NFL teams that had better seasons should play at home. They earned it. They deserve it.
If you’ve read some of my previous articles, then you know that I’ve been an advocate for a 14-team playoff system. That would be seven teams per each conference with only the top seed getting a bye.
In that system, the NFL gets an extra round of playoff revenue, teams have a better chance of reaching the postseason, and fans are treated to an extra afternoon of pro football.
This whole idea was sprouted long ago when the chatter around the league was about moving to an 18-game regular-season schedule. In exchange, preseason contests would go from four games to two.
Now, though, a different idea has been floating around–an idea that’s much like what the NBA is going to do. It involves re-seeding the teams once the tournament begins.
Consider what’s happening this year in the NFC East. The division winner may have a losing record, and giving that team equal playoff footing seems unfair as many see it. One or more Wild Card teams will likely end the regular season with a higher win percentage.
That’s a fair assessment. I agree that a better team should have a home-field advantage, especially in a sport where you don’t have a series to determine the winner. In the NFL playoffs, it’s one and done.
Think back to the 2010 season when the Saints, defending Super Bowl Saints, that is, finished as a Wild Card team and had to travel to Seattle to play a first-round matchup. Yes, those Seahawks won the NFC West, but they did it with a 7-9 record. As pathetic as that is, the game still turned out to be one for the archives–with one of the greatest plays in NFL history, “The Beastquake.”
Bottom line: the home advantage served the Seahawks quite well. That 2010 team beat the Saints and advanced in the playoffs.
It’s one reason why the league and its owners are seriously considering reseeding the teams in each conference for the playoffs. Division winners will still always be a guarantee, but they won’t be guaranteed a home game–unless they have a top-four record in their respective conferences.
I would have no problem if they changed it this year. Just look at the NFC playoff picture. The San Francisco 49ers, at 10-2, are clearly one of the best teams in the league. However, so are the Seattle Seahawks, who are also 10-2. The Seahawks hold the division lead because of a head-to-head victory in OT. But in the playoffs, one of these two teams will likely have to play a potential losing team on the road.
Playing at home doesn’t guarantee a victory, of course, but playing on the road comes with traveling issues–issues that shouldn’t be borne by teams with better records.
Teams that had better seasons should get to play at home. They earned it. They deserve it.
What’s your take?
