Playoff format doesn’t favor Rams if they sneak into the postseason

Seventh-seeded teams have been dominated in playoffs since 2020 NFL postseason expansion

The Los Angeles Rams remain alive in the NFC playoff picture and are one game back of the seventh seed in the conference. For reference, here is how the playoff field is looking across the NFL heading into Week 13:

Due to losing out on the tiebreaker over the Packers, LA will need plenty of help just to get into the playoffs. According to The New York Times, the Rams have a 40 percent chance of sneaking into the playoffs. Those odds will jump to 51 percent if Sean McVay’s squad can beat the Joe Flacco-led Browns this weekend. Seriously, there is absolutely no excuse for LA to lose this game so I STG if they do…

Let’s say the Rams by some miracle from the football gods actually do make the playoffs. The current postseason format does not favor them whatsoever.

When the NFL expanded the playoff field to include seven teams back in 2020, the seventh seed has always gotten a raw deal. The move was done to improve the competitiveness of the Wild Card Round. All it’s really done is prove the seventh seeds have zero business being in spitting distance of the postseason to begin with.

Every single seventh seed since the field was expanded has lost. The lowest-seeded teams have a combined 0-6 record in the postseason while being outscored 196-123. Only two matchups have been decided by at least three points, oddly both have involved the Bills. Buffalo defeated the Colts 27-24 in 2021 and barely got by the Dolphins and their third-string QB in a 34-31 win last season.

As for the rest of the games, none of them have been very competitive. It’s almost like those teams don’t deserve to be there. Shocking I know. Well at least Mitch Trubisky’s losing effort heroics landed him a coveted NVP award.

What I would give to see Aaron Donald being presented with that slimy trophy. Anyways, while it would be a great story to see the Rams snag an unlikely postseason bid during a remodeling year, that’s all it would be, a story. The odds of this team going anywhere if they were to make it are incredibly slim.

LA has shown plenty of fight on the field this season, but has this team proven they can beat a quality foe? Hanging with the 49ers and Eagles is one thing, yet LA was unable to close them out despite strong first halves.

Hate to say it but I fear the Rams will likely become the latest seventh seed casualty if they make it into the playoffs this year.