The Detroit Lions‘ offseason playoff proposal seems loads higher proper about now.
On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured the NFC South champion will end no higher than 8-9 with a 16-14 house win over the Carolina Panthers (8-9). With the outcome, the division comes right down to a Sunday tilt between the New Orleans Saints (6-10) and Atlanta Falcons (7-9). If Atlanta wins to create a three-way tie atop the division, the Panthers might be topped champs. A New Orleans win would hand Tampa Bay its fifth consecutive division title.
Squashed offseason Detroit Lions proposal might have probably large affect on upcoming playoffs
The NFC South is as soon as once more a pit of despair, with the division doing nothing to earn its playoff spot, not to mention the privilege of internet hosting a postseason sport.
Whereas it is truthful to query whether or not the pending NFC South champion belongs within the playoffs (spoiler: it does not), a rule change proposed this past offseason by the Lions would not have threatened its place within the postseason.
As an alternative, its ramifications would have been felt within the divisional spherical. Per the proposal, the playoff area could be reseeded by file following wild-card weekend, guaranteeing the No. 1 seed will get essentially the most advantageous opponent.
This is a possible situation that might play out later this month: To illustrate the NFC South champion — the No. 4 seed — and a wild-card crew (both No. 6 or 7) prevail subsequent weekend. In that case, the 1-seed must play a a lot harder wild-card crew — both the San Francisco 49ers (12-4) or Los Angeles Rams (11-5) — whereas the No. 2 would play both the Panthers or Bucs.
An identical scenario unfolded final 12 months, prompting the Lions’ rule change request. Then, the 2-seed Philadelphia Eagles bought to play the 10-7 Rams within the divisional spherical, whereas the 1-seed Lions performed the No. 6 seed Washington Commanders, who have been 12-5.
Groups with the highest seed in every convention ought to have the simplest path to the Tremendous Bowl, however the present playoff system ensures that is not at all times the case. With an enormous wild-card spherical upset, the fault within the NFL’s playoff construction could possibly be magnified.
