The Detroit Lions have submitted a new playoff seeding proposal that has become the talk of the town. It will be voted on next week by NFL owners. Under the plan, each conference would still send seven teams — four division champions and three wild-card teams. The key change, however, is that teams would be seeded by record, regardless of division titles.
Advertisement
So, while winning the division would still secure a playoff berth, it wouldn’t guarantee a higher seed. This idea, as expected, didn’t sit well with many, including the likes of Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe.
For years, decades even, the gold standard for securing an NFL playoff spot was winning the division. It gave real weight to those six games against divisional opponents. But with the league adding more playoff teams and extending the regular season, those matchups have started to feel a little less important.
Now, with the Lions’ proposal, divisional games could feel completely overlooked. When Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe heard the idea, they were immediately turned off by it. Johnson specifically said that we’ve changed too many rules (for our own good) in recent years.
“Unc, why are they trying to mess with the game? Why?” asked Johnson, confused and disappointed.
“The whole thing is to win your division!” Sharpe exclaimed. “See, the thing is, you take one isolated incident, Ocho. You took Minnesota. Okay, Minnesota was 14-3. Now they’re a lower seed than, say, somebody who won 10. But you didn’t win your division! How many times have there been a 14-win team that hasn’t won the division?”
It’s a good question for Sharpe to ask because it is quite a rarity. One would have to go all the way back to the previous century — in 1999 — to find the last time it happened. That year, the Tennessee Titans went 13-3 but still lost the division to the 14-2 Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sharpe’s co-host then expressed how he feels about all of the recent rule changes in the NFL.
“The chances of that happening again, that ain’t going to happen for a while,” Johnson agreed. “I just, honestly me, leave the game alone. Leave the game alone, leave it how it is. You know? I think the people in the positions of power they’re doing too much to it.”
Since Johnson retired in 2012, the NFL has introduced a litany of new rule changes. From modifications to the tuck rule, to the new special teams kickoff, overtime operations, jersey number restrictions, and so much more. It must feel like a ton to keep up with for old veterans who grew up playing the game a certain way, like Johnson.
Sharpe then pointed out that the new rule changes proposed by the Lions would mimic the NBA, which he wouldn’t want.
“I think in the NBA, they removed division winners, right?” Sharpe questioned. “Because it used to be like that… No, I don’t want to do that. Don’t, um, don’t do that.”
It’s true that in 2007, the NBA decided to abolish the idea that the top 3 playoff seeds would be reserved for divisional winners. Prior to that, it’s all they ever did. But ever since, divisional games have felt less intense, and the NBA regular season’s importance is called into question regularly.
All in all, it’s hard to disagree with Shannon and Johnson’s takes. It’s nice that the Lions are looking out for their divisional rivals and trying to ensure that a 14-win team like Minnesota doesn’t have to go on the road and face a team like the LA Rams again. But the NFL regular season has always felt super important because of the small schedule, and in turn, it’s made divisional games feel hugely intense.
It would be a shame if we left all that behind because of one outlier season where the NFC North was stacked. It’s unfortunate what happened to Minnesota, but that’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. They still had the chance to beat the Rams, but instead looked inexperienced and faltered.
Maybe this is just the Lions trying to get ahead of the possibility of this happening to them soon? If so, we can admire the effort. Ultimately, what Sharpe and Johnson said should resonate with more people.
