Teams/divisions swap(s)

[racepug]

I know that the N.F.L. probably won't do it but I'd like to see, in the N.F.C., DAL moved to the N.F.C. South and CAR moved to the N.F.C. East and in the A.F.C., Indy moved to the North, BAL moved to the East, and MIA moved to the South.

All of these are for geographical reasons but if the N.F.L. were to swap those three teams in the A.F.C. then the three franchises (PIT, CLE, and the Colts) that agreed to move from the N.F.L. to the A.F.C. in 1970 would be in the same division.

It's a pipe dream, I know.

[Crazy Packers Fan]

While I don't think they're going to change any divisions under the current format, I do think that the idea of realigning divisions is important, should the league expand again. Logistically, it would make sense to grow by four teams. (I know, I know, bad QB play, not enough players... just work with me for a moment here.) You come out with six divisions of six teams each.

AFC East
Buffalo
Miami
N.Y. Jets
New England
Jacksonville
London??

AFC Central
Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Cincinnati
Baltimore
Indianapolis
Toronto??

AFC West
Tennessee
Houston
Kansas City
L.A. Chargers
Las Vegas
Denver

NFC East
Dallas
Philadelphia
N.Y. Giants
Washington
Carolina
Frankfurt/Munich??

NFC Central
Green Bay
Detroit
Minnesota
Chicago
Tampa Bay
Atlanta

NFC West
L.A. Rams
San Francisco
Seattle
Arizona
New Orleans
Mexico City??

Obviously these could be improved, as I'm doing this on the spot, but I believe we're going to see expansion in the next decade due to the good health of the league. Expansion is always exciting - just look at what the Jacksonville/Carolina expansion did for the NFL! I'm hoping we get more in the not-too-distant future.

[Terry Baldshaw]

Why is it automatically assumed that Dallas will or should be in the NFC East? The Cowboys don't belong in the East any more than the Colts belonged in the West Division back in the sixties. I get sick of seeing the NFL cater to the Cowboys in everything. The Dallas Cowboys are not America's Team but they sure are the NFL's Team.

[racepug]

Why is it automatically assumed that Dallas will or should be in the NFC East? The Cowboys don't belong in the East any more than the Colts belonged in the West Division back in the sixties.

I agree with everything you noted. I think that, for the most part, the N.F.L. doesn't like to tamper with long-standing rivalries. That's why I think it's persisted with DAL being in the N.F.C. East all these years (against all geographical logic).

I get sick of seeing the NFL cater to the Cowboys in everything. The Dallas Cowboys are not America's Team but they sure are the NFL's Team.

Ha! I just sent a text out to a fellow PFRA member a little bit ago about how I hate the fact if the N.F.C. entry based in TX is playing in any given week it's either: 1) Thanksgiving, 2) in prime time, or 3) a participant in (the so-called) "America's Game of the Week." The circumstances don't seem to matter. Yes, today's "America's Game of the Week" involves two 10 - 4 teams but I swear the Cowboys and their opponents could come in a combined 5 - 21 on the season and the N.F.L. would STILL find a way to give that game top billing. It's utterly ridiculous!

[Crazy Packers Fan]

Why is it automatically assumed that Dallas will or should be in the NFC East? The Cowboys don't belong in the East any more than the Colts belonged in the West Division back in the sixties. I get sick of seeing the NFL cater to the Cowboys in everything. The Dallas Cowboys are not America's Team but they sure are the NFL's Team.

Rivalry purposes. Which is why my format might have to be tweaked, because the NFL wouldn't want to separate Atlanta & New Orleans, the most bitter rivals in the NFC South. The Cowboys used to have a fantastic rivalry with the Washington Team, and they still have great rivalries with the Giants & Eagles. You could put the Cowboys in the West with San Francisco, which would revive that rivalry, but not sure the Eagles and Giants would go for that.

Side note: when the NFL thought up realignment scenarios for 2002, 5 out of 7 of them had the Cowboys in the East. https://www.nfl.info/nflmedia/news/2001 ... narios.htm