Fix the NFL playoffs

[Ricky Roma]

Why because it does not support your argument? 12 is nothing more than a bigger number. Not always a better number.

Because one is a number decided on wins for a complete season which determines playoff teams and such, whereas one is just one game, and in most cases...an upset.

 

[seattlefan75]

The only issue with changing the playoffs is that divisional winners that suck happens so rare, if this was an every year thing and there was a solid team that would be great for TV missing out on the playoffs I can see the argument but aside from this year and the time the hawks went 7-9 I can barely remember a .500 or worse divisional winner going into the playoffs

 

[GhostOfPoverty]

As of now, the 9-4 Vikings are in second place in the NFC North to the 10-3 Packers. Vikings curtently projected as the 6th seed, with the Seahawks and 49'ers all but locked in to take the 1st and 5th seeds depending on who wins the NFC West. New Orleans projected for the 2 seed at 10-3. Meanwhile, the 6-7 Cowboys are looking pretty likely to back into the playoffs, even possibly with a losing record, yet still get the #4 seed just for winning their miserable NFC East division.

If the Vikings won out to get to 12-4, they'd still end up with the #6 seed if the Packers win out other than their rematch with the Vikings to also end up at 12-4 based on winning more division games for the tie-breaker. That means it's very possible that both wildcard teams are 11-5/12-4 for the 6th seed and maybe 13-3 for the 5th seed. Both of these teams would be destined to face a potentially losing record 7-9 or so Cowboys on the road in Dallas, (even if they had beaten the Cowboys in head to head competetion in the regular season in the case of the Vikings).

I don't care how obsessed you get over tradition, but the fact that those things are real possibilities goes to show what a joke the current system is. I'm tired of subpar teams getting heavily rewarded over superior teams just because they played in a horse chit division. Keep everything the way it is, but any playoff team with fewer than double digit wins (10-6 or better) should have to go on the road in the playoffs against teams with better records. There is no way I can justify wildcard teams from 11-13 wins going on the road in the wildcard round against a losing team that snuck into the playoffs based purely on winning a joke of a division. IMO it's enough to gift them an automaric playoff spot plus home field over any wildcards if they can at least get to 10 wins themselves. But no more of this crap where chit teams get a home playoff game against far superior teams that had a much harder road to get there in the first place.

 

[Moab]

BFD...the way it stands now you'd still play your first game on the road...so get over it

 

[Nosferatu]

If you're the better team it shouldn't matter where you play.

 

[Schmoopy1000]

As of now, the 9-4 Vikings are in second place in the NFC North to the 10-3 Packers. Vikings curtently projected as the 6th seed, with the Seahawks and 49'ers all but locked in to take the 1st and 5th seeds depending on who wins the NFC West. New Orleans projected for the 2 seed at 10-3. Meanwhile, the 6-7 Cowboys are looking pretty likely to back into the playoffs, even possibly with a losing record, yet still get the #4 seed just for winning their miserable NFC East division.

If the Vikings won out to get to 12-4, they'd still end up with the #6 seed if the Packers win out other than their rematch with the Vikings to also end up at 12-4 based on winning more division games for the tie-breaker. That means it's very possible that both wildcard teams are 11-5/12-4 for the 6th seed and maybe 13-3 for the 5th seed. Both of these teams would be destined to face a potentially losing record 7-9 or so Cowboys on the road in Dallas, (even if they had beaten the Cowboys in head to head competetion in the regular season in the case of the Vikings).

I don't care how obsessed you get over tradition, but the fact that those things are real possibilities goes to show what a joke the current system is. I'm tired of subpar teams getting heavily rewarded over superior teams just because they played in a horse chit division. Keep everything the way it is, but any playoff team with fewer than double digit wins (10-6 or better) should have to go on the road in the playoffs against teams with better records. There is no way I can justify wildcard teams from 11-13 wins going on the road in the wildcard round against a losing team that snuck into the playoffs based purely on winning a joke of a division. IMO it's enough to gift them an automaric playoff spot plus home field over any wildcards if they can at least get to 10 wins themselves. But no more of this crap where chit teams get a home playoff game against far superior teams that had a much harder road to get there in the first place.

2 things.
The way the Cowboys have been playing like. You most likely would be playing in Philly. If that makes you feel any better

#2 & most importantly.
It isnt tradition that keeps the NFL from making a change. For there to be a change. The Owners would have to vote to make the change & none of them are going to vote to lose revenue from a home playoff game. So it is never gonna change.

 

[GhostOfPoverty]

If you're the better team it shouldn't matter where you play.

But home field clearly gives a team an edge in reality. You're telling me that a 7-9 or 8-8 Dallas team playing at home indoors in January wouldn't give them a significantly better chance at upsetting a ~13-3 Seahawks team vs. playing the game in outdoors in Seattle? Or that a 12-4 Vikings vs. 12-4 Packers playoff matchup wouldn't give a big edge to Green Bay by playing in Lambeau (which I think would be fair enough, obviously there has to be a tie breaker for the division)?

Obviously, home field matters tremendously. Why else did they change it to award the most successful teams with higher seedings vs. pre-scheduled game field placements based on alternating years? All I'm advocating for is that a team getting gifted a playoff spot at 7-9 shouldn't also automatically be gifted home field over multiple far superior wildcard teams that would have easily won their divsion had they played in the crappy division themselves.

