Playoff Structure is Dated

[robjay04]

Watching these playoff games, especially the AFC makes me realize that the NFL Playoffs are not really the “best of the best”.

Why do we even have conferences anymore? For that matter...why do we even have divisions?

Why don’t we randomize the schedule more and just have the best 12 teams in the entire NFL make the playoffs? We can still have divisions for scheduling purposes to keep some legendary rivalries in tact.

It seems silly to watch the Titans, Jaguars, Bills and Chiefs in the playoffs when they are obviously not better than several NFC teams. This isn’t necessarily a Cowboys thread but good luck in trying to convince me that the Cowboys, Seahawks or even the Lions wouldn’t be more competitive than this garbage.

I know the NBA has openly talked about doing this because of the talent discrepancy they in the West and East. The NBA is steadily picking up a lot of popularity, especially amongst young people because they aren’t afraid to switch up traditions. The NBA’s rising popularity will eventually start to eat into the NFL’s market share and I’m sure showcasing a Jaguars/Bills matchup doesn’t help matters. The NFL may need to start making changes like this instead of talking about further saturating the product by adding more playoff teams.

Hopefully this doesn’t get moved, I thought it would make good discussion.

 

[Nightman]

Watching these playoff games, especially the AFC makes me realize that the NFL Playoffs are not really the “best of the best”.

Why do we even have conferences anymore? For that matter...why do we even have divisions?

Why don’t we randomize the schedule more and just have the best 12 teams in the entire NFL make the playoffs? We can still have divisions for scheduling purposes to keep some legendary rivalries in tact.

It seems silly to watch the Titans, Jaguars, Bills and Chiefs in the playoffs when they are obviously not better than several NFC teams. This isn’t necessarily a Cowboys thread but good luck in trying to convince me that the Cowboys, Seahawks or even the Lions wouldn’t be more competitive than this garbage.

I know the NBA has openly talked about doing this because of the talent discrepancy they in the West and East. The NBA is steadily picking up a lot of popularity, especially amongst young people because they aren’t afraid to switch up traditions. The NBA’s rising popularity will eventually start to eat into the NFL’s market share and I’m sure showcasing a Jaguars/Bills matchup doesn’t help matters. The NFL may need to start making changes like this instead of talking about further saturating the product by adding more playoff teams.

Hopefully this doesn’t get moved, I thought it would make good discussion.

DAL, SEA and DET had their chances.........it ain't broke

 

[pancakeman]

To me it's not broken like you think.
Wild Card weekend is always going to have some pointless teams unless you drastically reduce the pool that make it.
It's moderately fun to have the possibility of a Cinderella team too. (In theory--I confess I'm not rooting for any of these dogs this year.)
The one adjustment I'd be for is saying that if a division winner has a losing (or even?) record, they stay home and an additional wild card team goes instead. 7-9 teams don't deserve it.

 

[Sydla]

Watching these playoff games, especially the AFC makes me realize that the NFL Playoffs are not really the “best of the best”.

Why do we even have conferences anymore? For that matter...why do we even have divisions?

Why don’t we randomize the schedule more and just have the best 12 teams in the entire NFL make the playoffs? We can still have divisions for scheduling purposes to keep some legendary rivalries in tact.

It seems silly to watch the Titans, Jaguars, Bills and Chiefs in the playoffs when they are obviously not better than several NFC teams. This isn’t necessarily a Cowboys thread but good luck in trying to convince me that the Cowboys, Seahawks or even the Lions wouldn’t be more competitive than this garbage.

I know the NBA has openly talked about doing this because of the talent discrepancy they in the West and East. The NBA is steadily picking up a lot of popularity, especially amongst young people because they aren’t afraid to switch up traditions. The NBA’s rising popularity will eventually start to eat into the NFL’s market share and I’m sure showcasing a Jaguars/Bills matchup doesn’t help matters. The NFL may need to start making changes like this instead of talking about further saturating the product by adding more playoff teams.

Hopefully this doesn’t get moved, I thought it would make good discussion.

It seems silly to me to think the Cowboys are playoff worthy.

As noted above, they had their chance and they blew it. Criticizing the current playoff structure to justify why the Cowboys are deserving is backwards to me.

 

[HungryLion]

I disagree.

There are plenty of years where a conferences, 6th seed will be good enough to compete for a championship.

Also, randomizing the schedule and doing away with divisions is a bad idea. Division rivalry games are generally some of the best every season. Teams having familiarity with each other leads to a higher level of completion between each other.

I can’t imagine the cowboys not playing the giants, skins and eagles twice a year. No way I want them to get rid of those games.

 

[Sydla]

And by the way, I think we would lose to Jax, for example. We'd struggle to score on that defense.

 

[robjay04]

DAL, SEA and DET had their chances.........it ain't broke

They didn’t have a chance to compete for the 2-3 playoff spots that were rewarded to undeserving teams in the AFC which forced the NFL to showcase awful football for their annual “best of the best tournament”.

