Cincinnati Bengals: Opposition to 18 games is logic rarely seem from owners

Give credit where credit is due. Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown voices logic on a bad idea to go to an 18 game schedule.

It’s rare that an NFL owner does something that either makes sense or is acting in good faith on behalf of NFL players or possibly the NFLPA. That said, Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown has injected logic in a plan that seems absolutely illogical if not outright foolish.

The league is pushing for a switch to an 18 game regular season that has all the markings of a money grab. Granted, the NFL is a cash cow for the networks who cover it and the fans who crave it, but even more of a good thing isn’t always a “good thing.”

"“These seasons are long and they take a toll on you mentally, they take a toll on players physically,” Brown said at the team’s annual media luncheon. “Maybe we should just step back and accept the 16 number and go with it.”"

Commissioner Roger Goodell sees a trade-off in the reduction of two preseason games, thus making the addition of two additional regular-season games more palatable to the NFL rank and file. An additional caveat is that despite going to 18 games, players would be limited to only 16.

“Well, that’s absurd,” Brown said. “I don’t want that.”

The idea that such an idea is driven by dissatisfaction with the preseason format is equally absurd. More and more teams are seeing the four-game exhibition season as a means to see who else beyond top-line players can be legitimate contributors. Head coaches see little logic in risking the health of a starter in meaningless contests for the sake of television or gate admission. Adding two games to compensate seems like an absolute fool’s errand.

Give Brown credit. He didn’t see the need to entertain an idea that has little legs, especially with the NFLPA or seasoned NFL fans.