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Playoffs: Wildcards are in!


Tegis

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I always felt like one of the reasons some top teams would bomb out is because they would rest their starters week 17, have a bye, so the players would have a 3 week gap which surely isn't good?

 IIRC Teams with a bye tend not to rest their starters in week 17. Only teams in the same situation as the chiefs do that. Teams with a bye usually give the starters ~3 quarters in week 17.

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I always felt like one of the reasons some top teams would bomb out is because they would rest their starters week 17, have a bye, so the players would have a 3 week gap which surely isn't good?

 IIRC Teams with a bye tend not to rest their starters in week 17. Only teams in the same situation as the chiefs do that. Teams with a bye usually give the starters ~3 quarters in week 17.

 

Rodgers didn't play in week 17 when they were #1 seed. I know Peyton rarely played in week 17, most games he'd have a drive or 2 and then stop. I would search for the exact stats but a bit busy at the moment.

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Seemingly, since 1970 (so 44 years inclusive), only 10 wildcard teams have made it to the big one and only 6 have won it.

Wildcard superbowl winners

1980 - Oakland Raiders

1998 - Denver Broncos

2000 - Baltimore Ravens

2005 - Pittsburgh Steelers

2007 - New York Giants

2010 - Green Bay Packers

The answer to how many teams have won the superbowl after a first round bye is 14. This doesn't clarify post-wildcard era although maybe that's implied with the 'bye'.

So you've a 133% greater chance of winning the superbowl with a bye than with a wildcard.

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There was an article on NFL by Billick about momentum going into playoffs that I read last night. Only going back 5 years, but looking at the SB winners. Also mentioned the fact that Saints went 13-0, lost to Dallas so rested starters next 2 weeks, had a bye, everyone said they'd be out of sync with time off, ended up winning. Also to come out of that article all of last 5 winners lost at least 1 of last 3 games. 5 teams had cumulative record of 7-8 in last 3. And final conclusion of how momentum is just some bollocks myth the media like to use and say.

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Yeah I think it very much depends on the health and fitness levels of the individual squads.  In order to fully analyse the 'resting v momentum' stat you'd need to look at the age of the squads that went into post-season.  It's entirely likely that aging squads like the Ravens of last year would like a break whereas younger squads wouldn't.  It's up to the HC to make the judgement.  But ostensibly and predictably, the stats seem to bear out over the 44 years that teams who do better in regular season tend to progress further in post-season.

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Is NFL Gamepass not available for the playoffs? I'm sure I saw the option for the playoff games before.

 

Edit: I mean just the playoff games, not a whole season.

Edited by packoman
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Is NFL Gamepass not available for the playoffs? I'm sure I saw the option for the playoff games before.

 

Edit: I mean just the playoff games, not a whole season.

 

https://gamepass.nfl.com/nflgp/ I get a button to sign up for the playoffs here

 

Hmm, guess it's not available in Ireland then. The only option I have is for the offseason.

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Sky show every post-season game.  You must have Sky of course ... but at least it's not like regular season where it's 1 game at a time or RedZone.

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Is NFL Gamepass not available for the playoffs? I'm sure I saw the option for the playoff games before.

 

Edit: I mean just the playoff games, not a whole season.

 

https://gamepass.nfl.com/nflgp/ I get a button to sign up for the playoffs here

 

Hmm, guess it's not available in Ireland then. The only option I have is for the offseason.

 

Bummer!

 

UK/Republic of Ireland Blackout Rules

Similar to last season, select Sunday games aired on Sky Sports in UK and Republic of Ireland are subject to a 24-hour blackout within NFL Game Pass. This includes Regular Season games for all package options as well as Playoffs and Super Bowl within the Season Plus subscription package. Visit our FAQ page for further blackout details: http://gamepassuk.support.nfl.com/Vi...CLID=205563706

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Seemingly, since 1970 (so 44 years inclusive), only 10 wildcard teams have made it to the big one and only 6 have won it.

Wildcard superbowl winners

1980 - Oakland Raiders

1998 - Denver Broncos

2000 - Baltimore Ravens

2005 - Pittsburgh Steelers

2007 - New York Giants

2010 - Green Bay Packers

The answer to how many teams have won the superbowl after a first round bye is 14. This doesn't clarify post-wildcard era although maybe that's implied with the 'bye'.

So you've a 133% greater chance of winning the superbowl with a bye than with a wildcard.

 

This does not take into account division winners that played on Wildcard Weekend though.  The last three Super Bowl Champions played on Wild Card Weekend, and six of the last ten played on Wild Card Weekend.  

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Of all the Super Bowl winners (since wildcard weekend was introduced) how many of those teams had to play in wildcard weekend and how many winners had 1st round byes? Would be interesting to see, historically, if a 1st round bye actually benefits. 

 

I always felt like one of the reasons some top teams would bomb out is because they would rest their starters week 17, have a bye, so the players would have a 3 week gap which surely isn't good?

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IIRC, Wild Card Weekend teams winning it all is really a new thing.  Free agency, salary cap, ect. have made it so the difference between even the best and worst teams in the league is minimal, and that means the difference between playoff teams is tiny.  With teams that close in talent momentum can mean a lot.  

 

I do not like it.  I want the best teams to win.  Unfortunately, this playoff system very rarely results in the best team winning it all. 

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Prior to 1990, the playoffs were a 10-team (5 per conference) tournament: 3 division winners and two wildcards (so all division winners got byes).

