Reformat Playoff Seeding

[crisper57]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...looming-nfl-must-reconsider-playoff-structure

NFL.com has an article talking about how the playoff seeding structure must change. And you'll never believe it. They use the "plight of the Cardinals" as their prime example!

Who'da thunk it?

First things first: The plight of the Cardinals. At 9-5, Arizona has been surprisingly good, already clinching a winning season in Year 1 under Bruce Arians. With remaining games against the Seattle Seahawks (away) and San Francisco 49ers (home), the Cardinals could very well lose out, finish at 9-7 and not have much of a beef for missing the playoffs. But the Cardinals could also win their last two games, finish at 11-5 ... and still miss the playoffs. In that scenario, Arizona would become just the second 11-5 team to miss the playoffs in the 12-team format, joining the 2008 New England Patriots.

For teams that come up just short, there could be help on the way. At the NFL Fall Meeting in October, commissioner Roger Goodell said the competition committee will continue to examine playoff expansion to 14 teams. With seven playoff teams in each conference, only the No. 1 overall seed would get a bye out of the wild-card weekend, and the league would have two more lucrative playoff games to sell to networks.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

With that kind of thinking, the Cardinals never go to the Super Bowl.

Rules are rules, and the game is the game.

Life is not fair, and neither is sports.

 

[crisper57]

I think it is funny that anyone in the National Media is saying, "Oh those poor Arizona Cardinals. Let's change the rules because they are getting screwed!"

When has that ever happened for a non-NFCE/Patriots/Steelers team, much less us?

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I think it is funny that anyone in the National Media is saying, "Oh those poor Arizona Cardinals. Let's change the rules because they are getting screwed!"

When has that ever happened for a non-NFCE/Patriots/Steelers team, much less us?

Long, long time, if ever.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I think it is funny that anyone in the National Media is saying, "Oh those poor Arizona Cardinals. Let's change the rules because they are getting screwed!"

When has that ever happened for a non-NFCE/Patriots/Steelers team, much less us?

Lot of closet Cardinals fans in the media.

 

[ajcardfan]

The "uproar" over an 11-5 Cardinals team missing the playoffs isn't going to be anything like the year New England didn't get in. It also isn't going to be as loud as the complaining about how we hosted the NFC championship game against the Eagles who had a better overall record.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Lot of closet Cardinals fans in the media.

For sure! Check this out: http://www.azcentral.com/video/2944850562001. About 1/2 way thru, a closet fan who is extremely well-known, steps out of the closer!!!

 

[ajcardfan]

For sure! Check this out: http://www.azcentral.com/video/2944850562001. About 1/2 way thru, a closet fan who is extremely well-known, steps out of the closer!!!

I remember him saying he hated both the Giants and Patriots, and only liked one team, the Cardinals, on Jay Leno the week before the Super Bowl a couple of years ago. I backed the DVR up to hear him say it again, because it was so surreal.

 

[ajcardfan]

For sure! Check this out: http://www.azcentral.com/video/2944850562001. About 1/2 way thru, a closet fan who is extremely well-known, steps out of the closer!!!

Here is a thread from this board about when he was on Leno:

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f4/surprise-cardinal-rooter-175506.html

 

[cardncubfan]

Here is a thread from this board about when he was on Leno:

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f4/surprise-cardinal-rooter-175506.html

I'm not a big Country Western music fan but he is one of my favorites.

 

[Cardsfanstl]

Do not follow country music and have no idea who he is but that was awesome. Brought some co workers over to listen to it and they said he sounds just like me.

 

[BillsCarnage]

Seriously folks.. There is one reason and one reason only the NFL would expand the number of playoff teams.

Anyone care to take a guess?

 

[82CardsGrad]

Seriously folks.. There is one reason and one reason only the NFL would expand the number of playoff teams.

Anyone care to take a guess?

Same reason behind all of there moves... $$$$$$$$$$$

 

[kerouac9]

The article really isn't so much about re-seeding the playoffs as it is about expanding the playoffs to 14 teams.

It's more money to the league, which I suppose trickles down to the players, but I kind of like the NFL structure the way it is now. Yes, sometimes bad teams make the playoffs, and sometimes good teams get left out. But I don't know if you screw up something that works 80% of the time.

Except millions of dollars are at stake, so it'll be tinkered with. Better than an 18-game season, that's for sure.

 

[Hollywood]

expanding the playoffs would mean teams with a loosing record would get in.

 

[MadCardDisease]

The article really isn't so much about re-seeding the playoffs as it is about expanding the playoffs to 14 teams.

It's more money to the league, which I suppose trickles down to the players, but I kind of like the NFL structure the way it is now. Yes, sometimes bad teams make the playoffs, and sometimes good teams get left out. But I don't know if you screw up something that works 80% of the time.

Except millions of dollars are at stake, so it'll be tinkered with. Better than an 18-game season, that's for sure.

Yeah the 18 game season is such a bad idea. I like the way the playoff are right now but if they added a few more wild card teams it wouldn't be the worst thing the NFL has tried.

 

[crisper57]

Yeah and 18 game season is such a bad idea. I like the way the playoff are right now but if they added a few more wild card teams it wouldn't be the worst thing the NFL has tried.

2 more games of playoff football? Sign me up!

Making the #1 seed even more coveted because it is the only one getting a Bye? Not that bad either.

Making Division Championships meaningless in the playoffs? Not a fan of this.

 

[crisper57]

expanding the playoffs would mean teams with a loosing record would get in.

That's already happened.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Making the #1 seed even more coveted because it is the only one getting a Bye? Not that bad either.

That's one option.

Or they could give all division winners a bye and have 4 wild cards per conference.

 

[ajcardfan]

That's one option.

Or they could give all division winners a bye and have 4 wild cards per conference.

Then you would have six teams playing in the next round. That wouldn't work very well.

 

[cardpa]

Actually I have no problem leaving the playoff format as it is and if we don't get in, so be it. Being in the same company as the Patriots at 11-5 and not getting in is being in good company and may be a foreboding sign for the team's future. Can you imagine the Cardinals being mentioned in the same breath as the Patriots, Broncos, and Packers on a regular basis as annual playoff Super Bowl contenders. What a blast that would be.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Then you would have six teams playing in the next round. That wouldn't work very well.

Right and the wild card winners would play the lower two Division winners. Kind of like it is now. Basically adding an extra week of playoffs.

 

[ajcardfan]

Right and the wild card winners would play the lower two Division winners. Kind of like it is now. Basically adding an extra week of playoffs.

So, you have the top 2 teams getting two byes?

 

[MadCardDisease]

So, you have the top 2 teams getting two byes?

Top 2 from each conference would get two bye weeks in this format.

 

[Totally_Red]

I like adding 2 teams to the playoffs and not just because the Cardinals would probably make it this year.

1. It is still a minority of teams making the playoffs.
2. It limits the bye to only one team per conference. The best record, and only the best record, should be rewarded with a bye IMO.
3. When you have a dominant division like the NFC West, it gives the opportunity for teams which are very, very good but still don't qualify, an opportunity to go on a playoff run.
4. The NFL already plays three games on Sundays. It shouldn't be difficult to schedule 3 games each on Saturday and Sunday of wild card weekend.
5. It makes the final weekend of the season even more meaningful, because there should be more teams within reach of a playoff berth.
6. It rewards teams that catch fire later in the season, but don't quite qualify under the current system.