Hey everyone:

I have an idea. Here is a Microsoft Word Document that I've made that relates about the NFL football schedule format:

NFL Intra-Divisional Schedule Format

Team: New England Patriots

AFC East

Buffalo (v.*1, @*1)
Miami (v.*1, @*1)
New England (n/a)
N.Y. Jets (v.*1, @*1)

AFC North

Baltimore (v*1 [Year A], @*1 [Year B])
Cincinnati (v*1 [Year B], @*1 [Year A])
Cleveland (v*1 [Year A], @*1 [Year B])
Pittsburgh (v*1 [Year B], @*1 [Year A])

AFC South

Houston (v*1 [Year A], @*1 [Year B])
Indianapolis (v*1 [Year B], @*1 [Year A])
Jacksonville (v*1 [Year A], @*1 [Year B])
Tennessee (v*1 [Year B], @*1 [Year A])

AFC West

Denver (v*1 [Year A], @*1 [Year B])
Kansas City (v*1 [Year B], @*1 [Year A])
Oakland (v*1 [Year A], @*1 [Year B])
San Diego (v*1 [Year B], @*1 [Year A])

NFC East (Years 1 & 5)

Dallas (v*1 [Year 1], @*1 [Year 5])
N.Y. Giants (v*1 [Year 5], @*1 [Year 1])
Philadelphia (v*1 [Year 1], @*1 [Year 5])
Washington, D.C. (v*1 [Year 5], @*1 [Year 1])

NFC North (Years 2 & 6)

Chicago (v*1 [Year 2], @*1 [Year 6])
Detroit (v*1 [Year 6], @*1 [Year 2])
Green Bay (v*1 [Year 2], @*1 [Year 6])
Minnesota (v*1 [Year 6], @*1 [Year 2])

NFC South (Years 3 & 7)

Atlanta (v*1 [Year 3], @*1 [Year 7])
Carolina (v*1 [Year 7], @*1 [Year 3])
New Orleans (v*1 [Year 3], @*1 [Year 7])
Tampa Bay (v*1 [Year 7], @*1 [Year 3])

NFC West (Years 4 & 8)

Arizona (v*1 [Year 4], @*1 [Year 8])
St. Louis (v*1 [Year 8], @*1 [Year 4])
San Francisco (v*1 [Year 4], @*1 [Year 8])
Seattle (v*1 [Year 8], @*1 [Year 4])

This is a sample team schedule for future moments of the teams of the National Football League. The NFL has expanded 32 teams and it will split in 2 leagues, with 4 divisions of 4 teams for each league since the Houston Texans became the 32nd team of the NFL since the 2002 season. The AFC and NFC, respectively, have their divisions named as the following: East, North, South and West. “v.*1” represents a home game and its quantity and “@*1” represents a road game and its quantity.

The scheduling format will be the following:

Intra-Divisional Play – Each division consists 4 teams. Therefore, each team in that division will face another team from the same division twice (1 at home and 1 on the road). Since the division has 4 teams, it will be the following:

2 games per team faced from same division * (3 other divisional teams except own self) = 6 games

Ex: NFC West – Arizona Cardinals – vs. NFC West

vs. St. Louis (v*1, @*1 [Yearly]) = 2 games
vs. San Francis (v*1, @*1 [Yearly]) = 2 games
vs. Seattle (v*1, @*1 [Yearly]) = 2 games

Inter-Divisional Play (a.k.a. League Play or Conference Play) – This is when a team faces teams outside its own division but inside the same league or conference. Therefore, each team would face another team from another division once (1 at home or 1 on the road). However, the oppositions will depend on a 2-year rotation. It will be the following:

1 games per team faced from another division * 4 non-divisional teams = 4 games

or

4 games per the 4 teams faced from a different division * 3 other divisions = 12 games

Ex: AFc West – Denver Broncos – vs. AFC North

vs. Baltimore (v*1 [Year A], @*1 [Year B]) = 1 game
vs. Cincinnati (v*1 [Year B], @*1 [Year A]) = 1 game
vs. Cleveland (v*1 [Year A], @*1 [Year B]) = 1 game
vs. Minnesota (v*1 [Year B], @*1 [Year A]) = 1 game

Inter-League Play (a.k.a. Non-Conference Play) – This is when a team faces teams outside its own league or conference. Therefore, each team would face all the teams of "one division" from another league or conference once (1 at home or 1 on the road). However, facing all of the teams of a division will depend based on a 4-year rotation and its oppositions) because neither team will face another team of another conference twice. Example: The New England Patriots are from the AFC East; therefore, its Inter-Conference rivals will be the teams from the NFC East (the Pats will face them in "Years 1 & 5", later they will face the NFC North teams in "Years 2 & 6", then they will face the NFC South teams in "Years 3 & 7", and finally they will face the NFC South teams in "Years 4 & 8".

