ok, somebody set me straight...

[jobberone]

Let's say the playoffs ended today ...

The Jets would play at Tennessee no matter what unfolds in the playoffs even though the Jets easily beat the Titans at Tennessee.

When that game was played, the Titans were 3 games up on the Jets and that game had very little importance to the Titans a result. I mean they wanted to win obviously but the Jets needed the win a LOT more than the Titans due to the Jets being in a tight race in their divison. So, the Titans lost, but it really does not affect them assuming they don't lose two more games than the Jets the rest of the year.

Now, imagine if that head-to-head game was factored into the playoff seeding?

It just seems more fair to me that if the Jets and Titans played in the playoffs, that the game should be at New York since the Jets already handily beat the Titans at Tennessee.

-Reality

I'm not arguing with you. I like the idea. But the older owners and the majority feel that the entire year's work is more important. I can see both sides to that equation. Your idea makes each game more important.

I don't like gimme games at the end of the year. But I don't have a solution to make them go away. I'd love to go into that Philly game Sunday night not needing a victory and rest our starters most of the game.

 

[Reality]

What I was trying to get across is I do like your idea about head to head which is not currently number one. But the reason behind that is stuff does happen and they wish to use the entire season's work first. I get it both ways.

Oh I know I would love a true strength of schedule comparison but there will never be an accurate way to determine SoS because there are way too many variables in the equation. Were both teams healthy? Was the game played away/home for each team involved. Did one of the QB have the flu which is not listed on an injury report? The list could go on and on ..

They do reseed as in there is no fixed pairing all the way from the start. Games can change depending on who wins so its not a fixed pairing but reseeded. But you can't climb over a higher seed which I think you're saying.

Well, technically, every playoff system reseeds when you're talking about who plays who, but the NFL's system is more of a renumbering rather than a true reseeding.

Think about this ..

Let's say the conference winners are 15-1, 9-7, 9-7, 9-7 and the two wildcards are 13-3 and 12-4.

Assuming both wildcard teams win (likely with those records), the 15-1 team would now host a 12-4 team in the divisional round. That is foolish IMO.

The #1 seed should always play the worst of the playoff teams that remain in contention, period. That would mean the 15-1 team playing the remaining 9-7 team instead of the 12-4 team.

As a fan, whether my team is in the playoffs or not, I'd much rather see a Championship game between a 15-1 and 12-4 team than a 15-1 and 9-7 team which could happen if a 9-7 team from above lucks out and beats a 13-3 team which can also happen because some teams just play well against other teams no matter their record.

-Reality

 

[Reality]

I'm not arguing with you.

I never took it that you were

-Reality

 

[Q_the_man]

OK, found another one...

1993, the Cowboys went 13-3 and won the NFC East. The Giants went 11-5 and were a Wild Card team. The Lions went 10-6 and won the NFC Central and the 49ERs went 10-6 and won the NFC West. The Packers and Vikings were the other Wild Card teams, both going 9-7.

The Giants were crushed by the 49ERs 44-3 in the 1st round of the playoffs. We went on to beat the 49ERs and then the Bills in the SB.

There were several times when a Wild Card team tied with a division winner for the 2nd best record but only a few times that one had the 2nd best record outright.

uh thumper when they only had 3 divisions then the team with the top record as a wild card team always had a home game.... now since it 4 divisions the only way to get a home game as a WC is to have the best record as a WC team, win ur WC game then beat the team who has a bye and hope the team with the best record loses in the 2nd round....

For Example. Giants go 14-2, Bears go 11-5, Cards go 11-5 and the Saints go 12-4, all division winners, then we go 13-3 and the buc go 9-7, the Bucs and us are WC teams... Giants and Saints get bye

We play Bears in WC in beat them and Buc play Cards and lose.

Then we play Saints because since the Giants had the best record they play the team with the worst record, so they play the Cards....

The Cards beat the Giants and we beat the Saints, Therefore in the NFC championship we have the better record so we play the Cards at home....

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Dallas will be a wild card no matter what...

 

[Chuck 54]

If the Cowboys finished 12-4 and had the 2nd best record in the conference behind the NYGiants, Dallas would be a wildcard team and would get one home game in the wild card round.

However, if the 12-4 Cowboys played the second round against the 9-7 champs of another division, Dallas would play on the road. Division winners get the home field games over wild card teams, regardless of records.

 

[jobberone]

Oh I know I would love a true strength of schedule comparison but there will never be an accurate way to determine SoS because there are way too many variables in the equation. Were both teams healthy? Was the game played away/home for each team involved. Did one of the QB have the flu which is not listed on an injury report? The list could go on and on ..


Well, technically, every playoff system reseeds when you're talking about who plays who, but the NFL's system is more of a renumbering rather than a true reseeding.

Think about this ..

Let's say the conference winners are 15-1, 9-7, 9-7, 9-7 and the two wildcards are 13-3 and 12-4.

Assuming both wildcard teams win (likely with those records), the 15-1 team would now host a 12-4 team in the divisional round. That is foolish IMO.

The #1 seed should always play the worst of the playoff teams that remain in contention, period. That would mean the 15-1 team playing the remaining 9-7 team instead of the 12-4 team.

As a fan, whether my team is in the playoffs or not, I'd much rather see a Championship game between a 15-1 and 12-4 team than a 15-1 and 9-7 team which could happen if a 9-7 team from above lucks out and beats a 13-3 team which can also happen because some teams just play well against other teams no matter their record.

