Monday, January 12, 2009

NFL Playoff Home Field Advantage

Even more data from this morning's entry. I went all the way back to the first year that 6 teams were admitted into the playoffs in each conference. Since then, you can see which seeds were in the NFC and AFC Championship games. The seed with the asterisk is the seed that went on to the Super Bowl.

YearHome RecordAFC SeedsNFC Seeds
19908-21* vs 21 vs 2*
19918-21* vs 21* vs 2
19925-52 vs 4*1 vs 2*
19938-21* vs 31* vs 2
19948-21 vs 2*1* vs 2
19957-32* vs 51* vs 3
19968-22* vs 51* vs 2
19976-42 vs 4*1 vs 2*
19988-21* vs 21 vs 2*
19997-31 vs 4*1* vs 2
20008-22 vs 4*1* vs 2
20017-31 vs 2*1* vs 3
20028-21* vs 21 vs 2*
20036-41* vs 31 vs 3*
20046-41 vs 2*1* vs 2
20054-62 vs 6*1* vs 5
20068-23* vs 41* vs 2
20075-51* vs 32 vs 5*
20083-52 vs 64 vs 6

Table Tutorial



Most compelling piece of information I found here? 13 of 19 years (68%), in the NFC, the championship game has been the #1 seed vs the #2 seed - proving the bye week and home field mean something.

In the AFC, it has happened only 7 times (37%). Not sure what that means other than the fact that maybe the NFC has had better top seeds that make it less likely to have upsets - like the Cowboys and 49ers. On the other hand, maybe the AFC has had many playoffs where top to bottom the margin is very close.

And, in 19 years, #1 NFC has played #1 AFC only twice. 1991 and 1993.
at

1 comment:

  1. this blogger8:58 AM

    sport sturm,

    you pose the question as whether the NFC had the better top seeds or if the AFC was better top to bottom. Looking at the results of the Super Bowl during the 90's it is pretty clear the NFC was dominant. The AFC didn't win until your Packers couldn't figure out how to stop Terrel Davis.

    ReplyDelete