[Mac4Lyfe]

This is a serious problem for the NFL. The public perception is that some teams can't even call themselves professionals when they don't care about winning. The sanctity of the game has been tarnished especially for the purist. Even Roger Goodell got together with a panel this week to discuss solutions. The Colts started this sham a few years ago and teams have all followed suit. Well here's how you stop it.

Goodell and the panel is looking into a current proposal to give teams that play their best players after clinching extra compensatory draft picks. The problem with this is how do you determine the "best players". Plus the Bengals showed tonight that they can still play starters but at half speed.

I think a great solution would be to punish every team that loses in week 17 by giving their 7th round pick to the team that beats them that week. So, Cinci would have had to give the Jet's their 7th round pick because they lost. All the losers this week would have to forfeit that draft pick. This ensures that teams would now have an incentive to actually win the game.

Thoughts???

[regretz]

A better punishment would be to make the team tanking the game to sit through a nonstop 48hour marathon of the tape of them playing that game.

[daneblazer]

I don't think its that serious of a problem. If the Texans didn't want to be in that position, they should have won a game before this week.

7th round pick means nothing and playoff teams are going to rest their starters regardless.

[Mac4Lyfe]

I don't think its that serious of a problem. If the Texans didn't want to be in that position, they should have won a game before this week.

7th round pick means nothing and playoff teams are going to rest their starters regardless.

Yeah, who really wanted Matt Cassell or T.J. Houshmandzadeh or Marques Colston or Cortland Finnegan or Shannon Sharpe all taken in the 7th

How about....
Kennan McCardell 12th Round
Richard Dent 8th Round
or maybe Wayne Chrebet who wasn't even drafted

Or some notable late 6 rounders...
Jammal Anderson 6th Round
Jay Novacek 6th Round
Marc Bulger 6th Round
Terrell Davis 6th Round

and of course... Tom Brady

If you don't think teams value every pick then your crazy...

[alamo]

For me as someone who loves anything from the NFL to my own native Gaelic Football, its about HONESTY OF EFFORT. Its about giving it all or at least trying. Yes, I know that the Bengals didnt have much to play for (and indeed I have no doubt that they actually wanted to ensure they lost as they would have feared the Texans ahead of the Jets next week) but that doesnt make it alright for them. So, they should suffer some sling or arrow. Without having a great knowledge of the draft system, your suggestion would certainly get team coaches and Franchise bosses thinking about week 17 of any year. The other crazy situation is that the team who finishes last appears to get the first round draft (I could be wrong here). This too is also wrong as the same situation occurs at the bottom of the ladder. Whatever they do, they need to get these guys playing again. I was brought up with the saying - If your not playing to win, why play at all. I saw Goodell the other night talking about it and at least they are now aware of the problem which has got to be a good thing.

[daneblazer]

You are cherry picking studs out of a huge sample size. Of course there are going to be good players in the 7th round. There are good undrafted players too. A 7th isn't enough to keep teams from resting starters though. The vast majority of 7th rounders are cut.

Also, this year is a bit of an anomaly. Show me it being a problem for 2-3 years before we do something drastic. It really didn't help the Colts. The year they won I believe they were a wild card team and Jacksonville just obliterated them for something like 400 yards rushing.

[H-BOMB]

You can't force teams to play people when they don't have to. It is more than a game to these teams and the owners. Wes Welker is lost for the rest of the season for a game they could have easily rested players instead of playing. This happens in all sports where key guys will be rested more if the team is in the playoffs and nothing to play for. In baseball you see guys getting full days off. If the NFL forces teams to play key guys in games that don't matter and they get hurt the NFL will suffer come playoff time when teams are missing these guys because of injury. If teams need to get help from other teams to make the playoffs they should learn how to do it themselves and win games. Houston lost to the Jets which if they had won that game they would be in and not the Jets. Pittsburgh lost to teams like Kansas City, Oakland and Cleveland, so they screwed themselves. Owners and the NFLPA will never allow Goodell to force players to play. We all see how the NFL treats former players when they get injured and can't play no more.

