The playoff format is just fine

[Broncos6482]

Yep, I'm bringing it back up because this article is so good.

NFL's playoff format doesn't need to be changed

It may seem like the NFL playoff format has imperfections, but many times—such as this season—it works itself out with the best teams advancing anyway. And maybe the issues are actually features and not bugs.
One of the main benefits of the playoff format is the way it incentivizes teams to win their division. Dangling a home playoff game as a carrot in front of division winners helps prevent tanking. Teams in the lackluster AFC South or NFC East who were still alive in the division race at 4–6 or 5–7 had reasons to keep playing hard, despite also being in range for a top 10 draft pick.
It also puts a premium on division games (a whopping 96 out of 256 on the NFL schedule) because winning your division becomes such a critical goal for the regular season. In a league where almost every game matters already, the league can manufacture elevated stakes for almost 40% of the schedule.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yep, I'm bringing it back up because this article is so good.

NFL's playoff format doesn't need to be changed

It may seem like the NFL playoff format has imperfections, but many times—such as this season—it works itself out with the best teams advancing anyway. And maybe the issues are actually features and not bugs.
One of the main benefits of the playoff format is the way it incentivizes teams to win their division. Dangling a home playoff game as a carrot in front of division winners helps prevent tanking. Teams in the lackluster AFC South or NFC East who were still alive in the division race at 4–6 or 5–7 had reasons to keep playing hard, despite also being in range for a top 10 draft pick.
It also puts a premium on division games (a whopping 96 out of 256 on the NFL schedule) because winning your division becomes such a critical goal for the regular season. In a league where almost every game matters already, the league can manufacture elevated stakes for almost 40% of the schedule.

The article is focusing on a different angle, does nothing to address a better team from a stronger conference which is the "change" argument.

As I've said before, it is what it is, just play the damn games.

 

[Broncos6482]

The article is focusing on a different angle, does nothing to address a better team from a stronger conference which is the "change" argument.

As I've said before, it is what it is, just play the damn games.

I'm not sure what you mean by the conference argument. Is the NFL just supposed to eliminate conferences now?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I'm not sure what you mean by the conference argument. Is the NFL just supposed to eliminate conferences now?

Seriously, not to disconnect or be redundant here. We kicked this one around enough for me to know that I can't be convinced that it's fine, etc, but at the same time...It is what it is, just play the damn games.

 

[Broncos6482]

Seriously, not to disconnect or be redundant here. We kicked this one around enough for me to know that I can't be convinced that it's fine, etc, but at the same time...It is what it is, just play the damn games.

I don't recall kicking anything around about the conferences, though.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I don't recall kicking anything around about the conferences, though.

Agreed. Conference was my error, should've have said DIV...good pick up.

 

[RobToxin]

A perfect system can never be made.

There will always be some bug in it. 9-7 team makes it over an 8-8 team. Sounds fair. But that 8-8 team had to play a 16-0 team twice. The 9-7 didn't have to play them once.

Short of letting every single team into the playoffs, there will never be a system that pleases everybody.

 

[tducey]

I agree, it's perhaps the best playoff format in all of sports.

 

[iknowftbll]

A perfect system can never be made.

There will always be some bug in it. 9-7 team makes it over an 8-8 team. Sounds fair. But that 8-8 team had to play a 16-0 team twice. The 9-7 didn't have to play them once.

Short of letting every single team into the playoffs, there will never be a system that pleases everybody.

That was 2 chances for that 8-8 team to be a 10-6 team. Not good enough? Build a better team.

 

[WizardHawk]

No one team makes it to the SB without having to prove they are at an elite level at least twice. There's no back dooring your way into a title game. Whether or not people think it's far that team A gets in over team B or where each is seeded based on standings, the system works in the end and we get deserving champions. They flat out earned it.