Curious - current playoff question (1 Viewer)

[DoubleG]

Given the current playoff system, is the Bears already having had a bye week earlier in the playoffs (vs. the Colts not) - is that and advantage or disadvantage?? (i.e can someone find historical data on this? I wouldn't even know where to look).

I would think it would be a plus - given that they have had a chance to heal, have already gotten "used to" a week off, it would indicate that they are a higher-type seed, etc. But was looking for stats to support or refute this thought.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Given the current playoff system, is the Bears already having had a bye week earlier in the playoffs (vs. the Colts not) - is that and advantage or disadvantage?? (i.e can someone find historical data on this? I wouldn't even know where to look).I would think it would be a plus - given that they have had a chance to heal, have already gotten "used to" a week off, it would indicate that they are a higher-type seed, etc. But was looking for stats to support or refute this thought. Thanks in advance.

Seattle was the #1 Seed last year.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Given the current playoff system, is the Bears already having had a bye week earlier in the playoffs (vs. the Colts not) - is that and advantage or disadvantage?? (i.e can someone find historical data on this? I wouldn't even know where to look).I would think it would be a plus - given that they have had a chance to heal, have already gotten "used to" a week off, it would indicate that they are a higher-type seed, etc. But was looking for stats to support or refute this thought. Thanks in advance.

Seattle was the #1 Seed last year.

The Giants were the #1 Seed in 2000.

 

[Oh the Humanity]

I would think a good way to answer your question is to find out how teams did in the regular season after their bye week. Since every team has a bye, all of the other prejudical factors that taint the data in the post season (e.g., Bye team always plays at home, Home team is better, etc.) would be neutralized.

I looked at the last three years and...

2006: Teams are 19-13 coming off a bye week

2005: 16-16

2004: 15-17

(some of the post bye games are bye teams playing each other)

So over the last three years in the regular season teams coming off the bye are 50-46, which doesn't impress me as being statistically significant.

Intuitively you'd think it would be an advantage, but there doesn't seem to be statistical support for that opinion.

 

[DoubleG]

I would think a good way to answer your question is to find out how teams did in the regular season after their bye week. Since every team has a bye, all of the other prejudical factors that taint the data in the post season (e.g., Bye team always plays at home, Home team is better, etc.) would be neutralized.

I looked at the last three years and...

2006: Teams are 19-13 coming off a bye week

2005: 16-16

2004: 15-17

(some of the post bye games are bye teams playing each other)

So over the last three years in the regular season teams coming off the bye are 50-46, which doesn't impress me as being statistically significant.

Intuitively you'd think it would be an advantage, but there doesn't seem to be statistical support for that opinion.

Thank you sir. I agree, with your opinion as well - that is, the Bears having an "extra" bye week 3 weeks ago, you'd think would help, but if the stats don't bear that out (sorry - bad pun), then it's not worth bringing into the argumen...erm...discussion

 

[Snotbubbles]

Both team have a bye this week.

Not sure how a bye a month ago could give a team an advantage.

 

[Modog814]

A quick look back of the last 15 years. I'm not sure exactly when they switched to having a bye week before the superbowl, but I'll word it this way:

In the last 15 years, 24 teams made the superbowl whom did not play on wild card weekend (thus getting at least one bye in the playoffs). Of those 15 years and 24 teams:

9 time both teams did not play on wildcard weekend (18 teams)

6 times only one team did not play on wildcard weekend, there record was 3-3.

So it doesn't seem to have much of an advantage either way, other than the fact that's easier to get to the superbowl if you only have to win twice to get there instead of three, duh.