Either the Detroit Lions or Minnesota Vikings will be forced to play on the road in the playoffs as a 14-win team, and Amon-Ra St. Brown isn’t happy about it.
The Detroit Lions wide receiver shared his thoughts with reporters on Friday, saying the NFL should reconsider its playoff format, adding that it’s “kind of crazy” for a 14-win team to have to travel for the postseason opener.
“I think the rule should be changed. Of course, if you win the division, you should make the playoffs. Having a 14-win team go on the road is kind of crazy, but I don’t make the rules. Hopefully, we can get a win and earn home-field advantage, but whatever happens, we both have a spot in the playoffs, so we might face each other again after this game.”
St. Brown’s argument makes sense, but it’s not an easy problem to solve. While it’s not unusual for a fourth division winner to host a team with a better record in the playoffs, a top wild card team having this many wins is rare. However, rewarding division winners with home games is essential, even if some might say a team like the Buccaneers or Falcons should be happy just to make the playoffs by winning their division.
The Lions and Vikings simply find themselves in one of the toughest divisions the NFL has ever seen this year. One of them will be unlucky not to secure the No. 1 seed, while the Green Bay Packers might end up as the potential No. 7 seed despite an 11-win season that could have won the NFC North in other years. There’s no easy fix for this rare situation.