The Detroit Lions Are Right – NFL Should Demand More from Division Winners
The NFL has long been a league defined by its traditions, from its Super Bowl celebrations to its longstanding divisions and rivalries. However, the very structure that the NFL has built its identity upon might be one of its most flawed aspects when it comes to determining playoff teams. The Detroit Lions, a franchise with a long history of challenges, have voiced a critical point that deserves more attention in the NFL: The league should demand more from division winners. This call for change, if implemented, would fundamentally reshape the way the NFL playoffs work, and it could serve to benefit not only the teams involved but the integrity of the postseason itself.
While division titles have always held weight in the NFL, the argument that teams should have to earn their playoff spot more rigorously — rather than simply securing it by winning a weak division — is compelling. Currently, the division winners in each conference are granted a spot in the postseason, regardless of their win-loss record. The Detroit Lions have seen this system firsthand and have advocated for a fairer, more performance-based playoff structure. In this essay, we’ll explore why this change is necessary, how division winners often benefit unfairly from weak divisions, and how a new approach could lead to a more competitive and exciting playoff system.
The Current Playoff Structure: A Flawed System?
Under the current NFL playoff system, the top four teams in each conference (AFC and NFC) are awarded automatic playoff berths as division champions. Along with these division winners, three wild-card teams from each conference, based on overall record, secure playoff spots. The problem arises when one of the division winners has a significantly worse record than a wild-card team. This situation often leads to one of the more controversial aspects of the NFL playoffs: a division winner getting an automatic home game, even if their record is inferior to that of wild-card teams.
For example, in 2014, the Carolina Panthers, winners of the NFC South, finished with a 7-8-1 record and still received an automatic playoff berth. Not only did the Panthers get a spot in the postseason, but they also earned a home playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals, who had a superior record of 11-5. This situation created a massive disparity in terms of performance — and it wasn’t an isolated incident. The system has allowed teams with losing records to advance, while better-performing teams have been shut out. This is not an isolated issue but rather one that has plagued the league for years.
For a team like the Detroit Lions, who have historically struggled in a competitive division like the NFC North, this system feels particularly unfair. The Lions have found themselves in a situation where they’ve put together strong seasons only to lose out on a playoff spot because they didn’t win their division — despite having a better record than a team that won a division title. The Lions’ frustration with the system is shared by many NFL fans, especially when division winners with subpar records are rewarded with automatic playoff berths.
The Detroit Lions’ Argument for Change
The Detroit Lions are not alone in their belief that division winners should face more scrutiny to make the playoffs. Historically, the Lions have often found themselves competing in the NFC North, a division that has traditionally been dominated by teams like the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. These teams have often posted strong records, leaving the Lions to either battle for a wild-card spot or settle for a season that falls just short of the postseason. In the past decade, there have been seasons when the Lions finished with a better record than a division winner, yet still missed out on playoff contention.
The Lions’ desire to change the playoff system comes from a combination of factors. Primarily, they want to ensure that a division title doesn’t guarantee a team a playoff berth if that team does not deserve to be there. The system currently allows for teams to coast through a weak division and still secure a playoff spot, while teams that perform well across the entire league are often left behind.
Demanding Performance, Not Just Titles
The core of the Lions’ argument is that the NFL should demand more from its division winners. Instead of automatically granting playoff berths based solely on winning a division, the NFL should require teams to demonstrate consistent excellence throughout the entire regular season. This would prevent situations where a team with a losing record or a weak overall performance is guaranteed a playoff spot due to their division placement.
For example, if a team finishes second or third in a highly competitive division but finishes with a better record than a division winner, that team should be given a playoff spot — not excluded simply because they didn’t win their division. Teams that are forced to play in stronger divisions — such as the NFC North, NFC West, or AFC East — should be rewarded for their performances, not penalized for the strength of their opponents.
This proposed change would also make the wild-card spots more relevant, as teams would have to earn their playoff spot through regular-season excellence. Under the current system, division winners often get the benefit of a low-seeded position in the playoffs, despite having weaker records compared to non-division-winning teams. The Lions’ proposal would bring more fairness to the playoff race, rewarding consistency and overall performance rather than simply rewarding division-based success.
Examples of Flaws in the Current System
Several instances throughout NFL history illustrate why this issue is so problematic. The 2010 NFC West, for example, featured a 7-9 Seattle Seahawks team that won the division and hosted a playoff game against the New Orleans Saints, who had a 11-5 record. This situation highlighted a significant flaw in the system, where a team with a losing record not only made the playoffs but also got to play at home. Meanwhile, teams with much better records had to compete for a wild-card berth.
Another glaring example occurred in 2014, as previously mentioned, when the Carolina Panthers made the playoffs with a losing record in the NFC South. The Panthers ended up hosting the Arizona Cardinals, who boasted a far superior record. The Panthers managed to win their playoff game — but the point remains that they should not have had the advantage of a home game with a subpar record. This situation sparked widespread criticism, and many experts began to call for a reform in the NFL’s playoff system to ensure that performance across the entire league, not just division titles, determines postseason participation.
In both of these cases, and many others, the result was that the best-performing teams were not rewarded for their excellence, while teams with losing records were able to take advantage of weaker divisions. In the case of the Lions, who have experienced similar frustrations in their competitive division, this felt deeply unfair.
Benefits of a New Playoff System
A change to the current playoff structure, where division titles no longer guarantee automatic playoff berths, could have several major benefits:
1. Fairer Playoff Structure
The primary benefit would be fairness. A more performance-based playoff system would ensure that the teams making the postseason are the best teams, not just the teams that happened to play in weaker divisions. This change would give all teams a fair shot at the playoffs based on their regular-season success, rather than the luck of the division they happen to be in. It would also reduce the number of undeserving teams that get into the playoffs simply by winning a weak division.
2. More Competitive Playoff Matchups
A more performance-based playoff structure would result in more exciting and competitive matchups. Currently, the playoffs sometimes feature matchups between strong teams and weaker division winners, leading to one-sided games. In a system where the top teams are rewarded based on their record, the playoffs would feature stronger matchups, leading to higher-quality football and a more thrilling postseason.
3. Better for Fan Engagement
Fans of teams that have consistently performed well but missed out on the playoffs due to division placement would likely appreciate the fairness of a system based on record. Teams like the Lions, who have often played strong football but finished second or third in their division, would be rewarded for their consistent performance throughout the season. This could lead to more fan engagement as fans of underdog teams, particularly those in tough divisions, feel their team has a fair shot at postseason glory.
4. Rewarding Consistency Over Luck
With this change, the league would reward consistent excellence over the course of a season, as opposed to rewarding good fortune with division placement. Teams would have to earn their spot in the playoffs through sustained success, and the wild-card spots would become more meaningful. This approach would raise the stakes for teams and lead to a higher level of overall competition in the NFL.
Potential Drawbacks and Challenges
While the Lions’ proposal for reforming the playoff system is compelling, it would not come without challenges. For one, it could lead to a situation where historical rivalries in the NFL become less important. Divisions have always played a significant role in the league’s identity, and removing the automatic playoff spots for division winners could weaken the emotional and competitive significance of division rivalries.
Additionally, the shift could create logistical challenges in terms of scheduling and determining home-field advantage. If division winners no longer have a guaranteed home game in the playoffs, teams from traditionally stronger divisions might be at a disadvantage, especially if they are forced to travel for playoff games.