Amon-Ra St. Brown spoke out about how the NFL arranges its playoffs ahead of Week 18.
The Detroit Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings to clinch the NFC North and earn the No. 1 seed with a 15-2 record.
Defeat means the 14-3 Vikings must travel to face the 10-7 Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.
The Rams won the NFC West despite winning four fewer games and earned the right to host the first postseason encounter on Monday.
Speaking ahead of the NFC North showdown, St. Brown called for a change in the rules.
“It’s crazy. I think the rule should be changed,” he said. “Obviously, if you win the division, you should obviously make a playoff spot, but having a 14-win team having to go on the road is kind of crazy.
“But I guess I don’t make the rules. Either way, I think we’ll be fine.
“Whether it’s going on the road or having a bye week and playing at home, we’re built for either or.”
St. Brown and the Lions can rest easy on a bye week waiting to see how they will face in the divisional round.
Shannon Sharpe and Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson discussed the superstar wideout’s comments on their Nightcap podcast and told him it shouldn’t matter where Detroit plays.
“There should be nothing to worry about,” said Ochocinco. “Especially that high-powered offense.
“Whether you playing home or away, I understand that advantage teams have playing at home, but the way that offense is rocking right now, it shouldn’t matter if they’re playing in the Sahara Desert.
GettySt. Brown helped the Lions secure the No. 1 seed[/caption]
GettyOchocinco lavished praise on Dan Campbell[/caption]
“With Dan Campbell as my coach, with that wheelbarrow carrying those cojones every time he’s coaching, I’m not tripping.”
Sharpe agreed that the rules were fine as they are.
“The rules are the rules,” he said. “We don’t have to change the rules because we have an anomaly.
“That’s the reward you get for winning the division, you play at least one game at home.”
The NFL and MLB have similar playoff formats as top seeds land a bye and the other divisional champions get home-field advantage in the first round.
In the NBA, conference standings are the basis for seedings.
The Lions have also been affected by a new NFL rule over coach interviews.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn are both attractive options heading into 2025.
Under a new rule in place from this season, each of those names can field virtual interviews during their bye week.
The Kansas City Chiefs took the AFC’s No. 1 seed – OC Matt Nagy and DC Steve Spagnuolo are also available to interview.
“New coaching hire cycle rules,” confirmed Peter Schrager. “As the coordinators from the No.1-seeded team, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn can interview with teams starting Wednesday. Nagy and (Spagnuolo) can, too.
“They’ve all got to be virtual and they must be completed by Monday, Jan. 13.”
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