ESPN Page 2 - Easterbrook: Armageddon

WHERE WAS THIS IN 1991? The tastefully named Gregg Easterbrook argues today that the NFL playoffs should be changed to a format in which "the top 12 teams should be taken regardless of division or conference". Instead of seeing the Cardinals and Broncos/Chargers in two weeks ...

If the season ended today as a seeded tournament, these (using simplified tiebreakers -- I did not run every ramification) would be the pairings. Byes: Titans, Giants, Steelers, Panthers. First round: Jets, Bears or Bucs at Colts, Cowboys at Pats, Ravens at Falcons, Vikings at Dolphins. Is there one single NFL fan anywhere who does not think this seeded postseason tournament would have more appeal than the first round we're going to end up with?

Eh. I like keeping the conferences separated until the Super Bow. I like divisions. I like respecting divisional winners, even when the results are as absurd as these, because the regular season still matters and will produce a hella-fun week 17 this year. As I often say with regards to the NCAA men's basketball tournament, while we can argue about teams being squeezed out in the margins, you can't really make the case that the teams being excluded (this year, likely Chicago, Philadelphia, Tampa and two AFC East teams) have any legitimate claim to being The Best Team In Football.

What I wouldn't mind, however, is only guaranteeing division winners a playoff slot, but not necessarily a home game. In other words, let Denver travel to Indianapolis in the wild card week this year and not vice-versa, with the 10-5 Falcons hosting a wild card game rather than travel to Arizona or Minnesota. I could live with that.