Expanding the playoffs

[dead_poet]

Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that expanding the NFL playoffs is "under serious consideration."

Goodell wants more teams involved in the playoff hunt so that there are more compelling late-season games, leading to more tickets sold and higher television ratings. The expected proposal that owners will vote on in March will be to add one more Wild Card team in each conference. Under that scenario, only one team in each conference would get a bye while the six-game Wild Card weekend would pit the No. 2 seed vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6 and No. 4 vs. No. 5. This year, the No. 7 seeds would have been the Cardinals in the NFC and the Steelers in the AFC.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200000 ... -reseeding

[Mothman]

Grrr... I don't like this idea.

[dead_poet]

Grrr... I don't like this idea.

I don't particularly either, but maybe it'll make it easier for the Vikings to make it to the playoffs. It's always kind of fun when a "higher-ranked" team continues to beat teams it "shouldn't." Kinda like the 2007 NY Giants.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

No. Don't change the format. If they change anything, make the best records get the home field. Still give the division winners the Wild Card spots, but don't give them home field if they don't have a record better than the 5th and 6th seeds.

[Eli]

Goodell is going to completely **** up the NFL before he's done. The owners, of course, don't care, because they're all making money hand over fist.

Frustrating.

[HornedMessiah]

Goodell: Hey NFL fans, we're thinking of expanding the regular season to 18 games and eliminating the forth preseason game

Fans: No

Goodell: Hey NFL fans, we're thinking of expanding the league internationally. London and Mexico City are potential spots

Fans: No

Goodell: Hey NFL fans, we're thinking of expanding the playoffs to allow more teams in

Fans: No

[Mothman]

No. Don't change the format. If they change anything, make the best records get the home field. Still give the division winners the Wild Card spots, but don't give them home field if they don't have a record better than the 5th and 6th seeds.

That's a change I would support. I like the idea that winning a division automatically qualifies a team for the playoffs but it always seems wrong to me when a team with more wins has to go on the road in the Wild Card round to play a team with fewer wins.

[BGM]

One of the great things about the NFL is that the regular season has real meaning. The fact that so many playoff spots went down to the last week was exciting. I do not want to end up like the NHL playoffs where all but the absolute worst teams make it.

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[PurpleMustReign]

That's a change I would support. I like the idea that winning a division automatically qualifies a team for the playoffs but it always seems wrong to me when a team with more wins has to go on the road in the Wild Card round to play a team with fewer wins.

I agree. I remember when Seattle hosted New Orleans a few years back even though they were 7-9. And I also remember a 13 win AFC team (may have been Indy) having to go to an 8 win SD team a few years ago. It just seems wrong.

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[PurpleMustReign]

One of the great things about the NFL is that the regular season has real meaning. The fact that so many playoff spots went down to the last week was exciting. I do not want to end up like the NHL playoffs where all but the absolute worst teams make it.

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Baseball is fun too. It seems like tje last few years have come down to the final day, and even needed an extra game a few times.

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[Funkytown]

Goodell: Hey NFL fans, we're thinking of expanding the regular season to 18 games and eliminating the forth preseason game

Fans: No

Goodell: Hey NFL fans, we're thinking of expanding the league internationally. London and Mexico City are potential spots

Fans: No

Goodell: Hey NFL fans, we're thinking of expanding the playoffs to allow more teams in

Fans: No

[PotGoblin]

or to put it in more simple terms

Goodell: <begins to open mouth>
Fans: NO!

[Funkytown]

or to put it in more simple terms

Goodell: <begins to open mouth>
Fans: NO!

[Reignman]

Goodell is going to completely **** up the NFL before he's done. The owners, of course, don't care, because they're all making money hand over fist.

Frustrating.

I couldn't agree more. Selig ruined baseball for me (the Twins didn't help) to the point I vomit even if I hear the word baseball. And now Goodell is doing his best to ruin football for me. All that guy sees is $$$ signs with everything he tries to do.

I go along with this to an extent but what if one is in a tough division or has a tough schedule? Then it is a difficult call.

Last weekend, the 11-5 Saints played at the 10-6 Eagles, close call, Philly started slow while on the other hand, the 12-4 49ers played at the 8-7-1 Packers. In the 2nd case, sure, SF should have been able to host it but not so sure in a scenario like Saints/Eagles where one team has only one more loss (for the record both the Saints and Eagles missed the playoffs last year).

Then, would one want a tie-breaker to determine it?

Yeah it's a tough call. Plus what if a team loses a key player to an injury for 6-8 weeks? In that sense I think it was fair that Green Bay hosted San Fran. If Rodgers doesn't miss those 8 games, the Packers probably win 11-12 games.

And if you start saying the better teams should be hosting playoff games regardless of their seed, then you have to allow the better teams into the playoffs to begin with. Like to use the 2010 Seahawks as an example again, they won their division at 7-9 but the Giants and Bucs both missed the playoffs that year at 10-6. Not only shouldn't Seattle have hosted the 11-5 Saints, they shouldn't have been in the playoffs at all. A team shouldn't be rewarded for winning it's division by default IMO.

And I also remember a 13 win AFC team (may have been Indy) having to go to an 8 win SD team a few years ago. It just seems wrong.

Yeah the 12-4 Colts had to play at the 8-8 Chargers because they won their division and the Colts were a wildcard team because the Titans won the division at 13-3. The Chargers won in OT 23-17. The same thing happened in 2011. The 8-8 Broncos hosted the 12-4 Steelers. Tebows last win as a starter.

[dead_poet]

According to the Washington Post, it's "unclear" if a proposal to expand the NFL playoff field from 12 to 14 teams has enough support amongst the league's owners to pass.

Expanding the playoff field would require the approval of at least 24 of the league's 32 owners. Giants co-owner John Mara isn't sure if there's that kind of support.

"Until we have a discussion on it on the floor, it’s hard to say," Mara said. "I have mixed feelings on it. I’ve always been opposed. ... I’m (concerned) about watering the playoffs down. But I’m still willing to listen to the other side." Although Mara's words are proof there will at least be a debate on the topic, it would be shocking if the league didn't end up following the money. Playoff expansion appears to be a fait accompli.
Source: Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/foo ... om-owners/