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Joel Klatt Defends Dismal CFP Opening Weekend With Question About NFL Playoffs
The first four College Football Playoff games are in the books and, well, they made for some pretty rough viewing as none of them were really that close with all four home teams rolling to victories.
The blowouts led to lots of fans sounding off about the new 12-team format and whether or not the right teams got into the field. Others questioned if the first round games should have been played at neutral sites, which probably wouldn't have led to much different outcomes.
While most fans were bummed out by what they saw, Fox Sports' lead analyst Joel Klatt stuck up for how things played out in the opening weekend. He pointed out that last year's NFL wild-card playoff weekend had four games with an average point differential of 17.3 and compared that to the 19.2 point differential from the four CFP games. He then asked if the NFL playoffs should be blown up.
2023 NFL Wild Card Playoffs
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) December 22, 2024
- Avg margin 17.3
2024 CFP First Round
- Avg margin 19.2
Should we blow up the NFL playoffs as well?
Fans had mixed reactions to Klatt's tweet:
NFL ppl routinely discuss the 7 seed getting their ass kicked each season and what is the purpose of it. https://t.co/uF7YX35qZM
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) December 22, 2024
I mean…yeah . Too many teams get into the postseason in all sports but for money. I get it but let’s not pretend it’s for competitiveness. Going from 2 to 4 to 12 so quickly was never about that https://t.co/muz9XbPoGT
— Astros351 (@astros351) December 22, 2024
Honestly they just need to match the teams up better https://t.co/MPnYn33KxY
— JB (@Jahmalbrown33) December 22, 2024
As disappointing as the first round games were, we can’t forget these. Two different systems, both national championship games. Sadly, there’s no perfect system. https://t.co/DJmvSN5h5q pic.twitter.com/CcuUgCErII
— Gage Tiller, Ed.D (@gagetiller) December 22, 2024
This is the best take I've seen from Klatt all year https://t.co/iUnKA4Re23
— Brent (@AMPD0UT) December 22, 2024
Hopefully the quarterfinal games, which will be held on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, are much better.
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Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.