I understand the argument but the reason that conference record doesn't mean beans compared to division is because all the teams in a conference cannot possibly play all of the other teams in a conference. Then we would be having the "yeah they had a good record but look who they played" conversation.

Let's please never ever ever ever bring "strength of schedule" in the mix.

It is fine the way it is.

If it isn't broke don't fix it. I haven't been convinced that there is anything wrong with the system. Everything isn't perfect and any changes made someone isn't going to be happy.

I could careless who hosts a damn Wild-Card Game. Win the Division, finish with the best record you host through-out the playoffs. Anything short of that it just doesn't matter. Flip a coin for all I care.

The most important thing is that we make the play-offs.

As I said in another thread, if it were me...



Top 2 seeds (based on records and tiebreakers, not on division winners) get byes.

Other 4 seeded by record, but keep the division winners in the playoffs no matter their record is. Also use head-head on teams tied (ie Philly - GB) instead of seeding the division winner higher...

For this year it would be:

#1 Falcons 13-3
#2 Saints 11-5 (9-3 in NFC)
#3 Bears 11-5 (8-4 in NFC)
#4 Packers 10-6 (beat Eagles)
#5 Eagles 10-6
#6 NFC West winner

It should mean you make the playoffs, no more.

I mean christ how can you justify Seattle playing in a division as weak as theirs and not having more wins?

We play in a divy where the top 3 teams have 10, 11, and 13 wins.

I agree that the division winner should make the playoffs, but after that they should reseat.

Think about this- how many week 17 games would have been played full out for a chance at either a bye or home game?

It will improve the game overall. I do agree with allowing division winners to make the playoffs.

It is broke

I agree- division winners should make playoffs. if not then you ruin the importance of the divisions, but they should reseat

It isn't broke...

You win your division or shut up. Unless you want to do away with division's all together and I don't see that happening... NFL has a system of creating rivals with the division. That adds a certain element to it. If you re-seed then Divisions mean nothing. 40 years don't count they had it all wrong. C'mon.

We could then start a season much like the NCAA basketball tournement. Everyone is in at the start of the season. So everyone has a 'fair chance'. Nothing is broke, if one says it is broke that means for the past

It's fine, ball just didn't bounce our way this year.

That doesn't make any sense. I already said that the division winner should make the playoffs. So Tampa still would not have made it this year.

If it was you win your division or shut up then you wouldn't have wild card teams. You would have 4 teams and 4 teams only. All I said is that they should reseat before the first playoff game. There should be no extra benefit of winning your division beside making the playoffs.

If the NFL wants every game to be competitive, and if they want teams to play every week- well this is one way to accomplish this.

changing the playoff format would be as reactionary as changing the overtime format. I disagree with both.