NFL may consider a 16-team playoff if regular season games are lost due to COVID-19, per report

A lack of NFL common season video games may end in an expanded playoff area. Whereas no NFL games have but to be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL competitors committee expects to current a decision to the league’s 32 homeowners based mostly on having a 16-team playoff if video games are misplaced as a consequence of COVID-19, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. 

The NFL‘s competitors met just about on Monday to debate the decision, in response to Mortensen, who additionally famous that future lack of bye weeks may enhance the chances of an prolonged playoff area. A number of groups, together with the undefeated Steelers, have already seen their bye weeks altered because of the pandemic. 

By advantage of the league’s new Collective Bargaining Settlement, the NFL was already set to go from a 12 to a 14-team playoff this winter. Underneath the 14-team area, solely the No. 1 seed in every convention would obtain a playoff bye, whereas the opposite six groups in every convention would play on Wild Card Weekend. If the playoff area is expanded to 16 groups, the highest two seeds in every convention would probably obtain byes. Because it presently stands, the 7-Zero Steelers would personal the AFC’s No. 1 seed, whereas the 6-1 Seahawks would personal the highest seed within the NFC. 

If the league expands to a 16-team playoff, it will mark the primary time since 1982 that not less than half of the NFL’s groups participated within the postseason. Following a strike shortened season in ’82, the league determined to incorporate 16 of the NFL’s 28 groups within the postseason. Dubbing it the “Super Bowl Event,” eight groups from every convention participated within the playoffs that winter, with Washington profitable the four-game match after defeating the Dolphins in Tremendous Bowl XVII. John Riggins, named Tremendous Bowl MVP after dashing for 166 yards and a landing, really rushed for extra yards in the course of the ’82 playoffs (610) than he did in the course of the nine-game common season (553). 

Whereas there in all probability is just not a fan base that’s brazenly rooting for much less common season video games, an prolonged playoff area will surely assist the Raiders, Dolphins, Bears and 49ers, 4 groups that might simply miss the playoffs beneath the league’s present format.