Fix the NFL playoffs

[dtgold88]

There is zero chance they move to giving wildcard teams home games unless it is agaisnt another wildcard team. And that's the way it should be.

As long as the league controls the schedule and can handcuff some divisions with 8 tougher games than another division in their conference, they absolutley must give every div winner a home game.

A lot of extreme there....zero chance? absolutely must?

I'd prefer they just keep it as is, but could see the switch many have mentioned with reseeding.

 

[steelerssb]

even better the redskins could still go 7-9 and win the division and host a playoff game too....

Shit, that board would be leaking all over here if that happens.

 

[steelerssb]

Fix the damn MLB seeding first.

(No I'm not still bitter about the 2015 standings, why do you ask?)

 

[steelerssb]

You give the second place team a soft landing it’s just not nearly the big deal to win the division. Fact! The current set up is excellent. Let’s not fix something that’s not broke. The current set up makes for high drama because what’s at stake. Watering it down isn’t a good idea at all.

Until the NFL forces a 7-team playoff on all of us

 

[Ricky Roma]

Why not? Your assumption that a division has to be weak for an 8-8 division winner isn't entirely true.

You play the same 14 as everyone else in your division right? 6 are each other. 4 agaisnt another div in your own conf, and 4 from another div in the other conf.

Those 8 are half your season. If you are unlucky enough to go up against two tough divisions everyone in yours will suffer.

Again, there is no parity outside of your division. The schedule parity inside each division is very solid.

There isn't a single problem with a wildcard on a good record going agaisnt a weaker division winner. None. At all.

Win your division and earn HFA or at least a first round bye if you are that good.

It leans heavily on the side that it is weak, and would be weak. The NFC East is a joke, which is an automatic 6 games vs lesser opponents right from the start for the team that tops out. We can discuss all the SOS and whatnot......when the disparity could be a 7-8 win team that was lucky to win a shitty division....and because of that great achievement, gets to host a playoff game vs. a potential 12+ win team?

That isn't just illogical....that is flat out stupid.

 

[huskers1217]

The Cowboys could potentially go 6-10 and still win the division and host a playoff game.

.

fify

 

[WizardHawk]

NBA does it. They pretty much did away with divisions mattering entirely. Not saying NFL needs to be that extreme but what would be so bad about allowing the division winner in but reseeding?

Have you not thought to consider maybe they won their division because the division is, in fact, a weaker division and wasn't just because of schedule?

NBA has a LOT more games to work with. They have a lot of luxury to change things how they want. Can't happen on 16 games.

And no shit it could mean everyone is bad. No one said otherwise. It just COULD be also bad schedule luck. The schedule for every division is very different from every other.

It's fair to compare everyone inside a division to each other. They have 14 cumin games. It just doesn't work outside the division. Not cleanly.

 

[williewilliejuan]

I would much rather see the top 6 teams with the best records be seated 1 thru 6 regardless of division.

How do you do that when they play different schedules? It’s fine as it is. It’s also good to know that life isn’t always fair.

 

[WizardHawk]

It leans heavily on the side that it is weak, and would be weak. The NFC East is a joke, which is an automatic 6 games vs lesser opponents right from the start for the team that tops out. We can discuss all the SOS and whatnot......when the disparity could be a 7-8 win team that was lucky to win a shitty division....and because of that great achievement, gets to host a playoff game vs. a potential 12+ win team?

That isn't just illogical....that is flat out stupid.

So the folks making millions on this format are stupid and you are the only voice of logic and reason. Neat

 

[PhilSimms11]

I would tweek your seeding just slightly. If you want to keep divisions then fine but that doesn't guarantee you a playoff spot.

Dallas could win the division but I would still put the Rams in the playoff at 7-5 over a 6-6 Dallas.

Can't do that. If you call for that then the 'just get rid of divisions' vultures will feast. I like divisions. It just irks me that they get a home playoff game no matter what. If a division winner is 8-8 or 7-9 they have no gripe about having to travel. You have the ultimate mediocre record of wins and losses. Be grateful your damn team is in the playoffs.

 

[Cedrique]

Can't do that. If you call for that then the 'just get rid of divisions' vultures will feast. I like divisions. It just irks me that they get a home playoff game no matter what. If a division winner is 8-8 or 7-9 they have no gripe about having to travel. You have the ultimate mediocre record of wins and losses. Be grateful your damn team is in the playoffs.

If I were a traditionalist I would say that if you're going to use divisions your team's job is to win the division. If your team has already failed at that but the football gods were gracious enough to give a couple of the teams that failed another chance with a wild card those teams should be damn grateful for the opportunity (no matter where it is played).

 

[Ricky Roma]

So the folks making millions on this format are stupid and you are the only voice of logic and reason. Neat

Oh...so now you want to argue that the NFL is right on every aspect? If you can't see how a 12 team deserves a home game vs. an 8 win team, then the problem is yours.

 

[dtgold88]

It leans heavily on the side that it is weak, and would be weak. The NFC East is a joke, which is an automatic 6 games vs lesser opponents right from the start for the team that tops out. We can discuss all the SOS and whatnot......when the disparity could be a 7-8 win team that was lucky to win a shitty division....and because of that great achievement, gets to host a playoff game vs. a potential 12+ win team?

That isn't just illogical....that is flat out stupid.

division setup how it is is best for scheduling purposes. And why have divisions if winning them doesn't matter? I do have no issue with reseeding but not as dire as you make it out to keep as it for the occasional "mistake" we see.

