This is what the country is coming to. Nobody wants to work for anything. They want everything handed to them or made easier. No offense, but higher standards are needed. It creates a higher level of competition and greater results. I completely disagree with this mindset.

 

GO JAGS!!

 

 

Excellent comments!   

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NBA and NHL are exactly why I would be against it. Just be good enough to not suck the worst and you're in the playoffs...

 

 As recently as 2 seasons ago,  the # 8 Western Conference seeded Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup.    It's hard for me to take a league seriously when a # 1 seed has to play a # 8 seed in the playoffs.   What is the purpose of finishing as a # 1 seed?   One extra home game per round isn't remotely close enough to provide incentive in a sport that home ice advantage is relatively minimal.   

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that's the best thing I've ever read on this board. if I was wearing a cap I'd tip it. thank you you sir you are gentleman and a scholar.

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And cause I was a gazillionaire, and I liked doin it so much, I cut that grass for free.

There will only be one team in each conference getting the bye week in the playoffs, under the new system, should it happen, IIRC. 

 

 

I remember when there used to be as many as 3 teams earning bye weeks. Winning the division earned you a bye week back in the 80's...

 

The 80's were yet again the golden age of something else 

Football in the 80s was not nearly as exciting as it is today, don't kid yourself. 

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I just don't get why people think adding one team per conference is SUCH A BIG DEAL

 

And people keep saying, "Oh no, we are going to be like the NBA."  Well, the NBA is actually growing in popularity. I'm not a fan of the NBA, but when playoffs come around it becomes more interesting.

 

Adding one more team to the playoff system is not going to ruin the league.

 

You pretty much described the problem right there.

 

You lose interest in the regular season, until things become interesting in the playoffs.  

 

It's SUCH A BIG DEAL because one team loses it's bye.  One team is added to the playoffs.  TWO games are added to wild card weekend.  It dilutes the pool of teams that make it.  And it makes the regular season even less important.  

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

We've already seen 7-9 teams go to the playoffs. Is 6-10 possible?

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Just the latest in [BAD WORD REMOVED] poor decisions by Goodell if this happens. 

 

The guy has systematically worsened NFL football since he took over from Tagliabue. 

 

 

With 32 teams, & 12 teams making the playoffs, its perfect. It actually feels like an accomplishment when teams make the playoffs under the current system.

 

I don't want the NFL to feel like the NHL and NBA in terms of making the playoffs. 

 

You mean the same Tagliabue who expanded the season, even though many said it was perfect as it was and the league couldn't sustain more games?

 

That guy?

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The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.

This subject is truly amusing. I especially love the one about "that's what this country is coming to" ... Comedy gold.

 

Imagine - business men taking steps to increase business and profits. Horrors. Why give Goodell all the heat? You do know this is coming from the owners, right? You know, Shad Khan and his buddies. I thought Khan and his new best friends are business geniuses. But not on this?

 

You guys are acting as if not one of you is younger than seventy.

 

Of course, to preserve the American Way, or whatever, you're going to boycott and not watch a minute of the first round? Sure you will.

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The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.

You pretty much described the problem right there.


You lose interest in the regular season, until things become interesting in the playoffs.


It's SUCH A BIG DEAL because one team loses it's bye. One team is added to the playoffs. TWO games are added to wild card weekend. It dilutes the pool of teams that make it. And it makes the regular season even less important.

I disagree. The reg season is boring in those sports because they play 10x more games.


The reg season will always be meaningful in football because you only get 16 games to earn a spot.

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I disagree. The reg season is boring in those sports because they play 10x more games.


The reg season will always be meaningful in football because you only get 16 games to earn a spot.

 

I'll provide an example of something I'm concerned about even with a 7 team per conference playoff format.

 

Lets suppose that the Bengals are 11-4 and have clinched the AFC North Title.   With the Ravens and Steelers at 9-6 and scheduled to face each other on the final Sunday of the regular season.    With a 6 team playoff,  a realistic scenario could be the winner makes the playoffs and the loser is out of the playoffs.   With a 7 team playoff format,  both have already clinched a playoff spot in this scenario.    With the winner of the Jets-Dolphins game making the playoffs as the 7th seed.   Both teams enter the final Sunday with a 7-8 record.   Instead of having the meaningful game between two 9-6 teams,  the meaningful game now is between 7-8 teams.   The emphasis of an expanded playoff format is on the teams with lower win totals.    It decreases the quality of the product.

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I'll provide an example of something I'm concerned about even with a 7 team per conference playoff format.

 

Lets suppose that the Bengals are 11-4 and have clinched the AFC North Title.   With the Ravens and Steelers at 9-6 and scheduled to face each other on the final Sunday of the regular season.    With a 6 team playoff,  a realistic scenario could be the winner makes the playoffs and the loser is out of the playoffs.   With a 7 team playoff format,  both have already clinched a playoff spot in this scenario.    With the winner of the Jets-Dolphins game making the playoffs as the 7th seed.   Both teams enter the final Sunday with a 7-8 record.   Instead of having the meaningful game between two 9-6 teams,  the meaningful game now is between 7-8 teams.   The emphasis of an expanded playoff format is on the teams with lower win totals.    It decreases the quality of the product.

 

This is a very good point.  When the NFL began putting several divisional games in the last few games of the season for each team it created a situation where every year there are play-in games which are virtually playoff games and this was a brilliant idea that in retrospect should have been done a long time ago.  Adding the 7th playoff team per conference diminishes what was previously accomplished not that long ago with shifting those divisional games.

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For clarification, I realize that play-in games did occur prior to divisional games being shifted to the end of the season, but the divisional game shift makes them occur every year and in greater number.

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This is a very good point.  When the NFL began putting several divisional games in the last few games of the season for each team it created a situation where every year there are play-in games which are virtually playoff games and this was a brilliant idea that in retrospect should have been done a long time ago.  Adding the 7th playoff team per conference diminishes what was previously accomplished not that long ago with shifting those divisional games.

 

Thanks.

 

Excellent description on why the impact of having all divisional games in week # 17 will be reduced by expanding the playoffs.   The NFL is looking at expanded playoffs as another money tree but they aren't noticing or taking seriously consequences of having expanded playoffs.

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Thanks.

 

Excellent description on why the impact of having all divisional games in week # 17 will be reduced by expanding the playoffs.   The NFL is looking at expanded playoffs as another money tree but they aren't noticing or taking seriously consequences of having expanded playoffs.

 

This commissioner is proving that his loyalties lie where the dollar signs are the greatest.  Watering down the playoffs is secondary to nailing down $100 million per game. 

 

On a different note, David, are you going to be in the city for the draft this year?

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Just the latest in [BAD WORD REMOVED] poor decisions by Goodell if this happens. 

 

The guy has systematically worsened NFL football since he took over from Tagliabue. 

 

 

With 32 teams, & 12 teams making the playoffs, its perfect. It actually feels like an accomplishment when teams make the playoffs under the current system.

 

I don't want the NFL to feel like the NHL and NBA in terms of making the playoffs. 

I agree completely with this.

 

It's the perfect number of teams in the postseason now.

 

There's enough spots to give fanbases all over the hope of contention late in the season, but it's exclusive enough such that it's saying something when you make the playoffs.

 

Adding another team to each conference only decreases the quality of the product, since inferior teams are more likely to make the playoffs, and increase the likelihood of injury for what would otherwise be a 2nd seeded team.

 

If you increase the number of playoff teams and eliminate the first round bye for 2nd seeded teams, you'd only serve to have some teams rest starters in the late regular season games.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

I agree completely with this.

 

It's the perfect number of teams in the postseason now.

 

There's enough spots to give fanbases all over the hope of contention late in the season, but it's exclusive enough such that it's saying something when you make the playoffs.

 

Adding another team to each conference only decreases the quality of the product, since inferior teams are more likely to make the playoffs, and increase the likelihood of injury for what would otherwise be a 2nd seeded team.

 

If you increase the number of playoff teams and eliminate the first round bye for 2nd seeded teams, you'd only serve to have some teams rest starters in the late regular season games.

 

Expanding the playoffs beyond what they are today would be the equivalent to giving everyone participation trophies.  It hurts the product quality for the sake of the almighty dollar. 

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

To D6,

 

I guess I don't really care about that.  Maybe I'm just selfish.  I just care about my team having a shot.  Expanding the playoffs only gives them a better shot at winning a championship.

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 As recently as 2 seasons ago,  the # 8 Western Conference seeded Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup.    It's hard for me to take a league seriously when a # 1 seed has to play a # 8 seed in the playoffs.   What is the purpose of finishing as a # 1 seed?   One extra home game per round isn't remotely close enough to provide incentive in a sport that home ice advantage is relatively minimal.   

 

Excellent point D6!! 

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Football in the 80s was not nearly as exciting as it is today, don't kid yourself. 

 

Oh, I dunno.....at least we had kickoff returns... :whistling: 

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To D6,

 

I guess I don't really care about that.  Maybe I'm just selfish.  I just care about my team having a shot.  Expanding the playoffs only gives them a better shot at winning a championship.

 

It really doesn't though.


If the Jags get a 2 seed, they would have to play three games instead of just two.  Granted one of them would be against a fairly easy team at home, but you can't count anyone out.  And if you get the 7 seed, you're facing the 2nd best team in the conference.  Again, not unwinnable, but I don't see it as improving the chances.  Especially considering the team is more likely ready for a Super Bowl with a 2 seed.  Which is when they'd be decreasing our chances of winning.

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke.