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Should the Playoff format change (used to be the Dallas- Bears TNF thread)

Malfatron

By Malfatron
in NFL General

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who loses  

60 members have voted

  1. 1. who wins


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TecmoSuperJoe

TecmoSuperJoe

Posted
Posted (edited)
41 minutes ago, DannyB said:

For the record, if two teams are doing so well that they are duking it out for both the division title and comfortably ahead of other divisional leaders, then there's probably a bye week on the line. Methinks teams will definitely want to battle for that.

Then just do away with divisions, and focus on record. Playoff spots are guaranteed by games won and/or SOS only now. It's only fair.

Edited by PapaShogun
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TecmoSuperJoe

TecmoSuperJoe

Posted
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1 hour ago, Jakuvious said:

Your suggestion that a team is going to just stop caring because they don't need to win their division to get a home game doesn't make any sense. Every team wants the highest seed they can get. You're still fighting for bye weeks, for more potential home games, for a weaker opposition in the early games, etc. It isn't like San Fran is going to stop giving a damn about their last few games because they don't need to top Seattle for a home game. There are plenty of other reasons for them to still want to end the year above Seattle.

The goal is to win as many games as possible. Winning your division is a result of that, not the cause. Removing a perk for winning a division doesn't make a team stop wanting to win more games. Your argument here makes no fundamental sense.

Then just win as many games as possible without having divisions exist. But how do you know your playoff spot is guaranteed? Win enough games, because records.

Also, division games are a money making machine for the league, and fan love them. There is greater incentive to win the division due to having only a division winner get to host a playoff game, and the loser having to hit the road. That dynamic takes a hit if you simply reseed by record, and essentially not punish a team for failing to win their division.

Edited by PapaShogun
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DannyB

DannyB

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25 minutes ago, PapaShogun said:

Then just do away with divisions, and focus on record. Playoff spots are guaranteed by games won and/or SOS only now. It's only fair.

Because i DO like the divisional format for rivalries. I've just never rooted through the season being like "oh man, I hope we beat the Vikings and the Bears so we get that homefield game!" It's first and foremost for the right to be in the playoffs at all.

Furthermore, the divisions help with scheduling and travel, things like that.

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Jakuvious

Jakuvious

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21 minutes ago, PapaShogun said:

Then just win as many games as possible without having divisions exist. But how do you know your playoff spot is guaranteed? Win enough games, because records.

Your unwillingness to recognize a middle ground between division wins leading to a top 4 seed and home game, and divisions being eliminated, is a waste of everyone's time. You're making a slippery slope argument that taking a guaranteed home game away from division winners means we should get rid of divisions entirely. That doesn't make sense, isn't what anyone's arguing, and isn't useful to either side in the debate.

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Jakuvious

Jakuvious

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58 minutes ago, berlin calling said:

why even have divisions when it would have no influence on playoff seeding whatsoever?

sounds stupid AF to me.

Schedule structure, maintaining rivalries, and a playoff berth.

A single guaranteed home game is not why divisions exist. So divisions would still have purpose without it.

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TecmoSuperJoe

TecmoSuperJoe

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Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, DannyB said:

Because i DO like the divisional format for rivalries. I've just never rooted through the season being like "oh man, I hope we beat the Vikings and the Bears so we get that homefield game!" It's first and foremost for the right to be in the playoffs at all.

Furthermore, the divisions help with scheduling and travel, things like that.

Divisions were orginally organized for travel purposes, but traveling is a lot easier than it was decades earlier. Especially when you have teams going to London now.

A lot of fans like the division format for rivalries too. They like them because there is a quality reward for winning them, and a punishment for failing to. The league won't mess with the scratch that this dynamic attracts. 

Take this year for example. The 49ers and Seahawks have a potential date with destiny in week 17. The stakes are could be quite high, with a victory that could merit the reward of having the number one seed in the NFC, and the consequence of a loss resulting in one team having to play most like three road games just to get to the Super Bowl as the 5th seed. The winner gets a huge benefit, and an F you to it's division rival. Fans eat that up. Now, if you changed up seeding by just record, then that week 17 matchup automatically becomes less interesting. You could actually have both teams in the same division just determining the number one and number two seed in the NFC. Who cares who wins the division at that point other than just 49ers and Seahawks fans. 

Edited by PapaShogun
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