 

[Moab]

#divisionsmatter

It's a new twitter thing

 

[GhostOfPoverty]

BFD...the way it stands now you'd still play your first game on the road...so get over it

That's not an arguement, and I was calling even more bs on behalf of whoever gets the probable 5th seed between the 49'ers and Seahawks potentially having to go on the road against a losing team despite being possibly 13-3.

I mean seriously, in what world can anyone reasonably justify a 13-3 team having to go on the road in the playoffs against a 6-7 to 8-8 team just because the inferior team played in a miserable division? There could literally be a situation where the better team won nearly DOUBLE the games of the lesser team having to play them on the road. The owners won't vote change it due to wanting the revenue from home playoff games even if their division winner sucks, I get that. But the only reasons fans argue against a simple change in making the seeding a bit more fair to the wildcard teams is because they are cranky old farts obsessed with tradition.

My suggestion isn't exactly extreme. Just win 10 games, and you automatically get a 4th seed over teams that are as high as 13-3 just because you won the division. If you're worse than that, then just be happy you lucked into the playoffs at all probably over multiple teams with better records.

 

[RememberTheKoy]

Vikings fan just scared of the possibility of losing in the playoffs to Philly again.

 

[Moab]

That's not an arguement, and I was calling even more bs on behalf of whoever gets the probable 5th seed between the 49'ers and Seahawks potentially having to go on the road against a losing team despite being possibly 13-3.

I mean seriously, in what world can anyone reasonably justify a 13-3 team having to go on the road in the playoffs against a 6-7 to 8-8 team just because the inferior team played in a miserable division? There could literally be a situation where the better team won nearly DOUBLE the games of the lesser team having to play them on the road. The owners won't vote change it due to wanting the revenue from home playoff games even if their division winner sucks, I get that. But the only reasons fans argue against a simple change in making the seeding a bit more fair to the wildcard teams is because they are cranky old farts obsessed with tradition.

My suggestion isn't exactly extreme. Just win 10 games, and you automatically get a 4th seed over teams that are as high as 13-3 just because you won the division. If you're worse than that, then just be happy you lucked into the playoffs at all probably over multiple teams with better records.

There is a 220+ post thread about this already...

Fix the NFL playoffs

 

[BigKen]

But home field clearly gives a team an edge in reality. You're telling me that a 7-9 or 8-8 Dallas team playing at home indoors in January wouldn't give them a significantly better chance at upsetting a ~13-3 Seahawks team vs. playing the game in outdoors in Seattle? Or that a 12-4 Vikings vs. 12-4 Packers playoff matchup wouldn't give a big edge to Green Bay by playing in Lambeau (which I think would be fair enough, obviously there has to be a tie breaker for the division)?

What is it that you don't understand? Why the hell even have a Wild card if you're so upset about the playoffs. Just let the Division winners play off. Better yet, Just have a Super Bowl between the teams with the best record in each Conference. Then your Vikings would never have to worry about a Super Bowl.

Get the point? You're bitching about the Cowboys and their lousy record in a lousy division. They will not beat the 49ers or Seahawks or Saints or whoever they play. The Cowboys are in first because they have to play two each against the Eagles, Giants and Redskins. Ten years ago that was a brutal schedule and the NFCN was a cupcake division. The Cowboys are weak and will lose The Wildcard game as they should.

Take a breath, sit back and try to relax. Have a beer or a Caffeine-Free Diet Coke.

 

[PhillyGreen]

Because one is a number decided on wins for a complete season which determines playoff teams and such, whereas one is just one game, and in most cases...an upset.

Which is irrelevant.

 

[eaglesnut]

Vikings' fans are such queens.

 

[gobigred]

 

[WizardHawk]

Yeah, because teams with 12 wins can't win on the road right?

Any team with at least 12 wins won no less than half of their road games. Potentially more.

 

[Manster7588]

Can a mod PLEASE merge this thread with the other Whinny thread.

 

[tducey]

There should be a reward though for winning your division though. I'm fine with the system as is.

 

[Nosferatu]

But home field clearly gives a team an edge in reality. You're telling me that a 7-9 or 8-8 Dallas team playing at home indoors in January wouldn't give them a significantly better chance at upsetting a ~13-3 Seahawks team vs. playing the game in outdoors in Seattle? Or that a 12-4 Vikings vs. 12-4 Packers playoff matchup wouldn't give a big edge to Green Bay by playing in Lambeau (which I think would be fair enough, obviously there has to be a tie breaker for the division)?

Obviously, home field matters tremendously. Why else did they change it to award the most successful teams with higher seedings vs. pre-scheduled game field placements based on alternating years? All I'm advocating for is that a team getting gifted a playoff spot at 7-9 shouldn't also automatically be gifted home field over multiple far superior wildcard teams that would have easily won their divsion had they played in the crappy division themselves.

Clearly

Since 2004 the team with home field in the wild card round is 31 - 29 in the NFC the home team is 14 - 16

Now quit whining!

 

[broncosmitty]

The only issue with changing the playoffs is that divisional winners that suck happens so rare, if this was an every year thing and there was a solid team that would be great for TV missing out on the playoffs I can see the argument but aside from this year and the time the hawks went 7-9 I can barely remember a .500 or worse divisional winner going into the playoffs

It's happened twice in full seasons that I know of.


Carolina was 7-8-1 a few years ago.