So another 10-6 team gets shafted from the playoffs.. Expand playoff teams now!

[Fox007]

Speaking personally, I just hate how football is moving towards a numbers orgy and losing a lot of the personal aspects. I'm sure this makes me old or whatever, but I enjoy hating the Falcons and Saints almost as much as I love watching the Panthers. I really dig having rivalries and hate that current pro football is moving away from them.

As an example, how bad ass is it that the Cowboys and Redskins get to determine who moves on with their last game tonight?

Anyways, I see your point(s) above. I agree with needing an expanded roster but would be pretty bummed by replacing a divisional race with a conference one, which is the whole point of the current playoff system.

Worse than that is the rules changing to be complete bullshit. If you are old then you definitely hate the stupid can't touch anyone or it is a penalty crap.

I understand all of the history and rivalries stuff as well.

Another point would be that the strength of schedule would be virtually identical in a conference scenario since everyone plays the same teams(relatively depending on the non conference games)

12 is a good number, to me that isn't a topic, it should be about how we come to that 12. I don't dislike the way it is now, just mulling over what I think I'd like if it did change.

[NanuqoftheNorth]

No need to worry Panther Train, the NFL will not leave playoff money on the table forever.

If history is any indication, they will once again expand the number of teams in the playoffs.

NFL post-season history can be traced to the first NFL Championship Game in 1933, though in the early years, qualification for the game was based solely on regular season records. The first true NFL playoff began in 1967, when four teams qualified for the tournament. When the league merged with the American Football League in 1970, the playoffs expanded to eight teams. The playoffs were expanded to ten teams in 1978 and twelve teams in 1990.

[BBQ&Beer]

32 teams, 14 isnt close to half.

2 away isn't close?

[Mr. Scot]

I'm wondering where he studied math.

[Darknight]

Back in 1990, the NFL had 28 Franchises.

Playoffs were 12 teams. Almost half the league.

I think people want to hate Goodell for the hell of it. I betcha if the Panthers went 11-5 or 10-6 and missed the playoffs, most people will go crazy.

It's easy to judge people when we haven't been in their situation (Bears this year and the Patriots a few years ago). Until we been in their shoes we have no room to talk.

Expand the playoffs.

[Davidson Deac II]

If the Bears wanted to be in the playoffs, they should have won more and not gotten swept by Green Bay. Playoffs are fine the way they are.

[Chimera]

Why stop at 16? Hell put all 32 teams in the playoffs

[Doc Holiday]

I'm wondering where he studied math.

I have the same question about everything with him, he thought earlier this season that it was a good idea to trade Newton and then was brave enough to post a topic about it.

some lightbulbs are just brighter then others

[CarolinaCoolin]

please stop making threads panthertrain

[The_Cannon]

Just because you have a winning record doesn't mean you automatically deserve to be in the playoffs. You come into the season knowing how important the divisional rivalries are and that every game means something its on you to execute better than the next team.

[SZ James (banned)]

Bowl games for every .500 and up team that misses the playoffs

[Hugor Hill]

we should just disallow the regular season and move straight to the playoffs.......everybody has a chance!!!!!!!!!!!

the way it is now is fine. Division winners and best records...

[Pimpdaddy]

fk the Bears because Peppers pimped us to go there..

[nosuchthingasapanther]

Bowl games for every .500 and up team that misses the playoffs

just like the college kids do it!!!!!

the playoff system is fine the way it is now. even if they increase the number of teams in the playoffs, eventually there will be a team that "should have" made it.