Wild Card Structure

JKool · 01-04-2005, 03:13 PM

Heya guys.

I'm wondering what you think about this:

The Wild Card structure should change such that it is NOT two wild cards from each conference, but merely four wild cards of the best remaining non-division winners.

This would eliminate the problem of teams with a better record not making the playoffs because they are in the better conference. E.g. 9-7 teams in the AFC not making it while an 8-8 team from the NFC does make it.

What say you?

dberce1 · 01-04-2005, 03:16 PM

Hmmmm...now we\'re getting into some BCS type ****.

JKool · 01-04-2005, 03:21 PM

Well dberce, I agree that the BCS is a bit of a mess.

However, my point was just that if you didn\'t use the conferences (of course, divisions would still matter) for anything when deciding the Wild Card teams, you\'d be more likely to get the teams that have the greatest chance of winning into the playoffs (and the teams most deserving, given their win-loss record, would make the playoffs - rather than a bunch of bums who control their own fate and lose making the playoffs over teams with a better record).

Since teams play inter-conference games, unlike in baseball, this doesn\'t appear to me to be a problem on the face of it.

FireVenturi · 01-04-2005, 04:15 PM

Hmmmm...now we\'re getting into some BCS type ****.

Still not a bad idea, but it wont happen

WhoDat · 01-04-2005, 04:42 PM

Then you\'d simply have to take the 16 best teams. I don\'t like that. I like conference lines - it works real well the way it is, if you ask me. I can\'t remember a time when I thought the Super Bowl champs did earn it, or that someone got really snuffed. If it ain\'t broke....

saintswhodi · 01-04-2005, 04:47 PM

TMQ(Tuesday Morning QB) proposed this very thing a few weeks ago on NFL.com. Very interesting idea.

JKool · 01-04-2005, 04:50 PM

Divisional play makes it the case that the division champs should go - they are the best of four teams based on six games (a reliable sample). However, I don\'t see what work the conferences are doing in determining which teams are most deserving - since there are inter-divisional and inter-conference games.

I agree that judging merely on the basis of playoffs that I can\'t think of a SB winner that I didn\'t think deserved it.

However, I frequently think that there are teams that didn\'t make the playoffs that did deserve it AND teams that make the playoffs and then are easily eliminated who didn\'t deserve to be in the playoffs in the first place (since there are better teams in the other conference who have been sent packing because of the structure).

Thus, I think it is \"broke\".

mutineer10 · 01-04-2005, 07:28 PM

So, would this mean conferences are completely thrown out the window when the playoffs begin? I mean, could two AFC teams face each other in the Super Bowl?

Or if you\'re just talking wild cards, what happens to the lopsided conference\'s teams? For example, if there are three AFC teams and one NFC team, does one of the AFC teams get thrown into the NFC\'s playoff bracket? Or would one conference somehow get more wild cards?

I\'m not sure I totally get it, but I don\'t think I like it either way...

Euphoria · 01-04-2005, 07:40 PM

I don\'t think there is anything wrong with the system that is in place. You really don\'t want to dillute the playoffs by having to many teams in it... or you could have everyone in the playoffs - single game elimination and you seed them to the way they finished the season. That way SF could still win it all.

UK_WhoDat · 01-04-2005, 11:06 PM

Hi JKool (Veteran) :bowing to Veteran status:
:yourock:

Er........ Good post but No.

I say the system aint broke. An extreme scenario of your idea, would be zero NFC wildcard teams and 8 AFC wildcard teams.

Supposing an AFC didivison all their inter-conference games against a very weak NFC division. Heck, that\'s 4 wins before you can say \"Bob\'s your uncle\".

If you retained the traditional Superbowl of AFC Champs v NFC Chump; then the AFC wildcard teams would be playing zillions, sorry, a couple of extra games before even getting to the Divisional Playoff games.

Somewhere you would need to factor in strength of schedule. How about multiplying your wins by a factor representing the strength of your opponent. You could then say ABC qualified ahead of XYZ by a factor of 0.09452437. And then factor in a + or - points allowance for playing away or at home.

Maybe- all teams should play each twice; home and away. The World Champions would then be who got most wins on a 62 game schedule; counting number of ties if 2 teams had the same number of wins or should it be looking at head-to-head; etc ad nauseum until we just toss a coin or perhaps placing the teams in alphabetic order.

inkele:

Hey JKool; I am only having a bit of fun.

I still have a lot of mental energy from the damn Brien missed field goal, the Vikes super-flunk, the fall before the rise of the Saints.......

01-04-2005, 03:13 PM	#1
JKool 1000 Posts + Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 2,423	Wild Card Structure Heya guys. I'm wondering what you think about this: The Wild Card structure should change such that it is NOT two wild cards from each conference, but merely four wild cards of the best remaining non-division winners. This would eliminate the problem of teams with a better record not making the playoffs because they are in the better conference. E.g. 9-7 teams in the AFC not making it while an 8-8 team from the NFC does make it. What say you?