1990-91

AFC byes: #1 Bills (lost Super Bowl), #2 Raiders (lost AFCCG)

NFC byes: #1 49ers (lost NFCCG), #2 Giants (won Super Bowl)

1991-92

AFC byes: #1 Bills (lost Super Bowl), #2 Broncos (lost AFCCG)

NFC byes: #1 Redskins (won Super Bowl), #2 Lions (lost NFCCG)

1992-93

AFC byes: #1 Steelers (lost divisional), #2 Dolphins (lost AFCCG)

NFC byes: #1 49ers (lost NFCCG), #2 Cowboys (won Super Bowl)

1993-94

AFC byes: #1 Bills (lost Super Bowl), #2 Oilers (lost divisional)

NFC byes: #1 Cowboys (won Super Bowl), #2 49ers (lost NFCCG)

1994-95

AFC byes: #1 Steelers (lost AFCCG), #2 Chargers (lost Super Bowl)

NFC byes: #1 49ers (won Super Bowl), #2 Cowboys (lost NFCCG)

1995-96

AFC byes: #1 Chiefs (lost divisional), #2 Steelers (lost Super Bowl)

NFC byes: #1 Cowboys (won Super Bowl), #2 49ers (lost divisional)

1996-97

AFC byes: #1 Broncos (lost divisional), #2 Patriots (lost Super Bowl)

NFC byes: #1 Packers (won Super Bowl), #2 Panthers (lost NFCCG)

1997-98

AFC byes: #1 Chiefs (lost divisional), #2 Steelers (lost AFCCG) [#4 seed Broncos won Super Bowl]

NFC byes: #1 49ers (lost NFCCG), #2 Packers (lost Super Bowl)

1998-99

AFC byes: #1 Broncos (won Super Bowl), #2 Jets (lost AFCCG)

NFC byes: #1 Vikings (lost NFCCG), #2 Falcons (lost Super Bowl)

1999-2000

AFC byes: #1 Jaguars (lost AFCCG), #2 Colts (lost divisional) [#4 seed Titans lost Super Bowl]

NFC byes: #1 Rams (won Super Bowl), #2 Bucs (lost NFCCG)

2000-01

AFC byes: #1 Titans (lost divisional), #2 Raiders (lost AFCCG) [#4 seed Ravens won Super Bowl]

NFC byes: #1 Giants (lost Super Bowl), #2 Vikings (lost NFCCG)

Note that up to this point, all but one NFC Championship Game was 2 @ 1...

2001-02

AFC: #1 Steelers (lost AFCCG), #2 Patriots (won Super Bowl)

NFC: #1 Rams (lost Super Bowl), #2 Bears (lost divisional)

After this, the 4 division + 2 wild-card format came in...

2002-03

AFC: #1 Raiders (lost Super Bowl), #2 Titans (lost AFCCG)

NFC: #1 Eagles (lost NFCCG), #2 Bucs (won Super Bowl)

2003-04

AFC: #1 Patriots (won Super Bowl), #2 Chiefs (lost divisional)

NFC: #1 Eagles (lost NFCCG), #2 Panthers (lost Super Bowl)

2004-05

AFC: #1 Steelers (lost AFCCG), #2 Patriots (won Super Bowl)

NFC: #1 Eagles (lost Super Bowl), #2 Falcons (lost NFCCG)

2005-06

AFC: #1 Colts (lost divisional), #2 Broncos (lost AFCCG) [#6 seed Steelers won Super Bowl]

NFC: #1 Seahawks (lost Super Bowl), #2 Bears (lost divisional)

2006-07

AFC: #1 Chargers (lost divisional), #2 Ravens (lost divisional) [#3 seed Colts won Super Bowl]

NFC: #1 Bears (lost Super Bowl), #2 Saints (lost NFCCG)

2007-08

AFC: #1 Patriots (lost Super Bowl), #2 Colts (lost divisional)

NFC: #1 Cowboys (lost divisional), #2 Packers (lost NFCCG) [#5 seed Giants won Super Bowl]

2008-09

AFC: #1 Titans (lost divisional), #2 Steelers (won Super Bowl)

NFC: #1 Giants (lost divisional), #2 Panthers (lost divisional) [#4 seed Cardinals won Super Bowl]

2009-10

AFC: #1 Colts (lost Super Bowl), #2 Chargers (lost divisional)

NFC: #1 Saints (won Super Bowl), #2 Vikings (lost NFCCG)

2010-11

AFC: #1 Patriots (lost divisional), #2 Steelers (lost Super Bowl)

NFC: #1 Falcons (lost divisional), #2 Bears (lost NFCCG) [#6 seed Packers won Super Bowl]

2011-12

AFC: #1 Patriots (lost Super Bowl), #2 Ravens (lost AFCCG)

NFC: #1 Packers (lost divisional), #2 49ers (lost NFCCG) [#4 seed Giants won Super Bowl]

2012-13

AFC: #1 Broncos (lost divisional), #2 Patriots (lost NFCCG) [#4 seed Ravens won Super Bowl]

NFC: #1 Falcons (lost NFCCG), #2 49ers (lost Super Bowl)

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II  

 

I do not like it.  I want the best teams to win.  Unfortunately, this playoff system very rarely results in the best team winning it all. 

 

I can't stress just how much I disagree with this.

 

The current setup of the NFL is what makes it the best sport in the world. Every game matters, Every team has a chance, It's a level playing field, poorer teams are actively aided to get better better via the draft, the playoff system rewards the best teams with a bye but allows "midtable" sides to still have a chance of getting to a superbowl via a wildcard. 

 

The one thing that does bother me about the game now is that the passing game is too prominant. A 4,000 yard season is now a non-event for a QB. One solution IMO would be to increase the allowed contact zone for CB's from 5 yards to 10.

Edited by villa89
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