Adding a seventh playoff team was one of the neat perks of the NFL’s new CBA that I eventually came around to love. Because while I was fearful of watering down the league’s postseason product, getting six games of consequence over the first two days drew me in as a fan.
And to think, the NFL’s opening weekend of playoff football is getting WILDER:
Now official: Super Wild Card Weekend will include a MNF game. https://t.co/jTdeUGuHTy pic.twitter.com/HBm5QVYSnJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 24, 2021
Official 2021-2022 NFL Super Wild Card weekend schedule:
Saturday, January 15th:
Game 1: 4:35 PM ET
Game 2: 8:15 PM ETSunday, January 16th:
Game 1: 1:05 PM ET
Game 2: 4:40 PM ET
Game 3: 8:15 PM ETMonday, January 17th:
Game 1: 8:15 PM ET— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 24, 2021
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was teasing this during Thursday’s Panthers-Texans game. And 12 hours later, it has come to fruition. The NFL is splitting Super Wild Card Weekend into three days. Saturday still features a pair of games, with Sunday maintaining three time slots worth of playoff action. But it’s the Monday Night Football playoff game that does it for me. And that a broadcast partner is still to be determined has me imagining a bidding war for that primetime playoff capper being intense.
Now … I understand the pitfalls here. A Monday game means that one playoff team will get its second game on short rest. And there is a likelihood that game will be against a team coming off a bye. But those are the breaks. Hope your team plays better, gets the top overall seed, and avoids that ridiculousness.
Don’t get me wrong. I thought the three game split for Saturday and Sunday was perfect. But I’m not against stretching it out over a third day. After all, have you seen what else is on TV on Mondays during the winter? Something has to hold me over until The Bachelor kicks off. Right?
Last year, the Bears were the beneficiary of the NFL’s newfound seventh playoff seed. And if they happen to be in the Monday Night Football playoff weekend finale, I won’t complain. Anything for more Justin Fields!