Lions propose rule change for NFL playoffs, seeding better Wild Card teams over lesser division champs
FOX 2 - The Lions have submitted some proposed rule changes to the NFL with one of them having potentially massive playoff implications.
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The proposal would change the current seeding format, placing wild card qualifiers to be seeded above division champions if they finished with a better regular season record, according to published reports including from NFL.com.
Also in the proposal the Lions added that if "two or more playoff participants finish with the same won-lost-tied percentage at the end of the regular season, priority shall be given to a team or teams that are division champions."
Had the rule been in place, four separate Wild Card Playoff games would have been impacted.
"Instead of hosting the 11-6 Chargers on the opening weekend of the postseason, the 10-7 Texans would have traveled to Los Angeles.
Instead of hosting the Vikings (14-3), the Rams (10-7) would have traveled to Philadelphia (14-3) to face the Eagles (which ended up being a Divisional Round matchup), while Tampa Bay (10-7) would have hit the road for Minnesota instead of hosting the Commanders (12-5). Green Bay (11-6) would travel to Washington instead of going to Philadelphia, where the Packers lost to the eventual Super Bowl LIX champion Eagles."
On Wednesday the NFL shared a memo including the rule proposals submitted by franchises for consideration. Each rule will be discussed and potentially voted upon by ownership at the Annual League Meeting, on March 30.
Also among the proposals was by the Packers for the NFL to ban the Philadelphia "tush push."
The Lions included two other proposals as well, including eliminating automatic first downs as a penalty for defensive holding and illegal contact.
The Lions also proposed excluding from the 90-player limit a player placed on reserve/injured before, or on the day of the roster reduction to 53 players, unless such player is designated for return.
The Source: Information for this report is from the NFL.com and various published reports.