31-TEAM SCHEDULING FORMAT APPROVED
The following resolution concerning the scheduling format for 31 teams with the addition of the Cleveland Browns to the AFC Central Division was approved today at an NFL meeting in Kansas City. A more detailed formula will be released in the next few weeks:
31-TEAM SCHEDULE
Beginning with the 1999 season, NFL teams will play a 16-game common opponent schedule as follows:
A. Divisional Games
Each team will play home-and-home with the other teams in its division (8 games for all divisions except for teams in the AFC Central which will each have 10 divisional games).
B. Intraconference Games
1. Each team in all divisions except the AFC Central will play four non-division conference opponents based on the previous season’s standings, as shown below.
2. Teams that finished first and second in the AFC Central in the previous season’s standings will play two non-division conference opponents, and teams that finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth will each play three non-division conference opponents, as shown below.
Prior Year Finish In Division |
NFC Teams |
AFC
East/West |
AFC Central |
1 |
1-1-2-3 |
1-1-2-3 / 1-1-2-4 |
1-1 |
2 |
1-2-2-4 |
1-2-2-5 / 1-2-2-3 |
2-2 |
3 |
1-3-3-5 |
2-3-3-4 / 1-3-3-5 |
3-3-4 |
4 |
2-4-4-5 |
1-4-4-6 / 3-4-4-5 |
3-4-4 |
5 |
3-4-5-5 |
4-5-5-6 / 2-5-5-6 |
3-5-5 |
6 |
4-5-5 |
C. Interconference Games
1. Continuing the current rotation, teams from each division of one conference will play teams from a division of the other conference, as follows:
1999: NFC-E vs. AFC-E; NFC-C vs. AFC-W; NFC-W vs. AFC-C 2000: NFC-E vs. AFC-C; NFC-C vs. AFC-E; NFC-W vs. AFC-W 2001: NFC-E vs. AFC-W; NFC-C vs. AFC-C; NFC-W vs. AFC-E 2. Each team in all divisions except the AFC Central will play four games against teams of a division of the other conference, as is done currently. The NFL will continue the rotation of interconference opponents, including rotation of home and away sites, for games between teams of the NFC and teams from the AFC East and AFC West that provides for all teams from NFC divisions to play all teams from the AFC East and AFC West four times in 15 years, two home and two away.
3. Beginning in 1999, teams that finished first and second in the AFC Central in the previous season will play four games against teams of a division of the other conference, and teams that finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth will each play three games against teams of a division of the other conference, based on the standings from the previous season as shown below. For preparation of the 1999 schedule, Cleveland will be assigned the schedule of the sixth-place team.
Prior Year
Finish |
AFC
Central Schedule |
NFC
Division Schedule |
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Reason:
With the addition of Cleveland as the NFL’s 31st franchise, modifications must be made to the current scheduling format.Effect:
Continues current NFL philosophy of common opponent scheduling with minor changes necessitated by a six-team division (AFC Central).