As the regular season starts winding down, it is again apparent that a change to the NFL playoffs is needed. With the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles currently tied atop the NFC East at 6-7, the NFC could send six teams to the playoffs that all have a better record. However, with the division winners getting an automatic bid to the playoffs (and rightfully so), a team with a better record will be left out. That format will be debated, but the NFL has the right idea in making the regular season divisions hold value. There are several ways the NFL can change its playoff format. They can expand the playoffs to eliminate or simply take the six teams with the best record regardless of division. The only change that should be made to the current format is how each team gets seeded in the playoffs.
NFL Playoffs: Record Should Determine Seeding
As mentioned above, there is no reason to change the six teams in each conference making it to the playoffs. Each division winner will earn a spot and there will be two wild-cards decided just as they are today. At this point, all teams will be reseeded based on their record. In 2002, when the NFL went to a 32-team system, there has only been three years in which the better team hosted each playoff game. That also means in the other 14 years, a team that won more games than a division winner had to play on the road against a team they outperformed throughout the season. If something isn’t working 82 percent of the time, it is time for a change.
The New Format
With the reseeding, if two teams are tied with the same record, a division winner would trump a head-to-head win. In other words, if the Seattle Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings had the same record and the Seahawks won the West and the Vikings did not win the North, then the Seahawks would have a higher seed. This would still be the case even if the Vikings beat the Seahawks head-to-head during the regular season. If neither team won their division, the Vikings would be seeded above the Seahawks based on said head to head victory.
Last season, the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs had the same record but are in the same division. The Chiefs had the tiebreaker giving them the number one seed in the AFC forcing the Chargers to a wildcard. Despite having a better record than any other team in the AFC, the Chargers were given the five seed and had to play in the first round. Even worse, the Chargers finished the season at 12-4 and had to play at the 10-6 Baltimore Ravens. Under the new system, the Chargers would be the two seed, have a first-round bye, plus a home game.
Why Make This Change?
Now in the 18th season of the current format, there have been 24 matchups in the first round alone in which a visiting team has had a better record. To no surprise, the division winners playing at home, have used their home advantage for several upsets. In fact, there is a 12-12 series tie in these games with the home team winning all three overtime games. If the NFL is looking to provide an upset in the opening rounds, then they have exactly what they want. If the NFL wants to put the best teams against each other in the games that matter the most, then this is the change that must be made.
Alternative Options
Ignore the Divisions
Using the records to determine seeding is also better than some of the alternative options. One popular choice is to just take the six teams with the best record regardless of divisions. This would lead to some spectacular and exciting football in the playoffs but then other changes would be needed. If there is no value on winning a division, then there is no reason to have divisions at all. There wouldn’t be a reason to play rivals twice a year and each team would play three different opponents instead. This idea could work but at the cost of watering down rivalries. The current divisional opponents wouldn’t even need to play each other on a regular basis. This conference only setup would work, but the NFL would miss out on too much.
Add More Teams
A proposition to expand the NFL playoffs to ensure a good team doesn’t get left out is not a good idea. By adding teams to the playoff mix, regular-season games lose their value and mediocre play is rewarded. Teams will rest their players similar to the NBA because the importance of winning each game is not the same. Simply finishing in the top half of the conference is not an accomplishment worth the playoffs.
Changing the NFL playoffs isn’t a must, but it would go a long way in providing the best matchups. The home team won’t win every game but the advantage of playing at home should be earned based on performance. Winning a division is certainly deserving of a spot in the playoffs but shouldn’t guarantee a home game. As the NFL continues to make changes aimed at improving the game, this one should be implemented sooner rather than later.
