Expanding Playoffs

[CatBoxBackFan]

Report: NFL may expand playoffs


March 18, 2003
NEW YORK (AP) -- NFL owners might vote on a plan to expand the playoffs next season at their meetings in Phoenix, the Daily News reported Tuesday.

The playoffs would increase from six teams to seven per conference if the plan is approved next week, the newspaper reported, citing anonymous sources. The current playoff format has been in place since 1990.

The newspaper reported that the league's competition committee discussed the issue at its meeting in Florida last week, and members were split on the idea. The News said sources indicated the playoff structure will change eventually, but weren't sure when a new plan would take effect.

With seven teams, the newspaper said, only the No. 1 seeds in each conference would get first-round byes -- instead of two under the current format. The other teams would play in the wild-card round.

The News also reported that owners will probably turn down a plan to change overtime rules. The proposal would guarantee each team at least one possession


Anything could help

 

[bratwurst]

How would this work? If you had three teams with a bye in the first round, and four wilcards playing in the first round, then one team would have to be given a bye in the second round.

Am I looking at that right? Two byes in the playoffs isn't right. Besides, having two weeks off could come back to bite some of the teams.

 

[Shane]

Originally posted by bratwurst
How would this work? If you had three teams with a bye in the first round, and four wilcards playing in the first round, then one team would have to be given a bye in the second round.

Am I looking at that right? Two byes in the playoffs isn't right. Besides, having two weeks off could come back to bite some of the teams.

Nope thats wrong you would have one team the overall team with the best record in each conference getting a bye for the first week only.

The next 6 teams would play in the first week of the playoffs after that week is over you would have 4 teams left to play each other the next week! The 3 left standing and the one with the bye!

SOUNDS GREAT I LIKE IT!

 

[bratwurst]

Ok you are right I misread that part. Only the top team in the CONFERENCE.

That actually sounds good to me. I kind of liked having two teams get a bye in the first round, because it lent a little drama to the playoff race, but I like expanding it slightly. More playoff games is not a bad thing!

 

[SECTION 11]

Being a Cardinal fan, I'm all for expanding the playoffs.

 

[Young Gun]

if we finish 9-7, is it possible that we will land a Wild Card spot. Maybe, just maybe, could there be an outside chance at getting a Home playoff game. could it be, could it be.........?

 

[ajcardfan]

I think that they are obviously moving towards eight teams per conference. So, why do this goofy seven team format at all? It gives a huge advantage to the number 1 seed who already has an advantage with homefield. Might as well just go to eight teams. We'll start to see losing records in the playoffs if that happens. But, I agree, as a Cardinals fan that's a GOOD thing!

 

[bratwurst]

8 teams would be half of the teams in each conference. I don't see a problem with that. Anything more than that is too much though.

 

[AntSports Steve]

With 8 teams, you are probably right, some losing teams would end up making the playoffs.

That's why I think they might try 7 teams. They add an extra 2 playoff games (more money), but they still probably won't get a losing team into the playoffs.

If the NFL does get a losing team into the playoffs, it will be because of the new division format, where some really bad divisional winner has a losing record. All the wild card teams will have good records or they won't get in.

 

[bratwurst]

If eight teams from each conference made the playoffs, last year one team would have made the playoffs with a losing record.

Seatle, 7-9 record.

Four teams in the NFC had a 7-9 record but I ?think? Seatle would have won the tiebreaker.

 

[arthurracoon]

More chances of the Cards making the playoffs the merrier!

 

[ajcardfan]

Originally posted by bratwurst
If eight teams from each conference made the playoffs, last year one team would have made the playoffs with a losing record.

Seatle, 7-9 record.

Four teams in the NFC had a 7-9 record but I ?think? Seatle would have won the tiebreaker.

I think you are correct about Seattle brat. The seventh team would've been New Orleans at 9-7. The other 7-9 teams were Washington and St. Louis.

In the AFC, Miami would've been the seventh team at 9-7. New England and Denver were also 9-7. The Pats had a better conference record so I think they would've been the eighth seed.