What the NFL's postseason expansion talks suggest

The NFL jumped into the flying-by-their-ass pool Monday by reportedly discussing expanding this year’s playoffs to 16 teams. This coming after they expanded it to 14 already, and they may just jump over that this January without ever trying it.

The possible expansion is apparently a contingency plan in case a certain number of regular-season games are wiped off the slate due to the coronavirus, and some teams can’t get to 16 games.

The fact that the plan came up at all is an indication that the league doesn’t think they’re going to get out of this season without more cancellations and positive tests.

Don’t worry, everything is fine.

If enacted, the new playoff setup would be four division champs and four wild-card teams from both conferences bringing the postseason total to 16. The eight-team playoff would be seeded 1-8, with the 1 seed playing the 8, and so on. As it stands now, three wild-card teams will make the postseason, up from two.

The idea, we guess, of expanding the playoffs if everyone can’t get to 16 games is that if a team can’t make that cut line, then we don’t need 16 games to prove that they’re thoroughly mediocre. Although the look on the face of the Chiefs or Seahawks having to play three games before the Super Bowl, and maybe against teams that only played 14 or 15 games to get there, ought to be recorded.

Another playoff game for the networks to fight over is worth another aircraft carrier of money, so let’s just assume this is going to happen now.