 

[dtgold88]

Oh...so now you want to argue that the NFL is right on every aspect? If you can't see how a 12 team deserves a home game vs. an 8 win team, then the problem is yours.

Problem in most of these debates is few can see the other side and everything must be 100% the way they want it.

 

[eaglesnut]

The Cowboys could potentially go 8-8 and still win the division and host a playoff game.


What is wrong with this playoff system?


I wish they would simply get rid of divisions and let the top teams play each other and the bottom teams play each other.

At the end of the season, the top 6 teams get in the playoffs. None of this division crap where a crap team like the Cowboys get to host a playoff game.

They should go back to 3 divisions in each conference and eliminate two teams.

Eastern Texas doesn't need two so the Cowboys are gone. Jerry Jones gets full ownership of the Texans and some cash to offset. He agrees immediately.

You could eliminate a New Jersey team because combined they couldn't win 8 games.

Make all the players free agents. Win win.

Then everything is fixed.

 

[PhilSimms11]

If I were a traditionalist I would say that if you're going to use divisions your team's job is to win the division. If your team has already failed at that but the football gods were gracious enough to give a couple of the teams that failed another chance with a wild card those teams should be damn grateful for the opportunity (no matter where it is played).

A team's ultimate goal should be to make the playoffs. That's done one of two ways: win the division or have one of the two best remaining records of the non-division winners. True, right now the goal is win the division because they guarantee a top-4 seed. I think winning the division should guarantee a playoff spot and nothing more.

Who thinks Dallas or Philly should be guaranteed a home playoff game? The winner may be 8-8 or God forbid worse. Is it because that's such a tough division that they beat up on each other? NO. The division fucking sucks. The best team is mediocre (or worse). I've heard both argue about other divisions of the past. 9-7 or 8-8 was the winner and the debate was tough division or weak division? It's irrelevant to me. This is the NFL. They play 16 games. Wins are hard to get. Once the six teams are determined most wins should be seeded highest.

 

[WizardHawk]

Oh...so now you want to argue that the NFL is right on every aspect? If you can't see how a 12 team deserves a home game vs. an 8 win team, then the problem is yours.

No, you want to key on the extreme and over dramatize it into something lame.

You want to let a 11-5 second or even third place finisher from a division host a game against a 10-6 division winner. That too is a consequence of over reaction.

No thank you.

The league wants the drama. They are ecstatic over the possibility of the Seahawks and 9ers possibly playing for a 1 or 2 seed for the winner, and 5 for the loser. That high drama is great for ratings. It makes the stretch run worth following even for fans that aren't from those cities.

And if the Seahawks lose? Too bad. Have to now go in the road. Shouldn't have lost. Doesn't matter that it's my team we are taking about.

Fucking win or deal with it. It's that simple.

 

[Ricky Roma]

No, you want to key on the extreme and over dramatize it into something lame.

You want to let a 11-5 second or even third place finisher from a division host a game against a 10-6 division winner. That too is a consequence of over reaction.

No thank you.

The league wants the drama. They are ecstatic over the possibility of the Seahawks and 9ers possibly playing for a 1 or 2 seed for the winner, and 5 for the loser. That high drama is great for ratings. It makes the stretch run worth following even for fans that aren't from those cities.

And if the Seahawks lose? Too bad. Have to now go in the road. Shouldn't have lost. Doesn't matter that it's my team we are taking about.

Fucking win or deal with it. It's that simple.

Holy fuck....the extreme proves how stupid the current set up is. The bottom line is this....it's illogical, and you had to go to the 'league knows what's best' route...which everyone under the sun knows is flat out stupid.

 

[Ricky Roma]

division setup how it is is best for scheduling purposes. And why have divisions if winning them doesn't matter? I do have no issue with reseeding but not as dire as you make it out to keep as it for the occasional "mistake" we see.

This is the idiotic counter to my point.....'why have divisions?'

.....simple. Win a division? Get a playoff spot. Period. Nothing else is guaranteed. This....yah know....prevents average teams winning garbage divisions to locking up a home field playoff game against what could very well be a vastly superior team?

That's logic......and here are some 'thinking' otherwise.

 

[Cedrique]

A team's ultimate goal should be to make the playoffs. That's done one of two ways: win the division or have one of the two best remaining records of the non-division winners. True, right now the goal is win the division because they guarantee a top-4 seed. I think winning the division should guarantee a playoff spot and nothing more.

Who thinks Dallas or Philly should be guaranteed a home playoff game? The winner may be 8-8 or God forbid worse. Is it because that's such a tough division that they beat up on each other? NO. The division fucking sucks. The best team is mediocre (or worse). I've heard both argue about other divisions of the past. 9-7 or 8-8 was the winner and the debate was tough division or weak division? It's irrelevant to me. This is the NFL. They play 16 games. Wins are hard to get. Once the six teams are determined most wins should be seeded highest.

Yeah, God forbid. The world might end. But seriously, the league seems to go to a lot of trouble to make the schedules so that teams within a division play a similar schedule as the other teams in the division. By the time it is over, whatever the w-l records all the teams have played each other twice and played a lot of common opponents and determined the division winner. So in theory, the teams that didn't win the division are not as good as the team that won. So they should be eliminated.
But just in case it was really close, they added a wild card for a couple teams to give them another chance to prove they really were better. So they get to play against a team that won their division.
But you're saying since they had a better w-l record in the schedule they played (which was completely different from the division winner's schedule) they should host the game?

I mean, if you're going to seed the teams by W-L you should just scrap the whole division thing and play a 16 team round robin for each Conference. But then people would be complaining that their team didn't get to play enough of the "good" teams at home.