One of the changes with the NFL’s proposed new collective bargaining agreement is that the playoff teams will expand from 12 to 14. That means there would be seven playoff spots up for grabs in each conference.
Obviously that changes things moving forward in the NFL with a presumed third wild card team in the mix. But how would it have impacted the league over the last decade?
When it comes to the Bears, things could’ve been much different. First off, their
If the NFC had a 7 seed over the past decade, a wide variety of teams would have earned a postseason spot đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/H19rzARBG5
— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 21, 2020
If the Bears made the playoffs in those three consecutive seasons (2010-2012), Lovie Smith would’ve retained his job as head coach, which means we would’ve escaped the Marc Trestman era. It also makes you believe that general manager Jerry Angelo would’ve survived for another couple of seasons with three consecutive playoff berths.
What about quarterback Jay Cutler? Would his entire trajectory with the Bears have been shifted with two additional playoff appearances? Cutler missed the final six games of the 2011 season with a broken right thumb. But Smith was confident Cutler would return in time for the playoffs.
Unfortunately, we’ll never know for sure how having a seventh playoff spot would’ve affected the Bears. But perhaps it’ll help them moving forward in the future — that is, if the NFLPA approves the new CBA.
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