If there were ever an NFL season to desperately want to avoid an extra playoff game, this is the one. We learn it every chaotic Sunday, watching presumed Super Bowl contenders get blown out by seemingly lesser opponents or falter in games they have no business losing.
This reality is the most familiar rhythm of the 2021 season. If it were a musical score, it would come out sounding like the theme from "Jaws."
In a season like this, the most valuable piece of playoff real estate has never been more vital. We’re talking about the No.