NFL to Potentially Examine Changing Playoff Seeding Structure for 2025 Season

[reserved_one]

I honestly prefer the older format with 12 teams, 4 getting a bye week with the remaining 8 playing on wild card weekend.

This current format I’m cool with but I don’t think it’s right if you win your division and have to go play on the road because your opponent couldn’t win theirs even though they won more games. I think the current format balances it all out.

Washington didn’t need home field advantage to beat Tampa as we saw last night. The NFL needs to sit down somewhere and stop being reactionary.

 

[winb83]

They could just win their divisions.

Also, why create a system that'll lead to more blowouts during Wild Card weekend? That's partly what happened with the NBA, less first round upsets.

So a 14-3 team playing a 10-7 team isn't gonna be a blowout because the 10-7 team is at home?

Why is your argument that records shouldn't matter in a single playoff round? The best record should always mean something in the entire playoffs. You win more games that needs to count for something.

You could win a division with a losing record.

 

[Ohene]

They felt that heat

They need to give the two seed back a bye. They know they wanna expand shyt just make 8 teams and stop delaying the inevitable. It’s all a money grab.

math doesnt work

you give two teams a buy...then have 6 teams play...
that leaves 5 teams in round two

 

[Ohene]

It is broke if 14 win teams are doing their all on the last week while 10 win teams rest nikkas. You still get a playoff spot. Thats more than enough.

man the vikings lost twice to the lions. they are right where they should be...they were a shyt team last year so they got an easier schedule this year and took advantage. the shyt aint broke

 

[winb83]

I honestly prefer the older format with 12 teams, 4 getting a bye week with the remaining 8 playing on wild card weekend.

This current format I’m cool with but I don’t think it’s right if you win your division and have to go play on the road because your opponent couldn’t win theirs even though they won more games. I think the current format balances it all out.

Washington didn’t need home field advantage to beat Tampa as we saw last night. The NFL needs to sit down somewhere and stop being reactionary.

fukk winning your division have a better record than your opponent period. Wining your division got you a guaranteed playoff spot and that's enough. You should be rewarded for winning more games period. Having a better record than your opponent should always mean something.

 

[No1]

fukk winning your division have a better record than your opponent period. Wining your division got you a guaranteed playoff spot and that's enough. You should be rewarded for winning more games period. Having a better record than your opponent should always mean something.

If you do that then divisions will mean less like they do in the NBA.

 

[winb83]

man the vikings lost twice to the lions. they are right where they should be...they were a shyt team last year so they got an easier schedule this year and took advantage. the shyt aint broke

The Rams lost to the Lions and have a worse record. They won a less competitive division so they should be rewarded when 3 NFC North teams made the playoffs and the Rams were the only NFC West team to even make the playoffs. The divisions are not equal therefore shouldn't be an equalizer.

 

[Ohene]

The Rams lost to the Lions and have a worse record. They won a less competitive division so they should be rewarded when 3 NFC North teams made the playoffs and the Rams were the only NFC West team to even make the playoffs. The divisions are not equal therefore shouldn't be an equalizer.

in OT in Detroit
the rams also beat the fukking vikings. wtf is your point?

 

[winb83]

If you do that then divisions will mean less like they do in the NBA.

What does the NFC South mean right now? Who can bumble their way into a first round exit? Good divisions will matter because they have good teams who rival each other. Mediocre divisions bumbling their way into a home playoff game is just baffling. There's a reason the NFL is revisiting this because it looks silly.

The NBA's don't matter because they play too many games and it waters down the product. Divisions matter in the NFL because each game is important.

 

[x-factor7]

I'm shocked Goodell is considering this. NFL is real hard-headed in changing rules, it took forever to change the dumb OT rule of both teams not possessing the ball.

But I think how it is right now is fine, there are always outlier years.

Also, the 2002 realignment is one of the best things they have ever done, maintaining the rivalries. I remember when people online would always propose a new realignment just because they didn't like that Dallas is NFC East or Indianapolis is AFC South

 

[No1]

What does the NFC South mean right now? Who can bumble their way into a first round exit? Good divisions will matter because they have good teams who rival each other. Mediocre divisions bumbling their way into a home playoff game is just baffling. There's a reason the NFL is revisiting this because it looks silly.

The NBA's don't matter because they play too many games and it waters down the product. Divisions matter in the NFL because each game is important.

Division rivalries mean something. You’re trying to make the regular season mean nothing. One of the most iconic moments of the Lakers dynasty was Kobe hitting a bunch of 3s to win the division on the last game of the season and getting home court.

 

[b. woods]

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.

Inter conference and out of conference are the same thing.

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

they just preparing for an eventual expansion and an 18 game regular season ...I see it

100000% happening...they not gonna stay at an uneven # of 17 for long.

 

[DaMos Supreme]

Two things:

1. He said team owners aren't feeling it so hopefully it doesn't come to pass. Divisions have to mean something in football;

2. If they make any change, it needs to go back to the old format and get rid of the 7-seeds. In 5 years of doing this shyt, the 7-seed is 1-9----->with the only victory being Green Bay beating Dallas last year...

They won and then still lost in the Divisional Round...

It's been a cool trial run but thru 5 years the 7 is losing 90% of games, an astronomically bad percentage. Cut out the 7-seed, give the 2-seed the bye back, and while you're at it go back to 16 games...

But I'm already asking too much ...

I agree with this perspective overall, especially when it concerns the playoffs, but the NFL is ultra greedy and know they practically have a monopoly in the USA when it comes to sports viewership. I’m not in favor of an 18 game season, but it’s a matter of when and instead of if at this point….

As far as the overall season goes, I’ll go a step further and get rid of the weekly Thursday games as well. I would only reserve Thursday for season-openers and Thanksgiving games (keeping the traditional games but adding another game), but anything beyond that…nope

I think the NFL/Roger just feels an aurora of invincibility and believe fans will support the league unconditionally, as long as you have several great white QB’s, white owners, white coaches, and front office…and keep the wokeness to a minimal

 

[Whips-n-Chains]

I'm shocked Goodell is considering this. NFL is real hard-headed in changing rules, it took forever to change the dumb OT rule of both teams not possessing the ball.

But I think how it is right now is fine, there are always outlier years.

Also, the 2002 realignment is one of the best things they have ever done, maintaining the rivalries. I remember when people online would always propose a new realignment just because they didn't like that Dallas is NFC East or Indianapolis is AFC South

I forget what year it was, but wasn't there a time circa 99 when the AFC North (AFC Central at the time) was:

Pittsburgh
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Jaxsonville
Tennessee

Such a wild division to think about in todays terms

Then I remember the Cardinals being in the NFC East, and the Bucs in the AFC North/Central...weren't the damn Seahawks an AFC team back then too