If you look at the post- merger divisions, the Houston Oilers in the AFC Central is an odd fit. Putting the Baltimore Colts is the AFC East with teams they had Zero history with seems odd too.

What if instead they put Houston with the AFL brethren in the AFC West and slotted the Colts in the Central with the other two crossover teams and the young Bengals franchise?

AFC East: New England, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami
AFC Central: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati
AFC West: Houston, KC, Denver, Oakland, San Diego

NFC East: NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas, St Louis
NFC Central: Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota
NFC West: Atlanta, New Orleans, LA, SF

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks enter the league the AFC West is already at 5 so they end up in the NFC West instead. TB ends up in the AFC East with the instate Miami Dolphins

In the 90s, things get interesting for Jacksonville and Carolina. The league surely can’t put another FL team in the AFC so Jacksonville heads to the only open slot in the NFC—NFC Central. That lands Carolina in the AFC Central.

AFC East: New England, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami, *Tampa Bay*
AFC Central: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, *Indianapolis*, *Carolina*
AFC West: *Houston*, KC, Denver, LA Raiders, San Diego

NFC East: NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas, Arizona
NFC Central: Detroit, Chicago, GB, Minnesota, *Jacksonville*
NFC West: Atlanta, New Orleans, LA Rams, SF, *Seattle*

The old Browns relocation to Baltimore and then the creation of the Houston Texans puts the 2002 edition of the league at:

AFC East: New England, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami,
AFC North: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, *Indianapolis*,
AFC South: *Carolina*, *Tampa Bay*, *Tennessee*, *Baltimore*
AFC West: KC, Denver, Oakland, San Diego

NFC East: NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas
NFC North: Detroit, Chicago, GB, Minnesota
NFC South: *Jacksonville*, *Houston*, Atlanta, New Orleans
NFC West: LA Rams, SF, Seattle, Arizona

I think the NFL has to put the Texas in the AFC, as the AFC/NFC contracts were more separated then. Tampa Bay likely moves over to the NFC - if they can't be in a division with Miami anyway, why share a conference with them?

(06-20-2022 06:39 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  If you look at the post- merger divisions, the Houston Oilers in the AFC Central is an odd fit. Putting the Baltimore Colts is the AFC East with teams they had Zero history with seems odd too.

What if instead they put Houston with the AFL brethren in the AFC West and slotted the Colts in the Central with the other two crossover teams and the young Bengals franchise?

AFC East: New England, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami
AFC Central: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati
AFC West: Houston, KC, Denver, Oakland, San Diego

NFC East: NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas, Atlanta
NFC Central: Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota
NFC West: St Louis, New Orleans, LA, SF

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That does make more sense, but I would have done one other thing: move Atlanta to the NFC East.

Quote:When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks enter the league the AFC West is already at 5 so they end up in the NFC West instead. TB ends up in the AFC East with the instate Miami Dolphins

In the 90s, things get interesting for Jacksonville and Carolina. The league surely can’t put another FL team in the AFC so Jacksonville heads to the only open slot in the NFC—NFC Central. That lands Carolina in the AFC Central.

AFC East: New England, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami, *Tampa Bay*
AFC Central: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, *Indianapolis*, *Carolina*
AFC West: *Houston*, KC, Denver, LA Raiders, San Diego

NFC East: NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas, *Atlanta *
NFC Central: Detroit, Chicago, GB, Minnesota, *Jacksonville*
NFC West:* Arizona*, New Orleans, LA Rams, SF, *Seattle*

The old Browns relocation to Baltimore and then the creation of the Houston Texans puts the 2002 edition of the league at:

AFC East: New England, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami,
AFC North: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, *Indianapolis*,
AFC South: *Carolina*, *Tampa Bay*, *Tennessee*, *Baltimore*
AFC West: KC, Denver, Oakland, San Diego

NFC East: NY Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas
NFC North: Detroit, Chicago, GB, Minnesota
NFC South: *Jacksonville*, *Houston*, *Atlanta*, New Orleans
NFC West: LA Rams, SF, Seattle, *Arizona*

I wonder if Atlanta & St Louis trading places a long time ago would have kept the Cardinals in St Louis.

There has been a few teams switching conferences. I think I’d like to see something like this (assuming we keep the AFC/NFC):

AFC
East: Buffalo, New England, New York, New York
>Northeast
North: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh
> Great Lakes East
South: Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Tennessee
> South Central
West: Arizona, Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas
> Southwest

NFC
East: Baltimore, Carolina, Philadelphia, Washington
> Mid-Atlantic
North: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota
> Great Lakes West
South: Atlanta, Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa Bay
> Southeast
West: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle
> Pacific Coast

Would they ever consider going East / West format like NBA & NHL. I like that set-up better. AFC East, NFC west.