Weak 15: Empty Seats Abound, As the NFL Season Winds Down

www.breitbart.com ^ | 16 Dec 2018 | Warner Todd Huston

[Red Badger]

There are only two more weekends of regular season NFL play after this weekend. However, for many teams Week 15 has become Weak 15, as many fans have once again decided to stay home.

If the reaction of the fans is any indication, the most ridiculed team of the league for attendance this weekend is the Cincinnati Bengals. Many fans took to Twitter to comment on the sparse attendance at Cincy’s Paul Brown Stadium, when Oakland Raiders came to town:

[catnipman]

more and more it’s looking to us like a lot of the games are fixed ... we’re seeing powerhouse teams that are like 11-2 being beaten by losers that are like 10-3, but ONLY when at the 10-3 team’s home stadium ... in these cases bogus penalties are clearly aimed at the visiting teams, while the visiting teams look like they’re not even trying, presumable because they know that they are supposed to give one of up to help the failing ticket sells of the loser team ...

[Aquamarine]

My brother recently attended an NFL game in Atlanta. Said they were constantly playing Rap music over the speakers, he's not going back.

[dfwgator]

The MLS-Champion Atlanta United soccer team outdraws the Falcons.

[pepsi_junkie]

The FIRST 3 games of the season should be the DIVISION RIVALS ONLY. That gets fans pumped for the new season.

Since the NFL let the unions gut training camp, the first month of the season is horrible, unpredictable, sloppy football. Nobody is ready, upsets all over the place, nearly unwatchable dreck. I can't beleive that people are willing to gamble on games that are so random.

I don't know if making the division come down to who gets luckiest in September is a good way to go.

[Songcraft]

Some of their problems date back to a few years ago when they became the National Fag League, by trying to push that first openly queer player on the fans.

I agree with you that the kneeling is the final straw.   (I was mildly amused at how Rush Limbaugh began to sound like an NFL snowflake on one of his shows last week, when he was trying to claim that the NFL is starting to come back.   It was the same day that he started whining again about Trump's tweeting, which I happen to like, as I think that is one of the best forums he currently has to communicate accurately with the American people, without going through the dishonest mainstream media, or through wishy-washy pundits and talk show hosts.)

[dfwgator]

I still say they should have Promotion/Relegation.

Instead of the worst team being rewarded with a high draft pick, they should be relegated to the second division. That would really make some of these games interesting between bad teams.

[Aquamarine]

He only went because he got some promotional type discounted ticket. The NFL is having a hard time selling those high priced tickets.

[minnesota_bound]

#8 A 1 hour game that takes 3+ hours to finish.

[Red Badger]

It was so boring, even the announcers were having a hard time sounding interested.

Must have been a Jets game....................

[BenLurkin]

Fire every player who has ever been arrested.

[Professional]

F/&i NFL...

[V_TWIN]

There are some rules this year that are ridiculous. And It looks like the officials are having a hard time entepreting them. Last week I saw a runningback flagged 15 yards for illegal use of helmet. later in the game a defender was flagged 15 yards for tackling a quarterback around the legs.....DO WHAT?!

[Red Badger]

Your solution makes some sense, which is why it will never work!

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him change his spots................

[Red Badger]

There would be few players left..................

[pepsi_junkie]

Well one thing I'd like to see is the end of a situation like we've had where the patriots are the only competent team in their entire division so they are (1) guaranteed to win the division every single year and (2) almost guaranteed to get a bye week and home field throughout the playoffs thanks to the easy six wins handed to them annually. Then they just have to win two games at home and Super Bowl here we go again. After 15 years of it, it's gotten old. The Packers had something close to that in the NFC North for years and years. The Steelers had it in the AFC North too. Yes we want to maintain rivalries but franchises that are perpetually awful all being in the same grouping that has one dominant team is predictable and no fun for anyone.

The NFC East is a crap shoot every year, I don't think the same team has won the division back to back in 20 years and every team has won it. And there are three Super Bowl champ teams in that timeframe so they came off that and lost the division the next year. That's how it ought to be in every division... competetive.

[Buckeye McFrog]

The MLS-Champion Atlanta United soccer team outdraws the Falcons.

I doubt that. They close off the upper deck for Atlanta United. They draw a curtain around it with their logo.

[Rummyfan]

If the reaction of the fans is any indication, the most ridiculed team of the league for attendance this weekend is the Cincinnati Bengals.

Who wants to say out in cold miserable weather to watch the woebegone Bengals play the moribund Raiders? It's basically an exhibition game.

[VietVet876]

The crowd in LA made a lot of noise for the Eagles last night. Almost like it was a home game. Love it. Fly, Eagles.

[Rummyfan]

Aside from their 'Kneeling' problem, The NFL scheduling is atrocious.

Yes, there were a lot of 'dawg' games this weekend. When schedules are defined, some late-season match-ups look great. Then the season happens...

[dfwgator]

That’s why I like the Pro/Reg idea.

Expand to 34 teams, then break them out into two divisions of 17 teams.

This allows for a 16-game season with everybody playing each other in their division.

Now of course here in the US, you have to have playoffs, instead of merely rewarding the team who has the best overall body of work over the course of a season, so just take the best four teams and that’s your playoffs.