01-04-2005, 03:16 PM	#2
dberce1 Chuck Liddells Right Hand Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Prairieville, Louisiana Posts: 1,227	Wild Card Structure Hmmmm...now we\'re getting into some BCS type ****.

01-04-2005, 03:21 PM	#3
JKool 1000 Posts + Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 2,423	Wild Card Structure Well dberce, I agree that the BCS is a bit of a mess. However, my point was just that if you didn\'t use the conferences (of course, divisions would still matter) for anything when deciding the Wild Card teams, you\'d be more likely to get the teams that have the greatest chance of winning into the playoffs (and the teams most deserving, given their win-loss record, would make the playoffs - rather than a bunch of bums who control their own fate and lose making the playoffs over teams with a better record). Since teams play inter-conference games, unlike in baseball, this doesn\'t appear to me to be a problem on the face of it.
	"... I was beating them with my eyes the whole game..." - Aaron Brooks

01-04-2005, 04:15 PM	#4
FireVenturi Cold as Ice! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Da Big Easy Posts: 2,978	Wild Card Structure Hmmmm...now we\'re getting into some BCS type ****. Still not a bad idea, but it wont happen

01-04-2005, 04:42 PM	#5
WhoDat 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 5,631	Wild Card Structure Then you\'d simply have to take the 16 best teams. I don\'t like that. I like conference lines - it works real well the way it is, if you ask me. I can\'t remember a time when I thought the Super Bowl champs did earn it, or that someone got really snuffed. If it ain\'t broke....
WhoDat 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 5,631

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01-04-2005, 04:47 PM	#6
saintswhodi 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 6,941	Wild Card Structure TMQ(Tuesday Morning QB) proposed this very thing a few weeks ago on NFL.com. Very interesting idea.

01-04-2005, 04:50 PM	#7
JKool 1000 Posts + Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 2,423	Wild Card Structure Divisional play makes it the case that the division champs should go - they are the best of four teams based on six games (a reliable sample). However, I don\'t see what work the conferences are doing in determining which teams are most deserving - since there are inter-divisional and inter-conference games. I agree that judging merely on the basis of playoffs that I can\'t think of a SB winner that I didn\'t think deserved it. However, I frequently think that there are teams that didn\'t make the playoffs that did deserve it AND teams that make the playoffs and then are easily eliminated who didn\'t deserve to be in the playoffs in the first place (since there are better teams in the other conference who have been sent packing because of the structure). Thus, I think it is \"broke\".
	"... I was beating them with my eyes the whole game..." - Aaron Brooks

01-04-2005, 07:28 PM	#8
mutineer10 Site Donor Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 1,739	Wild Card Structure So, would this mean conferences are completely thrown out the window when the playoffs begin? I mean, could two AFC teams face each other in the Super Bowl? Or if you\'re just talking wild cards, what happens to the lopsided conference\'s teams? For example, if there are three AFC teams and one NFC team, does one of the AFC teams get thrown into the NFC\'s playoff bracket? Or would one conference somehow get more wild cards? I\'m not sure I totally get it, but I don\'t think I like it either way...

01-04-2005, 07:40 PM	#9
Euphoria 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 7,601 Blog Entries: 5	Wild Card Structure I don\'t think there is anything wrong with the system that is in place. You really don\'t want to dillute the playoffs by having to many teams in it... or you could have everyone in the playoffs - single game elimination and you seed them to the way they finished the season. That way SF could still win it all.

01-04-2005, 11:06 PM	#10
UK_WhoDat 1000 Posts + Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Wherever I lay my hat Posts: 3,881	Wild Card Structure Hi JKool (Veteran) :bowing to Veteran status: :yourock: Er........ Good post but No. I say the system aint broke. An extreme scenario of your idea, would be zero NFC wildcard teams and 8 AFC wildcard teams. Supposing an AFC didivison all their inter-conference games against a very weak NFC division. Heck, that\'s 4 wins before you can say \"Bob\'s your uncle\". If you retained the traditional Superbowl of AFC Champs v NFC Chump; then the AFC wildcard teams would be playing zillions, sorry, a couple of extra games before even getting to the Divisional Playoff games. Somewhere you would need to factor in strength of schedule. How about multiplying your wins by a factor representing the strength of your opponent. You could then say ABC qualified ahead of XYZ by a factor of 0.09452437. And then factor in a + or - points allowance for playing away or at home. Maybe- all teams should play each twice; home and away. The World Champions would then be who got most wins on a 62 game schedule; counting number of ties if 2 teams had the same number of wins or should it be looking at head-to-head; etc ad nauseum until we just toss a coin or perhaps placing the teams in alphabetic order. inkele: Hey JKool; I am only having a bit of fun. I still have a lot of mental energy from the damn Brien missed field goal, the Vikes super-flunk, the fall before the rise of the Saints.......
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