New NFL Alignment

[TX WJ]

With the new 4 team divisions, winning the division does not mean what it once did since you play only 6 games in your division and 10 games outside your division under the current format.

I would like to see them go back to 4 divisions, 2 Divisions in each conference.

You would then play each team in your division twice that would be 14 games, play the other two games on a rotation, you would play the same seed as you (from the previous year twice one home / one away)

Division Champs would get first round bye, there will be four wildcards from the AFC, four from the NFC.
Wildcards will go to the four teams in each conference with the best records regardless of division.
First tie breaker Head to Head
Second Tie Breaker Conf Record
Third Tie Breaker Division Record


The New NFC

NFC East
Giants 11-3
Steelers 11-3
Ravens 9-5
Patriots 9-5
Jets 9-5
Eagles 8-5-1
Bills 6-8
Browns 4-12


NFC West
Cowboys 9-5
Broncos 8-6
Cardinals 8-6
Chargers 6-8
Texans 7-7
49ers 5-9
Raiders 3-11
Seahawks 3-11

The New AFC

AFC North
Colts 11-4
Vikings 9-5
Bears 8-6
Packers 5-9
Bengals 2-11-1
Rams 2-12
Chiefs 2-12
Lions 0-14

AFC South
Titans 12-2
Panthers 11-3
Falcons 9-5
Dolphins 9-5
Buc's 9-5
Saints 7-7
Redskins 7-7
Jaguars 5-10

 

[Wolf]

I see what you are saying and I can understand, but to me I like to see some teams stay in some areas and probably start some new feuds? I didn't label what divisions should be in what conferences, so here my idea but this is only if they had eight teams in each division.

East
Bills
Eagles
Giants
Jets
Patriots
Ravens
Redskins
Steelers

West
49ers
Broncos
Cardinals
Chargers
Chiefs
Raiders
Rams
Seahawks

North
Bears
Bengals
Browns
Colts
Lions
Packers
Titans
Vikings

South
Buccaneers
Cowboys
Dolphins
Falcons
Jaguars
Panthers
Saints
Texans

I wanted to keep the Titans in the South, but I couldn't think of moving anyone out of the West or South? To me the old Oilers now the Titans play against the Cowboys and Texans.

Also I'm getting tired of these first round bye's, just have 2 divisions champs in each conference and 6 wild cards. So it can make it an even 8 of total of 16 teams making the playoffs.

 

[Aaron]

I would keep it the way it is.

I just don't believe it's right to reward the winner of a bad division with a home game. If the AFC West champs Broncos should play the Wild Card Colts, who have a better record, I'd like for the Colts to have the home game.

 

[TSSJimmyCoN]

the lions will never become part of the AFC, that is ludicrous

 

[TX WJ]

I would keep it the way it is.

I just don't believe it's right to reward the winner of a bad division with a home game. If the AFC West champs Broncos should play the Wild Card Colts, who have a better record, I'd like for the Colts to have the home game.

I think that if the Broncos get in the playoffs with a 9 and 7 records, and you have 10 and 11 win teams at home is bad for the league.

I agree that people like variety but with regional rivalries I think you would see some interesting matchup’s reappear.

To me the best solution would be to eliminate all divisions, take the top 6 teams from each conference and have playoffs from them. Number 1 and 2 seeds get a bye, the 3-6 play wildcard weekend. I think you have to keep the bye to rewards teams for having the best record.

To add variety and make it as fair as possible you would play everyone in your conference once each year, one year at home, the next away. The other game (or 3 if we go to a 18 game schedule) would be played against the opposite conference in some kind of rotation.

That way you would have schedules that are about equal as far as strength of schedule is concerned and you would have a head to head battle with each team in your conference each year.

The NFC

Giants 11-3
Panthers 11-3
Vikings 9-5
Cowboys 9-5
Falcons 9-5
Buc's 9-5
Eagles 8-5-1
Cardinals 8-6
Bears 8-6
Saints 7-7
Redskins 7-7
49ers 5-9
Packers 5-9
Seahawks 3-11
Rams 2-12
Lions 0-14

The AFC

Titans 12-2
Steelers 11-3
Colts 11-4
Jets 9-5
Ravens 9-5
Dolphins 9-5
Patriots 9-5
Broncos 8-6
Texans 7-7
Bills 6-8
Chargers 6-8
Jaguars 5-10
Browns 4-12
Raiders 3-11
Bengals 2-11-1
Chiefs 2-12

 

[RoadRunner]

I think that if the Broncos get in the playoffs with a 9 and 7 records, and you have 10 and 11 win teams at home is bad for the league.

