Recently, the NFL has been grabbing the headlines for an incredibly unique move. They recently announced that an NFL team could potentially play a Monday night and Thursday night game in the same week. This would be a historic feat and has never been attempted in the NFL before.
When I first read about this news, I couldn’t believe it. Not only was the idea intriguing, but I was excited to see if the near-impossible could actually be achieved. I had so many questions: Could the momentum be sustained? And why this decision anyway?
I quickly learnt that with the ever-increasing demands of the TV and media outlets, the NFL was being forced into a corner. TV networks were demanding more primetime NFL games and not wanting to sacrifice any of the current games, the league decided to explore this potential new scheduling concept.
The NFL did its due diligence and studied the advantages and disadvantages of a Monday-Thursday game. They pondered the weary legs of the players after back to back games and whether it could affect their performances and overall safety. They also considered whether teams could sustain the intensity after a short rest or whether the games would lack the usual spark.
After speaking to player’s associations, scheduling experts and former coaches, the NFL concluded that theoretically, it was doable. But the team would still need to undergo and pass thorough medical exams and adhere to strict criteria to be granted the license to play two games in a week. This is an unusual move for the NFL and could become an off-season problem if team’s rest time isn’t kept up to the league’s high native.
It’s more than just a unique scheduling concept for the NFL. The idea, if it works, could prove a huge benefit for the league and its teams, who wouldn’t need to sacrifice any of their usual games in order to satisfy the hungry tv networks and give everyone a slice of the lucrative pie. As a die-hard NFL fan, this wouldn’t just be groundbreaking — it could revolutionise the game of football for the future.
That said, there are still lots of questions that need answering. How often will these double-booked weeks happen? Will teams clearly benefit from it? And importantly, will the players’ health and safety be put at risk by playing two games in one week?
I’m personally intrigued and I’m excited to see how this move plays out. I think giving teams the choice of playing Monday and Thursday games can have huge advantages, as seen in the past with college football. With the correct organization, I think this decision can prove to be one of the best the NFL ever made!
The team that is selected to play the experimental week will play a pivotal role in the success of this move. The team has to be in the best shape possible and inconceivable fitness levels will be essential for their success. The run game of the team has to be dominant and passing has to be on point. At the same time, the defense will also have to be at the top of their game for the team to be able to play successfully twice in the same week.
It will be exciting to watch the league pursue this concept and if achieved successfully, it could easy roll out to other teams. I’m sure TV networks and fans will also applaud the decision either way. With the developmental players coming through the teams now, I think teams have the ability to employ various strategies that can give them the edge when necessary.
The scheduling and the personnel have to be managed to a tee if teams are to pull off this new concept. Players will need to be deployed into respective positions based on their athletic and physical capabilities. We’ll find out soon enough on whether the Madden Curse still holds or if fatigue will play a major role in the teams’ performances.
I’m hopeful that this could be great for the sport and for its fans. However, the jury is still out and time will have to tell whether the NFL has made the right decision...