The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings held the top record in the NFC when they faced each other in a decisive game during Week 18 of last season. The victor secured the top seed, a first-round bye, and home-field advantage, while the defeated team earned a wild-card spot and probable away games throughout the playoffs.
The Lions secured victory in the game and, similar to the Vikings, faltered in their first playoff match, but they now seek to alter the playoff seeding structure to benefit teams based on their regular season performance.
The Lions proposed three changes to rules or bylaws for the NFL’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., later this month, including one that would “modify the existing playoff seeding format to enable Wild Card teams to be seeded above Division Champions if the Wild Card team possesses a superior regular season record.”
If the proposal had been in place last season, the Lions would have secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC, with the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 2, the Vikings at No. 3, and the Washington Commanders at No. 4, while the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams and NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers would have traveled for the wild-card round.
The Vikings were defeated by the Rams in Glendale, Arizona after the match was relocated due to wildfires, the Commanders triumphed over the Bucs in Tampa, the Eagles secured a wild-card home victory against the Green Bay Packers, and the Lions fell to the Commanders in the divisional round.
Should the Lions’ suggestion be accepted, playoff seeding in upcoming years would be based solely on records, with division champions holding the tie-breaker edge over wild-card teams possessing identical records. In the second round, the highest seed would keep facing the lowest remaining seed, similar to the current format.
In literature concerning club-suggested alterations published Wednesday, the rationale behind the proposal was “competitive equity” to ensure “excitement and competition in late-season matches” and to recognize “the top-performing teams from the regular season.”
Since Brad Holmes became the general manager and Dan Campbell the head coach in 2021, the Lions have frequently presented proposals for bylaws and rules. They also proposed that players on injured reserve should not count towards the 90-man roster limit unless they are marked for return, and sought to remove the automatic first down penalty for defensive holding and illegal contact.
The Lions proposed four rule or bylaw changes last year, which included suggestions to extend the trade deadline and adjust the challenge rules.
The NFL accepted the Lions’ suggestion to permit teams to receive a third challenge if they succeed in one of their initial two challenges. In the past, teams could only have a third challenge if they succeeded in both of their initial challenges.
In 2023, the owners altered the emergency quarterback rule based on a proposal from the Lions.
In addition to the three proposals from the Lions this year, NFL owners will review playing rules suggestions from the Green Bay Packers to prohibit the tush push short-yardage tactic made famous by the Eagles recently, and from the Eagles to synchronize postseason and regular season overtime regulations by ensuring both teams have at least one possession in overtime.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also put forward a suggestion to permit teams to conduct one video or phone conversation with a potential unrestricted free agent during the free agent negotiation phase.
The NFL’s competition committee plans to present more proposals next week. The yearly gathering is scheduled for March 30 to April 1.
Campbell, who had earlier expressed support for maintaining the tush push as an allowable play, has stated that he is not interested in joining the competition committee.