An 8-8 team getting in over a 11-5 team is a rare occurrence. This is the first time an 8-8 team has gotten in since the divisions were re-aligned in 2000. Typically, you might see a team get snubbed by a division winner with only one less loss. Is it 100% fair? No. But I don't find it egregious enough to go to two division conferences. A two division conference means:

1) In order to stick with 1 home and 1 road game against division teams, which you'd pretty much have to, you'd only have room for 2 other non-division games. Who wants to see their team play essentially the same 7 teams year in year out?

2) It would be difficult, if not impossible, to align the divisions to the point of making travel easy for everyone.

#1 is the main point though.

"mattresell" wrote:

An 8-8 team getting in over a 11-5 team is a rare occurrence. This is the first time an 8-8 team has gotten in since the divisions were re-aligned in 2000. Typically, you might see a team get snubbed by a division winner with only one less loss. Is it 100% fair? No. But I don't find it egregious enough to go to two division conferences. A two division conference means:

1) In order to stick with 1 home and 1 road game against division teams, which you'd pretty much have to, you'd only have room for 2 other non-division games. Who wants to see their team play essentially the same 7 teams year in year out?

2) It would be difficult, if not impossible, to align the divisions to the point of making travel easy for everyone.

#1 is the main point though.

"mattresell" wrote: