The buzz this week around the National Football League is there will be two more teams added to the playoffs sooner rather than later. There are record television ratings, unmatched interest and lots more money to be made, which is why an increase from 12 postseason teams to 14 is considered a matter of when, not if.
Count Giants co-owner John Mara as someone who does not endorse this, though it undoubtedly would produce a financial windfall for all concerned.
“I look at the games we had last weekend, and it’s pretty tough to imagine a better weekend for the National Football league than we had last weekend,’’ Mara said Thursday on WFAN. “Three of those four games were just outstanding, went right down to the wire. When you start talking about playing games on Friday nights or Monday nights, I just don’t know how excited I get about that. I like the system we have now, but I’m willing to listen to the discussion and the reasons for and against. I’m sure that will come up this offseason.’’
Mara said a “critical issue’’ for the league is what to do with the four preseason games, which are hugely unpopular with the paying customers. Mara acknowledges the games are “pretty tough to sell as an entertainment product,’’ but sees the value from a football standpoint.
“I think it would be pretty tough with two [games] unless you were able to do scrimmages,’’ Mara said. “That’s really the only opportunity you get to play certain young players, particularly quarterbacks. I want to see [Giants rookie] Ryan Nassib play next preseason, I want to see him play as much as possible. I’d like to know what we have here. When you start cutting back on the preseason games too much, you’re going to limit opportunities for young men like that.
“Do you need four? No. You can get by with two. I don’t think your team is going to be as well-prepared in a situation like that. I would be opposed to playing anything less than three.’’