Esiason: Re-seed NFL’s playoffs

Boomer Esiason doesn't think the NFC South winner should be hosting a playoff game. (Showtime)

As we head into Week 15, we don't know much about the NFL playoffs so far. As a matter of fact, we don't even know for sure who's going to be playing in January because exactly zero teams have clinched a playoff berth.

Amidst all the uncertainty though, we do know one thing for sure: The winner of the NFC South will get to host a playoff game even though that team won't have a winning record.

The best the Falcons or Saints can do is 8-8 and it's possible that the Panthers, Falcons or Saints could end up winning the division with just six wins -- and therefore hosting a playoff game.

Boomer Esiason sees that as a problem. The former Bengals quarterback believes the NFL should re-seed the 12 teams once the playoff field is set.

"I definitely think they should re-seed and I think you shouldn't reward teams for playing in a poor division," Esiason said during Inside the NFL on Tuesday. "I know that old school guys will all say that, 'Well, you know, you build your team to win in your division.' You could put any team in that division and they would win it."

Under Esiason's plan, the NFC South winner would still make the playoffs, they just wouldn't be hosting a playoff game against a team with a superior record.

"I think that, in all fairness, a team that is 11-5 should not have to travel on the road to a team with a losing record," Esiason said. "I think you should re-seed the whole thing and give the teams that have the best years the opportunity to host a home playoff game."

The Pittsburgh Steelers probably would've liked Esiason's plan three years ago. In 2011, the 12-4 Steelers had to travel to play the AFC West champion Broncos who were 8-8. Tim Tebow and Denver won that game in overtime.

The 2010 Saints would also probably have liked Esiason's plan. In 2010, the 11-5 Saints lost to the 7-9 NFC West winning Seahawks in Seattle.

Peyton Manning probably wouldn't mind the rule change either. In 2008, Manning's 12-4 Colts had to travel to San Diego for a wild card game against the 8-8 Chargers. Guess who won? Not the Colts.

Back in January, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that re-seeding the playoffs wasn't something he envisioned happening anytime soon.

"I don't think there is momentum for that," Goodell said. "There may be momentum in the media, that happens when you see [12-4] San Francisco going to [8-7-1] Green Bay, but one of the premises we start with every season is that your first objective is to win the division. And when you win the division, you should have a home game."

As for Esiason's comments, to see everything he has to say, be sure to watch the entire episode of Inside the NFL on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The show will also re-air at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and at 8 p.m. ET and 11:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

NFL Hot News

Who's in and who's out of the early games in Week 14?



You know what time it is.To help you survive and advance today, this post will provide all of the information regarding this morning's actives and inactives. Among the names we'll be tracking this morning are Isaiah Crowell, Rashad Jennings, Justin Forsett, DeSean Jackson and Greg Olsen, to name a few. Follow along with this post and refresh it consistently starting at 11:30 a.m. Eastern for all of the pertinent info.-- Giants RB Rashad Jennings is active. However, Andre Williams will start, and Jennings is expected to play only on passing downs. Thus, Williams makes for a decent RB2 in a great matchup. Jennings should be avoided as he may not see more than a few touches. The Titans have allowed more than 800 rushing yards over their past five games.-- Browns tight end Jordan Cameron has tweeted out that he will be active today. It will be his first game played since sustaining a concussion in Week 8. He's worth a shot against a defense that is allowing the third-most fantasy points to TEs.-- Panthers TE Greg Olsen is active despite a knee injury. He's a fine TE1 against the Saints.-- Redskins WR DeSean Jackson is inactive because of his bruised fibula. He didn't practice at all this week. Pierre Garcon and tight end Jordan Reed will see all of the targets they can take today versus the Rams.-- Ravens RB Justin Forsett is active. He was limited during the week because of an ankle injury, but he should see a healthy workload against the Dolphins' struggling run defense. He is a low-end RB1. Lorenzo Taliaferro will probably see a few more carries than normal.-- Torrey Smith is also active for the Ravens, but reports have stated that he was sporting a noticeable limp during pregame warmups and was wearing a wrap over his injured knee. He is listed as probable on the injury report, but that doesn't seem to tell the story now. He's suddenly a risky WR2/3 versus the Dolphins. Marlon Brown will probably pick up some extra snaps to take some of the pressure off of Smith.-- Reggie Bush is active for the Lions. He shouldn't be in your lineups in this playoff week. Lions RB Joique Bell will still lead this backfield.-- Isaiah Crowell is active for the Browns. He has a hip injury, but he should be the bell-cow back versus the Colts' below-average run defense. It's worth nothing that Terrance West and Shaun Draughn are also active. Crowell looks like a high-end RB2.-- For the Titans, QB Zach Mettenberger is active after spraining his throwing shoulder last week. However, WR Kendall Wright is inactive because of a cracked bone in his hand. No Titans offensive player is a recommended start against the Giants. RB Shonn Greene is a healthy scratch.-- Dolphins tight end Charles Clay after missing last week's game due to knee and hamstring injuries. He's more of a TE2 today versus Baltimore.-- Bucs RB Bobby Rainey is inactive. We'll see if Charles Sims get some more work versus the Lions, but the matchup is really tough. He should be on your bench.-- Khiry Robinson is active for the first time in several weeks. He had been sidelined by a forearm injury. He'll chip in to New Orleans' backfield along with Pierre Thomas, but Mark Ingram is still a fine RB2 in a favorable matchup versus the Panthers.-- Colts TE Dwayne Allen is back from his ankle injury. He's been a touchdown-or-bust tight end for most of the season, and that probably holds true for this week. But he's a fine TE1, and Coby Fleener's value takes a big hit.-- Lions WR Calvin Johnson is active. He'll continue to be rested routinely during the practice week, but he's fine.-- Steelers RB Dri Archer is a healthy scratch.-- Dolphins WR Brian Hartline is active after leaving Monday's game early due to a knee injury. He is a WR5.Players who have already been ruled out for Week 14 include Jerick McKinnon, Andre Ellington, DeAngelo Williams, and Justin Hunter. Those players and the impact of their absences will be discussed briefly below. For a full rundown of injuries across the league this week, click the source link below to the NFL's official injury report.



-- The back injury that kept McKinnon out of last week's game will now keep him out for the rest of the season as he was placed on injured reserve Saturday. The Vikings' run game will now be handled by a committee consisting of Matt Asiata, Ben Tate and Joe Banyard. Asiata should get the plurality of the touches, but he's a touchdown-or-bust flex today versus the Jets' solid defensive front.-- Ellington has a hip pointer that Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians described as "severe" earlier this week. Stepfan Taylor will start versus the Chiefs' leaky run defense, but he'll likely share carries pretty evenly with Marion Grice. This is another low-end flex situation.-- Williams broke a finger during last week's game, so that leaves Jonathan Stewart as the Panthers' lead back in their run-heavy scheme. Today, Carolina will face the Saints, who have allowed more than 750 rushing yards over their past five games. Stewart is coming off of a 14-touch, 110-yard performance in Minnesota, and he should be a sneaky RB2 as long as the Panthers can keep the game close.-- Hunter has been ruled out for the season because of the lacerated spleen that landed him in the hospital for a few days this week. With Kendall Wright questionable to play today, the Titans are running low on outlets for quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Even against the Giants' injury-riddled defense, it's difficult to endorse any Titan as a fantasy start in this playoff week.