In its quest for something close to 12-month domination, suffocation and indoctrination, the NFL is missing out on a golden opportunity to further bully the television, streaming and social media markets. There is a sweet spot on the calendar the NFL should claim as its own, for the competitive betterment of the league, for yet another infusion of intrigue and for — wait for it — driving even more revenue into the machinery of an already bloated cash cow.

How about an NFL Draft Lottery?

That will not happen this year, of course, but it is an idea that should be explored. The ugly specter of teams tanking down the stretch of the season is more myth than reality because coaches and players always try to win. There is an organizational component to all this, though, and it is one of the NFL’s ugly little secrets. Players give full effort, but there are times when a franchise does not in terms of who plays, who sits, what draft positioning is on the line and how it affects the draft status of a divisional opponent.

The Giants after losing to the Falcons in Week 16 moved into the No. 1 spot in the 2025 NFL Draft, based on their 2-13 record and strength of schedule. At that point, they knew they could get anyone they wanted and the likelihood of selecting a quarterback, Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, rose to a certainty of nearly 100 percent. Then in Week 17, Drew Lock turned into Drew Brees in an out-of-nowhere 45-33 victory over the Colts and amid the torrent of touchdown throws, the new normal surfaced that the Giants were no longer in the drivers’ seat for the No. 1 pick.