Falcons Potential Top Beneficiary of No Change to NFL Playoff Format

Even though the unfairness of the No. 4 seed hosting a playoff game against a team with a superior record happens a lot, the NFL taking away the significance of winning a division would have been a mistake.

There's a reason why divisions exist. They keep more teams alive in the playoff hunt, and thus, more markets engaged.

Granted, the Lions proposal had "a bylaw that would guarantee" one division winner in each conference with the best record a home playoff game. That was made in an effort to keep late-season games competitive.

But it would still nearly eliminate the need for divisions altogether. The best-record team in the conference would receive a bye and home-field advantage while best records would then determine the rest of the playoff field.

If every team played everyone once, that would be the most fair format. But the NFL wants to sell it's product. Division matchup results leading to crowned champions at the expense of rivals makes exciting TV.

Bragging right is the intangible benefit of a division title; the home playoff game is the tangible benefit.

In the NFC South, the Falcons have one of the easier divisions to win at the moment. If they can finally capture the crown in 2025, they're still guaranteed a home playoff game.

As great as it would be to see the Falcons play an NFL postseason game at any location, finally getting one at Mercedes-Benz Stadium would be a huge plus for the organization.