It's worse that you suggest TX. If the Chargers lose this afternoon, the Broncos could HOST a playoff game as division champs with a 8-8 record!! The other horrible possibility in that division is for SD to win out, and Denver lose today and next week, making SD the division champs at 8-8 and (again) hosting a wildcard that is 2 or 3 games better.

I don't know which would be harder; being a fan of the 0-14 Lions (laughingstock of the league), or of the AFC champion (poster boys for a broken playoff system).

 

[AJ_II]

This is nothing new. Division champs with worse records have hosted better Wild Card teams in the past. Just off the top of my head, I remember last season Pittsburgh (10-6) hosted Jacksonville (11-5) in the first round.

Home field advantage in the NFL is extremely overrated anyway. Probably why Wild Card teams have won so many Super Bowls. College is completely different...home field is everything in the college game.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I would keep it like it is except:

1) Once the 6 playoff teams are determined .... division record means nothing. Seed them best record to worst / conference.
2) Remove the automatic from the 4th best division winner in each conference. Arizona and Denver/SD would need to be better than another division leader or qualify as a wildcard to make the playoffs.

Here is an example:

AFC

1. Tennessee (14-2 AFC South division winner)
2. Indianapolis (12-4 Wildcard)
3. Pittsburgh (11-5 AFC North division winner)
4. Baltimore Ravens (11-5 Wildcard)
5. New York Jets (11-5 AFC East divsion winner)
6. Miami Dolphins (10-6 Wildcard)
Missed playoff: Denver (9-7 AFC West division winner)

NFC

1. Carolina Panthers (13-3 NFC South division winner)
2. Minnesota Vikings (11-5 NFC North division winner)
3. New York Giants (11-5 NFC East division winner)
4. Philladelphia Eagles (10-5-1 Wildcard)
5. Tampa Bay Buccenerrs (10-6 Wildcard)
6. Atlanta Falcons (10-6 Wildgard)
Missed playoff: Arizona Cardinals (9-7 NFC West division winner)

 

[Deacon]

I'll tell you the thing I'm sick of and it playing the Super Bowl in a nice warm sunny or Domed stadium. These guys play all year in all different envionments then come the most important game of the year and it is in a beautiful weather stadium (i know there are exception...it actually rains every once in a while).

Every team should host a Super Bowl. Period. Start in the Northeast and work your way around counterclockwise or start in the Southwest or whatever.

That's what i think.

 

[Wolf]

To me right now all of the division are fine right now, just make the playoff system16 teams not 12 teams!

 

[TX WJ]

Four team divisons are a joke, you have 6 games per year in your divison.

You could go undefeated in your division and still not win your division.

 

[AJ_II]

Home field advantage in the NFL is extremely overrated anyway. Probably why Wild Card teams have won so many Super Bowls. College is completely different...home field is everything in the college game.

Just to give some evidence to my claim that home field "advantage" is overrated in the NFL, all four visiting teams are favored in games this weekend.

Indy by 2
Atlanta by 2.5
Baltimore by 3
Philly by 2

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Just to give some evidence to my claim that home field "advantage" is overrated in the NFL, all four visiting teams are favored in games this weekend.

Indy by 2
Atlanta by 2.5
Baltimore by 3
Philly by 2

The 2 worst teams won probably partially because of homefield advantage.

 

[AJ_II]

The 2 worst teams won probably partially because of homefield advantage.

I'm not saying there's ZERO advantage with homefield. What I am saying, however, is that it is very overrated. The media makes it out to be this big deal, almost like a be-all, end-all sort of thing. And it's just not. Professional football players don't get rattled on the road like college student athletes do. The Giants went on the road for three straight weeks in last year's playoffs and won each time, including at Dallas (the overwhelming NFC favorite at the time) and at Lambeau Field in sub-zero temperatures. Pittsburgh accomplished the same feat as well a few years back as a six seed.

How many times do you see both number one seeds in the Super Bowl? How many times have Wild Cards made the Super Bowl?

I disagree that San Diego is one of the worst teams. Don't let the 8-8 record fool you; I'm actually leaning towards them this weekend at Pittsburgh. As far as Atlanta losing...Matt Ryan had an excellent season, but he was still a rookie QB in his first playoff game. Joe Flacco was in the same situation and ended up winning, but he had that stellar Raven defense on his side. Ryan did not.

 

[AJ_II]

I'm not saying there's ZERO advantage with homefield. What I am saying, however, is that it is very overrated. The media makes it out to be this big deal, almost like a be-all, end-all sort of thing. And it's just not. Professional football players don't get rattled on the road like college student athletes do.

Home teams' record so far in the playoffs...2-4. And I expect at least one more to lose today.

 

[semipenguin]

Pittsburgh...
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