Bye Week Topic: NFL Realignment Nine Years In

by jobe on Nov 11, 2010 4:56 PM CST

I so rarely make fanposts, but this is something I was thinking about recently and since it's our bye, why not bring it up. Back in the 2002 season, when the NFL added the Houston Texans and realigned to eight four team divisions from six five/six team divisions it was weird at first. We wouldn't be playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's twice a year anymore unless we met in the playoffs. Also, it became easier to win the division as the division winners grew from three to four, but the number of wild cards dropped from three to two. I assume most of you have gotten pretty used to the changes, but can still vividly remember the days of the old NFC Central. I want your opinion on some things after the jump.

Obviously, the biggest change the Packers went through in Realignment was not playing Tampa home and away each year. Having the Buccaneer's in the NFC Central was an odd fit, sort of as if the Florida Gators joined the Big Ten, but I thought it worked. At the end of the old NFC Central, you could make the argument that the Buccaneer's were our biggest rival over the Bears and Vikings. I still can't root for the Buccaneer's to win the NFC South because I hated those guys so much from back in the NFC Central days.

Also, I like that winning the division has become slightly easier, and there's now a rougher path to get in if you don't win your division. I think if I had to choose between winning the NFC North and losing in the first round over getting a wild card spot and losing in the first round, I would take the former. At least you can say your champion of something.

Anyway, those are just my views on realignment, and I would love to hear from anyone else if they have an opinion on this.

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Don't mind

I do kind of miss the rivalry with Tampa but I like the schedule better this way. There is less difference between a 1st place schedule and a 4th place since only 2 games are decided by place of finish.

by Wisfan on Nov 11, 2010 8:33 PM CST reply actions

Yeah we didn't really change much.

But the Tampa games were always interesting.

by Bush League All Star on Nov 11, 2010 10:24 PM CST reply actions

I went to jamaica and they have buccaneers stuff all over there

which is insane considering how far up north their number one rival in green bay is

4 hours 5 minutes? Is that all? Buehrle coulda pitched three CGs and the bottom of the 14th in Houston by then. FTMFYITA! - RWShow

by blackoutsox on Nov 12, 2010 12:31 AM CST reply actions

Success!

I find the realignment a very successfull change. Not only because some of the odd teams in divisions were moved, such as the Bucs, but the schedules made a lot more sense. The schedule rotation kind of works hand in hand with the alignment. No longer will we ever have to play at Dallas 5 consecutive seasons. No longer will certain teams not play each other for up to 12 years! The old scheduling was awful, the new one is great. It’s nice that we know our division rivals are all playing a very similar schedule. It’s the NFC North vs. the NFC East and AFC East this year. It makes the schedule more interesting. The old alignment didn’t allow that. Scheduling was done differently, and every year I along with many other fans got pissed off because we were playing at Dallas. God I was never so happy when Dallas finally came to Green Bay in 1997! Not to mention we beat the Holy Hell out of them!!!!

So for me, the division realignment had a direct effect on the schedule rotation. I’m a big fan of it. I still think it’s dumb that the Colts are in the AFC South and Dallas is in the NFC East, but it would be tough to realign those teams. Not to mention the birth of new rivalries.

"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi

by Jabooty on Nov 12, 2010 3:40 AM CST reply actions 1 recs