OT: Byes and Seeding

[Uptown]

It is the owners and players that share the incredible pot of money. That pot has been ever increasing since the merger. The money grab is not at all recent.

Money grabs are never “recent” but I was referring to the most recent one being 2020.

 

[mgteich]

How it was between 1990-2019 was perfectly fine.

Yup. The golden age for the patriots has been those years. I might start the day Kraft bought the team rather than 1990, but that is nitpicking.

No matter how much we wish to return, those days are not coming back.

 

[TommyD4207]

Fair enough

NUMBER OF TEAMS IN THE PLAYOFFS
What "works" is measured by how much money the teams make and how many fans attend and watch. Has NFL football declined by those measures since the golden decade? the 1970's? the 1980's? the 1990's? 2000's?

NUMBER OF BYES
We could "improve" in many ways. Just asks folks. IMHO, the primary reason that posters want TWO byes is that we would get the 2nd one. If we were the #1 seed, we would be celebrating and not begging for another team to also get a bye.

I don't care about the bye. It's a reward and big advantage for having the best record in the conference.

I care a lot about adding more playoff teams, since they already diluted the playoffs adding a 7th team to each conference a couple of years ago.

If you take out divisions, and add an 8th playoff team - the winner AND loser of the Steelers/Ravens game gets in this year, The Panthers/Bucs and/or Falcons, two of those three would get in.

All you've done is add one worse team, and made week 18 completely meaningless at that point (that's if you remove divisions as per your suggestion).

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

I thought this thread was a look at potential byes and seeding for this years playoffs. Boy was I wrong!

 

[mgteich]

I don't care about the bye. It's a reward and big advantage for having the best record in the conference.

I care a lot about adding more playoff teams, since they already diluted the playoffs adding a 7th team to each conference a couple of years ago.

If you take out divisions, and add an 8th playoff team - the winner AND loser of the Steelers/Ravens game gets in this year, The Panthers/Bucs and/or Falcons, two of those three would get in.

All you've done is add one worse team, and made week 18 completely meaningless at that point (that's if you remove divisions as per your suggestion).

fair enough

You want the purity of the game, with only having worthy teams making the playoffs.

If a team is that bad, they will easily be beaten in the first round they play. That SHOULD be the case this year.
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It seems that the way to eliminate the problem that you see is to get rid of divisions, eliminating the possibility that a team with a losing record will make the playoffs.
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I guess that I prefer that more fans have a rooting interest throughout the season and especially late in the season. Divisional rivalries do that.

Also, to state the obvious, this system has favored the patriots since the 90's and will continue to favor us in the future. There is a huge advantage to being in a division where 2 teams are almost always weak and many times there are three weak teams. Going forward, I want us to be in a system where we in every year are guaranteed 4 games against MIA and the jets.

I suspect that whole areas of the countries might have much less interest in the NFL without divisions.
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[TommyD4207]

fair enough

You want the purity of the game, with only having worthy teams making the playoffs.

If a team is that bad, they will easily be beaten in the first round they play. That SHOULD be the case this year.
============
It seems that the way to eliminate the problem that you see is to get rid of divisions, eliminating the possibility that a team with a losing record will make the playoffs.
============
I guess that I prefer that more fans have a rooting interest throughout the season and especially late in the season. Divisional rivalries do that.

Also, to state the obvious, this system has favored the patriots since the 90's and will continue to favor us in the future. There is a huge advantage to being in a division where 2 teams are almost always weak and many times there are three weak teams. Going forward, I want us to be in a system where we in every year are guaranteed 4 games against MIA and the jets.

I suspect that whole areas of the countries might have much less interest in the NFL without divisions.
=============

The only problem I have is that there's 1 too many playoff teams in each conference now.
I don't want to get rid of divisions. I think divisional winners deserve a home playoff game.

I see zero reason at all to add more playoff teams. If you're good enough to earn a bye, then you've earned it. It's fine.

The NFL is making plenty of money, they're not hurting for interest, attendance or viewership.

 

[neuronet]

They were sick of the Pats having a bye every year but now everyone realizes the new system sucks. Except maybe the bean counters.

 

[moosekill]

They aren't going to do away with a playoff team, why even waste time talking about it. I just want the superbowl to be on the Sunday before Washington's Birthday.

 

[mgteich]

The only problem I have is that there's 1 too many playoff teams in each conference now.
I don't want to get rid of divisions. I think divisional winners deserve a home playoff game.

I see zero reason at all to add more playoff teams. If you're good enough to earn a bye, then you've earned it. It's fine.

The NFL is making plenty of money, they're not hurting for interest, attendance or viewership.

again, fair enough

I suspect that we are both OK with the current system, an OK compromise)
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I think that three wildcards are "worthy" of the playoffs this year: LAC, JAX/HOU and BUF. I want to see all of them play in the playoffs.

In the NFL, is no one a worthy wildcard outside of the NFCW? probably not. Perhaps, it is terrible that the rest of the NFC fandom had/has more interest because of the possibility of a wildcard, perhaps not.

 

[Rob0729]

As to whether having a bye is an advantage or not, I can say I have never bought a "Four Games to Glory" Patriots DVD.

 

[TheRainMaker]

ROFL
There are and will always be rivalries.

Name them and don't name fake rivalries like Bears-Packers. I'll give you one: LA Rams and 49ers as there is actually recent history between them. Good luck with the rest of divisional rivalries.

