Steelers should be pushing for expanded playoffs

[Lady Steel]

A year ago at this time the addition of two more teams to the NFL playoff field appeared to be gaining momentum. Commissioner Roger Goodell was enthusiastic about the idea and the general consensus was the league’s owners would vote to make it happen in 2015.

Goodell, however, backtracked a bit on his previous comments last week before the Super Bowl.

“There are positives to it, but there are concerns as well, among them being the risk of diluting our regular season and conflicting with college football in January,” Goodell said.

Count me among those who are completely baffled by the reference to college football, as if that has anything to do with the decisions NFL owners make about their product. It should be up to college football to make adjustments around the NFL schedule. Making concessions to the greedy people who run college football is ludicrous.

But even if there are legitimate concerns about diluting the NFL product there are arguments that can be made to refute them.




http://sportsblogs.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers-steelers-blog/2015/02/05/Steelers-should-be-pushing-for-expanded-playoffs

[Butch]

No they should not!!! I am against expanding the playoffs even if it would cost us a chance at the post season down the line. I would argue that it gives a team who plays a soft schedule a better shot of making it in. Even though there have been teams to make it in by the skin of their teeth and win the Super Bowl it doesn't happen often enough to justify expanding the playoffs. Also from what I am hearing there will not be an automatic home playoff game for a division winner rather it will be based on record. Again I am against this for the same reason I stated above it could end up rewarding a team that plays a soft schedule and it will weaken the importance of winning the division.


IMHO Steelers just say No to expanding the playoffs.

[86WARD]

Agree with Butch. Just say NO. No need to water the playoffs down. Just another money grabbing idea by Goofdell and the owners.

What's next? Every team will get a trophy and a ring?

[fansince'76]

One can make an argument the Steelers should be one of the teams pushing the hardest for playoff expansion in 2015. They face one of the league’s most difficult schedules with games against the NFC West, AFC West and the Patriots and Colts because they finished in first place in the AFC North last season.

It’s also a solid plan to support playoff expansion for the long haul considering the level of competition they face in the AFC North on a yearly basis. Baltimore is one of the strongest teams in the league and has missed the playoffs only once in the past seven years. Cincinnati has missed just once in the past six seasons.

This is BS and I figured where the article would be headed just by the title. The Steelers drew the toughest schedule in the league in 30 years back in '08, and still made the playoffs as a #2 seed. If the Steelers get to the playoffs, they should get there on their own merit, not because of some technicality like a watered-down playoff field. 12 teams between the two conferences is enough.

And as far as the competition in the AFC North is concerned, I wouldn't be completely against a division realignment with the AFC East. Watching the Patriots breeze into the playoffs every year because the rest of the teams in their division are sad sacks has gotten beyond old. Of course, "realignment" in Goodell Land would probably mean moving the Bills (who are actually and rapidly improving) to the AFC North while the AFC East got the Browns, so scratch that...

[T&B fan]

its all about the $$$ . so if thats what is needed then all 12 teams play, no bye week for top 2 , you will have 2 more playoff games to get the holly $$$ from TV .

1 plays 6
2 plays 5
3 plays 4

[tube517]

No more playoff teams. Leave it alone.

[st33lersguy]

I wish Goofdell would stop tinkering with things that are perfectly fine

[X-Terminator]

Um...how about no?