Breaking down the 2020-21 NFL playoff format

Follow the money. If you're wondering why the NFL has joined Major League Baseball, college football and college basketball in expanding its postseason field in recent years, just follow the money.

More playoff games generate more interest, and therefore more dollars. Coaches and team executives are more likely to keep their jobs and earn more money if they make it to the postseason, so more playoff spots is good for that. Finally, franchises who have to sell their fan base on hope and optimism can do so more effectively if there are more postseason spots available.

The NFL has changed its playoff format, starting this 2020-21 season.

The new NFL format has 14 playoff teams instead of 12, adding one more wild-card team from the AFC and NFC. Each conference will have seven playoff teams, up from six previously.

The NFL’s playoff format currently rewards geography more than the best teams. Why they should change: https://t.co/ZImfbMYgSt

— Alex Hinton (@AlHinton23) December 4, 2020

The No. 1 seed in each conference will have a bye in the opening round of the playoffs. Previously, two teams per conference had a bye.

The opening round of the NFL postseason will see the No. 2 seeds host the No. 7 seeds, the No. 3 seeds host the No. 6 seeds, and the No. 4 seeds host the No. 5 seeds.

The last time the NFL expanded its playoff format was in 1990, when it moved from 10 playoff teams to 12.

If the NFL playoffs started today...

As things stand going into the final game of Week 13 (Dallas Cowboys at Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday), the current top seeds in each conference are the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC and New Orleans Saints for the NFC.

The @Saints are the first team to clinch a spot in the #NFLPlayoffs! #Saints pic.twitter.com/NyUM52yYMM

— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2020

The hypothetical first-round matchups would be:

(7) Indianapolis Colts at (2) Kansas City Chiefs

(7) Minnesota Vikings at (2) Green Bay Packers

(6) Miami Dolphins at (3) Buffalo Bills)

(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at (3) Los Angeles Rams

(5) Cleveland Browns at (4) Tennessee Titans

(5) Seattle Seahawks at (4) New York Giants

Division winners are guaranteed a top-4 seed, which is why the Giants could host a playoff game even if they finish under-.500 as the NFC East winner.

With four weeks to go in the NFL regular season, plenty of teams are still on the playoff bubble. The Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots are in the mix in the AFC. The Arizona Cardinals and everyone in the NFC East are still in decent standing in the NFC.