NFL Playoffs: What if Seedings Were Similar to Studying for Finals in School?

As I sit here studying for my Sports Economics final for Wednesday (which clearly I am no longer doing since I am now writing this article), a random thought came to mind.

One of the most difficult parts about attending college 10 hours away from my beloved Eagles was adjusting to not watching them on a weekly basis. Instead, I have to find a local sports bar that has NFL Ticket.

Tonight, I'm lucky enough to actually watch the game from my own living room, since the Eagles will host the Cleveland Browns on ESPN's Monday Night Football.

Yesterday afternoon, I was reading an article by ESPN's Matt Mosley about how the Eagles always seem to step up their game in December. In the Andy Reid era, they are 28-12 in the month of December. This astonishing statistic has left some fans angry, wishing they would play this great the entire season.

On Wednesday, I take my biggest final of the semester in my Sports Economics class; 25 percent of my grade rides on this test. Obviously, the results of my final will have a major impact on my grade in the class.

Whether it was high school or college, everyone has experienced dealing with finals at least once. Finals are on the same level as Michael Vick: Everybody hates them.

All they do is cause unnecessary stress. Over the last couple of days, I have seen numerous friends stay up all night just to prepare for finals that determine their overall grade.

After reading Mosley's article about the Eagles' successful play in December, I started to think. What if the NFL applied the rules of high school and college finals to determine who moved on to the playoffs?

This is a crazy thought, I'm well aware. It could be interesting though.

Most finals for students make up for 25 percent of their grade. They are held at the end of each semester and have a major impact on the final grade in the class.

What if the last couple of the games of the regular season had the same weight as finals? Would this have a major impact on which teams went to the playoffs each season?

Obviously, I know this scenario will never happen in a million years. However, it's still fun to think about. Students bust their butts in the classes they sign up for all semester.

Whether we like to admit it or not, grades are determined by our performance at the end of the semester when we take finals. So, is it such a bad idea to have admittance to the playoffs based on a team's performance at the end of the season? 

Over the last couple of seasons, the winner of the Super Bowl has been a team who stepped up their play toward the end of the season.

In 2005, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the last four games of the regular season to clinch the final wild card spot for the playoffs. As a No. 6 seed, the Steelers won their next four games and beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 to be crowned Super Bowl Champions.

Last season, the New York Giants defeated the previously undefeated New England Patriots and won Super Bowl XLII. As a No. 5 seed, the Giants won away games at Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Green Bay. Playing on the road seemed like home as the Giants finished the season winning 10 road games in a row.

Every year, we see teams that play excellent football in the month of December. We also see teams that play horrible in the final month of the season.

Each season, we see teams that get hot in December, who fall just short of the playoffs. Last season, the Eagles won their last three games of the regular season to finish 8-8 and one game shy of making the playoffs.

The offense finally seemed like they were clicking, as they came up with impressive road victories in Dallas and New Orleans. Many fans were disappointed that they played such great football when it was too late.

Each season, we see teams that struggle toward the end of the season but still find a way to get into the playoffs. I know it's still early, but the Arizona Cardinals may be a perfect example for this season.

A few weeks ago, the Cardinals seemed like one of the best teams in football with a 7-3 record. In the last four weeks, they have lost three times and sit at 8-6 with two weeks to go.

Even if the Cardinals lose the next two weeks, they will still make the playoffs with an 8-8 record since they have already clinched the NFC West title. What is even more disappointing is the possibility of a team (such as the Falcons, Eagles, or Cowboys) that may have a better record than the Cardinals, but won't be playing in January.

It's clear that there is no fair way to this solve this problem. This type of scenario would cause more drama than the BCS standings in college football. It would be impossible to determine a fair way to have games played at the end of the regular season count more towards the final standings.

However, I thought it would be a fun idea to think about as I'm sitting here all week trying to get through my finals. Clearly, I want my performance in studying to have a positive outcome in my final grades this semester.