the type of diehard Bengals fan they wanted to have the seats. Anyway attending this particular game landed me on the front row right behind defense in PBS. 

Oh and the Bengals won knocking the Vikings from the playoffs and being I was drinking that day and so stoked I ran around the stadium wishing all the Viking fans good luck in the playoffs. 

But man was it cold that day. 

[*rfaulk34*]

(01-07-2022, 09:12 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Not positive but think this was the Christmas Eve game that the wind chill was almost 40 below zero. Think air temperature may have been 13 below. 

It was the 2nd Sunday in a row that it was this crazy cold and my Father declined going per the weather to both games. The previous week I was able to get a friend to go but this particular game I could not get anybody to go or even give the ticket away outside. 

It was the last year in Riverfront and went down to hang out with some of my Fathers friends from West Carrolton. Anyway I only had two seats at the time on 16th row but they could not believe I was crazy enough to drive all the way there by myself to see a meaningless game for the Bengals. 

Said that they had two front row seats opening up the next season when moving into PBS and I was just the type of diehard Bengals fan they wanted to have the seats. Anyway attending this particular game landed me on the front row right behind defense in PBS. 

Oh and the Bengals won knocking the Vikings from the playoffs and being I was drinking that day and so stoked I ran around the stadium wishing all the Viking fans good luck in the playoffs. 

But man was it cold that day. 

I think he's talking about the 1989 Christmas night game that knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs.

[*Go Cards*]

(01-07-2022, 09:17 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: I think he's talking about the 1989 Christmas night game that knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs.

Forgot about that game and why do Christmas and Bengals playing the Vikings go together so often lol. 

 Plus went out to hike the Grand Canyon in 88 and 89 as well which could blur that memory somewhat before moving back to Louisville and becoming a season ticket holder in 91.  

[BengalYankee]

(01-07-2022, 09:23 PM)Go Cards Wrote: Forgot about that game and why do Christmas and Bengals playing the Vikings go together so often lol. 

 Plus went out to hike the Grand Canyon in 88 and 89 as well which could blur that memory somewhat before moving back to Louisville and becoming a season ticket holder in 91.  

Yes, I was talking about the game between the Bengals and the Vikings on Christmas that had HUGE repercussions for teams in the AFC and NFC.


Unfortunately, the Bengals lost.



"Minnesota won the NFC Central with the resulting 10-6 record but lost badly to the 49ers in the Divisional playoff. At 8-8, Cincinnati ended up not only out of the postseason but at the bottom of the AFC Central (the three other teams all made it into the playoffs, although Houston and Pittsburgh were only a game better than the Bengals at 9-7. The Steelers would have been eliminated had Cincinnati won)."


So for an AFC point of view this game affected the AFC Central. For a NFC point of view it affected a number of teams as well.

[*rfaulk34*]

(01-08-2022, 12:39 AM)BengalYankee Wrote: Yes, I was talking about the game between the Bengals and the Vikings on Christmas that had HUGE repercussions for teams in the AFC and NFC.


Unfortunately, the Bengals lost.



"Minnesota won the NFC Central with the resulting 10-6 record but lost badly to the 49ers in the Divisional playoff. At 8-8, Cincinnati ended up not only out of the postseason but at the bottom of the AFC Central (the three other teams all made it into the playoffs, although Houston and Pittsburgh were only a game better than the Bengals at 9-7. The Steelers would have been eliminated had Cincinnati won)."


So for an AFC point of view this game affected the AFC Central. For a NFC point of view it affected a number of teams as well.

I went back and watched that game after posting and it's crazy...as bad as officiating is now, it's so much better than it was back then. 

Two weeks before the Minnesota game, the Bengals hosted the Seahawks in the infamous "You don't live in Cleveland..." game. Late in that game it was tied and the Seahawks (who were pretty bad at that moment) were driving. They had a first and goal inside the 3. Bengals stuff them on 2 runs, then on 3rd down, Fulcher breaks through and tackles the RB for a 1 yd loss. 4th and goal right? Nope. Ref had thrown a flag for a legit false start on the 'hawks but after a ref conference, they said the guy on the end of the line "was allowed to move". WTF?? Even an eligible receiver isn't allowed to lurch forward...

So, no flag, no down, let's do 3rd all over again and wouldn'tyaknowit. They score a TD. Bengals drive down at the end of the game but can't punch it in and their record drops to 7-7. Crush the Oilers 61-7 the next week only to drop the Vikings game in one of the most frustrating games to end a frustrating season. 

