Players, owners open to expanding playoff field to 14 teams
 

NFL players and owners have expressed an openness to expanding the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams -- a change that would help offset revenue lost by cutting the preseason to three games, which is considered likely as the sides begin another bargaining session Monday in Chicago, according to numerous sources familiar with the talks.

An expanded playoff format has not yet been formally proposed in bargaining, nor has expanding the regular season to 17 or 18 games, which players continue to oppose. It's possible the preseason could be shortened even without adding regular season or postseason games. But sources say that adding two playoff games remains squarely in the conversation amidst unexpectedly positive dialogue that continued to yield progress in staff meetings last week on secondary issues such as current and retired player benefits, player health, and safety.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...a-talks-resume

This is the possible scenario for the playoff format that I found. Only one team in each conference would get a bye....



In a 14-team playoff model, 7 teams from the NFC and AFC make the playoffs instead of 6. The only major repercussion from this is that there would be 3 wildcard teams instead of 2, and only 1 team can get a bye week. That means in wildcard weekend, #2 plays #7, 3 plays 6, 4 plays 5. Still, after wildcard weekend, matchups are based on highest seed vs. lowest seed.

All in all, here are the benefits to a 7-team playoff.

Since there would only be 1 team with a bye week in each conference, last week is more competitive since teams likely won’t be guaranteed a bye week to that point. Thus, the league is actually more competitive among top teams. Essentially, teams are incentivized even more to become #1 seed.
7 teams instead of 6 would only add 2 extra games to the schedule, but not an extra week. After wildcard weekend, there would be 8 teams left in the playoffs, just as there are now in the current playoff format of 12 teams.
While 6 teams from each conference ensures a competitive playoff system, 7 from each conference would still be less than 50% of teams in the playoffs. Other than the MLB (10/30 teams make the playoffs), Major American sports leagues have more than half of their teams make the playoffs! The competitiveness of the playoffs would still be superb despite widening the field.

Let’s use this year’s Playoffs as an example scenario: (WC stands for wild card team)

AFC PLAYOFF TEAMS:
1 (West champs, BYE) - Chiefs (12-4)
2 (East champs, vs. WC3) - Patriots (11-5)
3 (South champs, vs. WC2) - Texans (11-5)
4 (North champs, vs. WC1) - Ravens (10-6)
5 (WC1, vs. #4) - Chargers (12-4)
6 (WC2, vs. #3) - Colts (10-6)
7 (WC3, vs. #2) - Steelers (9-6-1)

NFC PLAYOFF TEAMS:
1 (South champs, BYE) - Saints (13-3)
2 (West champs, vs. WC3) - Rams (13-3)
3 (North champs, vs. WC2) - Bears (12-4)
4 (East champs, vs. WC1) - Cowboys (10-6)
5 (WC1, vs. #4) - Seahawks (10-6)
6 (WC2, vs. #3) - Eagles (9-7)
7 (WC3, vs. #2) - Vikings (8-7-1)

But, why?

Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.

It ain't broke, don't fix it.

I do like the part about doing away with one pre-season game. Reduce to 3 by all means

im down with this but they should reseed the playoffs based on record

No. More teams don't deserve to make it.

That's my thing. It waters it down.

Plus you start taking out byes, teams will stop giving as much shit about the regular season.

Look no further than the NBA.

Yea we need more teams with a losing record in the playoffs. :facepalm:

Never happen nor should it be done. Why would any team want their division title to basically be meaningless.

Agreed.

Most of the time there aren't even 6 truly championship caliber teams in each conference.

Stupid money grab.

Plus you're gonna make one of your actual championship caliber teams have to play an extra game.

One year the Chiefs get the 2 seed at like 12-4, then have a guy get hurt in that game people should be pissed.

Stupid idea. I know of no fans anywhere clamoring for this. We already have .500ish teams in on a regular basis.

No regular season means something in our sport. Which makes every week much watch TV. One lose could **** your season.

Ugh. Terrible idea. I actually love the NFL playoffs because it helps emphasize the importance to the regular season.

It is maddening to see the NBA playoffs (where over half the league makes the playoffs) and the NCAA Tournament, wheere the 9th best team in a conference make the post season tournament.

