League source: "Expanding playoffs to 14 teams WILL happen"

[SB39]

I don't like this new proposal but I am resigned to the fact that it is going to pass, and here's why:

Fans are looking at this as a major punishment for the #2 seed, but rest assured the owners don't see it that way. Owners see it as a reward for the #2 seed. Yes you read that right, this is a reward for the #2 seed.

How so? Because this is first and foremost a business. Under the new system, the #2 seed is guaranteed 2 home games as long as they win (with the potential for 3 if that top seed should falter).

Revenue from 2 home games > Revenue from 1 home game

And let me tell you one more thing: You'll have to pay for all 3 potential home games when you buy your playoff tickets. So Bob Kraft gets much more money much sooner.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Well, more than "will they fair as well?" we should be asking ourselves "do we want them to fair as well?'

I think most of us would say the answer is 'no'. It was bad for the league when the 9-7 Giants won it all in 2011. We want the regular season to mean something.

Right now it has the perfect balance. Sure, oddities will happen in which a 9-7 team wins it all or an 11-5 team will miss out, but all in all the current balance is great.

so, we're in agreement?

 

[oldrover]

 

[Galeb]

ohhhhhhhhh you're one of these "Goodell hates us but loves everyone else" people.

I'm sorry, I thought we were having a serious discussion. My bad.

The classic "putting words into others' mouths" tactic. A go-to for many when poor arguments fail. I would point out things like what Goodell let the Jets and Broncos get away with in 2011,while crucifying the Redskins and Cowboys for the same thing, but I doubt facts really matter to you. You really should research this topic before taking part in a conversation about it.

The more you post, the more I'm convinced the SB39 persona is a construct created for someone's enjoyment.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

What kind of ridiculous criticism is this? Of course he is allowed to lobby for or against certain ideas. It's called consensus building and compromise.

How dare he actually have an opinion on a major issue facing the league and discuss his opinions with the owners! Who does he think he is??!?

Typing s l o w l y I am critical of him and do not favor The Tool's position on this issue, nor do I favor those owners who support this.

 

[VJCPatriot]

...going to 16 playoff teams." :bricks::bricks::bricks:

I think the NFL is going to 14 playoff games. And then they are probably going to add another 2-4 expansion franchises. The league is going to be really watered down talent wise. And the additional playoff games will make becoming a champion even more of a crapshoot as mediocre teams battle it out in an almost 'better lucky than good' format.

36 teams, 16 playoff teams is probably what we will be staring at in 10 years, and it will be what Goodell calls his 'master plan'.

 

[SB39]

The classic "putting words into others' mouths" tactic. A go-to for many when poor arguments fail. I would point out things like what Goodell let the Jets and Broncos get away with in 2011,while crucifying the Redskins and Cowboys for the same thing, but I doubt facts really matter to you. You really should research this topic before taking part in a conversation about it.

The more you post, the more I'm convinced the SB39 persona is a construct created for someone's enjoyment.

Like I said, let me know if you would like to discuss the issue intelligently. I apologize to the forum for being fooled into thinking you were serious.

 

[nabwong]

Why don't we give ribbons to every team too?

 

[lurker1965]

What I have not seen is how this will affect week #17. If I remember last year there was the possibility the Bengals or Colts could get the bye and so did not "rest" players. If the bye depended on the Jaguars or was it Raiders beating the Broncos, I would not be critical if Bill "rested" the Patriots and made a bye. I'm sure the Ravens playing a Bengals team sitting all their starters because they had no hope for a bye would be OK with the commissioner.

 

[SB39]

What I have not seen is how this will affect week #17.

Despite what other people are saying, the simple fact of the matter is that having more playoff sports will result in more teams still alive in week 17 and therefore there will be more meaningful games. Sure, we will still have the situation with some teams "locked" into a specific seed, and obviously some teams will be eliminated, but the notion that this somehow makes week 17 less important is simply a fallacy.

If I remember last year there was the possibility the Bengals or Colts could get the bye and so did not "rest" players. If the bye depended on the Jaguars or was it Raiders beating the Broncos, I would not be critical if Bill "rested" the Patriots and made a bye. I'm sure the Ravens playing a Bengals team sitting all their starters because they had no hope for a bye would be OK with the commissioner.

Every team will handle it in their own way. Belichick is not one known for resting starters. Other teams are. It is what it is.

 

[Bill Lee]

One thing that is for sure is once these games get added they won't be taken away, so it will be an irreversible slide towards the NHL and NBA useless regular season, just for the sake of two more paydays for the owners.

It'd be nice if we knew which owners were in favor of this travesty so we could call them out publicly for being greedy idiots.

 

[Ring 6]

So, there is really no reward for getting the #2 seed. Okay.

Home field in the divisional round

 

[Nunchucks]

Regardless of a team's record, there are always 1 or 2 teams that play on wildcard weekend that just do not compete, they are frauds. By expanding the playoffs, they just add another fraudulent team to the mix.

 

[SB39]

The point is that making the playoffs under the current system is an accomplishment.

This is the wrong move for so many different reasons...

Except they don't give trophies for making the playoffs, do they? So the whole "let's give everyone a trophy" argument is nonsense.

 

[Froob]

Except they don't give trophies for making the playoffs, do they? So the whole "let's give everyone a trophy" argument is nonsense.

One step at a time my friend.

 

[SB39]

Regardless of a team's record, there are always 1 or 2 teams that play on wildcard weekend that just do not compete, they are frauds. By expanding the playoffs, they just add another fraudulent team to the mix.

That's a very easy statement to make after-the-fact, but I can think of a couple 6 seeds that were "frauds" that ended up winning the whole thing.

Now, one can argue that a #7 seed potentially winning a Super Bowl is a reason not to have the playoff expansion, but it simply doesn't work to just consider them "another fraudulent team."

 

[SB39]

One step at a time my friend.

When they increase the number of Lombardi's they give out, I'll agree with you. In the meantime, this does nothing of the sort.

 

[Danger Zone]

I actually feel that there should be some reward for making it to the Superbowl.

I dont particularly believe in participatory rewards except for non-competetive childrens sports -but losing the Superbowl shouldnt make you the biggest loser of the NFL either.

I think a bonus 2nd round pick for the loser would be appropriate... for what little thats worth

 

[SB39]

I actually feel that there should be some reward for making it to the Superbowl.

I dont particularly believe in participatory rewards except for non-competetive childrens sports -but losing the Superbowl shouldnt make you the biggest loser of the NFL either.

Well it's a raw deal but fact is that in society if you make it to the big game then lose - especially if you lose big - you get made fun of a heckuva lot more than perhaps deserved.

The Buffalo Bills were the butt of many a late night comedian's opening monologue back in the 90's, but fact is that what they did was a remarkable achievement and no one makes fun of the teams who went 7-9.

 

[JoeSixPat]

This sucks. NFL is the only sports league to get it right. 12 playoff teams is perfect. Also the 1st round bye makes getting the top 2 ranks worth it. Mark Cuban is right. NFL is getting too greedy and is going to implode eventually.

I used to feel the same way.

Then the 11-5 Patriots were left out of the playoffs.

While mediocre teams will get in too, I think it's worthwhile trade off. They'll either get dispatched quickly or will go on a run, peaking at just the right time in the season. That can always make things interesting too.

Thinking ahead to the Post-Brady era, the Patriots might not be a lock every year to win the AFC East either. So this might not be a bad thing