NFL Lions propose change in the way the playoffs are seeded (6 Viewers)

[Elvis]

I’m in on this idea. It’s dumb that an 9-8 division winner can be seeded higher than a 13-4 second place team.

 

[fdl16]

Go back to giving the 1 and 2 seeds a first-round bye.

The second they changed that rule, I knew we'd be the first team victimized by it. And I was right.

Years of barely missing out on the top two seeds, we finally get the second seed, aaaaand.....

 

[WilliamBrees]

If that had happened...
Detroit
Philadelphia
Minnesota
Washington
Green Bay
Tampa Bay
Los Angeles

It would probably be the same result except maybe the Packers taking out the Lions before losing to the Eagles.

 

[LifeForceDave]

I wanted it changed after our 11-5 team had to go to the 7-9 Seahawks. Funny how teams don't care until it happens to them.

I know what you're saying but to be fair it didn't happen to them, it was just their division. Lions still had the #1 seed.

 

[WilliamBrees]

The second they changed that rule, I knew we'd be the first team victimized by it. And I was right.

Years of barely missing out on the top two seeds, we finally get the second seed, aaaaand.....

Does that really make a difference though?

 

[fdl16]

Does that really make a difference though?

Having to play two games vs. three is major. You want every advantage you can get.

 

[Tulsa Saint]

Long overdue. Should have made the move as soon as the conferences expanded to 4 divisions. It diluted the field. We used to virtually never see sub 10 win division winners and now it’s almost every year, and the top wild card team should not be penalized for being in a great division.

If the goal of a single elimination playoff is to give the best teams the easiest path, then seeding by record makes the most sense. Getting an automatic playoff berth is reward enough for winning a division.

Also love their proposal to make defensive holding and illegal contact no longer equal an automatic first down. There is nothing worse than seeing a 3rd and very long determined by a ticky tack foul. Hands to the face should also be a part of that proposal. Those penalties in a third down situation are akin to the offense getting assessed an automatic fourth down for holding or illegal hands to the face.

I’d eliminate spot fouls

No more than 15 yards for any penalty

 

[WilliamBrees]

I’m in on this idea. It’s dumb that an 9-8 division winner can be seeded higher than a 13-4 second place team.

They want this changed because they lost and want to blame it on a 12-5 wild card team. They know they have competition for that division also and want to have a home game. I think they go back to the basement.

 

[St.Dan]

Having to play two games vs. three is major. You want every advantage you can get.

I'd have to concur here. Our 2019 team could attest to that. And the 2011 one, too. Winning 13 games but still having to play in that first round absolutely stinks. It happened again in 2020, but that was a function of the league adding another wild card team.

Thinking back a ways, the 1987 team that was the team's first playoff appearance would've been seeded quite differently with a straight-up system not based on finishing first in a division. The Saints and 49ers would've gotten byes the first week and not the 49ers and Redskins.

 

[Clintonrebel]

the Lions make the playoffs once in their history now they want to change the rules....lol

Agree 100%

 

[St. Geezy]

The second they changed that rule, I knew we'd be the first team victimized by it. And I was right.

Years of barely missing out on the top two seeds, we finally get the second seed, aaaaand.....

Maybe the football gods decided to balance things out for us being the first team to take advantage of the 6th playoff entry back in ‘90. lol

 

[Elvis]

They want this changed because they lost and want to blame it on a 12-5 wild card team. They know they have competition for that division also and want to have a home game. I think they go back to the basement.

Their reasoning is irrelevant, it makes sense regardless.

 

[Scorpius the Allfather]

I like that division championships means something. No need to change it.

You get to play in the playoffs. Shouldn't that be enough?

 

[Elvis]

You get to play in the playoffs. Shouldn't that be enough?

Exactly. If you want to host a playoff game, build a better team.

 

[3ParStillDriver]

I’m not a fan. Division winners become less meaningful and they’re already lacking in meaning. Guaranteeing a top 4 seed is the ultimate meaning. Take that away…. And well. Heck, just come up with a way to scrap divisions so every year the schedules are vastly different. Let’s face it, it wasn’t fun watching the saints beat up the panthers twice a year for about a decade when the saints were contenders and the panthers were pretenders.

Keep the seeding or do away with it and division schedules while upping the value of strength of schedule.