Owners vote to expand playoffs to 14 teams

**Desert Raven** · 03-31-2020, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

Right.

So the 12-4 team that plays a kickass schedule and beats the 13-3 team has to play the first round, while the 13-3 team plays a puff schedule and gets a bye.

Yeah, that's fair.

What game is a gimme? I like the idea of rewarding the best team, because along the way if they’re the #1 seed, they’ve certainly beaten a good team or two. What’s not to like? Six games on the first weekend instead of four, that’s awesome!

If all anyone has is too many 8-8 teams are going to make it, I point no further than the 9-7 Titans coming into Baltimore and curb stomping the 14-2 Ravens. A good team can have a slow start to the season, and it’s still going to be about who gets hot at the right time. I see hardly anything not to like about this,

**BcRaven** · 03-31-2020, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Jesus Christ.

You just knew that someone was going to fuck the golden goose.

... Bc

**signore** · 03-31-2020, 11:52 PM

B.S. Money talks!

**alien bird** · 04-01-2020, 12:25 AM

Originally Posted by Desert Raven

What game is a gimme? I like the idea of rewarding the best team, because along the way if they’re the #1 seed, they’ve certainly beaten a good team or two. What’s not to like? Six games on the first weekend instead of four, that’s awesome!

You might think it's a reward for the best team, but it's really a significant disadvantage for the other division winners - all of whom may be better than the #1 seed. Unless there is a balanced schedule, there is no way to really know if the team with the best record is the best team, yet they are the only one to get a bye. Check out the chances of a team that gets a bye making it to the Super Bowl vs. a team that does not get a bye. A 14 team playoff gives one team an incredible advantage over all the other teams in the conference. No team should be getting a bye.

**Desert Raven** · 04-01-2020, 12:56 AM

Originally Posted by alien bird

You might think it's a reward for the best team, but it's really a significant disadvantage for the other division winners - all of whom may be better than the #1 seed. Unless there is a balanced schedule, there is no way to really know if the team with the best record is the best team, yet they are the only one to get a bye. Check out the chances of a team that gets a bye making it to the Super Bowl vs. a team that does not get a bye. A 14 team playoff gives one team an incredible advantage over all the other teams in the conference. No team should be getting a bye.

So if there is a lower seed that really is better than the #1 seed they’ll go on the road and beat them. It’s not etched in stone the #1 seed goes to the Super Bowl. I don’t believe it’s as much of as an advantage as you’re making it out to be. Some teams choke with all the expectations on them. I won’t mention any names. A #6 seed that got hot in December who is loose and doesn’t have to play with that pressure is dangerous. Especially if they can do something well that exploits the #1 seed’s weakness. No team is ever totally complete. Sometimes the matchups really matter.

**WrongBaldy** · 04-01-2020, 02:35 AM

Turning into crappy nba playoffs

**John Reglarperson** · 04-01-2020, 03:45 AM

14 v 12 teams is a minor difference. Don't really care, slightly in favor, some mediocre team that hasn't gotten to the playoffs in a while will get in at some point, and their fans will be happy. There will be one extra game, 2 v 7, in each of the conferences on wild card weekend. It's a minor change.

**QtR Nevermore** · 04-01-2020, 06:19 AM

I don't like this change at all and I don't see why the owners have done it from a business PoV. It just hurts their main product, which is regular season games, by making them mean less.

When almost half the league makes the playoffs, it turns the regular season into a preliminary event, just filtering out the rubbish, before the main show begins.

I can see the motivation - more meaningful games - but I think this will have the opposite effect.

There should be more games - I love the sport and want more of it - but a longer regular season, where there could be more ups, downs and come backs, would be a better idea.

I don't know why American football has decided seasons need to be so short. Is it something to do with college calendars or the historic dominance of baseball, maybe, that has just become the norm? I realise it's a violent sport but so is rugby and they play over 30 games a year, on both sides of the ball, without padding, for 80 minutes. Superbowl teams don't suddenly fall apart when they play more than 17 games either, so it would not be impossible for the NFL to play a significantly longer reg. season while keeping the playoffs as an exclusive club.

**GOTA** · 04-01-2020, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by WrongBaldy

Turning into crappy nba playoffs

It’s March Madness. They attach these playoff games to their TV packages and just point to the huge numbers. I bet selling the Thursday game deals for less than they expected is part of this. Those extra couple of playoff games might bring in move revenue than the whole year of Thursdays by the next round of TV deals.

**I Touchdown There** · 04-01-2020, 07:19 AM

So dumb. Don't need more mediocrity in the playoffs and hate losing the 2 seed bye

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**saintmatthew** · 04-01-2020, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by QtR Nevermore

I don't know why American football has decided seasons need to be so short. Is it something to do with college calendars or the historic dominance of baseball, maybe, that has just become the norm?

It's a VERY physically demanding sport and the human body can only take so much damage.