Well, NFL fans are about to receive what they have asked for.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell and the organization owners are backing the expansion of the league’s regular season schedule to 18 games beginning in 2012.  As a part of this expansion, the NFL’s preseason schedule will be reduced to two games per club.

Over the years, there has been repeated talk of the dangers of the preseason.  The emphasis has always been that the preseason represents an unnecessary evil that we must endure.  Most of the animosity from fans and the media relates to the inevitable injuries that seem to happen during these games of preparation.

But the ugly truth is that us fans may be costing the game we love of some valuable time.  And the current four-game preseason is of much value to the NFL.

Coaches will have a tougher time making roster decisions with only two preseason games.

One of the most unappreciated purposes of a longer exhibition period is its ability to facilitate roster building.  While fans lament the hardship of enduring four ‘meaningless’ games, the meaning of those games are significant to coaches, rookies, non-starters and players who are adjusting to new environments.

Coaches need time each year to develop their rosters.  They need to figure out who will make up their 53-man rosters, who will be playing where, and who will be playing during certain situations.  The coaching staff gets minicamp to figure some of this out, but nothing can substitute for actual game play against opponents.  There are rookies whose skills need to be assessed.  There are second and third string players who are looking to fight their way into more action during the regular season.  And, finally, there are veteran players who are new to the organization that need time to familiarize themselves with the formations and playbook of their new team.

From a coach’s standpoint, four games is rarely enough time to make decisions that they are confident about.  And two games will drop that confidence…substantially.

A shortened preseason may also result in a less-than-stellar experience for the viewers.  Team chemistry develops through adversity, and fewer games before the start of the real season means less adversity.  Teams will be forced to enter the season with fewer reps for everyone, and consequently, they will not be as sharp.  And the fans may be treated to some sloppier football.

Minicamps will become more intregal to determining roster spots.

And what about the anticipation of fewer injuries to key players before the first game of the season? 

Yes, there should – and I am emphasizing SHOULD – be  a smaller amount of important casualties due to the smaller number of games.  But what also should happen during a shortened exhibition period is an increase in reps for first-team players in those two games.  And they’ll be forced to sharpen themselves in two games instead of four, and that could lead to injuries to veterans due to the rapid additional game action.

However, what fans may be missing is what could happen on the other end of the extended NFL schedule.  With more regular season tilts, there will definitely be more bumps and bruises along the way.  The bottom line is that there will be two additional intense contests during the season.  More bumps and bruises to bodies that are accustomed to playing 16 games, might precipitate some late-season injuries that could ultimately jeopardize an otherwise thrilling playoff season.  This would be in stark contrast to an injury which occurred in exhibition play – an injury that an athlete would possibly have time to recover from.

So…with the coaches struggling to find the right players, and the players struggling to adjust to the rigors of the new season format, we could be in for some unexpected results.

And at the end of it all, the fans will only be able to say that they got exactly what they asked for.

T Lamont is the owner, administrator and author of all content for Ball or Nuthin\'. Feel free to contact T Lamont with a question or comment at ballornuthin@gmail.com.  All created Ball or Nuthin' content is the sole property of T Lamont. Read more from this author