NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell says that the playoffs may expand in 2015, according to a recent article in Pro Football Talk. Goodell discusses how the expanded playoffs would work.
From Pro Football Talk :
“First, we have to make the recommendation,” Goodell told reporters after Tuesday’s ownership meetings. “It would probably be the 2015 season because there are a lot of scheduling issues in the spring of next year. I don’t think we have everything resolved, including talking to the NFLPA, and making sure that is done the right way.”
It seems fairly clear that Goodell wants to do it.
“How do we continue to make sure the regular season games are incredibly important each week?” Goodell said. “But also how can we create more interest, and does expanding the postseason allow other teams to get into the dance with the potential of going on and winning the Super Bowl? That is a good thing for fans. It is a good thing competitively. What has happened is our league is so competitive right now. The games are so close that is realistic to think that a team can have a great second half, get into the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. We have seen it. We want to continue to keep all of it on the table. The Competition Committee is going to look at that. . . . The Competition Committee said that was one of the priorities they are going to be focusing on in 2014.”
The current plan seems to be adding a pair of playoff teams, meaning that only two would have a bye (the top seed in each conference) and 12 would play in the wild-card round. In addition to the current three-versus-six and four-versus-five format, the second seed would host the seventh seed in each conference.
That would put six total games on wild-card weekend.
“How do you schedule that?” Goodell said. “Do you have three games on Saturday and three games on Sunday? Do you have two on Friday, two on Saturday two on Sunday? Do you go into Monday? There are competitive consequences in there and television consequences. Again, if we do this, we want to do it right, so we have to evaluate all those issues and balance them.”
Adding more teams to the playoffs would be bad for the NFL, period. The playoffs should be for the teams with the best winning records, not more teams that went 8-8. I believe that the NFL looks at this as a way to gain revenue rather than improve the league. The best way would let things stay the way they are now. If NFL teams don’t like it, they should take winning their games more seriously. Isn't that the point?
