It is past time to shift to the way the NBA does the playoff seeding
This is one of those rants that always has to come before something happens. Sour grapes never taste good and they don’t taste good as commentary. Usually, in this spot we would talk about something related to the Texans, but this is the week where these kinds of discussions pop up and everyone complains. Yet, nothing ever seems to be done about the problem.
Divisions exist in every sport as a practical matter. In almost every sport there are more games played within the division. MLB has moved to a balanced schedule, but I’m not sure that was the best move. Of course, we aren’t here to talk about baseball today. They play two games in the NFL within the division and they play more games in the division in the NBA than outside the division. As a practical matter, teams within the division are usually close geographically. We can pick on obvious exceptions to that rule, but when realignment occurs, it almost always moves teams closer together.
Therefore, most of the rivalries in the NFL are divisional rivalries. You play them twice a year and there is usually more at stake. That’s how it should be. However, the NBA has figured out that fans do not want to see inferior teams getting preferential treatment. Playoff seeding occurs based on overall record and overall record alone. Division winners automatically are allowed into the playoffs, but with five team divisions, it usually is not a consideration or a problem.
The counterpoint in the NFL is that basing the playoffs completely on won-loss record would minimize divisional games and divisional rivalries. I absolutely want every division represented in the playoffs and most fans do. We just don’t want a crappy team to get a fourth seed because it plays in a crappy division. I echo this even though the Texans have benefitted from this arrangement in most of the years that they have gone to the playoffs.
Continuing to do it the old way creates two unique situations that are extremely problematic. First, it pits a road team with a superior record against a home team with an inferior record. This makes absolutely zero sense. In each of the past two seasons, we have had a 17th game decide the difference between the one seed and the fifth seed. This is pure silliness. That of course spills us over into the second problem. You will always have a matchup between mismatched teams and those matchups will not generate fan interest, eyeballs, and ultimately cold hard cash for the league.
Obviously, detractors will come back with the idea that we should not change something for a once in a lifetime circumstance. How often do 8-9 teams win the division anyway? Aren’t we overreacting to something that is an anomaly? Perhaps, but then I would want to put that to the test. How often does a bad team wind up as a fourth seed in the conference?
2025- Carolina Panthers 8-9
2023- Tampa Bay Bucs 9-8
2022- Tampa Bay Bucs 8-9, Jacksonville Jaguars 9-8
2020- Washington Football Team 7-9
2019- Philadelphia Eagles 9-7
2016- Houston Texans 9-7
So, seven teams in the last ten seasons have won their division with fewer than ten wins. Sure, we could certainly blame this on the NFC and AFC South. Those divisions have been relative dumpster fires in the last decade, but the fact remains that when you have eight divisions and four teams in each division then odds are pretty good that one of those divisions will be bad. Amazingly, three teams in the last ten years have won their division with a losing record.
Cinderella is a thing. The NCAA tournament has automatic bids every year that go to teams that miraculously win their conference tournament after sucking most of the season. Those fan bases deserve a boost and few want to deprive those teams of a playoff bid. Still, do we need to give the Panthers the four seed? Does it really make sense for a 12 win Rams team to go on the road to an eight win Panthers team? Does it make sense for a 12 win Texans team to go on the road to a ten win Steelers team?
I take no issue with those teams being in, but the NCAA and NBA have figured this out and they figured it out a long time ago. Those Cinderella teams are going to get their doors blown off anyway so why not reward the second best team in the conference and guarantee that those three versus six and four versus five matchups will be compelling for television audiences?
NFC Playoffs reshaped
- Carolina Panthers at Los Angeles Rams
- Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers
- Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
Notice how the matchups don’t even change. We just flip the location for two of the three games. It is not the Rams or 49ers fault that they played in the NFL’s best division. Their records say they were the second and third best teams in the conference. So, they should get those home games. In general, fans want to see the best teams advance and everyone wants those teams to get rewarded for being good.
AFC Playoffs Reshaped
- Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots
- Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars
- Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans
Obviously, this is a more difficult matchup for the Texans, but it is more appropriate. The Texans were the fourth best team in the conference, so they deserve the home game. It would also be a more intriguing matchup than what they have on Monday night. No one is saying the Steelers shouldn’t be in, but they should not be rewarded for being mediocre in a bad division. Before anyone points this out, the Texans didn’t either in all of those seasons where they were going 10-6 or 9-7.
Category: General Sports
