NFL Playoffs--doesn't this make more sense?

[Broncos6482]

Not until every team plays every other that they are seeded against. Period.

This is the key point, and @boogiewithstu2007 hasn't bothered to address it.

 

[WizardHawk]

This is the key point, and @boogiewithstu2007 hasn't bothered to address it.

It's not just him. There are people with similar views just as the OP raised.

The majority of people agree that the system now works well, is as fair as you are going to get unbalanced schedules, and promotes the most intensity all the way through the regular season.

It isn't just the post season seeding, it is also the formula for regular season schedules. It all works together. No one is handed anything. You have to work for your wins. Even inside your own division you get two tougher games for having won your division last year vs the rest of your division. It gives a chance for other teams to take you out with a slightly easier road. It all just promotes great games.

Frankly, the sport has so much more that could be fixed such as the terrible officiating. This just doesn't need to be fixed.

 

[SonnyCID]

See, the problem is schedules are vastly different for teams in different divisions. The Redskins and Packers are a perfect example of this. The Redskins and Packers had 4 common opponents: the Bears, the Rams, the Cowboys, and the Panthers. Both teams went 3-2 in those games. So who's to say that the Packers deserve a home game over the Redskins simply because they won one more game? Maybe they had an easier schedule than the Redskins, that's why they got the extra win. Who knows?

Bingo.

These situations happen every year. Theyre not big time exceptions like a 7-9 team hosting an 11-5 team.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

The play off system isn't broke, it's actually quiet fair, let's not try to "fix it".

 

[BHF]

He's probably a "12". They are just learning about football the past few years. Give him a break.

Keep digging. It's funnier that way.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Not until every team plays every other that they are seeded against. Period.

Disagree... Just because a team beats up on 3 bad teams within there division that should not give them a higher seed... Were talking seeding, it's ridiculous too seed a team higher with a worse record.... We are gonna disagree on this one... I still think the NFL is gonna adjust that ...

 

[WizardHawk]

Disagree... Just because a team beats up on 3 bad teams within there division that should not give them a higher seed... Were talking seeding, it's ridiculous too seed a team higher with a worse record.... We are gonna disagree on this one... I still think the NFL is gonna adjust that ...

Zero chance they will change it. It's working and works well. They attempt to have high action division games to end the season in hopes there is some drama in that last game. Every week of entertainment matters to them. This formula works and has worked well beyond expectations. What exactly is the need to change it? That there are a few that really don't understand how fair this already is?

Fairness isn't $$$ and this brings in both. Even if they thought your idea of fair was right there is no incentive to change it because it's bringing in money hand over fist.

This is the fairest system you can make AND it's a cash cow. No reason it will change.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

This is the key point, and @boogiewithstu2007 hasn't bothered to address it.

I don't think that's a good argument... Division winners didn't play every team in the NFL either, they just beat out 3 other teams ... So basically the current system penalizes teams for being in a strong division and rewards teams for being in a weak division... Were rewarding mediocracy, GREAT system ....

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Zero chance they will change it. It's working and works well. They attempt to have high action division games to end the season in hopes there is some drama in that last game. Every week of entertainment matters to them. This formula works and has worked well beyond expectations. What exactly is the need to change it? That there are a few that really don't understand how fair this already is?

Fairness isn't $$$ and this brings in both. Even if they thought your idea of fair was right there is no incentive to change it because it's bring in money hand over fist.

This is the fairest system you can make AND it's a cash cow. No reason it will change.

While I agree the NFL is all about the $ ... I still think eventually this get's addressed...

 

[redseat]

Why are we arguing about this? In a few years it will go the way of the NCAA and everyone gets in

 

[Oldschool739]

Why?

The regular season in the NFL means so much more game by game than any other professional sports league. And a big part of that is the rewards/consequences of the playoff system. You can get into the dance being slightly above .500, but it's going to cost you. Likewise, putting it all out there and going for a perfect season has a lot more riding on it than simply just getting to the show.

Without those rewards you would 100% see more games with teams resting starters the last week or two and that makes for shitty football. Don't be in favor of shitty football.

