What's up with the teams with the bye?

[Cardot]

I find the continuing struggles of teams that get the coveted top 2 seeds in the playoffs to be pretty interesting. 6 of the last 8 Super Bowl winners played on wild card weekend. That didn't happen nearly as much in the olden days.

I understand that teams get healthy at the right time, and some teams are better build for the post season etc. None the less, that bye and home field advantage seems like it should enough to get more than 2 out of 8.

2012 Balt 4th
2011 NYG 4th
2010 GB 6th
2009 N.Orleans 1st
2008 Pitt 2nd
2007 NYG 5th
2006 Ind 3rd
2005 Pitt 6th

[StanleyStutters]

It's true there haven't been as many #1 and #2 seed winning it all, but they have been making it. I can't remember the last time we had a SB where both teams played on WC weekend, so I think the bye still helps you get there, and once you get to the SB both teams are coming off of a bye.

[kingkilla56]

You still have to play the game. Seeding is cute it means nothing when you lose.

[jmood88]

It's just one of those interesting statistics that don't mean much. The team with the bye still has to play two games in a row and every team in the Super Bowl gets a week break so there's no way to say that having a bye during the first round is a detriment.

[Bmore Irish]

this is just me throwing a wild idea out there, but perhaps it has something to do with the mentality of the teams who are considered the "underdog". i know most people probably think it's just something for the media to go on about, but as an athlete you absolutely gain motivation from being considered the "lesser team", especially when you think (or know) how capable you really are. feeling slighted/disrespected/under appreciated usually serves as extra fuel. of course that wouldn't at all explain the whole thing, too much that goes into it, but just a thought.

[terpinheelland]

Perhaps another thought might be that recently, some of these wild card teams may have been division winners if not for being decimated by injuries. Because of injuries these teams had to scrap for every win they could get.

But come playoff time they are getting injured players back at the right time and they are rested also. So playing that extra game doesn't loom as large as normal. I believe this had an effect on the Ravens as well as the Giants and, if memory serves, Green Bay also.