In that season, they dropped the opener and then won 4 straight. Did a 2L/1W twice in a row before finishing alternating W/L to end up 8-8. In that Vikes game they turned the ball over 5 times, Ricky Dixon dropped a sure pick 6, right in his hands, on the opening Vikes drive and just kept shooting themselves in the foot time after time--throwing a TD right before the end that would have made it 29-28 but was called back on a sketchy tripping call. Speaking of sketchy calls--getting back to my point about how bad the reffing was then--Vikes receiver Hassan Reddick got upended on the sideline, came down with his arm out of bounds, half his shoulder out of bounds, landed on his head and the ball came out right as he hit the ground, out of bounds, but they called it a catch. Late in the game they were driving, up 22-21 and their fullback fumbled the pitch, picked it up, fumbled again before going down where Carl Zander picked it out of the pile and would have gone the other way for 6, but the ref's called him down and they didn't bother to replay it (replay was also very sketchy back then and no one knew when or if a play would even be reviewed) so the Vikes ended up scoring on that drive to go up 29-21. 

OK! Back to your point *whew*. Yes, Bengals and Vikes went into that game 'win and in, lose and out'. It was a Monday night game and they had cameras in a Packers player's house and a Steelers player's house and they even interviewed them as the game went on. 

If the Bengals had won, they would have hosted the Oilers in the first round and knocked the Steelers out of the playoffs and the Vikings would have been knocked out, allowing GB in. That game was so long ago but it and the season in total were sooooooo frustrating and in some ways, it doesn't feel that long ago.

[*bfine32*]

The schedule is designed perfectly, despite most questions being answered last week there are some that remain.

Who is the $1 seed in the AFC
Who wins the AFC East and hosts a playoff game
Who of the Chargers, Raiders, Colts, Steelers, Ravens make the playoff

[BengalYankee]

(01-08-2022, 01:31 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: I went back and watched that game after posting and it's crazy...as bad as officiating is now, it's so much better than it was back then. 

Two weeks before the Minnesota game, the Bengals hosted the Seahawks in the infamous "You don't live in Cleveland..." game. Late in that game it was tied and the Seahawks (who were pretty bad at that moment) were driving. They had a first and goal inside the 3. Bengals stuff them on 2 runs, then on 3rd down, Fulcher breaks through and tackles the RB for a 1 yd loss. 4th and goal right? Nope. Ref had thrown a flag for a legit false start on the 'hawks but after a ref conference, they said the guy on the end of the line "was allowed to move". WTF?? Even an eligible receiver isn't allowed to lurch forward...

So, no flag, no down, let's do 3rd all over again and wouldn'tyaknowit. They score a TD. Bengals drive down at the end of the game but can't punch it in and their record drops to 7-7. Crush the Oilers 61-7 the next week only to drop the Vikings game in one of the most frustrating games to end a frustrating season. 

In that season, they dropped the opener and then won 4 straight. Did a 2L/1W twice in a row before finishing alternating W/L to end up 8-8. In that Vikes game they turned the ball over 5 times, Ricky Dixon dropped a sure pick 6, right in his hands, on the opening Vikes drive and just kept shooting themselves in the foot time after time--throwing a TD right before the end that would have made it 29-28 but was called back on a sketchy tripping call. Speaking of sketchy calls--getting back to my point about how bad the reffing was then--Vikes receiver Hassan Reddick got upended on the sideline, came down with his arm out of bounds, half his shoulder out of bounds, landed on his head and the ball came out right as he hit the ground, out of bounds, but they called it a catch. Late in the game they were driving, up 22-21 and their fullback fumbled the pitch, picked it up, fumbled again before going down where Carl Zander picked it out of the pile and would have gone the other way for 6, but the ref's called him down and they didn't bother to replay it (replay was also very sketchy back then and no one knew when or if a play would even be reviewed) so the Vikes ended up scoring on that drive to go up 29-21. 

OK! Back to your point *whew*. Yes, Bengals and Vikes went into that game 'win and in, lose and out'. It was a Monday night game and they had cameras in a Packers player's house and a Steelers player's house and they even interviewed them as the game went on. 

If the Bengals had won, they would have hosted the Oilers in the first round and knocked the Steelers out of the playoffs and the Vikings would have been knocked out, allowing GB in. That game was so long ago but it and the season in total were sooooooo frustrating and in some ways, it doesn't feel that long ago.

That was Excellent!!!

For everyone who read rfaulk34's excellent post, keep in mind that in those days the schedule was the schedule meaning the NFL did not switch games at the end of the season that they do now. That scheduled game between the defending AFC Champion Bengals and Vikes was predetermined. A lot different these days.  

As rfaulk34 pointed out this interconference game affected multiple teams from both conferences. These days the divisional games where "you win and you are in" games "generally" affect the two teams, and has 0%  relationship to the outside conference, how boring to the rest of the country. Even most fantasy football leagues are over before the last week, so unless a person is involved in a weekly pick'em system who the F' cares about NFC games like Packers v Lions, Wash v NYGiants, Bears v Vikings, etc. Even the damn Dallas v Philly game bored me to death. 

But it is not only the divisional games only that suck, but it is the scheduling of these games. Outside of the Saturday and Sunday night games, the NFL purposedly plays all teams in the same division play at the same time. So if I wanted to see the  Ravens v Steelers game I can't, because they purposedly play at the same time 1:00 EST. So at 4:00 EST, I am done with the NFL and go watch paint dry rather to see the 4:00 games. 

Seriously, even if you like this BS schedule, why play the Colts v Jags at the same time with the Steelers v Ravens???

Wouldn't be better to play the Colts v Jags at 4:00 EST, where the winner of the 1:00 EST Steelers v Ravens fans can then watch the Colts V Jags in suspense???

I understand if the Colts game was at 1:00 and the Ravens v Steelers game was at 4:00. If the Colts won at 1:00, then no one would watch the boring Ravens v Steelers game because all the backups would be playing. Similarly, this Sunday between the Browns and Bengals, where it is a glorified preseason game.     

The reason why the NFL recently created the Divisional games the last week was because teams would play their scrubs if they were already eliminated against non-divisional rivals. But as we will see between the Bengals v Browns nothing has changed. Even with a higher seeding on the line the Bengals will play their scrubs. 

[BengalYankee]

(01-08-2022, 01:43 PM)bfine32 Wrote: The schedule is designed perfectly, despite most questions being answered last week there are some that remain.

Who is the $1 seed in the AFC
Who wins the AFC East and hosts a playoff game
Who of the Chargers, Raiders, Colts, Steelers, Ravens make the playoff

That my friend is ridiculous.

The NFL started scheduling divisional games in 2010. Are you telling me before the scheduling change that in the history of the NFL it was wrong??

1. You don't need a divisional schedule to determine the $1 seed in the AFC, similarly the Packers did not need to play their rival Detroit the last week for the $1 seed in the NFC. Since the history of the NFL $1 and $2 seeds were not determined because of the last week's divisional scheduled game. 

2. You don't need a divisional scheduled game to find an AFC East winner. Just like you did not need a divisional scheduled game to find an AFC North winner!!!!

3. This is another ridiculous statement. Of course, the last week of any schedule will determine the last teams to make the playoffs!!!

You have no idea, what the issue is. The issue is not playing scheduled games the last week of the season, but not having the same boring last week interdivisional games season after season. Out of all the weeks of the scheduled games, the worst week of any season is the last week. The week of Thanksgiving has to be a close second with the boring Dallas and Detroit games year after year. 

As I mentioned in an earlier post, it is not only the interdivisional games, but what time they are playing. 

" But it is not only the divisional games only that suck, but it is the scheduling of these games. Outside of the Saturday and Sunday night games, the NFL purposedly plays all teams in the same division play at the same time. So if I wanted to see the  Ravens v Steelers game I can't, because they purposedly play at the same time 1:00 EST. So at 4:00 EST, I am done with the NFL and go watch paint dry rather to see the 4:00 games. 



Seriously, even if you like this BS schedule, why play the Colts v Jags at the same time with the Steelers v Ravens???



Wouldn't be better to play the Colts v Jags at 4:00 EST, where the winner of the 1:00 EST Steelers v Ravens fans can then watch the Colts V Jags in suspense???



I understand if the Colts game was at 1:00 and the Ravens v Steelers game was at 4:00. If the Colts won at 1:00, then no one would watch the boring Ravens v Steelers game because all the backups would be playing. Similarly, this Sunday between the Browns and Bengals, where it is a glorified preseason game. "
       
So, it's not just the interdivisional games, but the NFL purposedly schedules games where they think you will love all their games. You will love all the 1:00EST games as well as the 4:00EST games and their stupid Sunday night game where an entire alternate conference could care less