It is an extra week off resulting in 2 weeks so they get a chance to heal injuries, study film and plan for the prospects they will play...
While the other teams have one week to do the same, if that's a level playing field, then birds can't fly...
The HF throughout is reward enough, they may have only won their division by 1 game or even a tie breaker with a 13-3 record while the other opponents won only 10 games but won their division by 4 games....
Different talent in each division can play tricks on your analysis sometimes.....
Point is why should they get an extra week advantage over another team that actually did better in their division , just because they end up with more wins in their possibly weaker division ???
That's why you see a 6th seed go into #1 and #2 seeds back to back and knock them out on their way to a SB victory.....I'm just sayin' !!!

 

[WizardHawk]

While I agree the NFL is all about the $ ... I still think eventually this get's addressed...

Why would they? In order for something to get changed/fixed there needs to be a reason. Why would they change this if it's working exactly as they intended if not actually better than they had hoped?

They had the perfect test case to challenge it when Seattle got in at 7-9 and hosted a game. It was far from a disaster. It was huge rating and lots of interest. Brought them in a lot of money. Ratings were high.

They don't care that people were bitching, they were watching and they were spending money.

 

[WizardHawk]

It is an extra week off resulting in 2 weeks so they get a chance to heal injuries, study film and plan for the prospects they will play...
While the other teams have one week to do the same, if that's a level playing field, then birds can't fly...
The HF throughout is reward enough, they may have only won their division by 1 game or even a tie breaker with a 13-3 record while the other opponents won only 10 games but won their division by 4 games....
Different talent in each division can play tricks on your analysis sometimes.....
Point is why should they get an extra week advantage over another team that actually did better in their division , just because they end up with more wins in their possibly weaker division ???
That's why you see a 6th seed go into #1 and #2 seeds back to back and knock them out on their way to a SB victory.....I'm just sayin' !!!

You can't skate to HFA or the #2 seed simply in bad division play. The other games on your schedule weed that out. Teams in weak divisions that get in end up as the 3 or 4 seed. So no bad teams are getting rewarded. That simply doesn't happen. Do you have a case to counter that with? What shitty team ended up even #2?

I don't look at it as much as the reward for them getting that extra week off, as much as punishment for the other 4 teams for not having as good of an overall record. You don't win most of your games and you can't get that extra weeks rest.

All you have to do is win. Not winning has its downside. In this case you end up with road games and having to have an extra win.

It's entirely fair IMO.

 

[Oldschool739]

You can't skate to HFA or the #2 seed simply in bad division play. The other games on your schedule weed that out. Teams in weak divisions that get in end up as the 3 or 4 seed. So no bad teams are getting rewarded. That simply doesn't happen. Do you have a case to counter that with? What shitty team ended up even #2?

I don't look at it as much as the reward for them getting that extra week off, as much as punishment for the other 4 teams for not having as good of an overall record. You don't win most of your games and you can't get that extra weeks rest.

All you have to do is win. Not winning has its downside. In this case you end up with road games and having to have an extra win.

It's entirely fair IMO.

A weak division plays half of their games against them and the other 8 are divyed up between winning and losing teams from last year, so they could potentially play 75% of their games against losing or weak teams...
It's clear to me that an extra week gives an unfair game time advantage to any team to win...
Some one needs to do a poll on just that point, is it an unfair advantage for a team to win with that extra week..

 

[WizardHawk]

A weak division plays half of their games against them and the other 8 are divyed up between winning and losing teams from last year, so they could potentially play 75% of their games against losing or weak teams...
It's clear to me that an extra week gives an unfair game time advantage to any team to win...
Some one needs to do a poll on just that point, is it an unfair advantage for a team to win with that extra week..

Weak math my man.
You play a total of 6 against the other 3 in your own division. You don't play yourself twice.
6 of 16 games in your division leaving you 10 to prove your mettle against.

And only two are based on last years outcome. You play the two teams in the divisions you aren't facing every team in from your own conference that finished in the same position as you did. So a last place team from last year gets two similar teams. At worst you are banking on a weak team from last year in a bad division this year to face a total of 8 crappy teams.

You can't reach #1/#2 from that alone. Running through those still puts you not better than 8-8. Have to play every team in another division and every team in another division from across the conferences as well.

Can't get any more fair than what they currently have.

 

[Oldschool739]

Weak math my man.
You play a total of 6 against the other 3 in your own division. You don't play yourself twice.
6 of 16 games in your division leaving you 10 to prove your mettle against.

