Likely NFL Playoff Expansion Plan Next Season (Per ESPN)

[BusSport]

NFL playoff changes likely:

Roger Goodell said last week that the league will vote in March to expand the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams in 2015 and, with that, several league sources believe playoff reseeding will become a reality.

One formula that will be discussed in the offseason is that in addition to first-round byes for the teams with the best record in the AFC and NFC, two divisional champions in each conference will get home games and the remaining 8 teams will be seeded by win-loss record.

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

Let's fix the playoffs this season and get Carolina the fuck out of them.

 

[jeffro151]

Instead of adding more teams, just re-align each conference from 4 to 3 divisions. That should eiminate any less than .500 team from reaching the playoffs.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Instead of adding more teams, just re-align each conference from 4 to 3 divisions. That should eiminate any less than .500 team from reaching the playoffs.

But the division rivalries that are setup now would get all hanky

 

[BritishDolfan]

To be honest they could reduce it to 8 teams (division winners only) and it would still be reasonable. Obviously though that wont happen. I think it's fine as it is, and they shouldn't expand the playoffs unless they expand the league to 36 teams.

 

[jeffro151]

But the division rivalries that are setup now would get all hanky

Not really. Neither the NFC or AFC South division's have really hardcore rivalries. It would create 2 unbalanced divisions, but that would open up for more expansion teams, which is exactly what the NFL wants.
I propose:

NFC East:
Atlanta
Dallas
New York G
Philadelphia
Tampa
Washington

NFC North:
Carolina
Chicago
Detroit
Green Bay
Minnesota

NFC West:
Arizona
New Orleans
San Francisco
Seattle
St Louis

AFC East:
Buffalo
Jacksonville
Miami
New England
New York J
Tennessee

AFC North:
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Indianapolis
Pittsburgh

AFC West:
Denver
Houston
Kansas City
Oakland
San Diego

 

[jeffro151]

To be honest they could reduce it to 8 teams (division winners only) and it would still be reasonable. Obviously though that wont happen. I think it's fine as it is, and they shouldn't expand the playoffs unless they expand the league to 36 teams.

My conference divisional alignment posted above would work perfect with adding 4 new teams, with divisions of 6 teams.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

So you play 5 teams X 2 = 10 divisional games and 6 other games?

 

[jeffro151]

So you play 5 teams X 2 = 10 divisional games and 6 other games?

I'd actually like to see the preseason reduced to 2 games, and 1 game added to the regular season, and each team have 2 byes.

 

[WizardHawk]

It isn't broken. Don't fix it.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

It isn't broken. Don't fix it.

 

[Number7]

It's not broken, but they can make a lot more money. So they will find reasons to "fix" it.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

As long as we don't see sub .500 teams make the playoffs then I'm all for it.

 

[Cave_Johnson]

It isn't broken. Don't fix it.

Sorry, Führer Goodell can't hear you with his head entrenched firmly inside his own anus.

 

[Number7]

As long as we don't see sub .500 teams make the playoffs then I'm all for it.

Well we already see them with division champs, so this obviously wouldn't change that. And it only increases the likelihood it happens for the wild card. I don't think it would happen that often though. I think we get a lot more 9-7 teams though.