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Dan Patrick: NFL is going to add 1 wild card team to each conference

RollWave35

RollWave35

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Andrew Perloff @andrewperloff
Dan Patrick says he's been told that the NFL will add a wild card team in both conferences.

Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora
To this point it hasn't been presented to (the owners). Of course, it could be at May meeting. DP may have inside info that enough votes are there


Would mean only the #1 seed in each conference would get a first round bye.
 
don't really like that change. the change they need to make is seeding based on regular season records. all division champions still get it plus 2 wild cards, but division champs shouldn't automatically get a home game.

edit - the other change is to insist on warm weather location or indoor stadium for super bowl.
 
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So I guess you'd go something like:

1st weekend
2 vs. 7
3 vs. 6
4 vs. 5

2nd weekend
2 vs. 3
1 vs. 4 (or lowest seed to advance)

3rd weekend
1 vs. 2
 
CumberlandDeac said:
That's a lot of additional tv $.
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Yeah. Adding back in the Sunday night slot would be big $$$. Saturday at 1 wouldn't do much.

I like the current system, but I completely understand why they're exploring the benefits of going to 14 teams.
 
PhDeac said:
Yeah. Adding back in the Sunday night slot would be big $$$. Saturday at 1 wouldn't do much.

I like the current system, but I completely understand why they're exploring the benefits of going to 14 teams.
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NBC gets a divisional round playoff game starting next year (probably the Saturday night game), and as soon as the playoffs are expanded, ESPN will start getting at least one wild-card round game every year.

It was inevitable that the playoffs were going to expand eventually, especially once the regular-season expansion was effectively shot down by the players union. Got to increase that money coming in somehow.
 
timthedeac said:
don't really like that change. the change they need to make is seeding based on regular season records. all division champions still get it plus 2 wild cards, but division champs shouldn't automatically get a home game.

edit - the other change is to insist on warm weather location or indoor stadium for super bowl.
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From what I've heard this change is coming, too. You currently have teams hosting playoff games that are inferior to the visiting team based not only on (i) their overall record (8-7-1 vs. 12-4), but (ii) the relative strength of their divisions. That is, SF wasn't just better than GB; once you account for the fact that the NFC West was stronger than the NFC North, SF's 12-4 record looks that much better than GB's 8-7-1 record. (To make this point simply, the winning % of SF's opponents was .494; for Green Bay, it was .453.)

Obviously the divisional difference is mitigated somewhat by the fact that San Francisco can't play itself, but especially when you consider that the Niners also played the NFC South teams, this home/away nonsense needs to be corrected ASAP.
 
So this is a slippery slope to an NHL style playoff system? More playoff teams makes the season less meaningful. Also, if division winners don't get home games, then the remaining purpose of divisions is scheduling?
 
awaken said:
So this is a slippery slope to an NHL style playoff system? More playoff teams makes the season less meaningful. Also, if division winners don't get home games, then the remaining purpose of divisions is scheduling?
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Division winners would still get in, they just wouldn't necessarily get home field. So winning the division still gives you a playoff spot, even if you couldn't earn it on record alone.
 
awaken said:
So this is a slippery slope to an NHL style playoff system? More playoff teams makes the season less meaningful. Also, if division winners don't get home games, then the remaining purpose of divisions is scheduling?
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Division winners would get in, just not host a home game. You take the four division winners and then the wild card teams to fill the playoff pool and then the teams are seeded based on record. There is no excuse or reason for why San Fran should have been on the road in Green Bay yesterday.
 
So, if that was the rule this season:

NFC:

1. Seattle bye
7/2. Green Bay @ Carolina (Carolina and SF had the same record, and Carolina won the head to head)
6/3. Arizona @ SF (SF would have to beat AZ back to back weeks)
4/5. Philly @ NO

AFC:

1. Denver bye
7/2 Pitt @ NE
6/3 SD @ Indy (Cincy, KC and Indy all finished 11-5; Indy had the best conf record, Cincy had the 2nd)
4/5 KC @ Cincy
 
It would have made the already amazing NFC even better and it would make the AFC...well....about the same I guess.
 
So let's pretend the NFC West was weak as water and SF just dominated them, and the NFC North was really good and cannibalized itself. Although record could not prove it, GB > SF in this scenario, but SF would get the home game. I think something like this is more likely than what happened this year. btw, I agree that SF > GB this year - just not sure how this cure doesn't cause other issues.
 
The only issue I can see is CBS and FOX may be pissed that they can't do their Winter debuts without going against NFL in prime time. Of course, they wouldn't have a problem if they alternated that Sunday night slot.
 
The divisions are set up in North, East, South and West. This way there will be games broadcast in all time zones since these teams are all regionalized. This avoids the east coast having three teams playing at home and only two good time slots. Basically just making sure every game is televised without any possible conflict with other games.
 
Even though I wouldn't have gotten to see the playoff game this year as the Eagles would've been on the road, I'm all for the change giving the team with the better record the home game. It still pisses me off that Arizona was home for the NFC Championship Game a few years ago against the Eagles who had a better record, but were a wild card. Despite great weather, the Cards shut the dome to up the noise further increasing their unearned advantage (that's another thing I hate - NFL games were meant to be played outside and are a much more enjoyable viewing experience that way).

The other good thing about making record the venue determinant is that it will be far less likely that games will be meaningless at the end of the regular season of which there are far too many instances now. Not in favor of increasing the number of playoff teams though. Regular season is really special and earning a trip into the playoffs is always a good achievement. Would rather not see that lessened.
 
york1313 said:
The divisions are set up in North, East, South and West. This way there will be games broadcast in all time zones since these teams are all regionalized. This avoids the east coast having three teams playing at home and only two good time slots. Basically just making sure every game is televised without any possible conflict with other games.
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Never thought of that angle. Problem is both conferences have those divisions and easily two teams from the East could play at the same time.
 
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