Do you support expanding the playoffs to 14 teams?

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

Just in case, you don't know, here's the proposal: The AFC and NFC sends 7 teams to the postseason through an objective system. The top seed from each conference gets a first round bye and a home playoff game in the 2nd round. The 2nd seed plays the 7th seed, and doesn't get the bye week. Everything else is the same.

How would it have looked in the past?

In 2013, the Patriots would have played the 8-8 Steelers on the AFC side, and the 10-6 Cardinals would have played the Panthers on the NFC side.

In 2012, the Patriots would have played the 8-8 Steelers on the AFC side, and the 49ers would have played the 10-6 Chicago Bears.

In 2011, the Ravens would have played the 9-7 Tennessee Titans on the AFC side, and the 49ers would have played either the 8-8 Eagles, Cardinals, or Bears.

In 2010, the Steelers would have played the 9-7 Chargers, and the Bears would have played either the Bucs or Giants at 9-7.

In 2009, the Chargers would have played the 9-7 Texans or Steelers, and the the Vikings would have played the Falcons at 9-7.

In 2008, the Steelers would play the 11-5 Patriots, and the Panthers would have played either the 9-7 Cowboys or
Bears.

In 2007, the Colts would have played the Browns at 10-6, and the Packers would have played either the Vikings or Cardinals at 8-8.

In 2006, the Ravens would have played the Broncos at 9-7, and the Saints would have played either the Rams, Panthers, or Packers at 8-8.

Proponents will argue that it would make week 17 more exciting, where more teams would be fighting for playoff spots, and would make more money for the system.

Opponents argue that it would devalue the regular season and could potentially give a 8-8 team which didn't win its division, the opportunity to win the Super Bowl.

Where do you stand?

 

[gowazzu02]

Can we just call this the Jerry Jones Rule?

 

[JDM]

It would be by far the worst of many terrible atrocities Goodell has committed since taking over the NFL.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

No

 

[Clayton]

Of course not

 

[Schmoopy1000]

against.

 

[darken65]

against.

No.

 

[bksballer89]

I support this

 

[Midnightangel]

No.

I think it's Jerry Jones' way of getting his perenial 8-8 Cowboys into the post season.

It's a horrible idea - and yes, I know...had this been in place last year my Steelers would have made it.

Here's the thing...last year we didn't deserve to make it.

 

[bksballer89]

It's only one more team in each conference

 

[gordontrue]

The most oft used argument against playoff expansion is that you would get bad teams in. That's just not true. More often than not, you are actually making your playoff field better, since there is almost always a division winner with a worse record than a team that misses the playoffs.

I'm moderately against playoff expansion, but my reason is because of the nature of NFL playoffs. They are one and done, and literally any team can get hot and win them. We've seen this plenty of times with wildcard teams winning it all. Because of that, the playoff field expanding punishes the top seeds. The more teams, the less chance they have at winning it all. (This would not really be true, for instance in an NBA playoffs, where no matter how many teams you add, the odds of the top teams in 7 game series will remain high)

 

[TBBishop]

There is just no good reason to do it.

 

[RegentDenali]

No. The only reason they are going to do it is for $$$$.

 

[gordontrue]

There is just no good reason to do it.

 

[JDM]

The most oft used argument against playoff expansion is that you would get bad teams in. That's just not true. More often than not, you are actually making your playoff field better, since there is almost always a division winner with a worse record than a team that misses the playoffs.

I'm moderately against playoff expansion, but my reason is because of the nature of NFL playoffs. They are one and done, and literally any team can get hot and win them. We've seen this plenty of times with wildcard teams winning it all. Because of that, the playoff field expanding punishes the top seeds. The more teams, the less chance they have at winning it all. (This would not really be true, for instance in an NBA playoffs, where no matter how many teams you add, the odds of the top teams in 7 game series will remain high)

If you don't win your division, you already don't deserve the playoffs. Wildcard spots at all are a gift.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Thumbs down to expanding to 14 teams playoffs.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Can we just call this the Jerry Jones Rule?

But this would have helped him once in the seasons mentioned above, how does that work?

 

[Cave_Johnson]

It's a terrible idea. After all the bullshit Goodell throws around about players safety this makes no sense. More games = more stress on players = more injuries. It's just a money grab, and it's a joke. The NFL has the best post season format in sports and of course Goodell has to try to fuck that up.

 

[WNY_FOOTBALL_DUDE]

The most oft used argument against playoff expansion is that you would get bad teams in. That's just not true. More often than not, you are actually making your playoff field better, since there is almost always a division winner with a worse record than a team that misses the playoffs.

I'm moderately against playoff expansion, but my reason is because of the nature of NFL playoffs. They are one and done, and literally any team can get hot and win them. We've seen this plenty of times with wildcard teams winning it all. Because of that, the playoff field expanding punishes the top seeds. The more teams, the less chance they have at winning it all. (This would not really be true, for instance in an NBA playoffs, where no matter how many teams you add, the odds of the top teams in 7 game series will remain high)

I agree with you in the first paragraph, but I have a slightly different reason: teams can't switch divisions and have no control over their schedule. Lets look at the NFC West in 2013. You had three teams with winning records: The Seahawks, 49ers, and Cardinals. The Cardinals were 10-6 and had a better record than the Packers at 8-7-1. And because only two wildcards can join, that means that the Cardinals got short changed.

For the 2nd paragraph, I would argue playoffs have never about crowning the mythical best team, just the tournament winner. Statistically speaking, no 8-8 team has ever advanced past the 2nd round before, and there's a reason for that: you're 8-8 for a reason. You're an up and down team, and have don't have the ability to win continuously for more than 2 games.

Expanding would definitely increase that odd of an 8-8 team to make it to the Super Bowl or Championship game, but the odds are still very much against it. And lets face it: none of us here want to turn into the BCS and have our champions hand picked by voters.

 

[JDM]

Win your division.


It's that simple.