Are the winds of change heading into the NFL playoff format? Most NFL fans are hoping so.
The rumors and latest news reports are indicating that the NFL playoffs are going to be doing something fans have been wanting to see for a long time – creating playoff expansion with more teams!
NFL Playoff format change
Here is something NFL fans will be looking forward to – more NFL games, and an extended postseason.
While everything is still far from official, it seems to be a deal that will be completed very soon.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the league is looking to expand the regular season and shorten the preseason. That is something the fans and players would love.
The NFL is throwing around the idea of playing 17-regular season games – which means the regular season could be a week or two longer depending on how they work the bye system.
On Wednesday evening, Schefter tweeted the latest news on the topic.
More details: Under the current CBA proposal that NFL owners are pushing for, the playoff field would be expanded to seven teams, while the regular season would be increased to 17 games per team, and the preseason shortened to three games per team, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 19, 2020
“Under the current CBA proposal that NFL owners are pushing for, the playoff field would be expanded to seven teams, while the regular season would be increased to 17 games per team, and the preseason shortened to three games per team, per sources.”
This sounds like a great idea – especially adding one more team into the postseason.
Not only will it draw more interest from fans, but it will make every game that much more important down the stretch.
Only one team gets a bye
While nothing is set in stone, if the example given above is correct, here is how next season’s playoff schedule could play out.
According to ESPN, only one team from each conference would receive a first-round bye as opposed to the two team system that has been in place for decades.
So the break down would be simple.
The seventh team, or last team in, would still have the longest road to the Super Bowl – just like the No. 6 seed does now. The only difference is instead of the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds getting a first-round bye, only the No. 1 seed will have that honor.
The two "7th place" teams from last season that would have made the playoffs under the new proposed format:
– NFC: Los Angeles Rams (9-7)
– AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8) pic.twitter.com/T8oCL9GbDc— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 19, 2020
That would mean a revised postseason schedule that includes six games on wild-card weekend, with three on Saturday and three on Sunday.
No NFL fan is going to argue that change.
For example, if this rule had already been in place last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams would have made the postseason.
They both would be on the road the entire postseason as the No. 7 seed, but nevertheless, they would have made it into the playoffs.
This news of the possible NFL playoff changes has pigskin fans already dreaming of next season.
In case you were wondering, the countdown until the NFL Hall of Fame inductions, which is the opening of the 2020 preseason schedule, is 171 days from today – but who’s counting?