There will be almost none if divisions are gone

Uh no. Most of the best rivalries were outside of divisions. Pats and Colts were in different divisions and had a rivalry. Pats-Steelers had a rivalry. Ravens-Pats had a rivalry. Patriots-Jaguars had a rivalry in the late 90's. 49ers-Packers, Packers-Cowboys had rivalries in the 90's. Bengals-Chiefs and Chiefs Bills are the most recent. Overall rivalries throughout the league are fading.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

The number of byes and the number of teams in the league and everything else is based on what makes more money for the owners and players.

All based upon short term trends and immediate profit increase. Many, or most, corporations make decisions on this basis - usually at the expense of employee quality of work and life, product value and performance, customer experience and satisfaction, and long term stability and quality and what is best for the industry and that company's role in it.

 

[mgteich]

.

Uh no. Most of the best rivalries were outside of divisions. Pats and Colts were in different divisions and had a rivalry. Pats-Steelers had a rivalry. Ravens-Pats had a rivalry. Patriots-Jaguars had a rivalry in the late 90's..

I apologize.

I forget what really matters, our team and our rivalries.

And, if you don't recall the rivalry with MIA, then you are a youngster.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Name them and don't name fake rivalries like Bears-Packers. I'll give you one: LA Rams and 49ers as there is actually recent history between them. Good luck with the rest of divisional rivalries.

Uh no. Most of the best rivalries were outside of divisions. Pats and Colts were in different divisions and had a rivalry. Pats-Steelers had a rivalry. Ravens-Pats had a rivalry. Patriots-Jaguars had a rivalry in the late 90's. 49ers-Packers, Packers-Cowboys had rivalries in the 90's. Bengals-Chiefs and Chiefs Bills are the most recent. Overall rivalries throughout the league are fading.

I disagree with you, but if there's any truth in what you're saying, it's sad.

For practically every team in the league, there are games every year against division opponents that are grudge matches regardless of record or stakes. It's part of sports passion, local loyalty.

We don't really hate NY, do we? OK, yeah, we do...but it's limited to sports, and sports gives us the chance to crap on them in a fun and competitive context.

 

[Ring 6]

Fair enough

NUMBER OF TEAMS IN THE PLAYOFFS
What "works" is measured by how much money the teams make and how many fans attend and watch. Has NFL football declined by those measures since the golden decade? the 1970's? the 1980's? the 1990's? 2000's?

NUMBER OF BYES
We could "improve" in many ways. Just asks folks. IMHO, the primary reason that posters want TWO byes is that we would get the 2nd one. If we were the #1 seed, we would be celebrating and not begging for another team to also get a bye.

Yes it has.

 

[Ring 6]

pick a year

Division winners and one wild card. Divisional, conf championship, SB.

The league has made it worse by diminishing the regular season, not to make the product or the post season better but to have mediocre teams fans be interested for longer.

 

[Ring 6]

Name them and don't name fake rivalries like Bears-Packers. I'll give you one: LA Rams and 49ers as there is actually recent history between them. Good luck with the rest of divisional rivalries.

Uh no. Most of the best rivalries were outside of divisions. Pats and Colts were in different divisions and had a rivalry. Pats-Steelers had a rivalry. Ravens-Pats had a rivalry. Patriots-Jaguars had a rivalry in the late 90's. 49ers-Packers, Packers-Cowboys had rivalries in the 90's. Bengals-Chiefs and Chiefs Bills are the most recent. Overall rivalries throughout the league are fading.

I think you are redefining rivalry. Rivalry doesn’t mean who are the best teams, at least not the way most fans, teams, and cities define it.

Bears and Packers fans literally hate the other team. In fact the players used as well on the 70s
And its fans, not players or coaches that define the rivalry. No current patriot other than the hc who has more to worry about cares about the Brady Manning rivalry. Every few years most teams have 90% new players and a new coaching staff.
The only carryover is fans.
So
Bears packers
Patriots jets
Raiders chiefs
Cowboys eagles
Cowboys redskins
Giants Eagles
Niners rams
Steelers ravens
Etc etc are definitely rivalries because of the fans.
What keeps them alive is playing twice a year

 

[VrabelJr]

That literally doesn't work.

After week 1 of the playoffs you would have 3 teams in each conference.

The correct solution is to go back to 6 teams with top 2 getting byes. This makes the regular season meaningful.

Seed 1: Bye + homefield advantage in playoffs
Seed 2: Bye
Seed 3/4(remaining division winnders): Home playoff game
Seed 5/6(wildcards): Just happy to make it.

lol thanks. I guess expand to 8 teams or go down to 4 (not likely). A bye is too powerful for a sport with only 17 games, compared to baseball with 162.

 

[maust]

Name them and don't name fake rivalries like Bears-Packers.

The NFL didn't suddenly spring into existence in the 90's. The Bears-Packers rivalry is a generational 'sports hate' handed down for over 100 years. I can't imagine I'm the 1st one to break this to you but just in case maybe you should sit down before reading further...



...it's not all about you son. It's the fabric of generations, older and bigger than any of us and will likely outlast all of us

 

[VrabelJr]

That literally doesn't work.

After week 1 of the playoffs you would have 3 teams in each conference.

The correct solution is to go back to 6 teams with top 2 getting byes. This makes the regular season meaningful.

Seed 1: Bye + homefield advantage in playoffs
Seed 2: Bye
Seed 3/4(remaining division winnders): Home playoff game
Seed 5/6(wildcards): Just happy to make it.

I’d also be ok with top 5 make the playoffs and 4 seed vs 5 seed has to play in.