I remember it was just as bad last season with the Texans and Dolphins making the playoffs.

 

[Sydla]

They didn’t have a chance to compete for the 2-3 playoff spots that were rewarded to undeserving teams in the AFC which forced the NFL to showcase awful football for their annual “best of the best tournament”.

I remember it was just as bad last season with the Texans and Dolphins making the playoffs.

The problem is you somehow have convinced yourself Dallas is more deserving than say Jacksonville.

Yet, having watched Dallas, especially the last few weeks, they'd probably lose to Jacksonville.

 

[ghst187]

There have been some recent years when some really good teams with 10 wins have missed the playoffs which seems silly. The Cards come to mind. I would say the easiest thing to do is to add one team to each conference playoffs and just have the second place team have to play the first weekend instead of getting a bye. Me saying this has zero to do with us missing the playoffs because I don't think we deserved it this year.
Also, with parity what it is....I think any team that could qualify could make a SB run. Plenty of cinderellas have made big noise in the NCAA bball tourney.

 

[IheartRomo]

And by the way, I think we would lose to Jax, for example. We'd struggle to score on that defense.

It'd be an interesting game. Similar to the Seahawks game we played week 16. Don't think the Jags offense would stress our defense but our offense would have a hell of a time moving the ball.

 

[robjay04]

I disagree.

There are plenty of years where a conferences, 6th seed will be good enough to compete for a championship.

Also, randomizing the schedule and doing away with divisions is a bad idea. Division rivalry games are generally some of the best every season. Teams having familiarity with each other leads to a higher level of completion between each other.

I can’t imagine the cowboys not playing the giants, skins and eagles twice a year. No way I want them to get rid of those games.

Read my post throughly. I proposed keeping the divisions in tact for scheduling purposes to keep those rivalries going. A division winner doesn’t necesarily always award you a playoff spot though but dominating your division will surely increase your chances of being a top 12 team.

And those six seeds that are good enough will still make the playoffs..in fact they may have a higher seed. The only thing that’ll change is we would be seeing a matchup of a team like the Seahawks playing right now over a team like the Bills.

 

[robjay04]

There have been some recent years when some really good teams with 10 wins have missed the playoffs which seems silly. The Cards come to mind. I would say the easiest thing to do is to add one team to each conference playoffs and just have the second place team have to play the first weekend instead of getting a bye. Me saying this has zero to do with us missing the playoffs because I don't think we deserved it this year.
Also, with parity what it is....I think any team that could qualify could make a SB run. Plenty of cinderellas have made big noise in the NCAA bball tourney.

I know it didn’t work out that way but the NFC Playoff easily could’ve had 3 10-6 teams missing the playoffs(Seahawks, Cowboys and Lions).

 

[T-RO]

And by the way, I think we would lose to Jax, for example. We'd struggle to score on that defense.

They'd struggle to score on us.

 

[HungryLion]

Read my post throughly. I proposed keeping the divisions in tact for scheduling purposes to keep those rivalries going. A division winner doesn’t necesarily always award you a playoff spot though but dominating your division will surely increase your chances of being a top 12 team.

And those six seeds that are good enough will still make the playoffs..in fact they may have a higher seed. The only thing that’ll change is we would be seeing a matchup of a team like the Seahawks playing right now over a team like the Bills.

The bills are just as good as the Seahawks.

They had the same record. Why do the hawks deserve it over the bills?

 

[robjay04]

It seems silly to me to think the Cowboys are playoff worthy.

As noted above, they had their chance and they blew it. Criticizing the current playoff structure to justify why the Cowboys are deserving is backwards to me.

This isn’t really about the Cowboys. Obviously the Cowboys could’ve potentially benefitted. This is more about the fact that the Bills are in the playoffs, the Jags benefitted from a weak division, the Titans stink and the Chiefs were a very weak team after a hot start.

The AFC Conference game is already set just like last season.

 

[Aven8]

Remember that crummy 9-7 Gents team that made the playoffs that we beat twice in 2007?

 

[robjay04]

The bills are just as good as the Seahawks.

They had the same record. Why do the hawks deserve it over the bills?

Being in a weaker conference creates a weaker schedule.

I’m not necessarily saying the Seahawks are better..but they are a better team than the Bills.

 

[CATCH17]

I wouldn’t change it but I do think the Patriots dynasty has been inflated some from playing in the worst division in football for 15 years and basically getting a bye every year in the playoffs.

 

[robjay04]

Remember that crummy 9-7 Gents team that made the playoffs that we beat twice in 2007?

That scenario could happen in the NFC this year and the 2007 Giants would probably still make the playoffs under these discussed changes.

The AFC is a joke though. AFC Championship is set.

 

[DFWJC]

Well, NBA, MLB, and NHL all still have confetences

People only complain about this when their team happened to be in the tougher confernce that year.
Not so much when its the other way around.