Goodell is destroying the game we love.

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I didn't warm up to this until I thought more about it. Adding one more team to the playoffs could be interesting. I do think having nearly 50% of the teams in the playoffs is quite saturated.

I actually like MLB's setup because it puts more emphasis on the regular season than both NBA and NFL.


I think they will eliminate two preseason games and add two playoff teams to the post season. I dunno. I'm more passionate that they do not eliminate the extra point or kickoffs than adding one team per conference to the playoffs.

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Obviously they want it for more money but I think they will try to spin it that it will prevent a team with a better record that doesn't win its division from being left out in favor of a another team with a worse record that wins its division.

Since 2002 when the NFL switched to the 4 division per conference format here is a breakdown of the team(s) with the best records that did not make the playoffs (Where two teams are listed it is because I did not know the tiebreaker) vs the division winner with the worst record

format is

YEAR
AFC BEST NON PO TEAM RECORD (WORST DIV WINNER)
NFC BEST NON PO TEAM RECORD (WORST DIV WINNER)

2013
AFC Steelers or Jets 8-8 (Bengals or Colts 11-5)
NFC Cardinals 10-6 (Packers 8-7-1)

2012
afc Steelers 8-8 (Ravens 10-6)
nfc Bears 10-6 (Redskins 10-6)

2011
afc Titans 9-7 (Broncos 8-8)
nfc Eagles or Bears or Cardinals 8-8 (Giants 9-7)

2010
afc Chargers 9-7 (Colts and Chiefs 10-6)
nfc Giants or Buccaneers 10-6 (Seahawks 7-9)

2009
afc Steelers or Texans 9-7 (Patriots, Bengals 10-6)
nfc Falcons 9-7 (Cardinals 10-6)

2008
afc Patriots 11-5 (Chargers 8-8)
nfc Cowboys or Bears or Buccaneers 9-7 (Cardinals 9-7

2007
afc Browns 10-6 (Steelers 10-6)
nfc Cardinals or vikings or Eagles 8-8 (Buccaneers 9-7)

2006
afc Broncos 9-7 (Colts, Patriots 12-4)
nfc Packers or Panthers or Rams 8-8 (Seahawks 9-7)

2005
afc Chiefs 10-6 (Patriots 10-6)
nfc cowboys or vikings 9-7 (Giants, Bears, Buccaneers 11-5)

2004
afc Bills or Ravens or Jaguars 9-7 (Colts, Chargers 12-4)
nfc Saints 8-8 (Seahawks 9-7)

2003
afc Dolphins 10-6 (Ravens 10-6)
nfc vikings 9-7 (Packers 10-6)

2002
afc Patriots or Broncos 9-7 (Jets 9-7)
nfc Saints 9-7 (49ers 10-6)


Analysis if they had been using the proposed playoff format

6 times the last playoff spot would have gone to an 8-8 team including 1 conference each the last 3 years

In no year would both extra teams been 8-8

11 times the last playoff spot would have gone to a team with a 9-7 record.

2 years the extra teams would have both been 9-7

2 years the two extra team would have been 8-8 or 9-7

7 times the extra spot would have gone to a team with at least 10 wins

In no year would both extra playoff spots gone to a team with at least 10 wins.

Regarding teams who made it vs those who didn't

4 times would the extra team have had a better record than at least 1 of the division winners.

6 times would the extra team have had the same record than at least 1 of the division winners.

14 times would the extra team have had a worse record than at least 1 of the division winners.

The way I see it, despite the fact that people seem to think better teams are kept out by worse teams all the time because of the automatic bid by division winners it is not that common of an occurrence.

The four times it happened were in 2013 when the 10-6 Cardinals missed out to the 8-7-1 Packers. 2011 when the 9-7 Titans missed out to the 8-8 Broncos. 2010 when the 10-6 Giants or Buccaneers missed out to the 7-9 Seahawks. 2008 when the 11-5 Patriots missed out to the 8-8 Chargers.

Three out of those 4 years had a pretty big discrepancy in W-L records but I would ask was the Rodgers led Packers really that much worse than the Cardinals? That leave 2 time perhaps the a much better team was kept out by a much inferior team.

It clear to me that the NFL doesn't really care if a better team is left out of the playoffs because its doesn't happen all that often. They only reason they want this is for more money. More games means more money.

Personally I don't think it is broke so it does not need fixing.

nice job sschind

That also shows why they will not add 4 extra teams. the likelihood of the 8th place team in each conference being 8-8 is pretty high.

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