NFL (2024 Season)

[I-39]

Expanding the playoffs beyond a certain point is never a good idea from a pure competitive standpoint. It reduces the incentive for teams to truly get better.

[webny99]

Eight division winners seeded 1-8 and six wildcards seeded 9-14 all in a single tournament. This year, you would have had (1) Kansas City and (2) Buffalo receiving byes, with first round matchups of (3) Green Bay vs (14) Miami, (4) Pittsburgh vs (13) LA Rams, (5) New Orleans vs (12) Indianapolis, (6) Seattle vs (11) Cleveland, (7) Tennessee vs (10) Tampa Bay, and (8) Washington vs (9) Baltimore

Interesting. It looks even more chaotic than what we have now, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Coincidentally, the way it worked out every single matchup is an AFC-NFC matchup thanks to an 8-6 split in favor of the AFC and the two byes going to the AFC.

(Just out of curiousity, I'm assuming you used the normal tiebreakers to determine that Buffalo got the bye over Green Bay? Just looking at it quickly I'm actually coming up with Green Bay winning based on strength of victory, given that conference record is obsolete in this scenario.)

And 14 teams is too many for the playoffs. If each playoff round halves the number of teams, why does it take 16 games to go from 32 to 14, which is only barely more than halving?

14 is actually less than the other major leagues have, and they play more regular season games.

I thought the expanded playoffs this year made for a crazier Week 17 and a better wild-card weekend. Colts-Bills, one of the extra games, was arguably the best of the weekend. Also, the fact that the #2 seeds had to play set up a more interesting divisional round where you couldn't just assume the #1 and #2 seeds would roll over their opponents and into the championships.

[NWI_Irish96]

Eight division winners seeded 1-8 and six wildcards seeded 9-14 all in a single tournament. This year, you would have had (1) Kansas City and (2) Buffalo receiving byes, with first round matchups of (3) Green Bay vs (14) Miami, (4) Pittsburgh vs (13) LA Rams, (5) New Orleans vs (12) Indianapolis, (6) Seattle vs (11) Cleveland, (7) Tennessee vs (10) Tampa Bay, and (8) Washington vs (9) Baltimore

Interesting. It looks even more chaotic than what we have now, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Coincidentally, the way it worked out every single matchup is an AFC-NFC matchup thanks to an 8-6 split in favor of the AFC and the two byes going to the AFC.

(Just out of curiousity, I'm assuming you used the normal tiebreakers to determine that Buffalo got the bye over Green Bay? Just looking at it quickly I'm actually coming up with Green Bay winning based on strength of victory, given that conference record is obsolete in this scenario.)

Yes, conference record tiebreaker would go away. I thought I was looking at the SOV column but I may have been looking at the SOS column, so some of the matchups could change.

[thspfc]

The only change I would make is restructuring the playoffs for both conferences. Using this year's calendar:
1/10: Play-ins round: WC #2 (6 seed) vs WC #3 (7 seed)
1/16 and 1/17: Wild Card round: DIV #3 (3 seed) vs winner of Wild Card
DIV #4 (4 seed) vs WC #1 (5 seed)
1/23 and 1/24: Divisional round: DIV #1 (1 seed) vs lowest remaining seed
DIV #2 (2 seed) vs second lowest remaining seed
1/31: Conference championships: Divisional round winner vs divisional round winner

This would give the #1 and #2 seeds two-week byes and the #3-5 seeds one-week byes.

[webny99]

I thought I was looking at the SOV column but I may have been looking at the SOS column, so some of the matchups could change.

Ah, OK. Buffalo definitely owns that one. They had one of the toughest schedules, so tough that many people thought they could get much better as a team and still struggle to match their 10-6 record from 2019.

[1995hoo]

....

How would the playoffs be structured with no conferences?

FWIW, the NHL isn't using conferences during the current season. The top four teams in each division make the playoffs and the #1 seed plays #4 and #2 plays #3, with the winners of those matchups meeting in the second round (just like it was back in the 1980s). The four teams that emerge from that (qualifying for the round normally known as the "Conference Finals" but this year called the "Stanley Cup Semifinals") will be seeded 1—4 based on regular-season record and will be matched up based on that, with the winners advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. Naturally, some commentators like the theoretical prospect for some Original Six matchups in the Finals that wouldn't be possible in a standard year–Montreal v. Boston or Toronto v. the Rangers, for example.

That system probably works better for a league aligned like the NHL is, though, with only four divisions with either seven or eight teams each. The NFL's eight-division setup makes it less practical. The NHL a also has a long history of too many teams in the playoffs. But my point isn't whether it's an ideal idea–I'm just pointing out that a "no-conferences" system is being used somewhere. 

[I-55]

....

How would the playoffs be structured with no conferences?

FWIW, the NHL isn't using conferences during the current season. The top four teams in each division make the playoffs and the #1 seed plays #4 and #2 plays #3, with the winners of those matchups meeting in the second round (just like it was back in the 1980s). The four teams that emerge from that (qualifying for the round normally known as the "Conference Finals" but this year called the "Stanley Cup Semifinals") will be seeded 1—4 based on regular-season record and will be matched up based on that, with the winners advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. Naturally, some commentators like the theoretical prospect for some Original Six matchups in the Finals that wouldn't be possible in a standard year–Montreal v. Boston or Toronto v. the Rangers, for example.

That system probably works better for a league aligned like the NHL is, though, with only four divisions with either seven or eight teams each. The NFL's eight-division setup makes it less practical. The NHL a also has a long history of too many teams in the playoffs. But my point isn't whether it's an ideal idea–I'm just pointing out that a "no-conferences" system is being used somewhere.

