The NFL utilizes a perfect, 12-team playoff format that's ideal in part because nobody can debate who deserves what seed for the postseason. Observers would argue until the end of time about whether college football's current four-team playoff format is ideal, but there's no doubt the subjective nature of the College Football Playoff rankings is ripe for fantastic discussion.
So let's have some fun with that College Football Playoff rankings debate, NFL-style, shall we?
If the NFL playoffs were to start today, the Patriots and 49ers would have the top seeds in the AFC and NFC playoffs, respectively. Those also are two of the top three teams in Sporting News' Week 11 NFL power rankings. But if college football utilized a similarly objective formula for its Playoff rankings, undefeated Minnesota would be a top-four team.
MORE: Here's the current (and real) NFL playoff picture
Instead, the College Football Playoff committee values aspects like quality wins and strength of schedule more so than basic records and standings. Its goal, after all, is simply to end up with the best four teams in the College Football Playoff.
Applying a thought process similar to what the CFP committee utilizes, those Patriots wouldn't even be an NFL playoff team based on their resume through 10 weeks. Of course, that likely will change before the postseason arrives. But there was an understanding that Clemson's situation would change, too, as they compiled more wins.
Below is how we think the NFL playoff picture for Week 11 would look using the standards of the College Football Playoff committee. Keep in mind: records, in this case, are not as impactful as strength of schedule and key wins/losses.
(NFL strength of schedule rankings, courtesy of Teamrankings.com, are as of Nov. 12.)
The top four NFL playoff teams are ...
1. Green Bay Packers (8-2)
- SOS: No. 8
- Key wins: 31-24 at Chiefs; 34-24 at Cowboys; 21-16 vs. Vikings
- Key losses: 26-11 at Chargers; 34-27 vs. Eagles
Yes, the Packers have that clunker against the Chargers on their resume, but their loss to the Eagles is defendable. Green Bay has played a relatively tough schedule through 10 weeks, and its wins against Minnesota and Dallas stand out as big ones at this point in the season.
In two weeks, the Packers will have a chance to pad their resume with an away game against the 49ers. Beyond the Vikings rematch in Week 16, though, their schedule is relatively light the rest of the way.
2. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
- SOS: No. 21
- Key wins: 26-23 at Steelers (OT); 30-16 at Seahawks; 37-20 vs. Patriots
- Key losses: 33-28 at Chiefs; 40-25 vs. Browns
Baltimore established itself as a contender when it upset the Seahawks in Seattle. Then the Ravens handled the Patriots with relative ease, and Lamar Jackson made himself look more unstoppable than ever in their blowout win over the Bengals last week.
If the Ravens were to keep winning, they would jump the Packers in these rankings based on quality victories. Baltimore still has games against Houston, the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco and Pittsburgh on its schedule. At this point, though, Green Bay has played better teams.
3. Seattle Seahawks (8-2)
- SOS: No. 14
- Key wins: 28-26 at Steelers; 30-29 vs. Rams; 27-24 at 49ers
- Key losses: 33-27 vs. Saints; 30-16 vs. Ravens
Fresh off their road win over the 49ers, the Seahawks land right behind the Ravens by virtue of Baltimore's head-to-head win in Week 7. Neither of Seattle's losses are bad, and though it doesn't have any earth-shattering wins, the victory in San Francisco was massive.
The Seahawks are another team that would be elevated by their schedule should they keep winning. Seattle is still slated to play Philadelphia, Minnesota, the LA Rams and Carolina, with the rematch against San Francisco coming in Week 17.
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4. San Francisco 49ers (8-1)
- SOS: No. 26
- Key wins: 20-7 vs. Rams; 24-20 vs. Steelers; 51-13 vs. Panthers
- Key losses: 27-20 vs. Seahawks
Of teams currently in the NFL playoff picture, the Seahawks are the only one the 49ers have played. They deserve credit for their gritty win over the Steelers and their domination of the Rams and Panthers, but their weak schedule in this case outweighs the fact that they're an overtime field goal away from still being undefeated.
With that said, San Francisco's schedule will get tougher soon. It will host Green Bay and travel to Baltimore, the top two seeds in these rankings, over a two-week stretch. The 49ers also still have to play the Saints, Rams and the Seahawks.
Who are the first four teams out?
5. New England Patriots (8-1)
- SOS: No. 30
- Key wins: 33-3 vs. Steelers; 16-10 at Bills
- Key losses: 37-20 at Ravens
Yes, the Patriots are the Patriots. But in college football, Clemson is Clemson, and the CFP committee penalized the Tigers in its initial Playoff rankings due to their weak schedule. That's what we're doing here. A close win over Buffalo probably shouldn't count as a key win, but here we are given New England's resume.
With that said, if the Patriots were to win their next four games, depending on results elsewhere, they likely would jump to the top of these rankings. Next on their schedule are matchups with the Eagles, Cowboys, Texans and Chiefs.
6. New Orleans Saints (7-2)
- SOS: No. 17
- Key wins: 30-28 vs. Texans; 33-27 at Seahawks; 12-10 vs. Cowboys
- Key losses: 27-9 at Rams; 26-9 vs. Falcons
The Saints were looking so good until they were inexplicably handled at home by the dreadful Falcons. That kind of loss will sour any resume, even one with quality wins like those on New Orleans' slate.
That loss seems even worse when one considers the fact that the Saints' schedule moving forward isn't exactly daunting. Yes, they will host the 49ers and Colts (for whatever the latter is worth), but the rest of their schedule is divisional opponents and the Titans.
MORE: What Saints' shocking loss means for playoff, Super Bowl race
7. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
- SOS: No. 5
- Key wins: 33-28 vs. Ravens; 26-23 vs. Vikings
- Key losses: 19-13 vs. Colts; 31-24 vs. Texans; 31-24 vs. Packers; 35-32 at Titans
The Chiefs are elevated by three things: that big win over the Ravens, their top-five strength of schedule and Patrick Mahomes. Also, all of Kansas City's losses this season have come in one-score games, and they beat the Vikings (and nearly beat the Packers) without Mahomes.
The Chiefs would need to keep winning and hope for some help in order to move up in the rankings, though, as their schedule moving forward doesn't offer many potential resume boosters — basically just their road game against the Patriots in Week 14.
8. Minnesota Vikings (7-3)
- SOS: No. 13
- Key wins: 38-20 vs. Eagles; 28-24 vs. Cowboys
- Key losses: 21-16 vs. Packers; 16-6 vs. Bears; 26-23 vs. Chiefs
The Vikings are here thanks in large part to their Sunday night win over the Cowboys. Their tight loss to the Chiefs is their only defeat since Week 4, when they suffered a brutal loss to the Bears.
Again, though, the Vikings would need some help in order to reach the top four. Only potential wins against the Seahawks and Packers over the next seven weeks would be considered valuable enough to move them forward otherwise.