NFLPA and NFL talks to include playoff expansion possibilities

All signs point to an eventual expansion of playoff teams from 12 to 14 teams. The issue has already been discussed and a vote was deferred in the annual NFL owners meetings. The debate will not be so much about expanding the playoffs as most involved are for it, it will be about what other changes enable that to happen.

Some options are:

• Less preseason games
• No overtime in the preseason
• A possible change to the way salaries are paid in the post season

All the players (meaning NFL owners and players) involved stand to benefit from the expanded playoffs. There would be two more prime time playoff games that alone would bring in more revenue then the 16 missed week 4 preseason games combined.

For some fans, the chance to add a couple more teams to the postseason would be a good thing. In some instances when a 10 and 6 team missed the postseason because they failed to win their division and a 9 and 7 team was in, it would seem fair to have these teams in the mix. My worry is that in the future more average teams make the post season. This makes each week in the NFL a little less important if a team could finish 8-8 then get hot in the post season and take the title.

Either way it would make the post season a little more relevant for a couple more fan bases and that ups the bottom line of the business of football. It seems the details still need to be worked out but the change is coming.