So the head coaches around the league have succeeded in forcing the NFL's hand by refusing to play starters in the pre-season games.

Only the most hard-core of hard-core fans care a damn about 4th stringers duking it out for 20 or 30 minutes in ugly football, so the NFL decides to punt and substitute a pre-season game or two for games that count or games that really count.

I see no problem in adding another wildcard team or two, but the notion of making the playoffs an extended regular season would be a huge mistake. Huger even than Speaks' ass.

FAX

If the players and owners are open to it then it will probably happen. That'll be an extra two playoff games to try to fit into one weekend at the start?

Do away with 2 preseason games, add an extra bye week during the season and always have the SB on presidents day weekend.

Jump both feet into gambling and you'll make so much goddamn money it won't matter.

The only change they need to make is base playoff seeding on record, not winning a division. Why should a 9-7 or 8-8 team that won a pussy division host a wildcard team that went 11-5 in a tough division? **** that.

Moves like this and the 18 game schedule.....basically make it much easier for them to expand to 36 teams.

I think the goal would actually be to add an extra week, thus extending the season.

football isn't hockey

you want your team to get into the playoffs? Play better football

I see the logic in that, but it would be sad to see the division races turn into just another passel of games that count the same as other ... games ...

That didn't make sense, did it?

Anyway, hopefully, you see the point. Division games are significant now. What the NFL needs to do is try and moderate the ability of the Immigrant Blowjobs to dominate for decades in divisions that offer no competition. A league without competition is no league at all.

FAX

There's also the issue of division rivalries ... historic or otherwise. Eliminating the implications of division rivalries would be bad for the game on several levels.

FAX

It's all about money........

If you expand the playoffs, you add a week, if you go to 18 games plus a bye you've now added a month to the season for ad revenue and it makes expanding 4 teams easier which will bring in even more total revenue.

If that happens then you need to increase roster sizes.

Noon, 3:30, and 7:30.

Divisions need realigned.

Roger Goodell and the owners are just hell bent on ****ing things up!

Kill the Golden Goose and keep tinkering with success.

Not a chance, there isn't enough talent in the NFL to field 4 more teams. It would be a complete shit show.

I hate that idea, so that means they will do it. If their older, most loyal fans hate it than the NFL will love it.

Makes the regular season more meaningful. Race to the bye would produce more drama for the later weeks. Plus you get teams fighting for the last playoff spot. 6 playoff games on wildcard weekend instead of 4. It's a much better idea than some of you are thinking it out to be. It's like adding the Wildcard game for baseball. More teams will have something to play for.

FFS, even the 2nd round games aren't all that great these days... and the WC round is mostly the same trash as the regular season.

Let's add a pint of water to that Nat Light...

Natty Ice!

Stupid idea but I like it a lot more than that dumbshit 18 game proposal.

It sure would be nice for the Cheatriots to not get six extra byes every season.

Man they really, really, really want the Chargers to make the playoffs don't they?

:toast::clap::toast::clap:

It’s early to start this but with Patrick going down for awhile I thought it might enlightening to see where the Chiefs are currently.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8822022261.jpg

please please do not expand the playoffs. I hate hate hate hate inviting everyone to the party. The NFL has it perfect right now.

That 2005 Chiefs team could have gone far in the playoffs IMO

No.

The fact that Oakland makes it shows this is going too far.

This.
Plus, I fear that 7 teams in each conf would just a prelude to 8 teams, b/c of the 1 team bye factor with 3 W/C teams. Once we have 8 going from each conf, that would mean that half the league makes the playoffs every year. That's not good.

LMAO @ the Patriots and Bills SOV

.297 SOS for the Fraudcheatriots

Yes, it is. All season ticket holders know this fact. I bought full price season tickets for years to watch suck ass teams play in the pre-season. The NFL is screwing season ticket holders.


Pre-season used to be used to get players in shape, practice plays etc. Players are now in great shape year around. The starters MAY play 3/4 of a game total over the 4 games.

The NFL charges season ticker holders full price. We use to gripe about paying full price for scrimmages. Now, its even worse. Season ticket holders are still paying full freight but now you have to watch scrubs and backups for 3/4th's of the games.

This x 1000!!!

Don't dilute the product :doh!: