The New NFL Division Format Update

Continuing the weekly update of what the playoff picture should be. In short, in the NFC, the East and South would form a division and the West and North would form the other. In the AFC, the East and North would be one division and the West and South would be the other.

Here are the updated standings: actual and new. If the playoffs began today, the AFC playoffs would look like this:
Byes: 1) NE 10-3; 2) Den 10-3.
Home playoff games: 3) Ind 9-4; 4) Cin 8-4-1.
Road playoff games: 5) Pit 8-5; 6) SD 8-5.

AFC playoffs in the new format:
Byes: 1) NE 10-3; 2) Den 10-3.
Home playoff games: 3) Ind 9-4; 4) Cin 8-4-1.
Road playoff games: 5) Pit 8-5; 6) SD 8-5.

Things are as they should be in the AFC at the moment. The big difference between the current system and the new system is with the new division alignment, there would be a lot more up in the air, which makes for more drama. Currently, only one of the four division races in the AFC is closer than two games. In the new alignment, Cincy would be a game and a half back of New England for the North/East lead. In the South/West, Denver would be up only one game on Indy.


If the playoffs began today, the NFC playoffs would look like this:
Byes: 1) Ari 10-3; 2) GB 10-3.
Home playoff games: 3) Phi 9-4; 4) Atl 5-8.
Road playoff games: 5) Sea 9-4; 6) Det 9-4.

NFC playoffs in the new format:
Byes: 1) Ari 10-3; 2) Phi 9-4.
Home playoff games: 3) GB 10-3; 4) Sea 9-4.
Road playoff games: 5) Det 9-4; 6) Dal 9-4.

In the NFC, there are clearly 6 best teams. They won't all get in under the current format. In the new format, they all would make it in.

There is one way the new format is less than fair than the current one (and many ways that it's far more fair). Green Bay and Arizona would both be in the same division, so only one would get a bye. Philly would be up in the South/East, so Philly would currently be in line for the other bye. That isn't fair, because Green Bay currently has a better record than Philly, but it's a hell of a lot more fair than Atlanta getting in and one of the 9-4 teams not making it.