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The NFL conducts owners meetings every offseason to discuss possible rule changes for the upcoming season. We've seen the league make numerous changes already, and it sounds like a big one could be on the way, especially after reports indicate the next owners' meeting will be focusing on potentially changing the playoff format.
In a proposal that was created by the Detroit Lions, NFL owners are set to meet about the seeding of each playoff team in the postseason, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. In the proposal, each divisional winner will still clinch a playoff berth. However, they would no longer be guaranteed seeds one through four.
Instead, the seeding would be strictly based on record. Additionally, after the first round of the NFL playoffs, the second round would be re-seeded in a way that gives the No. 1 seed the best matchup possible.
“Detroit's proposal would be for the four division champions and three wild cards in each conference to make the playoffs. Those seven teams would then be seeded strictly by record rather than assigning the top seeds to the division winners (which is how it's been done since the merger), with the wild cards to follow.
“If teams have the same record, being a division champion would be the first tiebreaker, regardless of head-to-head record. Detroit’s proposal in March called for the teams then to be reseeded after the first round.”
This proposal was brought to the table by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in March. It was given an unofficial vote, but it didn't receive much attention. Breer reports that the league is taking another look at the proposal after the Lions added new logic.
“That logic is right there in the NFL’s rules proposal memo that went to clubs this week. The reason, in Detroit's proposal, reads: Competitive equity. Provides excitement and competition in late-season games. Rewards the best-performing teams from the regular season.”
The NFL has seemingly become wary of teams resting star players in the final two weeks of the regular season with playoff spots secured. However, the new seeding system that the Lions have proposed allegedly keeps teams more competitive down the stretch.
“The ‘provides excitement and competition' portion is key for the NFL, which has become increasingly concerned about teams resting players in Weeks 17 and 18 in preparation for the playoffs, with seeding locked up or at least narrowed down.
“The NFL analytics team showed owners a slide at the March meetings that explained how an “open seeding” system, like the one Detroit proposed, would make late games more relevant.”
