The first and second seeds get a first round bye. For achieving the first seed, that team is rewarded with home field advantage. The first seed also gets to play the lowest remaining seed following the completion of NFL Wild Card Weekend. But I believe the first seed should also always play on Sunday. And I believe the conference with the previous year's Super Bowl winner should always be awarded the night game on their respective playing days.
Likewise, the same formula should be applied to the third and fourth seeds. The third seed should get the advantage of playing on Sunday. It is an advantage. Why are the Giants, who are just behind the Saints with the fourth seed, more deserving of an extra day of rest?
NFL corporate needs to take a hike and set in stone a rule that says the top seeds playing on any given weekend always garner the last day of play. Furthermore, another rule should dictate which teams play the night games, whether it's the defending Super Bowl champion's conference or otherwise, so that all guess work is removed.
NFL corporate needs to take a hike and set in stone a rule that says the top seeds playing on any given weekend always garner the last day of play. Furthermore, another rule should dictate which teams play the night games, whether it's the defending Super Bowl champion's conference or otherwise, so that all guess work is removed.
Final records and seeding should account for every advantage. Make no mistake, one extra day of rest is an advantage; one the Saints and Texans have earned by virtue of their seeds. Consider that the Saints beat the tar out of the Giants and have five more wins. But I suppose the team in the biggest media market simply gets the advantage. Want to avoid an accusation like this? Make a fair rule instead of arbitrarily deciding on the fly when playoff games are scheduled.