Was the NFL scheduling by design?

[chad72]

What I do find weird is that few teams have played more than 2 divisional games after week 7 (probably none if I am right???). It used to be division heavy at the beginning, and then division heavy at the end (to prevent the resting of the starters once divisions are clinched ). The NFL kinda changed it this year. So, the divisions are still up for grabs for so many teams that may still be a game or two behind the division leader.

For example, the Falcons have played all 4 AFC West teams in their first 6 weeks, how wild is that???

Was there a reason the NFL did this?

[-JJ-]

last I heard..last year..div at the end.

[ColtsFTW]

What I do find weird is that few teams have played more than 2 divisional games after week 7 (probably none if I am right???). It used to be division heavy at the beginning, and then division heavy at the end (to prevent the resting of the starters once divisions are clinched ). The NFL kinda changed it this year. So, the divisions are still up for grabs for so many teams that may still be a game or two behind the division leader.

For example, the Falcons have played all 4 AFC West teams in their first 6 weeks, how wild is that???

Was there a reason the NFL did this?

Yes I believe they stated that they were going to start doing this so at the end of the year wasnt just blah with everyone resting people. They hope with all of the divisional games at the end starters will be playing until the end. Obviously its not always gonna work like if a team has 15 wins with 1 week left but you get the picture. =)

[FireJimCaldwell]

What I do find weird is that few teams have played more than 2 divisional games after week 7 (probably none if I am right???). It used to be division heavy at the beginning, and then division heavy at the end (to prevent the resting of the starters once divisions are clinched ). The NFL kinda changed it this year. So, the divisions are still up for grabs for so many teams that may still be a game or two behind the division leader.

For example, the Falcons have played all 4 AFC West teams in their first 6 weeks, how wild is that???

Was there a reason the NFL did this?

I read somewhere at some point that they generate thousands of schedules once they have the opponents set and then eliminate some that are too lopsided, either too many home/away games to start the season, they basically whittle down the possibilities and then select the one that they feel is the best.

There was a concentrated effort into putting division games towards the end so to make those games more valuable to prevent against some teams from sitting players with seeding locked up. I guess the thought process is that if the final game is a division game them it might mean more to the division title and/or seeding. If a team has it everything locked up it still won't matter.

[Synthetic]

Week 17 is all division games.

This don't bother me as much as having a Thursday night game every week.