NFL playoff seeding revision?

[Da Bomb]

Does it really seem fair to everyone that Pittsburgh and Carolina get free passes this weekend while both #1 seeds are fighting tooth and nail in coin flip games?

Remember those two huge matchups a couple of weeks ago? It turns out, you'd have rather lost it. Pitt and Carolina get a couple of East-travelling teams lucky to even be in the playoffs at 9-7 and 8-8, the two worst records in the playoffs. Meanwhile NY and Tenn are both playing the proverbial "team no one wants to play," both with better records. How does this make any sense?

It's time for the NFL to move to a seeded tournament. Here's what it would've looked like if the conferences kept their own teams:

NFC
(1) NY Giants vs bye
(2) Carolina vs bye
(3) Atlanta vs (6) Arizona (or preferably Tampa or Dallas)
(4) Minnesota vs (5) Philadelphia

Not much different there, except you have to believe Atlanta would've won on it's home turf and they certainly wouldn't be 10 point dogs to Carolina. Or if Arizona did win, then the Giants would get to play them instead of the Eagles.

AFC
(1) Tennessee vs bye
(2) Pittsburgh vs bye
(3) Indianapolis vs (6) San Diego (or preferably New England)
(4) Baltimore vs (5) Miami

Both games would've been the same, except the wrong teams got the home game. Baltimore would have dominated even more, but do you think Indy loses at home? Or if you're forgoing divisions, then you get another awesome Indy / New England first round matchup. And again here if the Chargers get the upset win, now Tennessee is rewarded by getting them instead of the hot Ravens.

Just seems like it's time to make a chance. It's absolutely silly for these awful division champs to be labelled as the #4 seed and get an automatic home game. If you want an auto spot maybe, fine, then they can have that, but at least seed it appropriately! Seed by record. Or at the VERY least, let the team with the best record host the game period.

Even better in my opinion would be to forgo the conferences completely. It'll never happen but imagine a tournament like this:

(1) Tennessee home vs
(9) New England @ (8) Atlanta

(4) Indianapolis home vs
(12) Dallas @ (5) Carolina

(2) Pittsburgh home vs
(10) Philadelphia @ (7) Miami

(3) NY Giants home vs
(11) NY Jets @ (6) Baltimore

That 8-9 matchup would be hot every year. And you wouldn't want to watch Dallas and Carolina duke it out for a shot at Indy? You wouldn't tune in for potential inner-state battles in New York and Pennsylvania in the second weekend? I don't see a single wasted matchup on there. Even if one of the lower seeds upsets, I don't see any home team being a 10 point favorite.

Ugh. If only...

 

[Mike]

Don't like it. If you win your division, you are in. It is very rare that an 11 win team misses the playoffs, but if it happens, so be it.

As for Atlanta, they simply should have won on the road and they didn't get the job done.

Tampa and Dallas both had ample opportunity to get into the playoffs, and both crumbled under the December pressure. I don't care to see either team in the playoffs.

The NFL playoffs is fine the way it is.

 

[Miller]

I think they need to keep who gets into the playoffs alone. Division winners need to get a spot.

However, what they don't need to be given is a home game.....record should be the seeding factor. There is no reason for Arizona and San Diego to have had home games this past weekend. Both those teams should have been packing their bags and hitting the hotel last weekend.

In fact, things would have been A LOT different......
Indy would not only have stayed home, they would have been relaxing at home with a bye as the #2 seed due to a win over Pitt and winning the tiebreaker.

The AFC seeding and wildcard seeding should have been:
1. Tennessee - Bye
2. Indy - Bye
3. Pittsburgh
4. Miami
5. Baltimore
6. San Diego

This would have left us with SD @ Pitt & Balt @ Mia (same)
SD going east and playing at Pitt would have been a more difficult road for sure for SD last weekend.

NFC:
1. Giants
2. Panthers
3. Atlanta
4. Minny
5. Philly
6. Arizona

This would have just flipped the home team in the zona' Atlanta game. Seen Atlanta at home this year? Yeah, that could have easily been reversed...

Interesting to think about....
We could be looking at Baltimore @ Tenn & Pitt @ Indy :wow:
Philly @ Giants & Falcons @ Panthers

 

[Sgt John]

But we dont, and lets remember, some playoff is better than none at all :bcssucks:

 

[Beermutts]

Indy would not only have stayed home, they would have been relaxing at home with a bye as the #2 seed due to a win over Pitt and winning the tiebreaker.

The AFC seeding and wildcard seeding should have been:
1. Tennessee - Bye
2. Indy - Bye
3. Pittsburgh
4. Miami
5. Baltimore
6. San Diego

Ravens had the same record as the Dolphins and beat them in the regular season so they would get the 4 seed and a home game.....

 

[Miller]

Good call....doesn't do anything but make it a home ass kicking, but yeah, you would flip them as well.