And only two are based on last years outcome. You play the two teams in the divisions you aren't facing every team in from your own conference that finished in the same position as you did. So a last place team from last year gets two similar teams. At worst you are banking on a weak team from last year in a bad division this year to face a total of 8 crappy teams.

You can't reach #1/#2 from that alone. Running through those still puts you not better than 8-8. Have to play every team in another division and every team in another division from across the conferences as well.

Can't get any more fair than what they currently have.

You're right about the number of division games, I was thinking home away, I think...Hey there's one never ending perk about getting old, you can blame everything on it...
I still maintain that is an obvious advantage for 2 teams to get an extra week for playoffs...
Think about Pitts, #1 RB missed first 4 games, Ben went down around week 3 missing 4 or 5 games, comes back doing well, #1 RB out for season, then last game #2 RB gets injured and battling to get ready for this weeks playoff game...Don't look like he'll make it, but if they had an extra week, he along with others would be well able to contribute...
All the while 2 teams are resting, healing, and laughing at the unfair advantage they have on all the other teams in their conference.....Man that's clearer that a spotlight in an outhouse at 12 midnight on Walton's mountain...

 

[WizardHawk]

You can't have 32 teams and get a balanced outcome in 16 games. I mean you could make everyone play everyone in your own conference ONLY and flip home/away every year (like college), but that too isn't very fair and doesn't allow you to ever play the teams in the other conference. It would hurt rivalries and remove half of football from your schedules.

So this is what we have. We favor playing home/home in smaller divisions and make winning those game carry a whole lot of meaning. We then let you play everyone else in football, at least over a 4 year span. And we use those games to help figure out who is most deserving of the easiest path through the post season.

It's fair.

 

[WizardHawk]

You're right about the number of division games, I was thinking home away, I think...Hey there's one never ending perk about getting old, you can blame everything on it...
I still maintain that is an obvious advantage for 2 teams to get an extra week for playoffs...
Think about Pitts, #1 RB missed first 4 games, Ben went down around week 3 missing 4 or 5 games, comes back doing well, #1 RB out for season, then last game #2 RB gets injured and battling to get ready for this weeks playoff game...Don't look like he'll make it, but if they had an extra week, he along with others would be well able to contribute...
All the while 2 teams are resting, healing, and laughing at the unfair advantage they have on all the other teams in their conference.....Man that's clearer that a spotlight in an outhouse at 12 midnight on Walton's mountain...

It's for sure an advantage. And it's one that MUST be earned. You aren't going to reach the 2 seed on the backs of a weak schedule.

Again, show me any really undeserving 2 seed in the last 10 years. If it happens its probably super rare.

You earn that break. Or, more aptly the other 4 didn't earn a break and now have to work harder for it.

There are sports that have play in games and elimination games or double elimination. Some teams have to play twice as many in those tournaments. Some get more rest, some have a harder road because they didn't earn that rest. It isn't unique to the NFL in any way.

 

[Oldschool739]

It's for sure an advantage. And it's one that MUST be earned. You aren't going to reach the 2 seed on the backs of a weak schedule.

Again, show me any really undeserving 2 seed in the last 10 years. If it happens its probably super rare.

You earn that break. Or, more aptly the other 4 didn't earn a break and now have to work harder for it.

There are sports that have play in games and elimination games or double elimination. Some teams have to play twice as many in those tournaments. Some get more rest, some have a harder road because they didn't earn that rest. It isn't unique to the NFL in any way.

I don't see it that way at all, if there's any given advantage by the league it is unfair to the other teams....
But it makes no difference, the league doesn't care what we think and I've heard HC's say that fans opinions don't matter because we are unqualified and don't know what we're talking about....
In other words, they think the hand that grossly over feeds them is too stupid to know what they are doing....
And when I look at the salaries the players and coaches are making, I would agree, we're pretty stupid...At least for doing that anyway....

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Why would they? In order for something to get changed/fixed there needs to be a reason. Why would they change this if it's working exactly as they intended if not actually better than they had hoped?

They had the perfect test case to challenge it when Seattle got in at 7-9 and hosted a game. It was far from a disaster. It was huge rating and lots of interest. Brought them in a lot of money. Ratings were high.

They don't care that people were bitching, they were watching and they were spending money.

Because it's being brought up... I've heard it talked about multiple times... don't be shocked if it happens...