Friday, January 11, 2008

The Weak Points of NFL Format

A lot has been written on the disadvantages of the current format of NFL where even a divisional champion can claim a wild card playoff spot leaving behind a team with better record in any other division. This is what happened this season as well. NFC South Champion 9-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers confirmed a playoff place with a home game in the wild card round, while 10-6 Cleveland Browns failed to make it to the last six from AFC North. There are many more points to pick in the current format of NFL.

Profootballweekly reported:

The AFC North wasn’t quite as bad as the NFC South, with the surprising Browns tying the Steelers at 10-6 but losing the division title to Pittsburgh because of the two games it lost to Pittsburgh. But a closer look reveals the Browns’ lone victory over a team with a winning record was against Seattle — ironic since the Seahawks, which played clubs with a .414 winning percentage, was the only team in the league to play an easier schedule than Cleveland, whose opponents were .430. The Steelers played the NFL’s fourth-easiest schedule, with an opponents’ winning percentage of .453.

Well, the issue has already been picked up and something in the format is badly needed to avoid such problem. Now, ahead of the divisional round play off match, four best teams of NFL are waiting to meet some less strong teams. Now, let us see if we can see some upsets in the divisional round playoff match.

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