NFL Should Do Away with Monday Night Football Double Header

There's a certain feeling I get on Monday's during the NFL regular season. It's hard to match the all day excitement on Sunday's during the football season when there is a large slate of games to take in from early afternoon through the evening. But the NFL manages to do that on Monday with just one game. Monday Night Football has been a staple in the National Football League since 1970. I'm not going to go into the history of this Monday Night event because I don't want to waste the time of you the reader. But do a quick search on Google and you'll begin to understand the outstanding tradition that Monday nights have.

For the past few seasons, the NFL has scheduled two game on Monday nights for the opening week. I believe I am in the minority, but I am not a fan of this double dose of action. Maybe it's just that I love the tradition of the game. But to me, having your team on Monday night brought a sense of pride and accomplishment to the franchise. Your team was the team everyone was talking about all day, looking forward to the entire nation watching. Now, there are two match-ups to look at. I understand that the games take place at separate times and both are aired to the world, but it takes away the attention of just one match-up.

This past Monday night brought another Monday Night Football moment. Aaron Rodgers became the first quarterback to start for the Green Bay Packers since Brett Favre began his consecutive games streak many years ago. The anticipation built for this moment all offseason, including a Favre vs. Rodgers debate in Green Bay that led the Packers to trade their franchise quarterback to the New York Jets when he decided to come out of retirement.

Rodgers was 18-22 and threw for 178 yards and a touchdown. The performance also included a rush that led to a touchdown and his first Lambeau Leap. "I've dreamt about it for 4 years" Rodgers said of the Leap. The game was played in front of the largest regular season crowd in Lambeau Field History. But instead of being able to talk about Rodgers performance, ESPN had to go out to Oakland for the second game, which was about to start right at the end of the Packers game.

We talk about great games in Monday Night Football history. Joe Theismann's leg injury, Darryl Stingley recieveing a standing ovation from players and fans, Marino and the Dolphins stopping the 12-0 Chicago Bears in 1985. These are some of the greatest moments, but if they take place on Sunday, they're just another story. They wouldn't present the visual memory that Monday Night Football gives you, the "remember where you were" moment. So before that tradition is ruined and Monday nights become just another football night, let's do away with the Monday Night Football Doubleheader.