Reportedly, Lions’ Playoff Rule Proposal Didn’t Originate With Detroit
Though the early free agency frenzy took much of the spotlight in NFL circles, rule proposals have since taken over as the league holds its annual meetings. Among the most debated ideas came from the Detroit Lions, who pitched adjusting playoff seeding so that wild card teams with superior records could rank higher than division champions.
This would depart from the format established in 2002, where division winners automatically host a playoff game, regardless of record. The flaws in the current system were evident when the Lions hosted the Vikings in Week 18. The NFC’s top seed was at stake, with both teams at 14-2, but the loser would drop to the No. 5 seed, severely damaging their chances of securing home-field advantage in the postseason.
Since Detroit won, it was puzzling to many that they initiated the proposed change. However, it turns out the idea didn’t originate with the Lions, raising eyebrows and possibly paving the way for a rule shift during the Spring League Meetings in May.
NFL Encouraged Lions to Submit Rule Change Proposal
According to Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit, the NFL actually encouraged the Lions to put forth the proposal at the conclusion of last season. Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown publicly criticized the playoff rules ahead of the game against Minnesota and expressed his opinion that the structure should be reformed next season.
“It’s insane. I think it needs to change,” said St. Brown. “If you win your division, you should make the playoffs, sure, but asking a 14-win team to go on the road seems ridiculous. Still, I guess I’m not in charge.”
Unbeknownst to St. Brown, his statement may have influenced policy. NFL executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent heard about the comments and contacted Lions president Rod Wood, urging him to present the proposal at last month’s owners’ meeting. Wood agreed, and now the proposal is officially being considered for May’s meeting.
There’s logic behind the NFL’s motivation to tweak the rule. The Week 18 clash between the Lions and Vikings was NBC’s third-most-watched NFL game since regaining broadcast rights in 2006, drawing 28.5 million viewers. Still, it denied the league a potential epic NFC title game rematch.
Thanks to the Commanders winning in the Wild Card round, the NFL got a divisional matchup between them and Detroit. However, if the NFC South champ Buccaneers had won at home, and the Vikings had beaten the Rams, we’d have seen Detroit vs. Minnesota in the divisional round instead. (That scenario didn’t play out, as the Vikings lost to L.A.)
Still, the rule change could have also favored the Lions. Since the Vikings lost that Week 18 game, they had to go on the road to face the Rams, needing three straight road wins to reach the Super Bowl. For a 14-win team, that’s a harsh path—one the Lions would have faced themselves if they’d lost.
With the NFC North becoming more competitive, Detroit realizes this issue might arise again. Now the challenge is finding a playoff format that still values division titles. One idea is to seed teams strictly by record while still granting division winners entry. Another option would allow wild card teams to host if a division winner finishes at or below .500.
The process may prove to be frustrating, but both players and league officials seem eager for a revision. We’ll see if a major change takes place when the NFL gathers in Eagan, Minnesota next month.