NFL Playoffs Format

[runthepost]

What if the NFL went to an 8 team playoff in each conference like the NBA? Instead of a first round bye for the top 2 seeds they just gave a bye for all teams after the regular season and start the playoffs then?

[dgambill]

12 hours ago, runthepost said:

What if the NFL went to an 8 team playoff in each conference like the NBA? Instead of a first round bye for the top 2 seeds they just gave a bye for all teams after the regular season and start the playoffs then?

That defeats the purpose of a bye and winning the first seed. Be better to have only the top seed get the bye and add a 2 vs 7 seed imo if you want more teams in and more tv revenue. Giving everyone a bye really devalues the regular season.

[2006Coltsbestever]

I love the way it is. 2 WildCard teams is enough and it makes the Regular Season real important. 6 teams is just enough teams too where it's plenty and not too many. Only thing I would change is, if a WildCard team has a better record than a Division winner than they get HFA in that game. I am ok with a team making the Playoffs at 8-8 if they win their Division, that makes winning your Division important because it gets you in. Having said that if a team wins their Division at 8-8 and a WildCard team is 11-5, the 11-5 team should have HFA.

[crazycolt1]

Leave it as it is.

The NFL is not like the NBA were over half the teams get into the playoffs.

Winning a division means something.

The NFL playoff system is what makes them stand out over the NBA and the MLB. It's not the best of series. It's win or go home.

[southwest1]

3 hours ago, crazycolt1 said:

Leave it as it is.

The NFL is not like the NBA were over half the teams get into the playoffs.

Winning a division means something.

The NFL playoff system is what makes them stand out over the NBA and the MLB. It's not the best of series. It's win or go home.

Exactly CC1. Our limited number of games in the NFL is what gives our sport it's value. Another reason why baseball bores me. The game is so slow & their season takes forever to end. 

 

Football is all about playoff sudden death. That where it's mystique derives from. 

[southwest1]

3 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I love the way it is. 2 WildCard teams is enough and it makes the Regular Season real important. 6 teams is just enough teams too where it's plenty and not too many.

Like porridge man. Not too hot, not too cold, it's perfect. #Goldie Locks & the 3 Bears. #Life Lessons. 

[Nesjan3]

Yea IMO the NBA playoff format needs revision, whats the point of playing 82 games to only get rid of 14/30 teams. Teams like the Bucks this year are barely playing .500 ball and will still make the playoffs. The NFL is honestly the best playoff format of all sports. 32 teams, 16 games, 12 playoff teams. Each and every game means so much to get in the playoffs, and then the seeding for playoff teams is equally important.

[2006Coltsbestever]

11 minutes ago, Nesjan3 said:

Yea IMO the NBA playoff format needs revision, whats the point of playing 82 games to only get rid of 14/30 teams. Teams like the Bucks this year are barely playing .500 ball and will still make the playoffs. The NFL is honestly the best playoff format of all sports. 32 teams, 16 games, 12 playoff teams. Each and every game means so much to get in the playoffs, and then the seeding for playoff teams is equally important.

Baseball has an excellent format too. Only 5 teams get in out of 15 in each league. The 3 Division winners and 2 WildCards, almost like Football.

[MB-ColtsFan]

6 hours ago, southwest1 said:

Like porridge man. Not too hot, not too cold, it's perfect. #Goldie Locks & the 3 Bears. #Life Lessons. 

Now I'm hungry...

[MB-ColtsFan]

3 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Baseball has an excellent format too. Only 5 teams get in out of 15 in each league. The 3 Division winners and 2 WildCards, almost like Football.

Only problem with baseball is that it runs into the Fall.  You've pitched in 85+ degree weather all season.  Now the playoffs come and you're playing in 30 degree weather at night.  I remember seeing snow falling in Colorado during a playoff game many years back.  That's not baseball to me.  Shorten the season fer crying' out loud!

 

Football playoffs are just right, like others have said.  Win or go home - one game at a time.

[2006Coltsbestever]

6 hours ago, MB-ColtsFan said:

Only problem with baseball is that it runs into the Fall.  You've pitched in 85+ degree weather all season.  Now the playoffs come and you're playing in 30 degree weather at night.  I remember seeing snow falling in Colorado during a playoff game many years back.  That's not baseball to me.  Shorten the season fer crying' out loud!

