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One of the best things the NFL has always had going for it was how important its regular season feels. The nature of a condensed schedule means every weekly game carries extra meaning. On a deeper level, the subplot of a division title race, even between mediocre teams in one distinct region of the country, adds intrigue to a season that would've otherwise ceaselessly dragged on. It's a small but significant wrinkle that has helped the NFL separate itself from other major American sports leagues over the years.
And the Detroit Lions are ready to do away with it entirely.
On Wednesday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the Lions have proposed shifting how the NFL's annual playoff picture is structured. They want the league to seed wild card teams higher than division winners if they have better records. This would, theoretically, give high-level wild card teams a home playoff game instead of forcing them to go on the road in the first round of the postseason. Any potential shift will be voted on at the NFL's owners meetings from March 30 to April 2.
On its face, the change feels logical. It is a tad silly watching 14-win squads like last year's Minnesota Vikings have to open the crucible of January on the road. But this possibility still misses the forest for the trees in a fashion the NFL can't lose sight of in the long term:
We're in a place here where the NFL needs to strike a delicate balance.
So, do you wanna know a good solution for elite wild card teams to host postseason games in the future? They could, you know, win their divisions. They could, you know, finish with the best record amongst the four teams they are grouped together within their conference. I'm well aware this is a novel concept, but it's something everyone should remember: you are actually extremely allowed to win more football games than the three other teams you face the most over the course of the entire year. No one is proposing a ban on that possibility.
I'm not saying I'm entirely against the Lions' proposal. A great wild-card NFL team probably should have a higher seed in most circumstances. It's only fair. But rivalry, no matter how manufactured, gives a sport life. If the NFL is to follow through on what the Lions want here, I'd like there to be a measure of nuance. Maybe division winners in subpar divisions only get to host a home playoff game if they're under .500. Maybe only the No. 4 seed division winner is in real danger of losing its homefield advantage to a top wild-card squad. Things like that come most to mind.
Because if the NFL starts tinkering with a playoff format that makes the regular season less meaningless, it's playing with fire. Its regular-season product is its best, most consistent, and most compelling. Even in a lost season for lots of teams and their respective fanbases, there is tremendous value in watching a heated win over your division rival that potentially turns the tide of the division title race. Ask a Chicago Bears fan how they feel about playing spoiler to a good Packers' season. Talk to a New Orleans Saints fan and get their thoughts on beating the Atlanta Falcons out of the playoff picture in December when their team is irrelevant.
They'll say the same thing (though not in my words): there is value in winning a micro-battle with three other teams that doesn't have to amount to anything else after the fact.
Not everything has to be about the big picture. Not everything has to build toward The Big Game in February. That's not what this beautifully flawed sport should be all about. Sometimes, giving morose football fans a carrot in November and December, even when there's nothing for them to look forward to afterward, means the world.
Want elite wild-card teams to stop getting the short end of the stick? Tell them to win their divisions. Don't lower the spice level of an NFL regular season that doesn't need more unnecessary tinkering.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Lions propose top NFL wild cards get higher seeds in dramatic shift
Continue reading...
And the Detroit Lions are ready to do away with it entirely.
On Wednesday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the Lions have proposed shifting how the NFL's annual playoff picture is structured. They want the league to seed wild card teams higher than division winners if they have better records. This would, theoretically, give high-level wild card teams a home playoff game instead of forcing them to go on the road in the first round of the postseason. Any potential shift will be voted on at the NFL's owners meetings from March 30 to April 2.
On its face, the change feels logical. It is a tad silly watching 14-win squads like last year's Minnesota Vikings have to open the crucible of January on the road. But this possibility still misses the forest for the trees in a fashion the NFL can't lose sight of in the long term:
We're in a place here where the NFL needs to strike a delicate balance.
So, do you wanna know a good solution for elite wild card teams to host postseason games in the future? They could, you know, win their divisions. They could, you know, finish with the best record amongst the four teams they are grouped together within their conference. I'm well aware this is a novel concept, but it's something everyone should remember: you are actually extremely allowed to win more football games than the three other teams you face the most over the course of the entire year. No one is proposing a ban on that possibility.
I'm not saying I'm entirely against the Lions' proposal. A great wild-card NFL team probably should have a higher seed in most circumstances. It's only fair. But rivalry, no matter how manufactured, gives a sport life. If the NFL is to follow through on what the Lions want here, I'd like there to be a measure of nuance. Maybe division winners in subpar divisions only get to host a home playoff game if they're under .500. Maybe only the No. 4 seed division winner is in real danger of losing its homefield advantage to a top wild-card squad. Things like that come most to mind.
Because if the NFL starts tinkering with a playoff format that makes the regular season less meaningless, it's playing with fire. Its regular-season product is its best, most consistent, and most compelling. Even in a lost season for lots of teams and their respective fanbases, there is tremendous value in watching a heated win over your division rival that potentially turns the tide of the division title race. Ask a Chicago Bears fan how they feel about playing spoiler to a good Packers' season. Talk to a New Orleans Saints fan and get their thoughts on beating the Atlanta Falcons out of the playoff picture in December when their team is irrelevant.
They'll say the same thing (though not in my words): there is value in winning a micro-battle with three other teams that doesn't have to amount to anything else after the fact.
Not everything has to be about the big picture. Not everything has to build toward The Big Game in February. That's not what this beautifully flawed sport should be all about. Sometimes, giving morose football fans a carrot in November and December, even when there's nothing for them to look forward to afterward, means the world.
Want elite wild-card teams to stop getting the short end of the stick? Tell them to win their divisions. Don't lower the spice level of an NFL regular season that doesn't need more unnecessary tinkering.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Lions propose top NFL wild cards get higher seeds in dramatic shift
Continue reading...
