No team with a losing record should be in the playoffs

I think the playoff format needs to change in that no team with a losing record, regardless of winning the division, should be in the playoffs. The Wildcard spot should go to another team with a winning record in another division. I know any given Sunday a team could win, but a 7-9 team should not qualify for post season.

 

Hmm...... you might be on to something. I'm surprised no one's ever thought of this before........

 

You would change your tune if the Steelers got in a 7-9. You win your division you get in playoffs. I have no problem with that. I do have a problem with getting a home game. I think whoever wins the NFC Least should be the 7 seed.

 

I'm kind of torn in that situation.

It would have to be if the Steelers were banged up while starting 2-9 and then got healthy and finished the season on a tear getting to 7-9 then I would be all for them getting in.

If however it was reversed and they started 7-2 but lost 7 in a row to finish 7-9 while looking like hot garbage then I wouldn't want them anywhere near the playoffs.

 

Divisions and conferences exist for a reason. It fosters diverse game planning since teams tool up to beat their rivals.

Once you start devaluing division and conference seeding, you might as well do away with both and throw all teams into a single "mega division."

 

Yup. The rules are the rules. Win your division you’re in. You want to vacate the NFLE and give the playoff spot to some 8-8 3rd place team in another division? Hell, a 10-6 AFC team is gonna miss the playoffs, maybe the Browns or Dolphins should take Wash’s spot? Sorry, but the playoff requirements are clear. Win you div= in. Be one of the 3 best teams left after clearly defined tiebreaker = in. The rules are fair and clear and I have no beef. If winning a div doesn’t guarantee a playoff spot, then get rid of divs and rank teams 1-16 in each conf.

however, I will agree on their seeding. Qualify for playoffs based on the current system. Seeding can be done separately based on record. A 9-7 div winner shouldn’t host a playoff game over a 11-5 wild card.

but I don’t remember anyone bitching in ‘07, when a Jax team with a better record played a PO game at Pitt. Somehow, the sanctity of a div title was paramount then.

 

I've gone both ways on this. And the compromise I would want is that the division winner gets a playoff spot, but they should not get home field if the wildcard team they are facing finished with a better record. If you recall when the Steelers got Tebowed we had to go out to Denver even though we had the better overall record. We had 12-4 and Denver was 8-8 and I found that absurd. And because of the Denver altitude a couple players couldn't play for medical reasons.

 

I agree in concept and would be embarrassed if a 7-9 Steelers team won the division but look at how many around here feel that the 12-3 Steelers shouldn't be in the playoffs. I recall the 7-9 Saints making it to the NFCCG a few years back starting off with a stunner over the highly rated Seahawks in Seattle. In the past, the NCAA limited bowl games to teams with > .500 records but this year I noticed that UK at 4-6 is in a bowl game.

 

Yeah...I saw a Mississippi team yesterday with a 3-7 record rewarded with a Bowl Game. SEC I guess brings money.

 

I disagree because you can add stipulations that penalize a team that wins a division with a losing record. The NFL goes to great lengths to establish tiebreakers down to a coin toss. You could make a stipulation that if a team from another division had a better record and beat the division winner, the non-division winner is seeded higher.

 

Totally agree. I also have a Saints friend that would agree.

 

Win your division you should be granted a home playoff game. Your fans deserve it. Good record? Win your division to EARN your home game.

 

So if a division has two really good teams that second team should suffer home field at the expense of a losing record team winning a weak division?

 

Yes. They can't win their division, they deserve to be a wildcard. I'll be excited to see the NFCE thump somebody as the homedog. For their fans.

 

Agree to disagree. The divisions are largely symbolic at this point and more about geography. Well except for the NFC East with Dallas that's a weird one.

 

Apparently you have never seen a divisional game in your lifetime.

 

Reading several of the comments, I can see the side of "win the division, will a playoff spot." On the other hand, win the division with a losing record, then you forfeit your home playoff game to the wildcard opponent if they have a winning record. Quite honestly, I would not want the Steelers going to far into the playoffs after ending with a 7-9 record. Chances of them finishing 11-9 with a Super Bowl victory would be very slim.

 

How many good wildcard teams went on to win the SB?

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/how-many-teams-have-won-the-super-bowl-as-a-wild-card