[DaColts]

What we all have to hope for, if we want this problem to be solved, is that the Saints, Colts, Cardinals, Bengals (maybe Chargers, but I give them the benefit of the doubt after winning 10 out of 11) lose. Maybe prove to coaches and
owners that benching your players in favor of building
momentum up for the
postseason isn't the way to go.
33-0.

lol give the chargers the benefit for winning 10 of 11 but not the colts for being 14-0

[DaColts]

Wes welker taught us a lesson today he's out for the season on a meaningless game for N.E

[Mac4Lyfe]

You are cherry picking studs out of a huge sample size. Of course there are going to be good players in the 7th round. There are good undrafted players too. A 7th isn't enough to keep teams from resting starters though. The vast majority of 7th rounders are cut.

Also, this year is a bit of an anomaly. Show me it being a problem for 2-3 years before we do something drastic. It really didn't help the Colts. The year they won I believe they were a wild card team and Jacksonville just obliterated them for something like 400 yards rushing.

and that's the reason teams would not want to lose the pick. They might possibly give away the next Tom Brady...

If that's not incentive enough then make it a 6 or 5th rounder then. It would also solve teams that try to tank as well. They tank the last game and get the first pick but they also lose a 5th, 6th or 7th pick. This is a very easy solution.

[Mac4Lyfe]

You are cherry picking studs out of a huge sample size. Of course there are going to be good players in the 7th round. There are good undrafted players too. A 7th isn't enough to keep teams from resting starters though. The vast majority of 7th rounders are cut.

Also, this year is a bit of an anomaly. Show me it being a problem for 2-3 years before we do something drastic. It really didn't help the Colts. The year they won I believe they were a wild card team and Jacksonville just obliterated them for something like 400 yards rushing.

It's been a problem the last 3 years. Last year several teams tanked with 2 games to go and the year before the Colts screwed the Browns (a 10 win team that didn't make the playoffs). This is not a new occurrence. Go recheck the Vegas lines the last 2 weeks of the NFL for the past few years. It's been ridiculous. Teams aren't even trying to hide the fact that they tank games. Shouldn't it be illegal to lose a game on purpose???

[PAULYPOKER]

N.F.L. Roundup Committee Could Rule on Resting of Starters


[COLOR=#000000 ! important]The NFL Competition Committee could take up the question of whether teams should be allowed to rest their starters once they have secured a playoff berth.
The committee, which decides on rules changes, discussed the issue in 2005, and decided that a team that has clinched its division title earned the right to rest starters in preparation for the postseason and “that preparing for the postseason is just as important as protecting some other team’s playoff opportunity,” according to the N.F.L. spokesman Greg Aiello.

But the issue flared again this week after the previously undefeated INDIANAPOLIS COLTS pulled their starters in the third quarter of last Sunday’s game against THE JETS, and subsequently lost the game. The move has drawn criticism from fans and the news media, although the Colts had made clear for weeks that an undefeated season was never their goal.
That ran counter to how the PATRIOTS played in 2007, when they continued to play their starters as they went through an undefeated regular season. In the regular-season finale of 2007, the Patriots and the GIANTS both used their starters throughout.
“We are aware of the fan reaction and that is a factor to be considered,” Aiello said. “Some teams that have everything clinched, like the Giants and Patriots two years ago, choose to play all out to continue or gain momentum for the playoffs. We expect to continue to review this issue.”[/COLOR]

[PAULYPOKER]

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Seer
If anything, the NFL WANTS the Steelers in the playoffs because they would bring much more money into the equation than the Texans and it is all about $.

You see the NFL has no control over what team or teams assumes the fetal position but they are working on it right now as we speak because with the circus fake ass no showing integrity colt"s & Patriots made it obvious to the majority and also awoke the sleeping giant and do you know who that sleeping giant is??? It's called STEELER NATION AND IT IS ABOUT TO TAKE A BIG CHUNK OUT OF THE NFL'S ASS'S REVENUE!!!!! if nothing is done about it.

[PAULYPOKER]

I see no way that the rules can be changed so that teams cannot sit players when they wish. Can anyone explain how this 'sitting players' can be changed in anyway?

If the NFL starts losing popularity which = loss of revenue because of loss of integrity trust me it will happen
but the real Question here is: Is the public smart enough to figure it out and that would be no how do I know this look at our government

[xxxvince]

wont work

[jon13009]

Those teams earned the right to rest their starters. The penalty will be being losing timing and confidence during the playoffs. If you are a fan and don't like it then go to a "fan" fourm - this is a betting forum.