 

Football playoffs are just right, like others have said.  Win or go home - one game at a time.

I do agree that the Playoffs would be better if played in September. Baseball would have to shortened the season by about 30 games for that to happen. I don't see that happening. When the Cubs played the Indians 2 years ago the weather was actually fine though. No snow/1 rain delay and it was in the 50's/60's and we are talking Chicago and Cleveland.

[MB-ColtsFan]

5 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I do agree that the Playoffs would be better if played in September. Baseball would have to shortened the season by about 30 games for that to happen. I don't see that happening. When the Cubs played the Indians 2 years ago the weather was actually fine though. No snow/1 rain delay and it was in the 50's/60's and we are talking Chicago and Cleveland.

Agree.  $$ trumps everything and the owners would never agree in lowering the number of games played as that would cost them dearly.

[Reality Check]

On ‎4‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 9:16 PM, runthepost said:

What if the NFL went to an 8 team playoff in each conference like the NBA? Instead of a first round bye for the top 2 seeds they just gave a bye for all teams after the regular season and start the playoffs then?

I don't like it.

 

There needs to be reward/incentive for being a top 2 record in the conference. 

 

Also, we are having too many "bad" teams get into the playoff already.  By adding 4 more (2 per conference), we will be having sub .500 teams in the playoffs each year.  This just makes the playoff a bigger money-grab for the league but does not improve competition IMO.

[dgambill]

1 hour ago, Reality Check said:

I don't like it.

 

There needs to be reward/incentive for being a top 2 record in the conference. 

 

Also, we are having too many "bad" teams get into the playoff already.  By adding 4 more (2 per conference), we will be having sub .500 teams in the playoffs each year.  This just makes the playoff a bigger money-grab for the league but does not improve competition IMO.

I agree. I however think something will happen during the next player negotiations. The best way to raise revenue for players and owners would be to increase tv revenue. Since adding games is probably a non-starter with all the injuries already...adding a play off game makes a lot of sense. I would say adding a 2-7 game would be the compromise. That is two extra playoff games (nfc/afc) and would generate the most revenue for the league and additional home game for one team so I could see both the league/teams/players getting behind this as opposed to some attempt at 18 games or something. And while I hate watering down the playoffs.....is really anyone going to turn off a playoff game in January? This to me keeps the bye and hfa for the #1 seed important while addressing revenue concerns for the league. It isn't what I would like....but I think a necessary evil...because the league will continue to see tv revenue drop...and will be forced to offset it somehow is my prediction.

[crazycolt1]

16 minutes ago, dgambill said:

I agree. I however think something will happen during the next player negotiations. The best way to raise revenue for players and owners would be to increase tv revenue. Since adding games is probably a non-starter with all the injuries already...adding a play off game makes a lot of sense. I would say adding a 2-7 game would be the compromise. That is two extra playoff games (nfc/afc) and would generate the most revenue for the league and additional home game for one team so I could see both the league/teams/players getting behind this as opposed to some attempt at 18 games or something. And while I hate watering down the playoffs.....is really anyone going to turn off a playoff game in January? This to me keeps the bye and hfa for the #1 seed important while addressing revenue concerns for the league. It isn't what I would like....but I think a necessary evil...because the league will continue to see tv revenue drop...and will be forced to offset it somehow is my prediction.

How can the NFL ask for more TV revenue when the TV audience has decreased?  It has been show that there are fewer people watching the NFL each year.

Changing the playoffs and adding more game would only make for more injuries. These players are already past their max.

[dgambill]

7 hours ago, crazycolt1 said:

How can the NFL ask for more TV revenue when the TV audience has decreased?  It has been show that there are fewer people watching the NFL each year.

Changing the playoffs and adding more game would only make for more injuries. These players are already past their max.

Fans are watching in different ways but the losses are worse for regular season. Adding more regular season games won’t move the needle that much. Add two additional playoff games which get excellent ratings would maximize the NFL and TV channels return. Remember fox and cbs will get greater ad dollars for a playoff game then a regular season game on their channel...and even though football is on the decline it’s still gets a greater tv share then nba, mlb, or any other show on tv minus maybe a presidential debate.