Should the NFL consider tournament seedings for the playoffs?

[JoePats]

Does anyone have a change of heart about this after seeing San Diego at 8-8 get in and NE at 11-5 sitting home?

No. That's just the way it goes sometimes. Hypothetically say Baltimore went 10-6 and missed out, and we made it at 11-5. Would Baltimore fans be just in saying that they had to play the NFC East and AFC South while we got to play the NFC West and AFC West, and the difference in those 8 games kept them out? I don't know, but that's a possible situation. Should you factor strength of schedule in there? There's no right way to do it without expanding the playoffs, and that would just water everything down and would also be a bad idea.

You can't overthrow the system because one thing happend for the first time in 18 years. How many teams won 11 games and made the playoffs since they expanded? 80? 100? This was a 1% shot.

 

[Tunescribe]

I get tired of seeing crappy teams make the playoffs just because they are in a weak division and just like College football should do the tournament,I think the NFL really needs to think twice and go for a seeded tournament for the AFC and NFC conference to determine that the actual BEST 6 teams of each conference enter the postseason.

This year alone proves that a seeded tournament would be the way to go - Chicago leads the NFC North with a mediocre 6-5 record and Denver leads the AFC West with a 6-5 record as well

There likely will be 1 or more teams that are 10-6 and sitting home for the playoffs while Chicago or Minnesota and Denver or San Diego getting in at an 8-8 or 9-7 mark - Does not make sense

Should the NFL consider a playoff seedings tournament by conference or should it remain as is ?

My system would be a radical change: Two conferences of 16 teams, each team plays all 15 conference opponents plus one team from the rival conference. Top six teams in each conference make the playoffs and are seeded according to record. This way, you'd have "true" conference champions squaring off in the Super Bowl and the playoff qualifying requirements would be more equitable. I'd rather see other teams instead of divisional opponents twice each season.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

keep the divisions, keep the automatic berths, keep the 2 wildcards, but take away the guaranteed seeding. This year, San Diego makes the playoffs as division winners, but they are 6th seed due to their record.

A guaranteed playoff berth is enough reward for a division champion, why guarantee a home playoff game as well?

This wouldn't help the Patriots this year, but it seems more fair (even though it would help the Colts this time)

 

[BadMoFo]

Some people, I tell you. We didn't make the playoffs, so we should change the way things are done. What are we, the Chiefs. Stop whining!

 

[alamo]

I'd rather see other teams instead of divisional opponents twice each season.

That would eventually hurt the league badly, because the lack of divisional rivalries would mean that most seasons would be meaningless for the fans of many more franchises than currently. Divisional rivalries provide something to root for even in a down year, and the possibility of winning your division even if you aren't one of the best teams in the league fuels many fans.

 

[WhoaDirty]

Given 32 teams, 8 divisions of 4 teams is near perfect in terms of scheduling. It allows for a fair setup of facing every team in the league at least once every four years. And each team playing in every city at least once every 8 years. I cringe every time I hear talk of adding teams to the league because of the thought of moving the number of teams away from a power of 2.

 

[pao]

keep the divisions, keep the automatic berths, keep the 2 wildcards, but take away the guaranteed seeding. This year, San Diego makes the playoffs as division winners, but they are 6th seed due to their record.

A guaranteed playoff berth is enough reward for a division champion, why guarantee a home playoff game as well?

This wouldn't help the Patriots this year, but it seems more fair (even though it would help the Colts this time)

I love the quote in your sig. Where's it from?

 

[Kontradiction]

I never knew Bill Polian posted on this forum under so many different usernames.

 

[juny]

keep the divisions, keep the automatic berths, keep the 2 wildcards, but take away the guaranteed seeding. This year, San Diego makes the playoffs as division winners, but they are 6th seed due to their record.

A guaranteed playoff berth is enough reward for a division champion, why guarantee a home playoff game as well?

This wouldn't help the Patriots this year, but it seems more fair (even though it would help the Colts this time)

Totally agree with this change. Well at least this weekend, according to Vegas, home-field won't matter for much anyway.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I love the quote in your sig. Where's it from?

I made it up, but it is what I imagined Bill Belichick was saying before week 2 after Tom went down. It is the essence of Belichick though, since it combines many of the same things he has said before into one statement, though not in his exact words.

I think that it pretty much reflects the do your job/ don't whine/ don't get full of yourself/ outwork somebody today blue-collar philosophy.