Rejigger the Playoff Format

[CalPolyTechnique]

I think the NFL needs to look into overhauling the playoff/postseason format. The playoffs are intended to be a showcase of the best teams. It makes no sense to reward a team like the Bucs (currently 7-8) home field advantage for a postseason game simply because they won their division.

We’re currently 12-4 (could be 13-4) and only getting in as a wild card.

I like the way the NBA does it with seeding based on W/L records. That way you in theory get the best 8-10 teams contending for playoff spots and a higher likelihood/incentive that they’ll be playing meaningful games at the end of the regular season (instead of sitting starters) vying for home field advantage.

It’s not perfect but certainly better than what we have now.

 

[Pass2Run]

Agree.

 

[bark]

Gonna give you a like based solely on the use of “rejigger”
And I agree btw

 

[Gaede]

I agree. And I think they need less games as well. So many teams are out there playing for nothing right now. Though I guess a new playoff seeding structure would account for that.

 

[jwitten82]

Nah, it's fine the way it is. It rare that a team with a losing record wins their division. It happens sometimes, but oh well

 

[Whyjerry]

I think the NFL needs to look into overhauling the playoff/postseason format. The playoffs are intended to be a showcase of the best teams. It makes no sense to reward a team like the Bucs (currently 7-8) home field advantage for a postseason game simply because they won their division.

We’re currently 12-4 (could be 13-4) and only getting in as a wild card.

I like the way the NBA does it with seeding based on W/L records. That way you in theory get the best 8-10 teams contending for playoff spots and a higher likelihood/incentive that they’ll be playing meaningful games at the end of the regular season (instead of sitting starters) vying for home field advantage.

It’s not perfect but certainly better than what we have now.

Great post. Dallas might be 13-4 and yet they have to travel to a .500 team? Makes no sense. The entire playoff should be stacked by record. Teams will play harder. Just another thing the NFL has done that makes zero sense.

 

[Nova]

I agree. And I think they need less games as well. So many teams are out there playing for nothing right now. Though I guess a new playoff seeding structure would account for that.

Yup

There are too many playoff spots and too many games for only 32 teams.

 

[Denim Chicken]

I don't like it because it makes division titles meaningless.

 

[Risen Star]

Win your division or you don't deserve to host a playoff game. Nobody would want it changed if the 8-9 Cowboys were about to play the 12-5 Buccaneers at home in the wild card round.

 

[DominantD]

No. Let the poorer division winners get their home game. Let winning the division titles have value. It’s our tough luck if we can’t catch the Eagles.

 

[viman96]

I like the current format. IMO winning your division matters.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I don't like it because it makes division titles meaningless.

I think division titles are meaningless.

 

[Denim Chicken]

I think division titles are meaningless.

Well, they're not when they let you host a playoff game

 

[pansophy]

I don't like it because it makes division titles meaningless.

It is also intended to help normalize division play across the league.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I like the current format. IMO winning your division matters.

You could use division ranking as a tie-breaker in the proposed W/L seeding format, but again, 7-10 or 8-9 team winning its division and getting home field advantage over a 12-5/13-4 team is criminal.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Well, they're not when they let you host a playoff game

That’s precisely the problem.

 

[stiletto]

Yep, Divisions would be meaningless if you did that...

 

[Denim Chicken]

That’s precisely the problem.

Not in my opinion. I enjoy the rivalry that divisions create.

 

[nightrain]

The rejiggering should include going back to 16 games and eliminating Thursday Night games.

 

[darthseinfeld]

I think division titles are meaningless.

They are about as meaningful as they are in the NBA