This is a byproduct of temporarily realigned conferences due to restrictions with US-Canada travel. The 2021 playoff format makes it so only 1 Canadian team will cross into the US. in other leagues the Toronto teams have moved to the US for the year (Raptors to Tampa, Blue Jays to Buffalo), but moving 7 NHL franchises is much harder. Also, in this format the semifinals and finals are going to be the only times any of those teams played each other (compared to 8+ times during the regular season).

[thspfc]

Bucs 35, Chiefs 24

[1995hoo]

....

How would the playoffs be structured with no conferences?

FWIW, the NHL isn't using conferences during the current season. The top four teams in each division make the playoffs and the #1 seed plays #4 and #2 plays #3, with the winners of those matchups meeting in the second round (just like it was back in the 1980s). The four teams that emerge from that (qualifying for the round normally known as the "Conference Finals" but this year called the "Stanley Cup Semifinals") will be seeded 1—4 based on regular-season record and will be matched up based on that, with the winners advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. Naturally, some commentators like the theoretical prospect for some Original Six matchups in the Finals that wouldn't be possible in a standard year–Montreal v. Boston or Toronto v. the Rangers, for example.

That system probably works better for a league aligned like the NHL is, though, with only four divisions with either seven or eight teams each. The NFL's eight-division setup makes it less practical. The NHL a also has a long history of too many teams in the playoffs. But my point isn't whether it's an ideal idea–I'm just pointing out that a "no-conferences" system is being used somewhere.

This is a byproduct of temporarily realigned conferences due to restrictions with US-Canada travel. The 2021 playoff format makes it so only 1 Canadian team will cross into the US. in other leagues the Toronto teams have moved to the US for the year (Raptors to Tampa, Blue Jays to Buffalo), but moving 7 NHL franchises is much harder. Also, in this format the semifinals and finals are going to be the only times any of those teams played each other (compared to 8+ times during the regular season).

All of that is true, but it has nothing to do with the point I was making. webny99 asked about how you'd structure playoffs with no conferences and I cited this NHL season as an example. The reason why the NHL is doing it wasn't relevant to his question, so I didn't mention it.

[webny99]

With the Super Bowl again on the horizon, what have been the best Super Bowls of this century so far?
I'm no Pats fan, but it's tough to deny that they've been involved with some all-time great Super Bowls. In fact, it's pretty tough to come up with an answer for the best that didn't involve the Patriots. IMO it's either Pats-Falcons (2017), Pats-Seahawks (2015), or Pats-Giants (2008).

For those of you that enjoy the commercials, FiveThirtyEight has some fun analysis, including a look back at past commercials, here:
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/super-bowl-ads/

[ET21]

Pats-Seahawks 2015 is probably one of my all time favorites with the 28-3 SB a close 2nd. Last years was pretty good

[hotdogPi]

My prediction this year: the winner will legitimately be in dispute because of a borderline bad call.

[webny99]

Pats-Seahawks 2015 is probably one of my all time favorites with the 28-3 SB a close 2nd.

I agree. Pats-Seahawks was one for the ages. It's not as famous as 28-3 (case in point, we all know what 28-3 is without even mentioning any context), but it was better in terms of being a great game from start to finish. You knew it had the makings of something special when the Seahawks scored a late TD to tie it up at 14-14 going into halftime.

[thspfc]

Pats-Seahawks 2015 is probably one of my all time favorites with the 28-3 SB a close 2nd. Last years was pretty good

My top two are Eagles/Pats and 28-3.

[oscar]

I watched the NFL Honors program last night. Toward the end, Peyton Manning's Hall of Fame election was announced. That announcement was preceded by one of his insurance commercials. And the announcement itself showed the Hall of Fame representative walking in on what looked like the filming of yet another commercial, to tell Manning the good news. Nice touches.

[Roadgeekteen]

Go Bucs

[webny99]

NFL writer and Around the NFL Podcast legend Chris Wesseling has passed away at the age of 46 after battling cancer for several years.
Devestating.

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-com-writer-podcaster-chris-wesseling-dies-at-age-46#

[webny99]

My prediction this year: the winner will legitimately be in dispute because of a borderline bad call.

Well, we don't know yet if the winner will be in dispute because of it, but ... there has definitely been some bad calls.

(edited to fix typo)

[ozarkman417]

I'm only watching the SB up to half this year. As of that point, the Bucc's best player is the yellow flag. 

[ozarkman417]

and buccs win with KC only scoring field goals.

[webny99]

and buccs win with KC only scoring field goals.

31-9, to be exact. The first and only blowout of the playoffs. The first and only multi-score loss of Mahomes' career. If you didn't see it coming, welcome to the NFL.

[Max Rockatansky]

Tampa just plain out played and out coached Kansas City in every facet of the game.  Those penalties through the game were for the most part pretty glaring because Tampa was having their way the entire time. 

[Alex]

Hearing fireworks outside after the Bucs shellacking of the Chiefs.

Surprised at how one sided the game was, but maybe not as much with how many flags the refs threw.

And Florida Man even made an appearance.



Next NFL news will be the Carson Wentz trade.

[US 89]

Surprised at how one sided the game was, but maybe not as much with how many flags the refs threw.

I don't dispute that some of those calls were bad, but I don't think they changed the outcome of the game one bit. The Chiefs were simply outmatched at all levels tonight.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm only watching the SB up to half this year. As of that point, the Bucc's best player is the yellow flag. 

Yeah, but they were all pretty much justified.