The NFL wants to expand the NFL playoffs from its’ current format of six teams in each conference. Using this format, the division winners from each conference receive a playoff home game and the two best records have a bye until the divisional round. The final playoff spots from both conferences are the Wild Cards. These teams are the two best records who aren’t the division winners. The NFL has talked about adding another Wild Card team in both conferences.
The reasoning for this is there have been teams winning a division who didn’t have a winning record. Those teams were the 2010 Seattle Seahawks at 7-9, the 2012 Denver Broncos who went 8-8, and the 2014 Carolina Panthers at 7-8-1. All won their opening round home playoff game. When these teams made the playoffs, a team with a winning record was unable to receive a playoff spot.
The NFL has discussed adding another team, which would make the total of playoff teams 14. The only bye would be the team with the best record in both conferences. It won’t happen this season. New York Giants Owner, John Marra said,” We’re going to discuss the expanded playoffs, but I don’t think there is a proposal out there to make any changes. I think it’s going to happen at some point. It just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen next year.”
There are many reasons preventing this from happening this year. Playoff games are played on Saturday and Sunday for the Divisional and Wild Card rounds. The championship games are on Sunday. Adding another playoff team would force the NFL to possibly have a game on Monday night. The NFL doesn’t want to create a conflict between their playoffs and the college football playoffs. Other factors to changing the playoff format in the NFL include game times and which network would broadcast them.
We will see a change to the NFL playoffs. It seems adding a playoff team is coming our way. The NFL shouldn’t change the format. It has worked since 2002. The only reason there is heat to modify is because, since 2010, three teams who had a record of .500 or less made the playoffs. Keep it the way it is.
Should the NFL change the playoffs?
I can’t see the value of adding more playoff games. Get rid of preseason games first before anything else gets changed.
If you get rid of any preseason games then you have to add regular season games. I would be all for an 18 game schedule and each team should get two byes. Playoffs shouldn’t be changed for sure.