No way this happens.... Owners will NEVER approve it.

It's in the owners' best interest to make the entire regular season more competitive. Competition=higher attendance and better ratings=more money for the league and the owners.

The final 3-4 weeks of the season have become an exhibition except for the few teams actually fighting for a playoff spot.

When the main topic of conversation leading up to a game is "Should they try to actually win the game?" then something has to change.

It's good for fantasy football too, which, let's not kid ourselves, increases interest in, and hence revenue for, the league.

Yeah, though the reason they went this way was to prevent a team that wins a tough division having to go on the road to face a wild card team from a weak division. Not saying that's reason enough not to do it, but these things tend to swing back and forth depending on how big an issue it is when someone gets burned.

I don't like it. It's like u say: Because Miami win only 1 game he have to play 12 game at home cause then it will have more chance to win a game. Or same thing for Pats, they will play only 3 game at home.

Marasin--this would only affect home field advantage in the playoffs, not the regular season. No matter how well or poorly a team plays, they'll still get eight home games and eight away games in the regular season.

why would the nfl want to punish teams in tougher divisions?

after cringing through most of tom brady's SNL appearance from a few years ago last night, i began imagining just how good matt hasselbeck would be on that show. do you think he would have gotten an offer if the seahawks won superbowl XL? probably not. maybe after the seahawks get major publicity for becoming the second undefeated team in NFL history in mike holmgren's swan song...

Just a comment about the Super Bowl. How does D-Jack warrant an offensive interference call in the end zone and Toomer not get the call for his much more blatant push off to Hobbs face? Oh yeah. I forgot. "By any means necessary" is the NFL slogan with regards to preventing the Seahawks from actually winning the Lombardi Trophy.

Maybe Roger Goodell could just hose down and electrocute the coaches that don't fight hard enough?

It would suck to go undefeated and then lose the super bowl.
haha.
the agony.

Anybody else find it "no class" for Belibutt to walk off the field before the game ended? I know there was only a second left, but for him to leave shows no class. I was torn on who I wanted to win this game, but now I am glad. He gave me another reason to not like him.

I have to say this kind of puts to rest all the "if we had beaten green bay we would have got the giants at home" garbage. they would have stomped on us the same way they stomped on the pats tonight. GO ELI.

Great game played and coached by the Giants tonight. Looking forward to your story, Frank. Any chance of getting a Sando guest blog to sum up the NFL's season?

It's about time someone decided the team with the better record gets the home game. And don't give me that crap about it punishes a team that plays in a "tough division". Seattle got a home game because he was the least worst team in the crappiest division in the league.

Seatown, Toomer wasn't called because there wasn't a ref from Boston on the field, or at least not on that play. The guy who called Jackson (after he was held on the arm by Hope) was from Pittsburgh.

Espn was running a quick 30 minute replay of past super bowls. I watched the Hawks /pittsburg game for the first time since it happended. I must have had too much to drink on Super Bowl day cause I did not realize how bad we got ripped off. Rothlesberger's phantom td, the holding call, the offensive p.i. - not to mentioned we missed two field goals. Damn we should have won that.

looks like the NFC is not as week as thought.

Maybe Bellichek (or how ever you spell it) isn't as great of a coach as everyone thinks if he can't tape the games!! I also noticed how evenly the game was reffed. It didn't seem perfect but even.

BUT on the other hand - Was that not the most amazing pass and catch ever!! I was sure Manning was down twice, and then tyree catches the dang thing on the top of his head - AMAZING!!!!!!!

I am becoming increasing bitter about the NFL. The same teams win the superbowls year after year and when a little upstart from southern Canada gets in the way of a happy ending for a fat HOFer, we rip it from their fingertips with shitty officating! This will all end, of course, when the Hawks win a Superbowl. But until then, i hate all those Giant fans celebrating tonight because i want to know how that feels!

This postseason the Giants won more games against playoff teams away from their home stadium than the Seahawks have won in their history. At least, the ones I can think of (1983 - Miami, 2002 - Atlanta, 2004 - Minnesota). They won by playing historically great defense. They made the top QBs in the NFL (Brady, Romo, Favre and Garcia) look just plain incompetent. They played the last regular season game of the year against the Patriots when they had no reason to.

They deserve this win and title. One day I hope the Seahawks can accomplish all of those things in a year. Then we can all be happy!

Anyone else pissed off that Matt's ad didn't make it as the SuperAd? Every single time I checked the top 3, including the day before voting was closed, he was #1 vote getter... bummed me out quite a bit.

The seeding is a good idea. But I still think that division winners should host in the first round, it is a reward for doing well during the season. After that it should be on the regular season won-loss record. Doing it this way might help division winners from weaker divisions, but if a team is truly better, they will win anyways. If the NFL were to do either one of these, I'd love it.

