Detroit Lions star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown believes the NFL should consider changing its playoff seeding rules.
This weekend, the 14-2 Lions will face the 14-2 Minnesota Vikings, with the winner earning a bye week and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. However, the losing team will have to play their opening-round game on the road, despite holding the league’s second-best record.
The NFL’s current playoff format guarantees division winners a home game in the first round, even if a Wild Card team has a better record. This could force the Lions to play an away game against a team with a 10-7 or 9-8 record.
Brown is not thrilled with this scenario.
At a press conference this week, the star wide receiver shared his thoughts, stressing that the game’s loser should still have the chance to host a playoff game.
“It’s crazy. I think the rule should be changed,” St. Brown said according to Pro Football Talk.
“Obviously if you win the division, you should obviously make a playoff spot, but having a 14-win team having to go on the road is kind of crazy. But I guess I don’t make the rules. Hopefully we can get a win and get home-field advantage, but whatever happens, we both have a spot in the playoffs, so we might see each other again after this game.”
Needless to say, this sparked a lot of conversation on social media.
“Yep winning the division should guarantee you a playoff berth not a home game. You earn home game with your record,” one fan wrote on X.
“Simple solution it’s time for divisions to go. Play every team in your conference once and 2 crossover games vs the other conference,” someone else suggested.
“The NFL had the only perfect playoff system when it was 12 teams with 2 byes in each conference. Any additional changes they make will only continue to dilute the product,” another person said.
“Agreed. Seed the playoff teams based on record. That said, a 14-win wild card team is very rare. But it’ll happen this year,” someone else wrote.
“It only makes sense. Winning your division gets you into the playoffs. Want to host a playoff game…win more games! That’s why you play. All 3 wildcards will have more wins than 2 division winners. And some have head to head wins over them. Seed based on record. Simple,” another person said.
For now, however, he’ll have to deal with the rules as they are written.