The pattern is simple. It will be: East, North, South, West, and repeats the cycle so on and so on. And those teams of a division will face those teams by this following pattern:

Years 1 & 5

a - AFC East vs. NFC East
b - AFC North vs. NFC North
c - AFC South vs. NFC South
d - AFC West vs. NFC West

Years 2 & 6

a - AFC East vs. NFC North
b - AFC North vs. NFC East
c - AFC South vs. NFC West
d - AFC West vs. NFC South

Years 3 & 7

a - AFC East vs. NFC South
b - AFC North vs. NFC West
c - AFC South vs. NFC East
d - AFC West vs. NFC North

Years 4 & 8

a - AFC East vs. NFC West
b - AFC North vs. NFC South
c - AFC South vs. NFC North
d - AFC West vs. NFC East

It will be the following:

1 game per team faced from another league * 4 inter-league teams = 4 games

Ex: AFC East – New England Patriots – vs. NFC East (Years 1 & 5)

vs. Dallas (v*1 [Year 1], @*1 [Year 5])
vs. N.Y. Giants (v*1 [Year 5], @*1 [Year 1])
vs. Philadelphia (v*1 [Year 1], @*1 [Year 5])
vs. Washington, D.C (v*1 [Year 5], @*1 [Year 1])

Ex: AFC East – New England Patriots – vs. NFC North (Years 2 & 6)

vs. Chicago (v*1 [Year 2], @*1 [Year 6])
vs. Detroit (v*1 [Year 6], @*1 [Year 2])
vs. Green Bay (v*1 [Year 2], @*1 [Year 6])
vs. Minnesota (v*1 [Year 6], @*1 [Year 2])

Ex: AFC East – New England Patriots – vs. NFC South (Years 3 & 7)

vs. Atlanta (v*1 [Year 3], @*1 [Year 7])
vs. Carolina (v*1 [Year 7], @*1 [Year 3])
vs. New Orleans (v*1 [Year 3], @*1 [Year 7])
vs. Tampa Bay (v*1 [Year 7], @*1 [Year 3])

Ex: AFC East – New England Patriots – vs. NFC West (Years 4 & 8)

vs. Arizona (v*1 [Year 4], @*1 [Year 8])
vs. St. Louis (v*1 [Year 8], @*1 [Year 4])
vs. San Francisco (v*1 [Year 4], @*1 [Year 8])
vs. Seattle (v*1 [Year 8], @*1 [Year 4])

Under this format, a team will play under a season-high schedule of 22 games. Interesting, huh?

I'm not sure about you guys but feel free to make your opinions about it. Take care.

John

P.S.: Each league will have 4 division champions and 4 additional qualifiers (with the best won-lost record outside division leaders) for the post-season. Here is an idea from last season's final standings

Ex: 2004 Season (with predicted division alignment)

E = East, N = North, S = South, W = West

In bold - Division champions
Italic - Eliminated from post-season
In bold and italic - Clinched playoff berth

American Football Conference

#1 - Pittsburgh (15-1) N
#2 - New England (14-2) E
#3 - Indianapolis (12-4) S
#4 - San Diego (12-4) W
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
#5 - N.Y. Jets (10-6) E
#6 - Denver (10-6) W
#7 - Jacksonville (9-7) S
#8 - Baltimore (9-7) N
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
#9 - Buffalo (9-7) E
#10 - Cincinnati (8-8) N
#11 - Houston (7-9) S
#12 - Kansas City (7-9) W
#13 - Oakland (5-11) W
#14 - Tennessee (5-11) S
#15 - Miami (4-12) E
#16 - Cleveland (4-12) N

National Football Conference

#1 - Philadelphia (13-3) E
#2 - Atlanta (11-5) S
#3 - Green Bay (10-6) N
#4 - Seattle (9-7) W
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
#5 - St. Louis (8-8) W
#6 - Minnesota (8-8) N
#7 - New Orleans (8-8) S
#8 - Carolina (7-9) S
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
#9 - Washington, D.C. (6-10) E
#10 - N.Y. Giants (6-10) E
#11 - Detroit (6-10) N
#12 - Arizona (6-10) W
#13 - Dallas (6-10) E
#14 - Tampa Bay (5-11) S
#15 - Chicago (5-11) N
#16 - San Francisco (2-14) W

I hope that gives anybody an idea about this.

The schedule format is fine as it is, but yes, expand the playoffs