The Cowboys can still win the number one seed

[Jimbo123]

This is particularly criticized because it negatively affects the team right now. Bring this up in 2018 when Dallas won the East at 10-6 and wildcard Seattle was 10-6 with a head-to-win win against Dallas, and suddenly Dallas is now the away team visiting Seattle in the first round.

Consider a 24-22 Dallas victory potentially flips around with the 3 point home field advantage Vegas betting line, and the response here would be “Why didn’t we get a home playoff game, we won our division and they did not. This is criminal!”

Dallas was the home team in 2018 against Seattle.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Dallas was the home team in 2018 against Seattle.

that’s the point of my post. Had that been flipped, the 24-22 score may have been as well Based on Dallas’ home/road splits

 

[Jimbo123]

The Cowboys can still win the number one seed. Or they can win 2,3,5,6,7.

But they mathematically cannot win the number 4 seed.

This is the first year I think they should throw away the division winner gets automatic home game format.

Only a division winner can be a 1,2,3,or 4 seed. Dallas can't be a 2 or 3 seed in the first round without winning their division.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Only a division winner can be a 1,2,3,or 4 seed. Dallas can't be a 2 or 3 seed in the first round without winning their division.

He’s saying Dallas can win the division and be the 1, 2 or 3, or stay a wild card and be 5, 6 or 7… but Dallas cannot finish as the 4 seed

 

[JBS]

2018 cowboys were 7-1 at home and 3-5 on the road. They scored 200 points at home and 135 on the road, that’s an 8 ppg difference. Opponents, meanwhile, scored 22 at their home and 18 in Jerry world.

Dallas was substantially better at home that season than on the road.

Thats not the same as 3 point being given for home field. That rule is fake and outdated. Yes, Dallas does perform significantly better at home than on the road.

 

[Jimbo123]

If we lose to the NFC South champ who could possibly have a losing record does McCarthy keep his job?

What are you talking about? MM should be a serious candidate for COTY. I read it here on the forum.

 

[Jimbo123]

He’s saying Dallas can win the division and be the 1, 2 or 3, or stay a wild card and be 5, 6 or 7… but Dallas cannot finish as the 4 seed

Got it

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Thats not the same as 3 point being given for home field. That rule is fake and outdated. Yes, Dallas does perform significantly better at home than on the road.

Not in 2018. Scores league-wide favored home teams by 2.37 ppg

 

[CoachD]

How screwed up is this..... both the Cowboys and Eagles can go 14-3 and one of them is going to be the 5th seed and end up on the road for the playoffs and very possibly play three road games if they keep winning and have a better regular season record than all of their opponents.

 

[JD_KaPow]

In 1977, Dallas won the NFC East. They played 8 games within the division, 4 games against other NFC opponents and 2 games against AFC foes. That makes 57.1% of their games were against division opponents, which is significant. That is twice as many games within the division than against other NFC teams.

In 1992, Dallas won the NFC East. They played 8 games within the division, 4 games against other NFC opponents and 4 games against AFC foes. That makes 50.0% of their games were against division opponents. That is twice as many games within the division than against other NFC teams.

In 2021, Dallas won the NFC East. They played 6 games within the division, 6 games against other NFC opponents and 5 games against AFC foes. That makes 35.3% of their games were against division opponents. That is the same number of games within the division as against other NFC teams.

The current format and scheduling has reduced the impact of winning the division. The same rewards shouldn't apply. Win the division, make the playoffs, but base home field on overall records.

This is a good argument, but I'm still opposed. The issue is the interconference games.

Ten games on your schedule are either divisional or against opponents in the other conference that nobody else in your conference has to (or gets to) play (yeah, the 5th game mucks things up but it still basically holds). Which division you play out of conference can have a huge impact on how strength of schedule varies between divisions.

 

[JBS]

Not in 2018. Scores league-wide favored home teams by 2.37 ppg

I don’t think you understand. Home teams aren’t awarded 3 points for home field advantage. Not now and not in 2018. End of.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

stop - over in 5 weeks, then draft talk

For your Eagles? I agree.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

When the Eagles lose to the Bears this weekend, things will start looking up in terms of the seeding and the division. I mean, the Bears have lost six straight overall and five straight to the Eagles. The Bears are due, right?

 

[Motorola]

The Cowboys can still win the number one seed. Or they can win 2,3,5,6,7.

But they mathematically cannot win the number 4 seed.

This is the first year I think they should throw away the division winner gets automatic home game format.

So you didn't feel

I agree, but there will always be a reward for winning your own division

Getting a playoff spot by the division should still be in place for an NFL team.

HOWEVER --- the format should be changed to this:
If a division winner has a .500 or losing record, that is worse than the wildcard qualifier they are slotted to play against ---- the wildcard team should host that first round game IMO.

 

[joseephuss]

This is a good argument, but I'm still opposed. The issue is the interconference games.

Ten games on your schedule are either divisional or against opponents in the other conference that nobody else in your conference has to (or gets to) play (yeah, the 5th game mucks things up but it still basically holds). Which division you play out of conference can have a huge impact on how strength of schedule varies between divisions.

I understand that. I'm for still rewarding winning the division by guaranteeing a playoff berth because it does still somewhat matter. I just think it doesn't matter enough to guarantee a home playoff game. It will most likely never change, but we will continue to see division winners with losing records.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

I don’t think you understand. Home teams aren’t awarded 3 points for home field advantage. Not now and not in 2018. End of.

Well it’s a hypothetical. It’s not real. Hypothetically, based on Dallas’ away performances as well as the league wide advantage of playing at home, it’s very probable that score does not go in Dallas’ favor if the situation is reversed.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Not in 2018. Scores league-wide favored home teams by 2.37 ppg

Looks like it's only 1.79 this year.

 

[Motorola]

The Cowboys can still win the number one seed. Or they can win 2,3,5,6,7.

But they mathematically cannot win the number 4 seed.

This is the first year I think they should throw away the division winner gets automatic home game format.

So....you didn't feel that way previously when___

2010 NFC West Champion 7-9 Seahawks had a home playoff game versus the 11-5 Saints?

2014 NFC South Winner 7-8-1 Panthers hosted the 11-5 Cardinals in the wildcard round?

2020 NFC East Titlist 7-9 Washington team (known by a now-defunct nickname) played the 11-5 Buccaneers in the postseason first round in their stadium?

 

[Joe Realist]

For your Eagles? I agree.

not my Eagles. You know they are the better team.

 

[Motorola]

That should have been gone a long time ago. Someone from the NFC South will probably make the playoffs with a losing record. Its ridiculous.

It has happened three times before in the last dozen seasons.
2010 Seattle Seahawks___7-9
2014 Carolina Panthers___7-8-1
2020 Washington *Commanders*____7-9

Hopefully - everyone that made the colossal \ gargantuan disapproval -- fuss-- indignation-- outrage -- resentment -- stink -- about the Chiefs & Bills playoff game last January DO THE SAME THING to get the league to end the format of a subpar division winner getting a first-round playoff game at home...and award it to the wildcard opponent who had a better regular season.