The current structure of the NFL often results in teams with lesser records hosting playoff games, because every division champion is guaranteed one of the top four spots on the conference’s playoff tree. That sparks periodic complaints, when wild-card teams with better records than division champions must play on the road in the postseason. The Lions, who would have faced that outcome if they’d lose a Week 18 game against the Vikings, have proposed a change to that approach. The suggestion is a simple one. The seedings for each conference would be determined by record, without regard to whether any team won its division. Division champions would still get in. They would no longer be guaranteed a home game, and their spot on the playoff tree would be determined relative to the records of the other playoff teams in the conference. Despite the legitimate gripes regarding the fairness of the current approach, there’s never been any real sense that teams will support a change to the rule. As it stands, each team has a one-in-four chance every year to host a playoff game. Of course, given that the conference has sixteen teams and four teams land with the top four seeds, there’s still a 25-percent chance each year of being one of the teams that will host a playoff game. Still, it will take plenty of work for the Lions to get at least 23 other teams to agree. The league generally believes there should be extra meaning to winning a division. Guaranteeing a home game provides it.
If they do this, then just get rid of the divisions and make it AFC and NFC. Since winning the division wouldn't really mean anything. now you would play teams just once in your conference and the NFC sprinkled in.
I would like to see it stay the same. The reasons for changing are legitimate concerns but teams in the more competitive divisions would still struggle to get a higher seed anyway. And if a trash team wins their division with a losing record they'll probably go down at home to a better team.
I would go a step further and get rid of the AFC and NFC. Go with an Eastern and Western conference, no divisions. Play four home games and four away games against teams from both conferences, and every team plays one neutral site international game.
Miami would win the division finally at 9-8 and have to go to Baltimore or Pittsburgh wild card weekend.
There is no way the Dolphins win the division at 9-8 unless the Bills are absolutely ravaged by injuries. 11 wins is going to be a low total for the East for some time to come, and more likely the Dolphins will need to have their best season since the mid 80s just to accomplish that and earn a home playoff game.
Just leave it the way it is. The better teams are going to show up regardless. If anything, I'd like to see 8 teams make the playoffs and nobody gets a first round bye.
I agree with the rule change- a 9-8 division winner shouldn't stay at home to play a 14-4 wild card team. If you want division wins to mean something, then why not compromise and say the wild card round sees division winners at home, but the conference games see the team with the best record at home? I get division wins should matter, but the best season should also matter.
Not every division is equal. Going 6-0 against a cupcake division isn't the sane as going 3-3 in a division where everyone is .500 or better
