This season’s playoffs could see a 7-9 NFC East champion playing host to a 13-3 NFC West runner-up, and some people think that’s unfair. Roger Goodell is not one of those people.
The Commissioner said at the league meeting today that there has been talk in the past about changing the NFL playoff structure so that home-field advantage in each game goes to the team with the better regular-season record, rather than guaranteeing every division winner a home playoff game. But Goodell said the overwhelming feeling in the NFL is that winning a division title is the primary goal for NFL teams and should be rewarded with a home playoff game.
“Teams go into the season, the first objective is to win the division. That’s what they work on: Win the division, go to the playoffs,” Goodell said.
Goodell said that the issue hasn’t even come up this year at the league office, nor does he expect it to.
“I have not heard that. I don’t anticipate hearing that again,” Goodell said.
So while Seahawks or 49ers fans won’t enjoy having to play a road game at Dallas or Philadelphia in the first weekend of January, Goodell doesn’t have any sympathy.