Vikings leaning toward opposing rule change that could have saved their season
The 2024 season for the Minnesota Vikings was one of the best we've seen in some time. It was just the second time in team history they had won 14 games and the third in which they lost just three. The only season that was better was the 15-1 season in 1998 where they went […]
The 2024 season for the Minnesota Vikings was one of the best we've seen in some time.
It was just the second time in team history they had won 14 games and the third in which they lost just three. The only season that was better was the 15-1 season in 1998 where they went 15-1 and tragically lost in the NFC Championship Game.
Unfortunately for the Vikings, getting 14 wins wasn't good enough. They finished second in the NFC North to the Detroit Lions, who finished the season with a 15-2 record and were forced to play on the road in the first round of the playoffs.
Vikings likey will oppose rule change that would have helped them
The NFL Owners Meetings are the first major event after free agency and it happens in Palm Beach, Florida. Head coaches and general managers often speak to the media during the week, but we also hear from owners as well.
Vikings owner Mark Wilf spoke to reporters about multiple topics, but one stood out in a major way. The Vikings are leaning toward opposing a rule change that could have saved their season.
The Lions proposed a rule change that would have given the Vikings a home playoff game, despite not winning their division. As the rule currently sits, the playoffs are seeded as follows:
- Seeds 1-4: Division winners, all host their first playoff game
- Seeds 5-7: The best teams that didn't win their division
I wrote about when the rule change proposals were announced two weeks ago that last season, which saw three teams in the NFC North win 11+ games, could be the catalyst to change the policy.
At the time, the vibe was split. People either believed the Vikings deserved to play a home game due to their record or they shouldn't because they didn't win the division. Even though the NFL is set up for parity, is it time to change the policy?
A season like this past one where three teams in the same division won 11 games and for the first time ever two teams from the same division won 14. It might be time to change how the NFL structures its playoff seeding because of the imbalance that we saw last year and also will likely see in the future.
The National Football League is known as a reactionary league rather than a proactive one, meaning they usually wait to make a rule change until something happens rather than prevent it from happening. Think about how the NFL didn't outlaw low hits on quarterback until after Carson Palmer and Tom Brady suffered torn ACLs.
It's interesting that the Vikings would lean toward opposing the rule change for multiple reasons. One, a home playoff game could have saved their season last year. However, the bigger picture is that they believe the home playoff games should be earned with a division title. That has always been my belief as well.
They could end up switching positions after meetings, but it's a sign that there might not be the momentum the Lions thought there would be.
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