Rejigger the Playoff Format

[cowboyec]

Frankly, our fanbase has gotten so used to being a middling franchise and not actually contending for Super Bowls, the value and importance of division titles has been overstated because we haven’t had anything to point to in 27 years.

bull.
winning your division doesnt take the place of a super bowl.
but its still worth celebrating.
hell...its the first damn goal of every team.

 

[fivetwos]

No, I’d be laughing we got into the postseason with a middling team.

Peoples inability to differentiate between crying and discussing is a rough one around here.

Semantics mostly.

 

[JoeKing]

Joe, it explains everything about you.

All I did was disagree with you. It has nothing to do with my longevity.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

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.

oh yes they would, the media would be screaming that it was unfair and ridiculous Dallas was hosting

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

thats what they said about arizona...and they went all the way to the super bowl.

Yeah, exactly.

If we go to the Super Bowl as a wild card I’d be ecstatic. Conversely, winning the division in 2007 and losing our first playoff game was an abject failure.

I don’t reminisce and sooth myself by saying “ooooh, but that division championship though!”

 

[cowboyec]

Yeah, exactly.

If we go to the Super Bowl as a wild card I’d be ecstatic. Conversely, winning the division in 2007 and losing our first playoff game was an abject failure.

I don’t reminisce and sooth myself by saying “ooooh, but that division championship though!”

nobody does that.

 

[EST_1986]

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.

Archaic system they refuse to adjust

 

[cowboyec]

if winning the division is no big deal then why do folks get pissy when we dont.
or use not winning it as a talking point to crap on the qb...or hc...etc...etc...etc.

 

[erod]

NBA doesn’t consider strength of schedule.

Because NBA schedules are almost identical within a conference outside of a handful of games.

NFL teams play entirely different schedules from division to division.

How many common opponents do the Cowboys and Bucs have this year?

 

[Reid1boys]

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.

so many teams are playing for nothing? Really...... hmmm

NFC East still up in air, NFC South still up in air, 2 of the NFC wild card spots still up in air.

AFC South up in air, AFC North up in air, AFC 2 wildcard spots still open.


Thats a lot of teams still playing for something with only 2 weeks left.

 

[Reid1boys]

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

should also get rid of Sunday ticket, concussion protocol, and return to leather helmets while we are at it.

 

[john van brocklin]

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.

I approve of and agree with your message.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

nobody does that.

Because NBA schedules are almost identical within a conference outside of a handful of games.

NFL teams play entirely different schedules from division to division.

How many common opponents do the Cowboys and Bucs have this year?

So does the NBA.

Because NBA schedules are almost identical within a conference outside of a handful of games.

NFL teams play entirely different schedules from division to division.

How many common opponents do the Cowboys and Bucs have this year?

Strength of schedule is such a problematic metric.

First, if you’re going off the previous season it’s absolutely meaningless because there is so much roster turnover from year to year; one season has no bearing on the next. Secondly, if you’re doing it within the current season it’s meaningless due to injuries or situation (team already clinched a playoff spot and sitting starters). Thirdly, strength of schedule is a problem in the current NFL playoff format. There are weaker divisions that are playing 50% of their games against each other.

 

[beware_d-ware]

IMO, the NFL 12-team playoff format was the best playoff in sports, and there was no need to mess with it.

The 7th seed thing is a buzzkill. It greatly diminishes the importance of the #2 seed, with no bye week auto-win, and it only adds a team that most likely is not going to seriously contend.

Giving a .500 type Panthers or Buccaneers team home field over a .700 type Cowboys team isn't fair, but rarely do we see division winners that weak.

 

[cityochamps]

I think division titles are meaningless.

Most ridicules comment of the year award.

 

[erod]

So does the NBA.


Strength of schedule is such a problematic metric.

First, if you’re going off the previous season it’s absolutely meaningless because there is so much roster turnover from year to year; one season has no bearing on the next. Secondly, if you’re doing it within the current season it’s meaningless due to injuries or situation (team already clinched a playoff spot and sitting starters). Thirdly, strength of schedule is a problem in the current NFL playoff format. There are weaker divisions that are playing 50% of their games against each other.

What? No.

NBA teams within a conference play virtually identical schedules. They just play a few teams an extra time or two compared to another division.

NFL teams in different divisions play completely different teams than each other.

 

[erod]

Most ridicules comment of the year award.

Actually, he's right.

Big deal. You beat 3 teams. Whoopty do.

 

[gmb1]

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

Yeah because that worked out for the Cowboys last year

 

[TexasHillbilly]

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

True but you can win your division and not get a bye. That I do not like.

Also, 17 is too many games but the owners aren't going to give it back because it means more money in their pockets. They pay out the salary cap monies and make a billion a year. Sounds fair to them I am sure.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I think the NFL needs to look into overhauling the playoff/postseason format.

Only change that needs made is fewer teams need to make the playoffs.