NFL Playoff Support Explained: How Byes, Seeding Will Work In 2022 With 17-Game Format

The NFL made a critical decision regarding its post-season format ahead of the 2020 NFL regular season. Instead of having 12 teams involved in the playoffs, the NFL would include 14 in the 2021 NFL playoffs. .

The movement was initially greeted with skepticism. After all, the NFL has arguably the best playoff format of any of the four major sports, so why change something that works?

But soon after, NFL fans realized that the playoff extension meant there would be two more NFL games. So they stopped complaining and the first 14-team playoffs went off without a major hitch.

The 14-team playoffs have a few key differences from the 12-team playoffs of yore. Here’s a refresher on how the 14-team version of the NFL playoffs worked, and why the NFL finally added more playoff games before the start of last season.

MORE: Full Schedule, Breakdown For 2022 NFL Playoffs

How many teams make the NFL playoffs?

A total of 14 teams will make the NFL Playoffs in 2022. This will mark the second season of the 14-team NFL Playoffs. Previously, 12 teams – six from each conference – had made the playoffs, but the NFL changed that ahead of the 2020 NFL season.

Now seven AFC and seven NFC teams will make the playoffs. It only impacts the playoff bracket by adding a seventh seed in each conference and eliminating the week off for the No.2 seed.

Under the new NFL format, 43.75% of league teams will be involved in the playoffs. Division winners will always be ranked # 1-4 by record, with the last three spots being taken by Wild Card teams.

2022 NFL Playoff Support

Below you can see how the 2022 NFL playoff support will work. The No.1 seed from each conference will start the tournament with a pass while the No.2 seed will play the No.7, the # 3 will play # 6 and # 4 will play # 5 on each side.

Here’s a look at the final installment of the NFL playoffs for 2022, updated through Week 16:

AFC

1. The Kansas City Chiefs (goodbye)

2. Tennessee Titans vs. 7. Baltimore Ravens
3. Cincinnati Bengals vs. 6. New England Patriots
4. Buffalo Bills contre Indianapolis Colts

NFC

1. Green Bay Packers (goodbye)

2. Dallas Cowboys vs. 7. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Los Angeles Rams contre 6. San Francisco 49ers
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 5. Arizona Cardinals

How many teams get a pass in the first round?

Only two teams in total – one in each conference – get a week off under the new NFL playoff format. This is because of the expansion of the Wild Card round to add a No.2 vs No.7 seed in both the AFC and the NFC.

The elimination of the second pass was necessary, as making the No. 2 seed ensures that half of the 12 teams that play the Wild Card weekend will be eliminated. That means eight will play in the division round, and the NFL will continue to halve the number of teams from there until one remains after the Super Bowl.

Why has the NFL widened the scope of the playoffs?

It’s all about the money. The extra playoff game will generate revenue that the NFL wouldn’t otherwise have, and it will allow the league to have additional prime-time broadcast, as they will be playing a post-season “Monday Night Football” game for. the first time in 2022.

It also keeps more teams in the playoff race for longer in the 18-week season. It makes every game a little more meaningful and gives fans of the mid-size teams extra hope of making it through to the playoffs.

Does seed # 2 have an advantage without goodbye?

Seed # 2 is much less appealing without a goodbye. The team that gets the No.2 seed is guaranteed two home games – provided they can send the No.7 seed into the Wild Cards round. After that, they would either travel to the home of the No.1 seed for the AFC or NFC Championship, or they could host the Championship game if the No.1 seed was upset.

That said, it’s very different from the week off the team used to have, as the No.2 seed will have to play an extra game that the No.2 seeds don’t have. had to play. Thus, teams are less likely to fight for it if they have the opportunity to rest their players at the end of the season, especially if they have their division title over and have no chance of becoming the No.1 seed. 1.

Does the 17th game of the NFL have an impact on the playoffs?

Adding a 17th regular season game won’t have much of an impact on the playoffs themselves. The biggest change is that the NFL playoff schedule will be pushed back a week due to the extra games. As such, the Super Bowl will now take place on the second Sunday in February instead of the first.

In addition, the race for the playoffs will be a little longer and busier than usual. Due to the extra game, teams that are hot at the end of the year will have a better chance of making a playoff run as they will have more time to regain some ground in the standings.

2022 NFL Playoff Schedule

Joker trick

Saturday January 15th

Sunday January 16

Monday January 17th

Division round

Saturday 22 January

Sunday 23 January

Conference Championships

Sunday January 30

Super Bowl 56

Sunday February 13