Why NFL Playoffs Expansion is a Bad Idea

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Watering Down the Product

Jan 12, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; General view of the Sports Authority Field at Mile High during the 2013 AFC divisional playoff football game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

I am by no means a traditionalist. I’m all for invention and innovation and anything that will improve the game. I’m certainly not a “this is the way it’s always done” kind of person so I don’t mean to say that the current NFL playoff format is perfect, but in a league of only 32 teams and 16 regular season games, 12 playoff teams seems pretty appropriate.

It’s not even worth comparing the NFL to the other leagues because they play a tremendous amount of more games. The NFL’s regular season shapes the playoff field each season based on the teams’ schedules and their records. Some teams make the playoffs easily based on a weak schedule but when it comes down to it they can’t control who they play, just how they play. Making the NFL playoffs is a tough task, and it should remain that way.

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