-Reality

Oh I agree. What reseeding means is that there are no true brackets. That's all the difference is. There is no tree to follow. And you don't know where you're going to play next.

 

[jobberone]

Oh I know I would love a true strength of schedule comparison but there will never be an accurate way to determine SoS because there are way too many variables in the equation. Were both teams healthy? Was the game played away/home for each team involved. Did one of the QB have the flu which is not listed on an injury report? The list could go on and on ..


Well, technically, every playoff system reseeds when you're talking about who plays who, but the NFL's system is more of a renumbering rather than a true reseeding.

Think about this ..

Let's say the conference winners are 15-1, 9-7, 9-7, 9-7 and the two wildcards are 13-3 and 12-4.

Assuming both wildcard teams win (likely with those records), the 15-1 team would now host a 12-4 team in the divisional round. That is foolish IMO.

The #1 seed should always play the worst of the playoff teams that remain in contention, period. That would mean the 15-1 team playing the remaining 9-7 team instead of the 12-4 team.

As a fan, whether my team is in the playoffs or not, I'd much rather see a Championship game between a 15-1 and 12-4 team than a 15-1 and 9-7 team which could happen if a 9-7 team from above lucks out and beats a 13-3 team which can also happen because some teams just play well against other teams no matter their record.

-Reality

That's the problem with the system like it is. It should all even out over time but we could lose a great game between two great teams that because of player movement could be a one time opportunity. That's always a shame. But we have been on the down side of that rule for other reasons. We have had a couple of pretty good teams left out of the playoffs when a lot fewer teams went in and there were more teams in a division. There is always going to be some situation that is not perfect.

All in all the NFL is a pretty great game though.

 

[Reality]

All in all the NFL is a pretty great game though.

I completely agree ..

The NBA lets way too many teams in which makes most of the players and teams coast through the season waiting for the playoffs, which in their minds are the only thing that matters. That's why I'm not an NBA fan though I love NCAA basketball

MLB takes too few teams IMO and should add two more wildcard teams to each conference because there always seems to be one really good team that just misses the playoffs each year.

The NFL has the right balance with 4 division winners and 2 wild card teams but I really wish the seeding ignored division-vs-wildcard and instead used win-loss records and after each round I wish the teams were reseeded based on their records, ignoring whether they won a division or not.

-Reality

 

[jobberone]

I completely agree ..

The NBA lets way too many teams in which makes most of the players and teams coast through the season waiting for the playoffs, which in their minds are the only thing that matters. That's why I'm not an NBA fan though I love NCAA basketball

MLB takes too few teams IMO and should add two more wildcard teams to each conference because there always seems to be one really good team that just misses the playoffs each year.

The NFL has the right balance with 4 division winners and 2 wild card teams but I really wish the seeding ignored division-vs-wildcard and instead used win-loss records and after each round I wish the teams were reseeded based on their records, ignoring whether they won a division or not.

-Reality

It may take awhile for that to change. We still have a hard core faction entrenched as owners. That will likely change although I'm not really too keen on changing it too much. I wouldn't be too unhappy with best records getting home field but all the breaks should even out over time. I don't want it to get computerized like the BCS. How the football bounces is a good term IMO. Let the quirks and perks survive. JMO.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The NFL has the right balance with 4 division winners and 2 wild card teams but I really wish the seeding ignored division-vs-wildcard and instead used win-loss records and after each round I wish the teams were reseeded based on their records, ignoring whether they won a division or not.

Someone please forward to Goodell. Thanks.

 

[joseephuss]

uh thumper when they only had 3 divisions then the team with the top record as a wild card team always had a home game.... now since it 4 divisions the only way to get a home game as a WC is to have the best record as a WC team, win ur WC game then beat the team who has a bye and hope the team with the best record loses in the 2nd round....

For Example. Giants go 14-2, Bears go 11-5, Cards go 11-5 and the Saints go 12-4, all division winners, then we go 13-3 and the buc go 9-7, the Bucs and us are WC teams... Giants and Saints get bye

We play Bears in WC in beat them and Buc play Cards and lose.

Then we play Saints because since the Giants had the best record they play the team with the worst record, so they play the Cards....

The Cards beat the Giants and we beat the Saints, Therefore in the NFC championship we have the better record so we play the Cards at home....

The #1 seed plays the lowest seed. The lowest seed is not always the team with the worst record because a team that wins the division can actually lose fewer games than a wild card team.

If the Cowboys finished 12-4 and had the 2nd best record in the conference behind the NYGiants, Dallas would be a wildcard team and would get one home game in the wild card round.

However, if the 12-4 Cowboys played the second round against the 9-7 champs of another division, Dallas would play on the road. Division winners get the home field games over wild card teams, regardless of records.

In the current 4 divisions per conference system the only way a wild card team hosts a playoff game is if both wild card teams win out and make it to the championship game.

The two wild card teams first have to beat the #3 and #4 seeded teams in the wild card round. The #3 and #4 seeded teams will be the two division leaders with the worst records.

Then the two wild card teams have to beat the #1 and #2 seeded teams in the divisional round. If they do that then the #5 seeded wild card team will host the #6 seeded wild card team in the championship round.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I don't mind going on the road. We play better on the road anyway.