re: How badly would a 5-6 win playoff team go over?

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Well they don't really...have changed throughout history and sort of are ignored now with unbalanced schedules. A few years ago, the Raiders finished 6-0 in the division and didn't sniff the playoffs. So beating all your divisional rivals (like it is everything in CFB) isn't a big deal in getting to the playoffs in the NFL. It's a just one giant circle of parity league.

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Sure they matter, being the best team in your division matters. It's not like CFB because the NFL is nothing like CFB. In the NFL we know you cant look at a 6 game sample and your going to be playing mostly the same out of division schedule as well. So it's not like one team is stocking up on wins against Western Carolina. The team that wins the most of the 16 is a better indicator than who wins the most of 6 divisional games.

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They matter except in instances of division-wide ineptitude. Such winners should not be awarded a coveted playoff spot over superior teams just because they're lucky enough to be barely top dog in a division of crap

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I'd prefer if the divisions just meant nothing rather using some arbitrary rule like you made up

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A few years ago, the Raiders finished 6-0 in the division and didn't sniff the playoffs

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As a lifelong Raiders fan, I remember this season well. Had to look it all up, but they were 8-8 and 6-0 in the Division. KC was 10-6 and won the division and SD was 9-7 and didn't even make the WC round. WC in the AFC that year were the 11-5 Jets and the 12-4 Ravens. The only sub 500 team in the playoffs was that Seattle team at 9-7 in the NFC.