What would be truly great would be throwing the conference mandated playoffs out and just seed the teams from best to worst. The only problem with this would be that too many people would say that it is too subjective. The only way to quiet those qualms would be to base it solely on winning percentage, with opponents winning percentage being the first tie-breaker (The team with the higher opponents winning percentage would be ranked higher.) The reason that I like this is because the two best teams have a great chance of meeting in the Super Bowl. And we'd never have to hear about one of the conference championship games being referred to as the "real" Super Bowl.

As long as we're talking about rule changes:

Change the 13 men on the field rule. The penalty they called in the Super Bowl was ticky tack. The player was clearly hustling to get off the field and did not participate in the subsequent play. The offense might have been aware of him, but not as a potential defender. They were only taking account of him as someone they could "catch" with a quick snap.

I know the Seahawks like to stress defenses that way too, but I think it cheapens the game.

I just wish The New england patroit would have won because than them vs hawks would be very interesting game.

Thought I didnt watch the super bowl till 4th quater with 1min in the quater. Sorry but my opion is I could give crap about it. I mean that super bowl with hawks vs steelers left bad taste in my mouth as the refeering was horrible and but who wouldnt figure it out that NFL doesnt care what the fans or what everyone think because they some how didnt see aynthing wrong with the calls. I swear they need to get their eyes and tell the ref to not be playing any favorite and to call it down the middle like it should be period.


As for now I cant wait for the upcoming off season and I know it Holmgren last year but does anyone get the feeling beside me that we just might be in Super bowl and win it this year. Think about it I think players will have something to play for and to send off their soon to be retire coach off in the sunset that would be way to go out and I mean NFL sure do owe the hawks for screw them.

edited version...(bigmike04)

I wish the Patriots would have won the game to make the Hawk/Patriot game next year more interesting.

Although I did not start watching the Super Bowl game until there was one minute left in the fourth quarter, it just did not have interest for me. I had such a bad taste in my mouth after the Hawks/Steelers game in 2005 with the poor officiating. Doesn't the NFL care how the fans feel or do they think the fans see the poor officiating? I swear they need their eyes checked, stop playing favorites and call the game fairly.

I am enjoying the off season knowing that it is Holmgren's last year and my expectation that the Seahawks will be in the Super Bowl next year. I think the players will want to send their coach out as a winner. Besides, the NFL owes the Hawks after that debacle in 2005!

"...I think players will have something to play for..."

The players always have something to play for. They are paid gazillions to work their collective butts off to win. Emotional parts of the game actually seem silly to me.

Don't get me wrong - I would LOVE a Seahawks Superbowl appearance and win. But doing it so they can send Holmgren off into the sunset with a trophy is good for movies, not for reality.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

What bigmike was really saying...

"geez...burp...I missed most the game....too much...burp...pre-game.... party...geez...I love youse guys....burp geez....oh crap....dreaded twirlies....geez...oh oh....

Halfemptyfilms-
The SuperAd that was considered the best wasn't even as close to being as good as Hasselbacks. Even the ad where Matt was talking about Holmy not pronouncing his name right, was ten times better then the one that was picked. Even if I were not a 'Hawk fan, how could you not choose Matts? The guy has incredible presence & great charisma. Guess it's spilled milk now.

I am too getting tired of seeing the same (mostly east coast or mid west) teams in the bowl year in and year out. How 'bout a Raiders / Hawks super bowl next year. How great would that be?

I would rather see Chargers/hawks!!!

Matt's Ad came on before the game. I can't argue about the story that made the "super Ad", it was quite good. A nice, heart-warming, funny story.

The Pats had Karma bite them in the arse. Belichick is not a class guy, and it showed. I cannot believe he was allowed to challenge the 12-men on the field thing. You can't challenge so many things in the game, but you can challenge that. Interesting.

Does it surprise anyone that he left the field? Really, it shouldn't.

Can we PLEASE stop talking about Superbowl XL? Everybody knows that the Hawks were the better team on the field, but the Stealers were the victors in that game. Funny, there was a play or two during the Giants first TD drive where I thought...man, if the refs called a phantom hold in that play, it really would alter the outcome....lucky for them that no hold was called.

This playoff thing and home field, it is a big deal. The league must find a way to ensure its product is high quslity for 17 weeks. I think some of the efforts in late season game totally devalue the NFL product and are a black eye of the league. Not sure this is the right idea....but I'm glad they're thinking and talking about it.

Can I hate the term "weak division?" Teams cannot help who is in their division. I doubt the league is doing this because of teams in so-called "weak divisions", they are doing it to maintain the integrity of their product. Which is a great business move that is fan friendly. How would you like your first NFL game experience to be tainted by a team who is "resting its starters for the playoffs?" Weak. Speaking of, anyone go to see LeBron last week? Weak.

