tom, good point.

I read about possible new NFL markets, have put up possible locations for 4 new teams if expansion went underway, and have a set of 3 6-team divisions for each conference. It's prob ridic unlikely, but I just want to share my thoughts.

I would dissolve the NFC & AFC South. These divisions, due to particularly new NFL teams (Jaguars, Panthers, Texans) don't have that established rivalry & competitive level that other divisions offer. I'd rename the NFC/AFC North the central division. Now I have the 8 teams from the southern divisions and the 4 theoretical expansion teams, which I have placed in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Portland, and Toronto. Here are my new proposed divisions based on this:

NFC West: SF, SEA, STL, ARI, Los Angeles, TB (SF-LA hopeful eventual rivalry)
NFC Cent: GB, CHI, MIN, DET, Portland, Carolina
NFC BEAST: DAL, PHI, NYG, WSH, NO, ATL (Add two extremely competitive teams, almost unfair that only 2-3 will get playoff spots)

AFC West: KC, DEN, OAK, SD, Houston, San Antonio (SA-HOU eventual rivalry)
AFC Central: PIT, BAL, CLE, CIN, IND, TEN (Maintain competitiveness with IND, another mid-high tier team)
AFC East: NYJ, NE, BUF, MIA, Toronto, Jacksonville (Not everything can be perfect, but this is fairly local/eastern at least)

Ravens-Broncos elite opening matchup

Your new NFC Central has a team in Portland and Carolina?

Also, I don't remember the specifics of it, but Oregon is quite averse to professional sports. I don't exactly remember the reasoning for this, but I remember reading something about it a few years back.

I was dealing with somewhat limited resources. If I wanted to dissolve the South divisions but keep them in their respective conference, there's going to be some difficulty like that. Obviously the AFC south teams going into NFC central looks better since The AFC south goes further north than Carolina. Also, the teams I posited really don't lend as much to NFC central, and I don't want to put two expansion teams in the same division either.

Also, Dallas is in the East right now and STL in the West. Nothing is perfect, I'm just spitballing about it tbh.

There should be one "south" division. Rivalries develop when teams are close and fans can travel to away games.

Probably 3 FL teams, ATL, CAR, and NO.

The AFC North can be split among the East divisions. Colts replace MIA in the NFC East.

TEN and STL join NFC north.

HOU replaces STL in the west. West only has 8 teams. But 4 expansion teams will probably have at least 3 western teams: 2 LA, Portland, San Antonio, Mexico City.

A bit off topic, but of QBs with 5+ years of experience what are the Hall of Fame probabilities. I know rankings have been done, but what about body of work/super bowl titles contributing to hall of fame credentials?

Immortal Locks:
Brady
Manning


Near Locks :
Rodgers
Brees
Flacco

Probably with more production:
Rothelisberger
Eli

Need some great seasons and a Super Bowl:
Romo
Ryan
Rivers


Need a whole lot of great seasons:
Cutler
Schaub

Missing anyone?

Carson Palmer obviously.

Flaccid above Eli and Rape seems bad.

Palmer doesn't have the resume yet and he has no ability to generate more of one.

ummmm he's clearly on the road to be Kurt Warner Redux

Flacco is a near lock? Eli has better credentials.

Stafford has a better shot than Cutler or Schaub. He's younger, gets way more attempts, throws to GOAT WR, plays in a dome, one of 4 QB's with a 5000yard season (Brady, Brees, Marino)

So you think that there are 7 probable HOF QB in the game. WOW.... I say being the best QB in your division does not make you a HOF'er.

Flacco way to high on that list. Needs about 10 more great seasons.

For some reason I'm not big on Brees. I think he needs another SB to be in the HOF. Maybe its because I watched him play in SD too much.

Romo, Cutler, Schaub, Rivers are not ever going to be in the HOF. They barely make Pro Bowl discussions.

I would say

-Locks= Peyton, Brady
-Hopefuls if they continue at their current level = Rat, Rodgers, Brees, Eli (probably best 2 of these 4 will make it.)
-Need a lot of years to decide, but have a chance. Ryan, Flacco
-Never going to make it = the rest of your list

If there are 4 HOF QB's playing this season. This would be the golden age of QB's, comparable to the 80's (Elway, Montana, Marino, Kelly).

I said 5+ years of experience, Stafford does not qualify

Everyone is massively underrating Flacco's current body of work.

The inclusion of Romo, Rivers is because they have a chance if they suddenly start to put up a bunch of top 3 QB seasons and win multiple super bowls (they've got plenty of seasons left). Ryan has less of a body of work, but has more potential and thus why I wrote that he needs more great seasons+ Super Bowls.

Cutler and Schaub are obvious long shots, but if they win 4 of the next 5 super bowls then you have to think they'll make it in.

Yep. Seems like they need to move the HOF from Canton to Lake Woebegon where all the children are above average.

which young QB has the best chance though? my money is on this guy

To those who say 7 qbs playing at one time to be in the HOF is a ridiculous number:

Warren Moon, Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, Brett Favre(soon to be), Steve Young, Joe Montana, John Elway, Jim Kelly all played at the same time

Erik Walden got $17M from Irsay even after this play... LOLOLOL

gonna be awful if RG3sus doesn't rise again.


There is a pretty clear tier gap between Brees/Rodgers and those below. Peyton/Brady are complete locks, Brees/Rodgers are highly likely and basically locks if they continue their current level of production. Everyone elses is going to be a stretch/need to step up their game in order to get in.

thamel you realize tampa bay is about as far east as you can get right? among other geographical atrocities. also making those huge divisions would mean either eliminating the home and home vs each division opponent or eliminating the entire non-conference part of the schedule or something else stupid.

LOL @ flacco having a better shot at the HOF than eli or ben. I'd say Eli is actually a huge favorite to go in with 2 epic super bowl victories over Brady and being Peytons brother.

i guess due to the rematch but i'd be surprised if denver wasn't > TD favorites.

I was completely trolling with Flacco, apparently he is good enough that people thought I was serious.

ah wp

Rahim Moore and Champ Bailey, tho.

I didn't enjoy putting it up either, I was just messing around with the idea of three divisions of 6 in an expanded NFL and it just doesn't work that well now that I examine it. I think putting both NFC expansion teams in the same division would prob be a little silly, but maybe not as silly as a current NFC South team in the "new" west.

Ah, let's face it, I just wanted NO and ATL added to the NFC BEAST. Someone please BEAST with me.