Playoff Expansion ?

First goal is getting to the playoffs

If I had it my way id take away these rules like helment to helmrnt or leading on a QB... this is football not ping pong.

So, a lot you are saying that It'd be a bad idea because you'd have a lot of 7-9/6-10 teams getting in often.

The truth is your more likely to see a division winner (who already gets in) with a losing record than an 8th seed, just look at past years…. (I just looked at NFC, btw).

2009 - niners/giants 8-8, falcons 9-7.

2010 - bucs/giants both 10-6 and missed playoffs, *seahawks 7-9 gets in.

2011 - cardinals/eagles/bears/cowboys all 8-8 all missed playoffs

2012 - Giants 10-6 bears 9-7, both miss playoffs.

2013 - cardinals 10-6, cowboys bears 8-8

Of the remaining 10 of sixteen teams, odds are at least two of them will be at or above .500

I'm sure if I kept digging i'd find a below .500 team that'd get in, looks like 8-8 just happens so much…. go figure!

BUT MAN, Bears fans would have loved this the last 5 years! Also, our 8-8 singletary team may have made it in 2009… i'd not like that.

32 teams 12 get in is just a nice figure to me. I actually love the 32 team balance and the 12 team playoff format.

HOWEVER, the small thing that I just don't like is the 1-2 seeds getting buys, after have a buy in 2011/2012 then playing wildcard it made me realize how much longer and harder the playoffs are if you don't get that buy. but plenty of teams have done it especially in recent years, so numbers don't really help it that argument as it being unfair to the 3-6 seeds.

I'd say, if the NFL ever reaches 40 teams, up it to 16, until then, stay put. but STAY PUT at 32!

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
If your team is consistently good, typically you will hate the idea. I never liked the idea of making it 8 teams. That means the top half of the whole league gets in, just like in the NBA and NHL.

I have concerns that the 7 or 8-team seeding is inevitable under Goodell. The one thing I think they cannot do away with is the first round bye. The top two teams earn that. And I don't want to see that change. But I don't know how that's possible with 7 or 8 teams.

For the NBA to go 82 games and only let 12 teams in would be pointless, just like the MLB. The NBA had one of the most exciting playoffs (especially in the 1st round) ever last year.

Why stop at 8, they should just make a 12 team playoff bracket.....

they should poll media writers and use the old BCS ranking formula

/thread

horrible idea

Why change it? It's only a few years that this losing record thing happens. I don't see it as that big of a problem. It's not like every year some 11-5 team is sitting at home while some 8-8 team is in the playoffs. The mere fact that there are top tier teams scrambling to make the postseason is a testament to just how much of an honor it is and how difficult it is to make it. We shouldn't be making it easier. They are trying to make too many changes in football BTW. Leave well enough alone.

usually I'm against change...

but it's ridiculous that the Saints are 4-6 AND are on a TWO game losing streak....and are STILL leading their division.

Originally posted by Afrikan:
usually I'm against change...

but it's ridiculous that the Saints are 4-6 AND are on a TWO game losing streak....and are STILL leading their division.

Yep, thats exactly how I look at it.

Im not necessarily for expansion either, but there should be some type of rule that unless you have an 8-8 record or better, you cannot make the playoffs. If you finish with a 7-9 record or worse, you do NOT get in (regardless of division leader or not) and the next best team with a winning record gets in instead. Again, it's pretty embarrassing that teams like Detroit, SF, Seattle, Dallas, Philly, Zona could be outside looking in while NOs or Atlanta is HOSTING a home playoff game.

System is not balanced.

Top 6 teams in each conference, regardless of division, should make the playoffs. Abolish the whole division thing and play 3 "traditional" NFC rivals once every season, play any teams you met in the playoffs (twice if that playoff team is a "rival"), 4 teams from the AFC selected by raffle, and the rest of the NFC opponents selected by raffle also.

Tie breakers would be the same, except there would be no division tie breaker. Instead you would start at conference record.

Our partial schedule would be

Rivals
Seahawks
Rams
Saints

Playoff teams Re-Match
Packers
Panthers
Seahawks

4 Random AFC teams (If you played in the SB, the other SB team would be one of the teams in this group)

6 Random NFC teams (not including the rival or playoff re-match teams)