Watching the SB yesterday just reinforced how far the Hawks have to go. The odds are against getting to the SB in any event - 1 in 16. With the turn-over the Hawks will experience and the unsettling fact that the HC is temporary; these only extend the odds against the Hawks. It is fine to fantasize about the what ifs and the "few tweaks" needed. However, the reality is that the "few tweaks", replacing the RB, improving the OL, more production out of the DL will not solve all the team's issues. The issues include a schism between the HC crowd and GM crowd, a lame duck HC, an anointed prince in waiting (can't imagine anything worse for the players to wonder who they are playing for), lack of continuity on the O side with coach defections, questions about where the O goes from here considering that it has always had the personal stamp of this HC and finally the fact that the good kharma (playing in an injury depleted western conference) likely will not continue.

It is interesting the hand wringing over the SBXL from some of the same "homers" believing that there will be another SB in the Hawk future. It seems that one must secretly doubt the second premise if one clings so much to the first. Only losers complain about the shouldas and wouldas regarding refs in the SB, home field advantage, heat in Pittsburgh, cold in Green Bay, whatever in Atlanta and North Carolina. Even worse hoping for injuries to upcoming opponents, particularly QBs; then when those wishes are fulfilled, trumpeting how good the Hawks are when they beat those opponents (see practically every win this season in this regard).

if you really think the players are just going to come in, get their paychecks, and go home without a care in the world about the coach or the season, you are a moron.

I would say the game yesterday shows how wrong you are Bigmaq. If you watched the Giants last year, or even the beginning of this year, one would have said how far they have to go to be a championship team. But yet, they came together as a team and beat one of the best teams ever. WHo is to say that the new line coaches attitude won't change our running game, or that this being Coaches last year won't unite the team to play better? I don't think it is such a stretch to think this could be a superbowl team. Its not like they are the Miami Dolphins. They have a top flight QB, a superbowl winning coach, and they obviously care about winning.

Well, this topic finally convinced me to suck it up and register :)

let us look at a scenario that is not that unlikely, let us say that everybody in the NFW except AZ goes 14-2 with their 2 losses coming away against the other 2 14-2 teams.

Let us further assume that the only other team lets pick Green Bay, in the NFC that goes 14-2 but plays no-one from the NFC-West.

Let us further assume that all games are decided by a score of 21-20 (pick another if you dont like that one)

Seeding is now:

GB
or
NFC w Champ
NFC w 2nd place
NFC w 3rd place
NFC South Champ
or
NFC East Champ

This now means that for 2 teams that win their divisions, not only do they not get a by, then do not even get a home game. That is totally preposterous. And please do not say it is an impossible scenario it is far more likely than you may think, perhaps not as tightly as I posted, but I venture to say that if Dallas or Washington won their division (or Tampa or Carolina won theirs) and they got jobbed for a home playoff game by a team they perceived as having a "patsy" schedule, we will be able to hear the shrieks of agony all the way to the west coast. (and no doubt it would cause Alan Specter to start ANOTHER senate sub-committee hearing)

Nighthawk,

You are wrong AGAIN! Take away the playoff teams (Seattle and NE) and the Dolphins, Jets and Bills were worse than the 49ers, Rams, and Cards. So technically, the Pats played in the worst division in the league. But don't let the facts get in the way of your opinions.

bigmaq does points out a few interesting things, even though the main points in his post are terribly flawed. The Seahawks do need to just play ball and play to win. Perhaps they do that. But I agree that there is too much of this going on among Hawks fans: worrying about refs, home field advantage, hoping backups start, weather related issues, etc. hawks fans just need to worry about the Hawks. Not the opponents. We need to be excited to face the best we can. Not hoping for a piece of dispair to fall upon the opponent. I swear, this type of fretting spills over onto the team somehow, and they do not need that!

I'm confident that the Hawks have their own mentality, but I'm sick of people HOPING to play an easy schedule, or hoping for a certain match-up. A great team will come together and win as the Giants did. one game at a time. The Hawks are close enough to get there soon.

That being said, we have no idea how hard next season's schedule will be until we're halfway done with it. But I do know if the Hawks play well, and play together, they're going to win their share and bring some opponents to Qwest.

flahawk,

it makes no difference who played in the weakest division, it only matters who plays the best when it counts, and the Giants did it this year. All the other 31 teams are the losers and strength of schedule doesn't mean squat.

TXHawk,

Well it annoys me that the Hawks are disrespected for playing in the NFC West so I was just trying to show Nighthawk (who is a Raider fan) that in fact the Pats played in a worse division. I fully understand that the Hawks didn't win the SB.

This really seems petty to me. Its not gonna make any team thats 4-11 play any harder against a team thats 11-4 it will affect very few teams in the long run. maybe 3 or 4. not to mention altering an age old winning inspiration of "First you win your division." It really should all come out in the wash any way. The Giants won almost all their games on the road. The good teams win at home or not. Not to mention doing well should give you the right to rest your players if you want to. Its the way its always been. If it works dont fix it.