Since wildcards were introduced to the NFL playoffs, it gives the 2 teams of each conference a bye for the first week of playoffs. I don't believe that this is in the best interest for the teams that get the bye and don't play the first week of the playoffs for various reasons.
The first reason having the first week of the playoffs off is a business reason. Football is a business and the business includes selling tickets, food, beverages, apparel,... By having one of the best records in your conference guarantees that you will have at least one home game in the playoffs. The team already will have the 2nd week of the playoffs as a home game, but why not give them the first game too? Playing at home is an advantage in the playoffs and leads to my next reason.
Another reason will create more excitement in making the playoffs for 2 additional wildcard teams in each conference. The excitement of this year's last week would only be that much greater if you added 2 more teams. It would suck for one of the top teams if they got upset during the first week of the playoffs, but if they are a top team and have proven it all season, what is one more game?
That would be great if a team were to beat a top team and go all the way to win the Superbowl. In the past few years, the winner of the Superbowl has been a team from a wildcard position. We will no longer relate the wildcard team having more momentum or the best team losing their momentum by being off a week to success in the playoffs if they play every week. It could mean more lopsided victories, but we have rarely seen lopsided victories in the NFL playoffs.
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