NFC playoff craziness

**G54377** · 12-09-2019, 09:42 PM

How often is this even an issue? Once every ten years? I think it's fine.

**arnie_uk** · 12-10-2019, 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

As long as the concept of a division exists where teams play each other twice a year I don't think you can't do that. In a situation where you have 4 really good teams in a division playing each other twice those teams will be at a disadvantage over a team in a division with 3 weak teams. You could end up with a really good team not making it to the playoffs at all. It's bad when a weak team supplants a better team, it's worse when the best team doesn't make it at all.

The division winner will still make the playoffs, they just wont get a home game

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 12-10-2019, 07:52 AM

I like keeping things as they are.

People freak out about something that is a rare occurrence.

Win your division. It's really important IMHO.

**lobachevsky** · 12-10-2019, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

As long as the concept of a division exists where teams play each other twice a year I don't think you can't do that. In a situation where you have 4 really good teams in a division playing each other twice those teams will be at a disadvantage over a team in a division with 3 weak teams. You could end up with a really good team not making it to the playoffs at all. It's bad when a weak team supplants a better team, it's worse when the best team doesn't make it at all.

It's also bad when you have a decent team in a hyperweak division. Yeah, yeah, "you can only play the teams on your schedule" - but when the AFC Least in past years has been Darth Hoodie & the Three Dwarfs, a 6-0 division record has fattened the Cheats' resume to get them a home game & a bye if not HFA. Unfortunately I see no way to address that that wouldn't make things worse - other than Get better, you Buffs, Jests & Flippers, fer dogsake!

**BcRaven** · 12-10-2019, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by I Touchdown There

That's what I've been saying!

Great minds thinking alike (LOL)... Bc

**BcRaven** · 12-10-2019, 09:53 AM

NFC playoff picture: The 49ers get back on top :

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...t-back-on-top/

"LEADERS
1. 49ers (11-2) They went 2-1 over a tough patch of the schedule and can clinch a playoff berth in Week 15, but the division may hang in the balance through Week 17’s game against the Seahawks."

Gee, I wonder who their one loss was to?

... Bc

**Money227** · 12-10-2019, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by PTORaven

This was talked about last time around with the 7-9 Seahawks, and it quickly became clear that the owners want a home playoff game if they win the division, and ultimately if the owners want that then it's going to stay that way. Can't say I disagree with them, either. That's quite a nice cash prize for winning the division.

This is very well put. I didn't think about it this way, but it is spot on. I would guess that there isn't a single owner who would want this changed.

**The Excellector** · 12-10-2019, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by moose10101

And play each team in the other conference once every 16 years? How is that better?

That’s a good point.

**cvilleRaven** · 12-10-2019, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by lobachevsky

It's also bad when you have a decent team in a hyperweak division. Yeah, yeah, "you can only play the teams on your schedule" - but when the AFC Least in past years has been Darth Hoodie & the Three Dwarfs, a 6-0 division record has fattened the Cheats' resume to get them a home game & a bye if not HFA. Unfortunately I see no way to address that that wouldn't make things worse - other than Get better, you Buffs, Jests & Flippers, fer dogsake!

League realignment, up to and including moving teams across conferences. The only division that shouldn't be broken up is the NFC East, and only because no one team has dominated that division for the last 20 years.

And really, since there likely isn't any expansion in the NFL happening any time soon (if ever again), realigning divisions every 16 years would be a good way to shake things up.

Keep the best historical rivalries (Bears/Packers, Ravens/Steelers, Redskins/Cowboys, etc.), but break everything else up. Move teams across conferences. Do it after every 2 cycles through the entire schedule rotation (4 year rotation on non-conference divisions, going through the home/away rotation twice = 16 years for those bad at math).

Keep the names of the divisions the same, keep the rotations the same (if 2019 AFC N was scheduled to play AFC S and NFC E - whatever it is - in 2020, then the new AFC N will obtain that schedule), and set the 2 non-rotation games based on the new division standings with appropriate tie breakers applied (if you finished 2nd in your old division, but that same record would have placed you 3rd in your new division, you play the 3rd place teams in the newly formed divisions).

**sailorsam** · 12-11-2019, 10:58 AM

keep system as is imho.

maintains our interest in otherwise irrelevant Bengals and Browns.

helps us focus our interest.

it's cyclical. the Dolphins hammerjacked the Pats for years. the NFC East is usually brutally strong. these things come and go.

some Brownie fans are old enough to remember when the Steelers were their doormats.

**I Touchdown There** · 12-11-2019, 01:25 PM

It still grinds my gears that we're in a "north" division with 2 Ohio teams where it'd make more sense for us to be "east" and a team like buffalo to be in the north

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**blah3** · 12-11-2019, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by I Touchdown There

It still grinds my gears that we're in a "north" division with 2 Ohio teams where it'd make more sense for us to be "east" and a team like buffalo to be in the north

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You’re being a little too hung up on the name. Baltimore division rivals make great sense geographically.