Muller: NFL Playoff Format Is Good, But Needs Some Tweaking
Playoffs.
It's a pretty simple concept right? I mean, what better way to determine who will lift the championship trophy than by settling it on the field. Sure, the "best" team may not always win the title, but that is what makes the playoff system so great. People like to see the upsets. People like to see the David's take out the Goliaths.
It is no secret to anyone that knows me personally that I prefer college football over the NFL any day of the week….until bowl season gets underway. The BCS National Championship game between the Auburn Tigers and the Oregon Ducks on Monday night will be the 35th and final bowl game of the 2010 college football season. 35 bowl games is absolutely ridiculous! College football is great for many reasons, but the one thing missing is a playoff (a mind-blowing concept I know). Fairly or unfairly, however, until the time comes when we finally see a playoff system implemented in the Football Bowl Subdivision, any team that is crowned as the national champion, should be considered a mythical champion in my eyes. Everyone knows that the BCS System is a complete and utter joke, and I could probably write a blog as long as the novel War & Peace on the subject, but I would probably get so enraged while writing it that I would end up putting my laptop through the wall so…I will pass.
Instead, I will focus my attention towards the NFL. I want to congratulate you on implementing a playoff system to determine the league champion. Way to go on that! But even you have managed to potentially screw up a system that should be about as elementary as it comes. Take a look at this years NFC Playoffs and you will understand why changes need to be made to the current format.
First of all, how can any team make the playoffs with a losing record? I understand that the Seattle Seahawks won (can we actually say that??) the worst division in all of professional sports, the NFC West Division, with a 7-9 record. The NFC West is an absolute abomination. Winning that division is comparable to finishing first in an ugliest person pageant. Divisional champs or not, Seattle did not deserve to be in the playoffs and they certainly did not deserve to host a wild card game against the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. Now, proponents of the current system will be quick to say, "But Seattle beat New Orleans, so who is to say they didn't deserve to be in the playoffs?". I am saying that the Seahawks don't deserve to be in the playoffs. And the fact that they beat the Saints yesterday won't convince me otherwise.
Since it is mandatory that divisional winners get a spot in the playoffs (as ridiculous as that rule is), at least seed the teams according to record. The Seahawks did not deserve a #4 seed in the NFC. Does it seem like I am picking on Seattle? Good, because I am. Seeding should be determined by record. If teams have the same record, then seed them according to head-to-head and so on and so forth. Is it really that hard? The Atlanta Falcons finished the regular season with the best record in the NFC and they could end up as the biggest loser in all of this. Yes, they have been rewarded for their regular season accomplishments by getting home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, but they could also have the tougher road to the Super Bowl than the #2 seed Chicago Bears.
If the Green Bay Packers beat the Philadelphia Eagles tonight, Chicago would get to host the Seattle Seahawks next weekend because the Packers would be the lower-seeded team. Now, if I am the Bears, I am not complaining one bit, But if I am the Atlanta Falcons, I would be furious. Any team would much rather have to face Seattle than Green Bay. It is just common sense. The fact that this is even a realistic scenario for the Bears and the Falcons is completely absurd.
I am very happy that the NFL uses a playoff to determine the true champion of the league. They are easily the most entertaining in all of American sport and I enjoy watching them much more than 30-plus meaningless bowl games. But the system is far from perfect. Do all NFL fans, players, and franchises a favor, ok league officials. Make some minor adjustments to the current format and you will make a good league playoff system a great one.
Of course, all of this is assuming that Green Bay actually beats Philadelphia. If the Eagles take care of business on their end, none of this will matter at all.
Well…this season anyway.
Do you agree with Shawn? Post your comments below.
Shawn Muller has lived in Chicago for 7 years. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and just recently received his certificate in radio broadcasting in October of 2010. Sports have always been a passion of Shawn's. In his free time, Shawn enjoys spending time with his wife Melissa and 3 year old daughter Ava, catching any live sporting event, and traveling. Check out his radio show, "Grab Some Bench with Muller and Bangser" at www.blogtalkradio.com/spmuller24.
