NFL playoff system isn't broken

Naomi Klein's groundbreaking book "The Shock Doctrine" details how certain powers-that-be will use disasters as opportunities to implement policies that they would otherwise have trouble implementing.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the findings of Klein's tome, it is a fact that a crisis situation can be taken advantage of by those who are aiming to make changes.

That looks to be exactly what is happening with some members of the media and fandom in regards to the NFL's divisional playoff structure. They are attempting to use the potential crisis that is Sunday night's de facto NFC West division championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams as their football shock doctrine.

The main reason this contest is viewed as a potential playoff participant debacle is that if Seattle wins the game, it will win the division via tiebreaker and host an opening-round playoff battle despite finishing the season with a 7-9 record and losing five of their last seven games.

As unfair as this scenario might sound on its face, a closer look at the situation shows this crisis is nowhere near as calamitous as many are suggesting.

For KC Joyner's full argument, you need to be an Insider.

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KC Joyner

NFL Insider

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• NFL and CFB analyst for ESPN Insider
• Known as "The Football Scientist"
• Uses proprietary metrics from game tape study