Post by Minniman on Dec 26, 2020 10:04:45 GMT -6
Many of you have read my opinion on this over the years, but I would like to address the issue of the playoffs.
First, I dislike bye weeks for any team. They mean less football, and they favor teams that play in an easy division inside an easy conference. The Patriots got many playoff byes because they played in a weak division for so long. No capes byes!
Second, the Super Bowl is not always the best match up in the playoffs because of the NFC/AFC conference road to the big game. It isn't 1970, and the Super Bowl should be the best two teams.
Third, match-ups matter, and we don't always want to see the same teams playing each other in the playoffs year after year. Boring!
So here is my plan:
16 teams make the playoffs.
8 division winners get the top 8 seeds.
8 wild card teams can come from any conference.
All games are by seed - no matter which conference.
The Super Bowl could match up two teams from the same conference.
Division winners no longer play for a bye, but every lost rank in seeding makes the playoffs a tougher road. The eighth seeded division winner gets the top wild card in the NFL.
If the playoffs started this week, these would be the seeds:
Division Winners:
1. Kansas City
2. Buffalo
3. Green Bay
4. Pittsburgh
5. New Orleans
6. Seattle
7. Tennessee
8. Washington
Wild Cards:
9. Cleveland
10. Indianapolis
11. Baltimore
12. Los Angeles
13. Miami
14. Tampa Bay
15. Arizona
16. Chicago
These would be the games:
Chicago @ Kansas City
Arizona @ Buffalo
Tampa Bay @ Green Bay
Miami @ Pittsburgh
Los Angeles @ New Orleans
Baltimore @ Seattle
Tennessee @ Indianapolis
Cleveland @ Washington
Note that half the games would be interconference. Many warm weather teams would have to go north. I guess they should have played better for a home seed.
Sure, Washington is 6-8, but they now have to face the best ranked Wild Card in the NFL.
Kansas City doesn't get a bye, but it faces weak Chicago at home. Good for football fans.
Green Bay doesn't get a bye, and they are not even the second seed. They play potential spoiler Tampa Bay the first week instead of sitting at home.
Buffalo would have been the second seed in the AFC, but they are now the second seed overall. They play Arizona instead of division rival Miami. It is an easier opponent on paper, and it makes for a more diverse match-up instead of facing the same team for the third time this year.
People say they don't want half the league to be in the playoffs, but it is no big deal. More teams mean more meaningful games in both the playoffs and the season. If low seeds get blown out, then they do. There are always blow outs in the playoffs, and there are always close games that didn't look like they were going to be. In any case, all teams have to earn their places for the next week - top seeded or not.
Add these games and lose a preseason game. It is a win/win for the NFL.
First, I dislike bye weeks for any team. They mean less football, and they favor teams that play in an easy division inside an easy conference. The Patriots got many playoff byes because they played in a weak division for so long. No
Second, the Super Bowl is not always the best match up in the playoffs because of the NFC/AFC conference road to the big game. It isn't 1970, and the Super Bowl should be the best two teams.
Third, match-ups matter, and we don't always want to see the same teams playing each other in the playoffs year after year. Boring!
So here is my plan:
16 teams make the playoffs.
8 division winners get the top 8 seeds.
8 wild card teams can come from any conference.
All games are by seed - no matter which conference.
The Super Bowl could match up two teams from the same conference.
Division winners no longer play for a bye, but every lost rank in seeding makes the playoffs a tougher road. The eighth seeded division winner gets the top wild card in the NFL.
If the playoffs started this week, these would be the seeds:
Division Winners:
1. Kansas City
2. Buffalo
3. Green Bay
4. Pittsburgh
5. New Orleans
6. Seattle
7. Tennessee
8. Washington
Wild Cards:
9. Cleveland
10. Indianapolis
11. Baltimore
12. Los Angeles
13. Miami
14. Tampa Bay
15. Arizona
16. Chicago
These would be the games:
Chicago @ Kansas City
Arizona @ Buffalo
Tampa Bay @ Green Bay
Miami @ Pittsburgh
Los Angeles @ New Orleans
Baltimore @ Seattle
Tennessee @ Indianapolis
Cleveland @ Washington
Note that half the games would be interconference. Many warm weather teams would have to go north. I guess they should have played better for a home seed.
Sure, Washington is 6-8, but they now have to face the best ranked Wild Card in the NFL.
Kansas City doesn't get a bye, but it faces weak Chicago at home. Good for football fans.
Green Bay doesn't get a bye, and they are not even the second seed. They play potential spoiler Tampa Bay the first week instead of sitting at home.
Buffalo would have been the second seed in the AFC, but they are now the second seed overall. They play Arizona instead of division rival Miami. It is an easier opponent on paper, and it makes for a more diverse match-up instead of facing the same team for the third time this year.
People say they don't want half the league to be in the playoffs, but it is no big deal. More teams mean more meaningful games in both the playoffs and the season. If low seeds get blown out, then they do. There are always blow outs in the playoffs, and there are always close games that didn't look like they were going to be. In any case, all teams have to earn their places for the next week - top seeded or not.
Add these games and lose a preseason game. It is a win/win for the NFL.
... and neither is this Chris guy.