Players, owners open to expanding playoff field to 14 teams
 

NFL players and owners have expressed an openness to expanding the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams -- a change that would help offset revenue lost by cutting the preseason to three games, which is considered likely as the sides begin another bargaining session Monday in Chicago, according to numerous sources familiar with the talks.

An expanded playoff format has not yet been formally proposed in bargaining, nor has expanding the regular season to 17 or 18 games, which players continue to oppose. It's possible the preseason could be shortened even without adding regular season or postseason games. But sources say that adding two playoff games remains squarely in the conversation amidst unexpectedly positive dialogue that continued to yield progress in staff meetings last week on secondary issues such as current and retired player benefits, player health, and safety.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...a-talks-resume

This is the possible scenario for the playoff format that I found. Only one team in each conference would get a bye....



In a 14-team playoff model, 7 teams from the NFC and AFC make the playoffs instead of 6. The only major repercussion from this is that there would be 3 wildcard teams instead of 2, and only 1 team can get a bye week. That means in wildcard weekend, #2 plays #7, 3 plays 6, 4 plays 5. Still, after wildcard weekend, matchups are based on highest seed vs. lowest seed.

All in all, here are the benefits to a 7-team playoff.

Since there would only be 1 team with a bye week in each conference, last week is more competitive since teams likely won’t be guaranteed a bye week to that point. Thus, the league is actually more competitive among top teams. Essentially, teams are incentivized even more to become #1 seed.
7 teams instead of 6 would only add 2 extra games to the schedule, but not an extra week. After wildcard weekend, there would be 8 teams left in the playoffs, just as there are now in the current playoff format of 12 teams.
While 6 teams from each conference ensures a competitive playoff system, 7 from each conference would still be less than 50% of teams in the playoffs. Other than the MLB (10/30 teams make the playoffs), Major American sports leagues have more than half of their teams make the playoffs! The competitiveness of the playoffs would still be superb despite widening the field.

Let’s use this year’s Playoffs as an example scenario: (WC stands for wild card team)

AFC PLAYOFF TEAMS:
1 (West champs, BYE) - Chiefs (12-4)
2 (East champs, vs. WC3) - Patriots (11-5)
3 (South champs, vs. WC2) - Texans (11-5)
4 (North champs, vs. WC1) - Ravens (10-6)
5 (WC1, vs. #4) - Chargers (12-4)
6 (WC2, vs. #3) - Colts (10-6)
7 (WC3, vs. #2) - Steelers (9-6-1)

NFC PLAYOFF TEAMS:
1 (South champs, BYE) - Saints (13-3)
2 (West champs, vs. WC3) - Rams (13-3)
3 (North champs, vs. WC2) - Bears (12-4)
4 (East champs, vs. WC1) - Cowboys (10-6)
5 (WC1, vs. #4) - Seahawks (10-6)
6 (WC2, vs. #3) - Eagles (9-7)
7 (WC3, vs. #2) - Vikings (8-7-1)

But, why?

Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.

It ain't broke, don't fix it.

I do like the part about doing away with one pre-season game. Reduce to 3 by all means

im down with this but they should reseed the playoffs based on record

No. More teams don't deserve to make it.

That's my thing. It waters it down.

Plus you start taking out byes, teams will stop giving as much shit about the regular season.

Look no further than the NBA.

Yea we need more teams with a losing record in the playoffs. :facepalm:

Never happen nor should it be done. Why would any team want their division title to basically be meaningless.

Agreed.

Most of the time there aren't even 6 truly championship caliber teams in each conference.

Stupid money grab.

Plus you're gonna make one of your actual championship caliber teams have to play an extra game.

One year the Chiefs get the 2 seed at like 12-4, then have a guy get hurt in that game people should be pissed.

Stupid idea. I know of no fans anywhere clamoring for this. We already have .500ish teams in on a regular basis.

No regular season means something in our sport. Which makes every week much watch TV. One lose could **** your season.

Ugh. Terrible idea. I actually love the NFL playoffs because it helps emphasize the importance to the regular season.

It is maddening to see the NBA playoffs (where over half the league makes the playoffs) and the NCAA Tournament, wheere the 9th best team in a conference make the post season tournament.

So the head coaches around the league have succeeded in forcing the NFL's hand by refusing to play starters in the pre-season games.

Only the most hard-core of hard-core fans care a damn about 4th stringers duking it out for 20 or 30 minutes in ugly football, so the NFL decides to punt and substitute a pre-season game or two for games that count or games that really count.

I see no problem in adding another wildcard team or two, but the notion of making the playoffs an extended regular season would be a huge mistake. Huger even than Speaks' ass.

FAX

If the players and owners are open to it then it will probably happen. That'll be an extra two playoff games to try to fit into one weekend at the start?