Comments on: The 11-5 Patriots were jobbed this season http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/12/28/the-11-5-patriots-were-jobbed-this-season/ The National Sports Blog Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:52:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Michael http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/12/28/the-11-5-patriots-were-jobbed-this-season/#comment-304632 Michael Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:35:09 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=11313#comment-304632 I wonder if a system not unlike Baseball in the '70s and '80s will work: Have only TWO divisions in each conference with four wild-cards available; and also that winning your division guarantees a first-round bye which would make the first round of the playoffs TRULY WILD CARD PLAYOFFS. In a 16-game season, each team would play another in their division once (7 games), plus 4 games in the other division of the same conference plus 4 games in the other division of the other conference; the 16th game would rotate on a 7-year cycle within the division (it would be on the road if the first game was at home; this format would also break most head-to-head playoff tiebreakers. This is how I would align the 32 teams into two divisions in each conferences of 8 teams each: (This would make third place sound good as it would usually be a playoff spot as well:) AFC EAST AFC WEST New England Patriots Cincinnati Bengals New York Jets Tennessee Titans Buffalo Bills Houston Texans Pittsburgh Steelers Indianapolis Colts Baltimore Ravens Denver Broncos Jacksonville Jaguars Oakland Raiders Miami Dolphins Kansas City Chiefs Cleveland Browns San Diego Chargers NFC EAST NFC WEST New York Giants Dallas Cowboys Philadelphia Eagles Minnesota Vikings Washington Redskins Green Bay Packers Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints Atlanta Falcons Arizona Cardinals Tampa Bay Buccaneers St. Louis Rams Detroit Lions San Francisco 49ers Chicago Bears Seattle Seahawks I wonder if a system not unlike Baseball in the ’70s and ’80s will work: Have only TWO divisions in each conference with four wild-cards available; and also that winning your division guarantees a first-round bye which would make the first round of the playoffs TRULY WILD CARD PLAYOFFS. In a 16-game season, each team would play another in their division once (7 games), plus 4 games in the other division of the same conference plus 4 games in the other division of the other conference; the 16th game would rotate on a 7-year cycle within the division (it would be on the road if the first game was at home; this format would also break most head-to-head playoff tiebreakers.

This is how I would align the 32 teams into two divisions in each conferences of 8 teams each: (This would make third place sound good as it would usually be a playoff spot as well:)

AFC EAST AFC WEST
New England Patriots Cincinnati Bengals
New York Jets Tennessee Titans
Buffalo Bills Houston Texans
Pittsburgh Steelers Indianapolis Colts
Baltimore Ravens Denver Broncos
Jacksonville Jaguars Oakland Raiders
Miami Dolphins Kansas City Chiefs
Cleveland Browns San Diego Chargers

NFC EAST NFC WEST
New York Giants Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles Minnesota Vikings
Washington Redskins Green Bay Packers
Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints
Atlanta Falcons Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Bay Buccaneers St. Louis Rams
Detroit Lions San Francisco 49ers
Chicago Bears Seattle Seahawks

]]> By: Scott http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/12/28/the-11-5-patriots-were-jobbed-this-season/#comment-304131 Scott Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:18:25 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=11313#comment-304131 One objective argument is that the Pats were only 1-4 against teams that made the playoffs - including a loss to the Chargers. One objective argument is that the Pats were only 1-4 against teams that made the playoffs – including a loss to the Chargers.

]]> By: Mike Farley http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/12/28/the-11-5-patriots-were-jobbed-this-season/#comment-302938 Mike Farley Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:33:13 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=11313#comment-302938 I'm not a Pats fan but that is BS! But at least the Chargers deserve it more than Denver would have. Do we need to go to a seeding like the NHL or NBA? I’m not a Pats fan but that is BS! But at least the Chargers deserve it more than Denver would have. Do we need to go to a seeding like the NHL or NBA?

]]> By: John Paulsen http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/12/28/the-11-5-patriots-were-jobbed-this-season/#comment-302816 John Paulsen Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:15:18 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=11313#comment-302816 "How the hell does a team finish 11-5 but not make the playoffs?" Karma, baby! Seriously, this one goes out to all of those BCS apologists that claim that the NFL regular season doesn't matter. Sure it does. Here's your proof. “How the hell does a team finish 11-5 but not make the playoffs?”

Karma, baby!

Seriously, this one goes out to all of those BCS apologists that claim that the NFL regular season doesn’t matter. Sure it does. Here’s your proof.

]]> By: Tony http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/12/28/the-11-5-patriots-were-jobbed-this-season/#comment-302743 Tony Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:15:56 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=11313#comment-302743 I guess if my team was 11-5 and missed out on the playoffs while an 8-8 got in, I would probably feel like my team should have won another game. Seems like there is 1-2 teams every year that get "screwed". Welcome to the NFL. Not sure why they would suddenly look into changing it this year... I guess if my team was 11-5 and missed out on the playoffs while an 8-8 got in, I would probably feel like my team should have won another game.

Seems like there is 1-2 teams every year that get “screwed”. Welcome to the NFL. Not sure why they would suddenly look into changing it this year…

]]> By: Jeff http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/12/28/the-11-5-patriots-were-jobbed-this-season/#comment-302378 Jeff Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:33:14 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=11313#comment-302378 What are the supposed benefits of the current layout? As a Packer fan, I like the regional aspect of the NFC North Division competition, but that's about the only thing I can think of. History and rivalries maybe? I don't know that I'd be really bummed out to go to 4 larger divisions rather than 8 small ones, and that would certainly make it less likely for an 11-5 team to miss out while an 8-8 team gets to dance. What are the supposed benefits of the current layout? As a Packer fan, I like the regional aspect of the NFC North Division competition, but that’s about the only thing I can think of.

History and rivalries maybe?

I don’t know that I’d be really bummed out to go to 4 larger divisions rather than 8 small ones, and that would certainly make it less likely for an 11-5 team to miss out while an 8-8 team gets to dance.

]]>