An Open Letter To The NFL

A Proposal To Improve The Current Playoffs Match-Up System

As most people are aware, everything about the NFL playoffs schedule is designed to reward the higher-seeded teams for their regular season performance:
A) a first round bye for the #1 and #2 seeds
B) home field advantage for the higher seeded team in each game
C) highest seeded team in a round plays lowest seeded team in the round

But, while I agree that that “A” and “B” are big advantages, I believe there are some big problems with “C”…

PROBLEM STATEMENT: There are many situations (past, present, and future) where the NFL Playoffs match-ups do NOT actually reward the higher-seeded team as intended, and, in many cases, it actually (inadvertently) PENALIZES THE HIGHER SEED!
— [NOTE: Furthermore, this could theoretically even create incentive for a team to intentionally lose their final regular season game for the purpose of getting a better match-up

4 GENERAL EXAMPLES/SCENARIOS FOR HOW/WHEN THESE PROBLEMS CAN ARISE:

1) When a lower-seeded team finally gets healthy late in the season or just gets hot and is surging into the playoffs or is just otherwise much more dangerous/daunting than their low seed might indicate.

2) When higher-seeded teams suffer key injuries late in the season (Andy Dalton?) and/or are simply stumbling into the playoffs despite a great first half so they are simply not as good/dangerous of an opponent as their seed would indicate.

*3) When a Wildcard Team from a stronger division (with a record of 10–6? 11–5?) is likely the better team / tougher opponent than the higher-seeded Division Winner from a weaker division (with a record of 8–8? 7–9?).
* — [Note: It has been debated for years who should be the higher seed in this situation — and there are valid arguments on both sides. However, a cool little byproduct of my recommendation below is that this particular debate is rendered significantly less relevant.]

4) When, regardless of record and seed, a specific lower-seeded team is simply a nightmare match-up for a higher-seeded team based on strengths/weaknesses (running teams / passing teams, mobile quarterback / pocket passer, indoor / outdoor / cold-weather teams, or a specific dominant player you’d rather avoid).

So… What Can Be Done About It?

(Drum-roll)

My proposed solution is (relatively) simple…

And while there will obviously be some “Yeah, but…” responses and many details to work out, I believe the advantages of this proposed solution will greatly outweigh any disadvantages…

(Drum-roll continues…)

SOLUTION: The Highest-Seeded Team *CHOOSES* Their Opponent!

If the goal of the current system is to (theoretically) reward the highest seed in a round (the #3 seed in the Wild Card round and the #1 seed in the Divisional Round) by playing the lowest remaining seed, then the only way to truly reward them is to let them pick their opponent — to ensure they actually do view their opponent as the reward that the league is intending.

WILD CARD ROUND MATCHUPS:
As soon as the final game of the season ends (OR as soon as the seeds are locked in, so perhaps Week 16?), similar to the NFL draft, the #3 Seeds (in both the AFC and NFC) are now “on the clock” to choose their opponent.
So the potential match-ups are:

#3 hosting #6 (and #4 hosting #5)
-or-
#3 hosting #5 (and #4 hosting #6)
-or-
#3 hosting #4 (and #5 hosting #6)

DIVISIONAL ROUND MATCHUPS:
The #1 Seeds are on the clock as soon as the Wild Card games end.
So the potential match-ups are:

#1 hosting [lowest remaining seed] & #2 hosting [highest remaining seed]
-or-
#1 hosting [highest remaining seed] & #2 hosting [lowest remaining seed]

THE SELECTION SHOW(S)!
The NFL, sports journalists, the fans, and particularly whatever TV network secured the rights to broadcast “The Selection Show(s)” would have hours of interesting/exciting speculation and debate, sizing up all potential match-ups and analyzing strategies and motivations for why the top seeded team might pick a given opponent — and how that selection would effect the remaining teams and the path to the Super Bowl as well!

IN CONCLUSION… This is all just one guy’s thoughts on a somewhat complicated issue and a relatively simple (and interesting/exciting!) way to improve things. Very curious to hear what everyone thinks! Mostly interested in hearing from educated football fans, writers, analysts, and anyone actually associated with the NFL!