The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions enter their Week 18 recreation with matching 14-2 information and can be enjoying for the highest seed within the NFC.
The stakes couldn’t be any clearer.
The winner not solely wins the NFC North, it additionally will get the No. 1 seed, a bye week and home-field benefit all through the NFC playoffs. It’s a fully large reward for profitable the sport.
The loser doesn’t get something near that. Regardless of having a file that can nonetheless be one of many top-five information within the league, the loser won’t solely get the bye week or home-field benefit; it would find yourself having to go on the street for its first playoff recreation on the No. 5 seed and play the No. 4 seed (both the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Atlanta Falcons).
The NFL’s playoff format is nothing new. Everyone is aware of the 4 division winners in every convention get the top-four seeds and at the least one house recreation. It typically presents a scenario the place a crew with a greater file has to go on the street, relying on the energy of every division.
Some folks don’t like that.
You may rely Lions extensive receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown as a type of folks.
He argued on his podcast this week that the NFL wants to vary the playoff seeding format in order that division winners get automated playoff berths, however that total file nonetheless determines the seeding.
