11-5 vs. 8-8

[brdmaverick]

That would be extremely crazy if the Pats get left out of the playoffs at 11-5 but the Chargers make it at 8-8. Better yet the wild card game could be 12-4 Indy at 8-8 SD.

If that happens the NFL may want to make some changes to address the issue.

I remember in 2004 BOTH the Vikings and Rams qualified for the playoffs at 8-8. Oddly enough both of those teams won their wild card games (Vikes over Pack, Rams over Seahawks). At least those teams didn't make the playoffs in place of a team with an actual 'playoff record'.

 

[Spiral]

What burns me the most is that the 8-8 teams will make the playoffs AND draft ahead of the Patriots, unless they make the Superbowl.

 

[PatSunday]

What burns me the most is that the 8-8 teams will make the playoffs AND draft ahead of the Patriots, unless they make the Superbowl.

I agree. Playoff teams should not have the 12th pick of the draft, or whatnot. (San Diego is currently around the 12 mark and New England is around the 23 mark.)

 

[borg]

Unfortunately, the potential 8-8 team smoked the potential 11-5 team early in the season. The Pats will have no gripes

 

[mcgraw_wv]

You have to win your division, period...

If you want to ensure you make the post season, you have to win your division, it may not seem fair, but it's an easy goal... beat your division rivals, and win your division.

I don't there needs to be any change.

If San Diego makes it in, they deserve it by winning their division.

 

[ScottieC]

What burns me the most is that the 8-8 teams will make the playoffs AND draft ahead of the Patriots, unless they make the Superbowl.

What burns me is that The Bronco's (Most likley) and Cardninals will make the play-offs and we beat them by a combined 74 points.

74 POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PatriotsInGA]

what the nfl should do is eliminate all divisions (not conferences) and the top 6 teams get into the playoffs

 

[mcgraw_wv]

what the nfl should do is eliminate all divisions (not conferences) and the top 6 teams get into the playoffs

Blaaa, bad idea...

 

[upstater1]

Unfortunately, the potential 8-8 team smoked the potential 11-5 team early in the season. The Pats will have no gripes

Think about what you wrote.

You think there was only one game this year in which a lesser team won the game? They deserve to get in based on one victory?

Please.

 

[tombonneau]

What burns me is that The Bronco's (Most likley) and Cardninals will make the play-offs and we beat them by a combined 74 points.

74 POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broncos aren't making the playoffs. They are 9 point dogs I think. They might make it, but it's not "likely."

 

[TruthSeeker]

This is fair. If the Patriots don't win their division and they are not good enough to even be one of the best 2 non-division winners in their conference, I have no problem with them not being in the playoffs. They had their chances.

You actually have to beat the other teams you're competing with if you want to advance.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

It really doesn't bother me as much as it should. Maybe cuz I feel like the Chargers could beat both Indy and Pittsburgh if they get in. But thats just the way it is, same thing is going to happen in the NFC with the Vikings/Bears, no sense getting worked up over it.

 

[Manzana]

I don't know if it bugs me, but I have always wondered in all sports why the top teams with the best records don't make the playoffs. I think too much emphasis is put on winning the division. The top teams with the top records should play each other in the end.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Look on the bright side.

We don't have to hear about how weak the AFC East is anymore.

During most of the pregame shows, we are now in a powerful division.

Also, look how much we talked about 4 West Coast trips. How about making those trips every year?

Division football is here to stay. There are too few games for a balanced schedule and you can't have a league without rivals.

Just win baby!!!!!!!!!

 

[upstater1]

This is fair. If the Patriots don't win their division and they are not good enough to even be one of the best 2 non-division winners in their conference, I have no problem with them not being in the playoffs. They had their chances.

You actually have to beat the other teams you're competing with if you want to advance.

But, we're not comparing the Patriots to the Phins.

We're comparing the Patriots to 8-8 teams that have 4 or 6 games against the Raiders, Chiefs, Rams, etc. Arizona is 5-0 against the Rams, Seahawks, 9ers. They are 3-7 against the rest of the league.

 

[richpats]

It works both ways - in 2005 the Pats got off to a bad start but had the luxury of playing in a midly competitive AFC East and cruised to the division title with a 10-6 record. The division was so bad I think they clinched in Week 15.

 

[upstater1]

It works both ways - in 2005 the Pats got off to a bad start but had the luxury of playing in a midly competitive AFC East and cruised to the division title with a 10-6 record. The division was so bad I think they clinched in Week 15.

10-6, very different than 8-8.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

That would be extremely crazy if the Pats get left out of the playoffs at 11-5 but the Chargers make it at 8-8. Better yet the wild card game could be 12-4 Indy at 8-8 SD.

If that happens the NFL may want to make some changes to address the issue.

I remember in 2004 BOTH the Vikings and Rams qualified for the playoffs at 8-8. Oddly enough both of those teams won their wild card games (Vikes over Pack, Rams over Seahawks). At least those teams didn't make the playoffs in place of a team with an actual 'playoff record'.

i truly "get" what you are saying emotionally and, believe me, I share your feelings, as I just expressed in a blistering e-mail to a (former?) friend of mine in Phoenix.

However, I also think that Divisional rivalries are one of the most exciting things about the NFL. This means that we all have to live with crappy Divisions delivering crappy Divisional Champions from time to time, even when we get screwed by it, as the Pats might this year. And, unfortunately, the only way that those crappy Champions are going to get better is if they have a preferred status in the Draft.

 

[Deus Irae]

10-6, very different than 8-8.

32 teams in the league and only 16 games played means that there's no way to make a fair, balanced schedule. When you add the 2 games against each division foe to the mix, you get 10 games played against a field of 28 teams, meaning that there are 18 teams that you don't play against.

There's no way to create a 'fair' workaround for that, so 8-8 may be a more impressive record than 10-6 some seasons, depending upon how the schedule falls.

 

[upstater1]

32 teams in the league and only 16 games played means that there's no way to make a fair, balanced schedule. When you add the 2 games against each division foe to the mix, you get 10 games played against a field of 28 teams, meaning that there are 18 teams that you don't play against.

There's no way to create a 'fair' workaround for that, so 8-8 may be a more impressive record than 10-6 some seasons, depending upon how the schedule falls.

I realize and sympathize with your point.

But...

This is the NFL. No matter what division you're in, 11 games are much much harder to win than 8.

Unquestionably, a 11-5 team deserves it more than an 8-8 team no matter how weak their division is, not to mention the fact that the two 8-8 teams in question play in the NFL's two weakest divisions.

That's all we're saying.