Divisional round playoff scheduling question?

Both the 49ers and Ravens have the #1 seed. Both play on Saturday January 11th. The Chiefs and Packers got the #2 seed and both play on Sunday January 12th. So theoretically the #1 seeds if they win have 8 days to prepare or rest and get healthy for the Championship game round. And the #2 seeds would have 7 days. 1 day shorter to prepare, get healthy, plus they may have to travel too.

So I guess the question is this the NFL rule? Obviously it's a lot for TV too. You space out the games to have them across both days. But is this an actual NFL rule to give the #1 seeds 1 more day of rest or preparation because they earned the #1 seed? Or is this the accepted historical protocol? By historical precedent? I would have to assume it's not random. If it's an actual rule or procedure that you can point to can you point it out?

For anybody that knows for sure. I just wondered.

Last year KC and the Saints were the #1 seeds. KC played their divisional game on Saturday and NO played Sunday. I'd guess the decisions are 95% motivated by TV network preferences.

Having both AFC games on Saturday and both NFC games on Sunday this weekend seems unusual. Aren't they always split? Probably also motivated by the networks.

I don't think there's ever been a rhyme or reason beyond tv networks preference.

Hell, NBC covering a divisional round game as opposed to just wildcard Saturday was new this decade.

Originally posted by SonocoNinerFan:
Last year KC and the Saints were the #1 seeds. KC played their divisional game on Saturday and NO played Sunday. I'd guess the decisions are 95% motivated by TV network preferences.

Having both AFC games on Saturday and both NFC games on Sunday this weekend seems unusual. Aren't they always split? Probably also motivated by the networks.

Yeah, I thought it was a scheduling mistake, but I guess they're going NFC/NFC on Sunday and AFC/AFC on Saturday.

Originally posted by SonocoNinerFan:

Last year KC and the Saints were the #1 seeds. KC played their divisional game on Saturday and NO played Sunday. I'd guess the decisions are 95% motivated by TV network preferences.

Having both AFC games on Saturday and both NFC games on Sunday this weekend seems unusual. Aren't they always split? Probably also motivated by the networks.

I don't ever remember a wilcard weekend when both conferences played on the same day. It's usually always divided up with one game of each conference each day.

It does seem weird this year.

Originally posted by Kyzen:

Originally posted by SonocoNinerFan:
Last year KC and the Saints were the #1 seeds. KC played their divisional game on Saturday and NO played Sunday. I'd guess the decisions are 95% motivated by TV network preferences.

Having both AFC games on Saturday and both NFC games on Sunday this weekend seems unusual. Aren't they always split? Probably also motivated by the networks.

I don't ever remember a wilcard weekend when both conferences played on the same day. It's usually always divided up with one game of each conference each day.

It does seem weird this year.

I think the NFL made both NFC games on Sunday due partly to the timing of the 49ers/SEA game. That game wasn't over until midnight east coast time and I think for competitive balance reasons and possible travel considerations the NFL did this scheduling.

That being said, I've always been a proponent of scheduling both games from one conference on one day, and then the same conference on the same day the following week. For example, this year on WC Weekend it's AFC Saturday then NFC Sunday. That gives both teams in each game the same number of days between games. Then what I would like to see is that on the Divisional Round, the AFC games were Saturday and NFC games on Sunday, again giving all those playing teams the same number of days. Next year, those days/conferences flip days.

But, since the 49ers benefit this year from the scheduling, I'm good with it as it is

Originally posted by SonocoNinerFan:

Last year KC and the Saints were the #1 seeds. KC played their divisional game on Saturday and NO played Sunday. I'd guess the decisions are 95% motivated by TV network preferences.

Having both AFC games on Saturday and both NFC games on Sunday this weekend seems unusual. Aren't they always split? Probably also motivated by the networks.

That's interesting. So it's just TV schedules. But as it turns out we get 8 days to rest, recover, heal and prepare for the NFC Championship game. Where an opponent would get 7 days and also have to travel to us. There is some inherent advantage in that IMO.

Originally posted by Kyzen:

Originally posted by SonocoNinerFan:

Last year KC and the Saints were the #1 seeds. KC played their divisional game on Saturday and NO played Sunday. I'd guess the decisions are 95% motivated by TV network preferences.

Having both AFC games on Saturday and both NFC games on Sunday this weekend seems unusual. Aren't they always split? Probably also motivated by the networks.

I don't ever remember a wilcard weekend when both conferences played on the same day. It's usually always divided up with one game of each conference each day.

It does seem weird this year.

Yeah I believe I have always seen one game of each conference each day in the past. To see a whole conference on Saturday and a whole different conference on Sunday like this year seems strange and unusual.

Since the AFC wild card round play on Saturday and the NFC wild card round play on Sunday this week they also get 6 days to prepare for us. Our opponents for the divisional round. It looks like the scheduling is helping us for the divisional round and NFC Championship both.

Originally posted by 49erfaninPA:

I think the NFL made both NFC games on Sunday due partly to the timing of the 49ers/SEA game. That game wasn't over until midnight east coast time and I think for competitive balance reasons and possible travel considerations the NFL did this scheduling.

That being said, I've always been a proponent of scheduling both games from one conference on one day, and then the same conference on the same day the following week. For example, this year on WC Weekend it's AFC Saturday then NFC Sunday. That gives both teams in each game the same number of days between games. Then what I would like to see is that on the Divisional Round, the AFC games were Saturday and NFC games on Sunday, again giving all those playing teams the same number of days. Next year, those days/conferences flip days.

But, since the 49ers benefit this year from the scheduling, I'm good with it as it is

Yeah, thats a good point, i didnt take the game times into acct. The overall scheduling has changed quite a bit over the past 5-8 years or so with adding the Thursday night games to the schedule, then the late season games on Saturdays before the playoffs. I guess theres always going to be a conflict with getting each team the same amount of off time.

Either way, i dont care as long as it helps the Niners.

The bottom line.

* Our divisional round opponents get 6 days to prepare for us and have to travel also.

* We get 8 days to prepare for the NFC Championship game because we play the divisional round on Saturday. Of course we don't have to travel either with the #1 seed.

The scheduling appears to help us BOTH weeks.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

The bottom line.

* Our divisional round opponents get 6 days to prepare for us and have to travel also.

* We get 8 days to prepare for the NFC Championship game because we play the divisional round on Saturday. Of course we don't have to travel either with the #1 seed.

The scheduling appears to help us BOTH weeks.

Such a huge playoff advantage, possibly as significant as homefield itself.

I'm not sure if this is related, but the FBS championship is in the Super Dome and that may have played a part in the scheduling as well.

But I agree that the Niners literally have every advantage by securing the #1 spot.

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

I'm not sure if this is related, but the FBS championship is in the Super Dome and that may have played a part in the scheduling as well.

But I agree that the Niners literally have every advantage by securing the #1 spot.

I heard that during the Clemson - Ohio st game too

Seahawks/Eagles is tomorrow, and our divisional matchup is Saturday, so we will get someone on 6 days rest too.

Just works out well for us this year. We have it all set up for us to make the SB, so we have to take advantage.