Shitty teams winning in the playoffs

[Senser81]

As someone else mentioned, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that since we have 4 divisions now, you are going to get some division winners with mediocre records but who still are getting to play at home. Last year, Seattle got to play a home game against New Orleans...I would guess if that game were in the Superdome the outcome would have been different. This year, the Steelers had to go to Denver so their FS Ryan Clark couldn't play, and their backup FS gives up the game-winning TD.

I think in the past the shitty 8-8 or 9-7 teams would have to play on the road, so it was less likely for them to pull the upset.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

In this era of NFL, the difference between 8-8 and 12-4 is negligible in regards to the quality of team.

Then when you have the 8-8 team in a home game?

[nwfisch]

Green Bay Packers.

[NAHSTE]

The fact is the past 5 non-winning teams have won their playoff game. That is a trend, and its worth noting.

One of those "non-winning" teams you listed was from eight years ago and they only beat a 9-7 team. An 8-8 team beats a 9-7 team sometimes in 1-game playoff scenarios. It's crazy, I know.

How exactly is this a trend? Sometimes teams beat teams they aren't supposed to beat. One time a 9-7 team beat a 16-0 team in the Super Bowl! OMG! GROWING TREND! SUPER BOWL UPSETS!