Playoff Picture a Joke

Rumors are swirling like crazy that Dublin, OH native Brady Quinn will see his first action this week when the Cleveland Browns play the San Fransisco 49ers. Wacky considering that the Browns are a win away from reaching the playoffs. An Indianapolis Colts win that is. Indianapolis needs to defeat the Tennessee Titans for the Browns to advance. Both teams are currently 9-6.

The oddity of the situation is that if both teams finish 9-7, Cleveland is the last team from the AFC in, if both teams conclude at 10-6, then Tennessee gets the nod. Confusing? Here is the reason why it is so muddy:

The NFL uses a formula that would make the college football bowl-backers proud. The first is a head-to-head tie break (aka deciding it on the field). The Titans and Browns failed to play each other this season so they move on to the next tiebreaker which is conference record. Currently Cleveland is 7-5 and Tennessee is 6-5. Cleveland plays an NFC team this weekend, but a Tennessee win puts them at 7-5. Time to go on to the next tiebreaker is win-loss in common (teams that both team played) games. Tennessee is 4-1, whereas Cleveland is 3-2. Cincinnati really screwed Cleveland this past weekend because Cincinnati played Tennessee earlier the season (though they did help the Browns by defeating the Titans). So the tie-breaker that Cleveland wants to have is the conference record one.

It is good that the NFL has so many ways of breaking a tie, but after head-to-head, what is wrong with the two teams battling it out in a one game playoff? Another way of making money and TV revenue NFL execs. This system is not the most fair one in my judgment. This system isn't quite as bad as the college football system, but it is close. Say both teams lose this week. Do you honestly think Cleveland is the better team? Tennessee was in a much stronger division. Having to play Jacksonville and Indianapolis four times is about as tough as it gets.

OK, playing a one game playoff is a bit far stretched and I know baseball is the only sport that "has it right." I just want to see the best team reach the playoffs, and I don't think it is Cleveland. But in all fairness, at least Tennessee will likely see the second string lineup of the Colts since Tony Dungy is known for resting his team going into the playoffs. Which brings up another issue with the current system. A team not giving their best seems downright cheating when another team has their season at stake. Point shaving? Seems like it to me.