Re: AFC teams that just missed the playoffs in 1989
Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2025 10:49 pm
More like...NBA-style considering the current play-in tournament going on the past few years! If we apply this to the AFC in 1989, this is what we would have had...74_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Sat Jun 17, 2023 5:52 pm Allowing the top 10 of the 14 in the conference to play in a tournament (CFL style) isn't the worst thought or idea ever.
Play-in round:
#8 Raiders at #7 Bengals
Winner automatically gets final 7th-seed thus plays at 2-seed Cleveland in...two weeks.
Loser is still in. They then host the winner of...
#10 Dolphins at #9 Colts
Loser is automatically eliminated.
Winner plays at 8-vs-7-loser the...following week.
Winner of that very game gets the final 8th-seed.
They now play at Denver next week to officially start the AFC playoffs.
The rest of the first round...
6th-seed Chiefs at 3rd-seed Bills
5th-seed Steelers at 4th-seed Oilers
Interesting in that 7-8 Seattle, in this scenario, would have had something to play for going into the final week hosting Washington! They win and they'd have to be in considering their 7-5 conference record to the Raiders' 6-6; and the Hawks swept the Raiders in '89! They also would have had a better conference record than Cincy who also was 6-6 and also lost to Seattle. Of course in real-time the Hawks gets shut-out by Washington, 29-0.
The NFC in such format...
Play-in round:
#8 Saints (9-7) at #7 Redskins
Winner automatically at 2-seed Giants in two weeks.
Loser still in, then hosts winner of...(get ready for this)...
#10 BEARS (6-10) at #9 LIONS (7-9)!!
Barry Sanders already in the post-season!
Loser of this game is out.
Winner plays at 8-vs-7 loser the following week.
Winner of that game off to Candlestick!
The rest of that first round...
6th-seed Packers at 3rd-seed Vikings
5th-seed Rams at 4th-seed Eagles
I figure Packers get the nod over Washington because of the 10-4 over 8-4 conference record. Then why were the Redskins originally slated to pick after Green Bay in the following year's draft?
And that Bears/Lions just goes to show the drop-off after Wash & GB in the NFC compared to the other conference not having a losing team until...11th place!