NFL Playoffs officially expanded to 14 teams

TomPatriot said:

Increasing thee chances.

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Please, God, no, anything but that!!!

farn said:

Not a good move, IMO, but watch us go back to the playoffs ! Haha.

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Some on here may implode if the Pats make the playoffs...

maust1013 said:

The big difference being at least in the NHL in a 7 game series the better team usually wins

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"...in the upside-down world of the Patriots, it's only fitting that arguably the most talented team in franchise history never won a playoff game. ... If you're going to rank the greatest Patriots teams of all time, be prepared for an argument from the '70s ..."

Tales from the Patriots Sideline

Not only did the format only allow four playoff teams per conference, the AFC was far stronger during that time.

The "never won a playoff game" song from 70's Patriots denigrators reflects both ignorance of that team's greatness, and dismissal of the watered down ease with which mediocre teams have qualified since the 90's

I hate to this

italian pat patriot said:

Horrible

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mgteich said:

Sounds good. Check the records. The current system has been in place for awhile. If the new system were in place instead of the 12 team system, exactly one 7-9 team would have made the playoffs (in the 90's I think).

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Went to the NFL page with historical standings, 1930s to 2006.

I stopped after the 3 standings I saw, but in 2004, 3 teams in the NFC alone would have made it at 8-8.

I also suspect there will be a different dynamic in week 17 with more teams jockeying for playoff position.

Hate it. The regular season is a battle of attrition and rewarding the 2 seed with a bye and eliminating teams outside of top 6 is a better reflection of the importance of it to me.

On top of this, we’ll have 17 games for 2021!!! Yay!

The only way this will be good is if the Stidham led Patriots make the playoffs with a 4-4 record in the shortened 2020 season, as the "extra" playoff team, and go on the win their 7th. That'll create the most angry, teeth grinding, resentful, demented "yeah, but" statements in the history of sports fans, especially from Pittsburgh fans.

And we'll be here just laughing, laughing, laughing.

Well, at least this nonsense is taking place after the end of the patriots dynasty.

Yay!!

Let's continue to water down the product. Add in some more overseas games, maybe even overseas teams, and drive this incredible sport into the ground.

LightSkinSmurf said:

Well, at least this nonsense is taking place after the end of the patriots dynasty.

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So, the greatness of the dynasty was somehow tied to the 16 game season?

betterthanthealternative said:

The only way this will be good is if the Stidham led Patriots make the playoffs with a 4-4 record in the shortened 2020 season, as the "extra" playoff team, and go on the win their 7th. That'll create the most angry, teeth grinding, resentful, demented "yeah, but" statements in the history of sports fans, especially from Pittsburgh fans.

And we'll be here just laughing, laughing, laughing.

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What happens if the 4-4 Stidham Patriots beat the 8-0 TB TB?

mgteich said:

Sounds good. Check the records. The current system has been in place for awhile. If the new system were in place instead of the 12 team system, exactly one 7-9 team would have made the playoffs (in the 90's I think).

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The Seattle Seahawks made the playoffs in 2010 with a 7-9 record and the Pats missed the playoffs in 2008 with an 11-5 record. That was ridiculous.

Don't like it, but also don't hate it. The 17 game regular season bothers me more, if for no other reason than it messes with a really clean scheduling system. Also, an odd number of games makes my skin itch a little...

InRodWeRust said:

The Seattle Seahawks made the playoffs in 2010 with a 7-9 record and the Pats missed the playoffs in 2008 with an 11-5 record. That was ridiculous.

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That brings up the entirely separate issue of whether winning your division should in itself warrant a playoff spot, since Seattle got in that way rather than as a wild card.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

This just helps to protect the Patriots records. It’s harder for any given team to win a Super Bowl.

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Unless you're the NYG and get in with records of 9--7 and 10--6 and go all the way.

But, I guess it's conceivable that 8--8 teams could start getting in. But, in the end, what's the real difference between 8--8 and 9--7...a couple of lucky breaks or favorable calls by the refs? In "one and done" playoffs, anything can happen.

InRodWeRust said:

The Seattle Seahawks made the playoffs in 2010 with a 7-9 record and the Pats missed the playoffs in 2008 with an 11-5 record. That was ridiculous.

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As long as there is a Division-based playoff system, that stuff is going to happen. And the Division priorities aren't going to go away because it helps keep fan interest up until the end of the season.

The added playoff teams will also keep interest, attendance and, most importantly, TV viewership up longer. In the end it's more money for the owners and for the cap, so I think we just have to accept that this was popular on both sides of the CBA table and learn to live with it.

mgteich said:

So, the greatness of the dynasty was somehow tied to the 16 game season?

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Not sure how you managed to come to that conclusion based off what I said. You really took a leap there. My point was, I'm glad this is happening now rather than when the pats were still competing every year for the 1 or 2 seed for obvious reasons. Some years we got the 2 and a bye. With his new nonsense that wouldn't be the case. That was my only point.