Well, the new nfl format was ....

Maybe. Who knows how far they'll take it. Remember back when we were in AFC Central and then the NFL added 2 new divisions in 2002. It effectively took away a WC opportunity because now there were 8 automatic bids for winning the division up from 6 the previous season. Did that hurt the integrity of the tournament? Not trying to be a smartass but serious question.

Remember when the playoff field was expanded from 10 to 12 back in 1990? It created 2 more WC teams and 2 extra playoff games. In the 1st round of playoffs that year both #6 teams got their asses kicked. Did that hurt the integrity of the tournament?

I'm sure the same argument was made back in 1990 when the field was expanded from 10 to 12. But that is a totally moot point today. If it wasn't already moot in 2005, it became moot when the Steelers won SB XL and again in 2010 with the packers. The 6th seed Falcons beat the saints in 1991 in only the second year of that format.

Kind of hard to make the case that adding another WC and expanding the field to 14 teams hurts the integrity of the tournament. Especially after only 1 season with it. Not much of data sample to make the case. Just my opinion and if we don't agree, that's OK too.

 

Good point. But that's a whole other topic of discussion getting into college though. Especially now with NIL. The NFL has way more parity than college with salary cap, revenue sharing, and draft format. So I really think we're comparing apples and oranges there, IMO.

 

So, their record says they didn't deserve to be there? Granted neither played well, but they both had better records than the teams not in the playoffs. You want in? Win more games!

I guess we should just do the eyeball test for playoff teams down the stretch. Who looks like they deserve to be there and use a 1-2 game window to pick the wildcard team by committee!

 

Its all all about money and betting. What don't you people understand about this 17 game season and extra wildcard playoff games

 

Yeah those games should have been the same day as the others. Find a way to make it work. A short week on top of a longer season?

 

Teams with losing records made it in the past format .
Washington, Carolina, and Seattle all come 2 mind off the top of my head.

 

They still get Stadium revenue, Television contracts based on games broadcast, local businesses get more revenue from gamedays. Networks know they're going to get some stinker games along with some stellar games. They don't care as long as they sell the advertisements. You don't know what the game is going to be like until it's played. Who had the Steelers making a game of it in the first half until the 4 minute mark? Yes, the offense stunk, but they don't give up that last TD on 3rd and 20, it's 7-14 at halftime and viewers will tune in to see what's going on in the second half looking for an upset.

As an advertiser you try to grab games that have projected high viewership, but it's not exact there either.

 

Yup Seattle was 7-9 and hosting the Saints (11-5) and won! 2010 Bucs and Giants went 10-6 and did not get in.

Carolina was 7-8-1 hosted the Cardinals (11-5) and won! 2014 Eagles went 10-6 didn't get in.

 

you forgot blaming goodell.

 

I was basing it off of both teams performance, they each looked like they didn't belong.

 

Steelers better hope they make the playoff field 20 soon or that might have been the last playoff blowout we get to see for a bit