Could NFL Playoff Changes Improve Competition?

The NFL recently came out saying they are reviewing playoff seeding for next year’s playoffs. It seems there is course for discussion every year around this time. Teams are upset they have a good record, but lost their division, so they’re on the road against a 10-7 Buccaneers team.

To approve a restructuring of the NFL playoffs, the change would have to proposed to the board of owners, and three quarters of the voting teams would have to approve. It’s a steep hill to climb for change. This year, the 14-3 Vikings wouldn’t have been the fifth seed in the playoffs, rather, they would be the two or three seed. Perfect right? I mean, for the Vikings, great! Home field advantage for the wild card game. But if you look a little deeper, what would be the point of divisions at that point? It would be an NBA-esque playoffs – and we all know how the ratings are over there (bad). Division rivalries would dissipate, as there’s no more battles for the top spot. It would discourage head to head battles in that arena, as they would be less important in a who-gets-in scenario, and some divisions simply wouldn’t make the playoffs! Teams from the AFC South may have not made it this year. The Texans finished with a 10-7 record, which is barely good enough even for their division, never mind the AFC as a whole.

On the other hand, it could prove as beneficial in the last weeks of the NFL season. If the Rams knew they were in place for a higher seed, or lower, they wouldn’t have rested Matthew Stafford in week 18. Creating a new structure for the playoffs could, in theory, reduce tanking or load management. Higher competition and better quality of play in the final weeks of the season.

Personally, I like it how it’s going now. Play better against your division, secure a better spot. You didn’t get home advantage? Tough. Do better next year. As a Cowboys fan it doesn’t matter anyways. We’ll deal with the one playoff win every four years.