[daneblazer]

One thing that would piss me off is that if I bought a ticket for a game like that, I'd want to be refunded. The Cards looked like they had a packed house and the fans were treated to that?

[Hoja Verdes]

You idiots.

You can't punish a team for winning throughout the early part of the season. If losing a game benefits them in the playoffs, it is certainly their right to lay down on purpose. If anything, I'd argue they should even be allowed to forfeit the final game of the regular season if they wish.

Lastly, this is a GAMBLING forum, not a fanboy forum. Take that sh1t to the yahoo messageboards.

[Lockitup1x]

There is nothing useful that can be done. If the regular season goes to 18 games, there will be many more games like we saw the last two weeks.

[The Seer]

chance of losing Peyton Manning to a knee injury on a team that has home field advantage still trumps a chance of losing a 7th rounder

[BigdaddyQH]

Gentlemen, I rise for the defense. My team was accused of dogging it in week 17. Sure they only played their starters for 2 series, but it is our fault that we were beseiged with bumps and bruses, and a series of illnesses with flu like symptoms? Our players that did play gave it their all, but just were not good enough. I also believe that the NFL failed to PROVE that we did not give our best. Is there some type of meter that they have invented to determine who is giving 100% and who is not? The prosecution hs not presented one shread of undisputable evidence to prove that my team dogged it in week 17. There theory is just that. A theory based on prior production. Everyone has a bad week. Everyone has injuries and illnesses. The defense rests.

That is how easy it would be for any attorney to shoot down the NFL in court if the NFL tried to punish any team for dogging it in a game. It is impossible to prosecute. We see it in every professional sport. We get the same arugment in baseball near the end of the season, and in hoops and hockey also. It will never end. It can not be legislated out. You can not make rules that state that you have to start a certain player on any given day.

[Dunder]

It is the conference/divisonal system in the first instance that gives rise to this situation.
As long as there are so many meaningless games, this will happen.

Whilst the last week of the regular season is the one most likely to be afflicted it is by no means the only week. Nobody, I think, would dispute that the Bengals performance was half-hearted but was it any worse than the Redskins (vs NYG) in week 15?

[fsugolf]

How many starters from playoff bound teams were hurt yesterday?

[swisher33]

You are cherry picking studs out of a huge sample size. Of course there are going to be good players in the 7th round. There are good undrafted players too. A 7th isn't enough to keep teams from resting starters though. The vast majority of 7th rounders are cut.

Also, this year is a bit of an anomaly. Show me it being a problem for 2-3 years before we do something drastic. It really didn't help the Colts. The year they won I believe they were a wild card team and Jacksonville just obliterated them for something like 400 yards rushing.

All great franchises rely on their late round picks. The Patriots are the great franchise of today and the constantly get starters late in the draft. This year they got Julian Eddleman in the 7th round. He is will be the key in their playoff game as he steps in for Wes Welker.

[BigdaddyQH]

The fact is that nothing can be done, because push come to shove, there is simply no way of proving that a team intentionally tanks a game. If I release in injury report saying that my entire 1st string is suffering from flu like symptoms or other mild conditions, the NFL has no way of proving otherwise.

[DwightShrute]

every team does it in every sport but because the NFL only plays 16 games, it is blown out of proportion.

Do you think the Penguins should play Crosby in a mean nothing last game of the season? And if the coach sat him, they should get penalized for doing so? Not a chance.

Like someone said earlier, Houston had 15 weeks to win enough games to get into the post season.

This is a NON story IMO

Ask Wes Welker what he thinks about all this?

[tullamore]

No one gives a shit about a 7th round pick.

[Sam Odom]

this is a GAMBLING forum, not a fanboy forum. Take that sh1t to the yahoo messageboards.

[seaborneq]

The NFL can fix this problem very easily. There is a 53 man roster. Only 45 are allowed to suit up. Just like in baseball where late season call ups are played, the NFL should let 53 players suit up so that we can see players who want to play, not players who are tired of playing or affraid of getting hurt. I think a guys who has busted his ass all season in practice and has NEVER suited up would be more amped to play NFL caliber football than a beat up guy who sees it as a way to get hurt and rehab in the offseason.