Expanded playoffs likely to happen...eventually

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http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...dell-expanded-nfl-playoffs-will-likely-happen

Roger Goodell says expanded NFL playoffs will 'likely' happen
By John Breech | CBSSports.com


Roger-Goodell-Jaguars-04-04-16.png

Roger Goodell says the NFL playoffs will 'likely' be expanding soon. (Jaguars.com)

The topic of expanding the NFL postseason seems to come up every year, and every year, the league ends up nixing the idea.

Don't be surprised if that changes soon, though.

During a meeting with Jaguars season-ticket holders over the weekend, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that the NFL will "likely" expand the playoffs in the future.

"It will likely happen at some point," Goodell said of playoff expansion, via the Jags' official website. "But we want to be really cautious because we really like the balance we have with the importance of the regular season and the postseason."

The last time the NFL expanded the postseason came in 1990, when the league jumped from 10 playoffs teams to the current number of 12. If the NFL decides to expand again, the most likely number would be 14.

Although Goodell has been talking about playoff expansion since at least 2012, nothing has happened yet because a lot of owners are content with the current format.

"It works so well right now [with 12 teams]," Goodell said. "I think that what makes the NFL great is every game means so much. You don't ever want to lose that. You don't want to lose the fact that every regular-season game is important. Only having 12 teams qualify, which is the smallest of any of the professional leagues by far, that's a good thing for us."

There are also a few other issues that have been slowing the league down when it comes to a possible postseason expansion.

"We're still looking at the broadcasting side of it, and then there's a labor-relations side of it, which you have to deal with," Goodell said.

The potential broadcasting issue stems from the fact that the league would have two extra games during Wild Card Weekend.

Six games on Wild Card Weekend could mean that we end up getting a Monday night playoff game. The problem with that, though, is that the winning team would play in the next round on a short week, which isn't exactly fair during the postseason.

On the labor end, the NFLPA might ask for something in return in order to approve the extra postseason games. One possibility floated in September is that the union would agree to adding two extra playoff teams if the NFL is willing to trim down the preseason.

If there had been 14 teams for the 2015 postseason, the Falcons and Jets would've qualified for the playoffs last season.

Playoff expansion might not happen in time for the 2016 season, but it does sound like something that's definitely going to happen soon.
 

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I don't even know how I feel about that. On the one hand I'd hate to see the league water down the qualifications to get into the postseason; but on the other hand, I'm all for more football and the perpetuation of Cinderella stories.
 

Mackeyser

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I like it. Too many times in the NFL, a team's season gets cranked in the standings by ONE game because of a rash of injuries... so they go on a losing streak and they miss the playoffs by a game or half game and they end the season on a 3 game winning streak and are finally getting healthy and you KNOW they'd do damage in the playoffs.

Conversely, you have teams who have total cream puff schedules for the first 11 games of the season who are basically guaranteed playoff slots after going 9-2. They go 2-3 down the stretch and still are deep in the thick of things even with a losing record down the stretch and likely significant injury concerns.

I know a few teams might get in with crappy records, but I'd rather see that than see really good 10-6 or even 11-5 teams left out...
 

Cullen Bryant

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How would a 7 team per conference playoff work ? I think you would have to go to 8 teams which is to many.
 

Cullen Bryant

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Yep that would work, only one bye team the only scenario I didn't think through. I like it then it helps our chances.
 

DaveFan'51

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I don't know about this, the Players Association might call for fewer pre-season games to compensate the player for playing in extra games, and I don't think they get enough pre-season work time as it is! JMHO
 

LumberTubs

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Preseason games are meaningless to most casual viewers but for players not guaranteed a roster spot, they're hugely important. It also gives back up QBs like Mannion reps that they might not get so much during the season. It doesn't seem right to take that away.
 

XXXIVwin

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HORRIBLE idea.
I hate the thought of expanded playoffs, it just decreases the importance of the regular season, look at the NBA and the NHL.
 

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What Goodell really meant was: "We don't want to diminish the importance of the regular season games...unless we make a boatload of cash while doing it"

I hate it.
 

FrantikRam

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14 teams is a good number. There are 32 teams total, so in taking 14, you are still at a nice % of teams (44% vs 38% - still in between the NBAs ridiculous over 50% and MLBs ridiculously low number of 27% - I don't count the one game wildcard. But even if you do, it's still 33% which is low).

Every year, there will be a division winner with a worse record than a "non playoff" team. This year it was the Texans getting in over the Jets in the AFC, and adding a 7th playoff team will fix that problem. Now you can reward a division champ AND not leave a team out that is deserving.

It is very unlikely that there would be an 8th team with a better record than a division champ, but even if that happened I still like this move to add a strong wildcard team in the mix.
 

FrantikRam

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What Goodell really meant was: "We don't want to diminish the importance of the regular season games...unless we make a boatload of cash while doing it"

I hate it.


They could have a round of 32 like the NCAA tournament, including every NFL team in a playoff, and the regular season still wouldn't be diminished. This is the best sport on the planet, with a limited number of games. This wouldn't change that.
 

woofwoofmo

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They could have a round of 32 like the NCAA tournament, including every NFL team in a playoff, and the regular season still wouldn't be diminished. This is the best sport on the planet, with a limited number of games. This wouldn't change that.


Except by the time the Super Bowl rolled around you may not have a team left physically capable of playing. No way can you ask players to play 5 playoff games after the regular season or up to 21 games or even 23 with the push to expand the schedule. Super Bowl would not be until the end of February, giving only a month of down time before the cycle starts again with OTA's.
 

FrantikRam

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Except by the time the Super Bowl rolled around you may not have a team left physically capable of playing. No way can you ask players to play 5 playoff games after the regular season or up to 21 games or even 23 with the push to expand the schedule. Super Bowl would not be until the end of February, giving only a month of down time before the cycle starts again with OTA's.


I was exaggerating to make a point. Adding one playoff team could be done with ease and it wouldn't be all that bad. It would be one extra playoff game. And a team like the Jets last year would have gotten in, which should happen.
 

woofwoofmo

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I was exaggerating to make a point. Adding one playoff team could be done with ease and it wouldn't be all that bad. It would be one extra playoff game. And a team like the Jets last year would have gotten in, which should happen.


I know. Wasn't taking you literally. Just wanted to point out it's a slippery slope when you start adding teams / games to the post-season. Can be unintended consequences. (y)
 

Merlin

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The solution is expanding byes for the top teams if they add more contenders. That way the regular season still does matter, in terms of not having to play through the earlier rounds.