Why is NFL the only sport where actual division record doesn’t matter. We should be going to playoffs with win tomorrow. What is the actual point of having a division if your record in the division does not matter

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Posted by Weekend Warrior79

Member since Aug 2014

20888 posts

Posted on 1/3/26 at 7:46 pm to OSTiger77

quote:
Why is NFL the only sport where actual division record doesn’t matter. We should be going to playoffs with win tomorrow.

How is it different than MLB, NBA & NHL?

quote:
What is the actual point of having a division if your record in the division does not matter

Automatic playoff game for winning division, and home field in 1st playoff game

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Posted by paulb52

Member since Dec 2019

7603 posts

Posted on 1/4/26 at 6:01 am to OSTiger77

Division record certainly does matter; it’s one of the tiebreaker rules, if necessary.

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Posted by blackandgolddude

Virginia Beach

Member since Apr 2012

3553 posts

Posted on 1/4/26 at 7:17 am to OSTiger77

I think there is some merit to the argument on having the division winner be selected by division record, not overall record. It's kind of silly that you could go 0-6 or 1-5 in a terrible division and still win that division overall. I think you would give the division winner (based on division record) a playoff spot, but not a guaranteed home game.

In the last 5 years, it would have changed four division winners.

2024 - 10-7 Seahawks (5-1) over 10-7 Rams (4-2)
2023 - 10-7 Steelers (5-1) over 13-4 Ravens (3-3)
2022 - 9-8 Lions (5-1) over 13-4 Vikings (13-4)
2021 - 9-7-1 Steelers (4-2) over 10-7 Bengals (3-3)

If you're going to select by divisional record, you probably have to increase the number of divisional games to 8 or 9 to make it more fair overall.

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