NFL to Potentially Examine Changing Playoff Seeding Structure for 2025 Season

[feelosofer]

This was a strange season. No need to make changes to the playoff structure.

 

[Cladyclad]

Divisons mean jack shyt in football now with that extra wild card game. The bengals almost made the playoffs while being 3rd place in their division. We thought their season was done like 3 times.

 

[concise]

This is the main reason why.
More Week 18 duds than usual and even a couple in Week 17.

"The focus I said to the competition committee is what are the alternatives we have to make sure every game is as competitive as possible," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said at the time. "I think the debate was good."

Nearly 17 years later, the NFL is still battling to have as many competitive games as possible. The league limped to the finish this year, seeing several non-competitive games in the final two weeks of the season. Several playoff-bound teams rested their starters and starting quarterbacks with the playoffs already clinched.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2025-nfl-wild-card-weekend-league-to-review-seeding-format-as-three-teams-with-better-record-face-road-game/

 

[KidJSoul]

No, it'll make divisions useless and division rivalries will disappear

 

[Lucky_Lefty]

More Week 18 duds than usual and even a couple in Week 17.

Well get rid of week 18

 

[Dipsey Doo]

NFL should try this for a season or two and see what happens.

Seems a tad unfair that the Vikings and Redskins have to go on the road and play an inferior division winner. Only guarantee winning the division should be is a playoff spot.

Up the stakes a bit for the end of the regular season as well. I'm sure the league didn't like how Week 17 and 18 played out.

I think divisions are a relic of the past when teams were grouped by bus travel. I would go to an 18 game schedule, no divisions with 14 inter conference games and 4 out of conference games. Everyone in conference plays each other once and you play your out of conference games based on factors like SOS etc.

 

[Formerly known as...]

NFL should try this for a season or two and see what happens.

Seems a tad unfair that the Vikings and Redskins have to go on the road and play an inferior division winner. Only guarantee winning the division should be is a playoff spot.

Up the stakes a bit for the end of the regular season as well. I'm sure the league didn't like how Week 17 and 18 played out.

I think divisions are a relic of the past when teams were grouped by bus travel. I would go to an 18 game schedule, no divisions with 14 inter conference games and 4 out of conference games. Everyone in conference plays each other once and you play your out of conference games based on factors like SOS etc.

I agree. All divisional winners should be in the playoffs for sure! It's good to have a team represent each division BUT once all are in the playoffs then seeding begins and best records get the homefield advantage.

 

[concise]

Well get rid of week 18

There aren't enough rea$on$ for them to consider that.

 

[premier58]

It should stay the same. Divisions will never be even. Ppl only cry about the division when someone wins it with a mediocre record. Yet no one cares about the 99 Rams winning a SB from an awful division with one of the weakest strength of schedules, ever.

 

[MVike28]

bytch ass AFC South with their horrific play since inception


I support this to punish that awful division

 

[SubZeroDegrees]

You want a home game, win your division.

Better teams will find a way to win.

 

[Jplaya2023]

I have been saying it for years divisions should ONLY be used for scheduling purposes. Winning a weak division should not guarantee you make the playoffs and damn sure should not allow you to get a home game on top of that. There isnt any logical reason why a 14 win minnesota team is starting the playoffs on the road against a 10 win Rams team. Same with Washington at Tampa.

Just seed 1-7 based SOLELY on records
.you would have this in the NFC

1. Lions
2. Philly
3. Vikings
4. Washington
5. Greenbay
6. Tampa
7. Rams

1st round matchups

Rams at Philly
Tampa at Washington
Packers at Minnesota

 

[tremonthustler1]

There isnt any logical reason why a 14 win minnesota team is starting the playoffs on the road against a 10 win Rams team. Same with Washington at Tampa.

They didn't win their division.

Then you'll complain about why some weak team got in the AFC that wouldn't have gotten in the NFC and then you'll wanna abolish the conferences too.

 

[Jplaya2023]

They didn't win their division.

Then you'll complain about why some weak team got in the AFC that wouldn't have gotten in the NFC and then you'll wanna abolish the conferences too.

The team that won the division won 15 games!!! 99% of the time 14 wins, wins a division. Why should the rams reap a benefit of playing in a subpar division

 

[winb83]

Don't want. There should be a reward for winning your division, no matter how bad it is.

The reward is making the playoffs. I mean they could set it so the top 7 teams regardless of division make the playoffs but if you win your division even with a shyt record you still get in. Minnesota and Washington had better records and yet have to visit in playoff games in the NFC just because they're in tougher divisions.