What-if there were never any WILD CARD qualifiers??
Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 9:16 pm
Counter-pointing CSK's recent interesting topic, when if strictly division-winners only ever made the playoffs all this time? This means going straight to a Jets at Raiders AFLCG after the '69 regular season. From the merger thru '01, it would be the top-seeds getting a bye with the 2nds hosting the 3rds for the conference 'semifinals'. Of course the first few years of the merger, whatever division's 'turn' it was would get the bye.
No "Hail Mary" in '75! Who do Eagles, Bears, and Cowboys play against in SBs XV, XX, and XXVII respectively? Broncos/Packers SB a year earlier instead? Rams/Jags in '99 (Dan not having to suffer that 62-7 send-off; Peyton's playoff debut vs 9-7 Hawks in the AFC Semifinal)? Does Jeff Fisher hoist up that Lombardi in 2000 (with Ravens going down as the "best defense ever to not make the post-season")?
2002-and-beyond basically that 'CCCC' NFL '67-thru-'69 pre-merger set-up. NE@Ind/Cin@Den divisional-round in '05 a nice example to start with. For the past dozen years, do the '72 Dolphins still have that yearly 'ritual'? ARodg would still be ISO his first Lombardi.
Further thoughts?
No "Hail Mary" in '75! Who do Eagles, Bears, and Cowboys play against in SBs XV, XX, and XXVII respectively? Broncos/Packers SB a year earlier instead? Rams/Jags in '99 (Dan not having to suffer that 62-7 send-off; Peyton's playoff debut vs 9-7 Hawks in the AFC Semifinal)? Does Jeff Fisher hoist up that Lombardi in 2000 (with Ravens going down as the "best defense ever to not make the post-season")?
2002-and-beyond basically that 'CCCC' NFL '67-thru-'69 pre-merger set-up. NE@Ind/Cin@Den divisional-round in '05 a nice example to start with. For the past dozen years, do the '72 Dolphins still have that yearly 'ritual'? ARodg would still be ISO his first Lombardi.
Further thoughts?