Too many teams in the playoffs?

#1
milohimself

milohimself

RIP CITY
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#1
First, congrats to the Ravens for completing what will probably go down as the most improbable Superbowl run in NFL history. They won all the games and deserve it.

That said, how many times is that since the playoff field expanded to where it is, where the team who wins the SB was either just slightly better than mediocre or wound up backing their way into a playoff spot?

The NFL isn't the only league that rewards regular season mediocrity (NBA, NHL) but the others have best of sevens to weed out the junk.
 
#2
#2
Please let the Detroit Lions be one of those teams that backs in to the playoffs and wins the Super Bowl.
 
#5
#5
Yankee_Vol said:
I'd say the Giants runs were just as improbable
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I was listening to some program on the radio prior to the game, and they had a few statisticians on that agreed that from the onset of the playoffs, this years Ravens is the most improbable run ever.

I can buy both of the Giants runs being in the ballpark, but given the Broncos game, the slump to end the regular season, etc. I could also buy Baltimore's run being the most improbable ever.
 
#9
#9
Ravens got healthy at the right time. If they had been healthy they win 12 games probably.

Every championship team has to be lucky at some point. Ravens got lucky twice. The Ravens needed the miracle in Denver that was Rahim Moore's brain-dead pass coverage, as well as the no-call on 4th and goal last night.
 
#10
#10
n_huffhines said:
Ravens got healthy at the right time. If they had been healthy they win 12 games probably.

Every championship team has to be lucky at some point. Ravens got lucky twice. The Ravens needed the miracle in Denver that was Rahim Moore's brain-dead pass coverage, as well as the no-call on 4th and goal last night.
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That's a great point. It becomes a war of attrition at some point, especially at playoff time.
 
#11
#11
n_huffhines said:
Ravens got healthy at the right time. If they had been healthy they win 12 games probably.

Every championship team has to be lucky at some point. Ravens got lucky twice. The Ravens needed the miracle in Denver that was Rahim Moore's brain-dead pass coverage, as well as the no-call on 4th and goal last night.
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I'm not talking lucky individually or anything about the ravens in particular, even. Just stating that the nfl has a postseason system that rewards regular season mediocrity.
 
#13
#13
milohimself said:
I'm not talking lucky individually or anything about the ravens in particular, even. Just stating that the nfl has a postseason system that rewards regular season mediocrity.
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I think generally that's the exception to the rule. I don't view it that way with this result. I view it like the NFL postseason system allows forgiveness for teams that were unlucky with tough scheduling, or significant injury during the regular season.
 
#14
#14
milohimself said:
Would never happen, but I wouldn't mind seeing the nfl scrapping divisions altogether and letting in the best four from each conference.
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The only reason I like the divisional scheduling is because it actually makes the regular season mean something. It's a bit of a mini playoff. You have several brackets (divisions) that all play similar schedules, and play each other twice during the regular season.

Sure, a lot of teams' schedules are easier than others, but at least you know there are 3 other teams with a similar schedule, that if you can beat out, you'll be in the playoffs.

The wildcard handles the rest for the really tough divisions out there. I'll agree that there are too many teams in the playoffs, but I think the current system is a good one. The only way to have it both ways would be to realign to fewer, larger divisions, IMO.
 
#15
#15
It is odd. Since 2004, only twice has one of the top two seeded teams from either conference won a super bowl (Steelers in 08 as a 2nd seed, and the Saints in 09 as the 1st seed).

Having said that, I'm not sure I would change it. I like the "anything can happen" feel of the NFL playoffs, and I still think it beats the NBA and NHL playoff setups by a country mile, mostly because those two are nothing more than a money-grabbing format to weed out the mediocre teams.
 
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#16
#16
milohimself said:
I'm not talking lucky individually or anything about the ravens in particular, even. Just stating that the nfl has a postseason system that rewards regular season mediocrity.
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The division match ups are great. Look at what's happened in the NFC East the last few seasons
 
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