Texans to AFC West as part of wild Chargers rumor

[HPF Bob]

There's a story floating around that the Nomad Chargers (who were very impressive against the Packers in their road win at Los Angeles this week - yes, sarcasm because the "home" crowd was largely Packer fans) may be moved to London and that the two scenarios connected to this would move the Texans to the AFC West to join Denver, Kansas City and Las Vegas (Raiders). Hey, we're 3-0 against the AFC West this year and can go for the sweep if we beat 3-6 Denver at home next month so why not?

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/c...c-realignment/

Chargers owner Dean Spanos replied to reporters with a profanity-laced denial which either means it was some reporter's "fake news" or perhaps Spanos doth protest too much. Anyway, I've always believed the Jaguars were the natural inheritor of the London franchise and argued they could logistically make it work only if they were shifted to the AFC East and Miami was moved to the AFC South. Boston, New York and Buffalo (Toronto) would be easy access points for a London-based team to fly in and out of, an important consideration. Indy and Nashville would not.

Should the Chargers be moved to Europe, not only would the Texans switch divisions but the Dolphins would too.

Not mentioned in the story but also possible consideration would be to move the Jags to London and the Chargers to Berlin (which has well-received American football in past efforts). Under that scenario, the AFC East could be New England, the Jets, London and Berlin with Buffalo joining the AFC North, Baltimore and Miami joining the AFC South and Houston joining the AFC West. Having two European teams would almost be easier than one since a club could fly across the Atlantic for two weeks before flying home to improve the acclimation process and negate some of the travel advantage.

[Arky]

Eeeesh, just when I was getting used to the Astros being in the American League....

[nunusguy]

As a native of the KC area I'd have some issues with Houston vs KC twice a year, every year, but otherwise I'd much rather see the Texans in the AFC West
than the AFC South because potentially I think we could develop some real rivalries which we presently don't have in the AFC South.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

As a native of the KC area I'd have some issues with Houston vs KC twice a year, every year, but otherwise I'd much rather see the Texans in the AFC West
than the AFC South because potentially I think we could develop some real rivalries which we presently don't have in the AFC South.

I'd feel the same way being a former Denver area resident and Broncos fan (I've been waiting 50+ years to see a Houston team in the Super Bowl, meanwhile Denver has been there eight times). FWIW, I mostly LOL at the small-market, small-minded Jaguars, Titans and Colts who actually made Bob McNair seem borderline competent.

Now the Chiefs no longer have Lamar Hunt, the Broncos no longer have Pat Bowlen, and the Raiders no longer have Al Davis so we might as well join the Lucky Sperm Division who have no clue how to run an NFL franchise. It seems like a ripe opportunity.

[chuck]

The Chargers GM got the team together and told everyone that they are absolutely not going to move to London. Whether that means they aren't going to move or it means that moving is a done deal I don't know.

I wouldn't mind all of this. The Texans have no tradition to speak of so who cares if they change divisions. I would love a couple of European teams. And in the West most of the games would be in the later slot so you'd be up against fewer other games and could pay more attention to the games happening in the earlier slot.

[barrett]

Things would get harder since the AFC South is the division of mediocrity.

But honestly teams in Europe would be great. I think weekly 8:30 am games would draw ratings. Plus it would give the NFL a 3rd timeslot to sell national TV games. That might be enough revenue to eliminate the preseason and call it a wash.

[HPF Bob]

Odd as it sounds, I think two European teams are easier to schedule than one. Some say logistically, a London team would have to spend four weeks at home and four weeks in the U.S. as a way of keeping the players from suffering constant jet lag. I also believe they should have a home base in the U.S. for the purpose of training camp and exhibition games.

The bye week can be used to help visiting teams adjust to their return and the season opener can be held in London on a Thursday so as to allow the first opponent a long week to prepare for Week 2.

Having a second European team allows for six teams (New England, the Jets and two rotating teams from the AFC and NFC the way the schedule now works) to play a two-week turn in Europe before having to return home. This would eliminate some of the advantage of playing jet-lagged teams.

The one trouble spot I haven't been able to overcome is what happens when a European team is good enough to host a playoff game? It's tough to ask a team out west to fly to a time zone 6-8 hours away with their entire season on the line. It's also not fair to make the European team fly to the States and play at a neutral site if they are the "home" team. I doubt the European fans would find that fair either.

[nunusguy]

Why hell Bob why be so half-hearted about it ?
I say go all-in with it and have an entire Euro division because with four teams scheduling/travel is only a problem for half the games each of them play.

[HPF Bob]

The WLAF (World League of American Football known universally as "we laugh") wasn't all that well-received in Europe. London and Germany (Frankfurt, I think) played to good crowds but many other cities (like Paris), it just never caught on.

Jacksonville is a franchise halfway to London for years and the premise is that the Chargers are second banana in a city with no respect for second bananas (right, Clippers?).

Speaking for myself, I'm perfectly ok with no European football. I just enjoy toying with the logistics of trying to make this work. Heck, the NFL could put franchises in Toronto and Mexico City if they wanted to but the gentleman's agreement with the CFL (to keep the NFL out of Canada other than exhibitions) would be a hindrance.

There's also the issue of exchange rates and monetary compensation going outside the U.S. dollar system.