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(01-30-2023 02:50 PM)RealDeal Wrote:  

(01-30-2023 02:44 PM)Billy_Bearcat Wrote:  35 of 66 #1 seeds since 2000 have made the Super Bowl

However the last #1 to win the Super Bowl was Philadelphia in 2017. Obviously this year's winner will be a #1 seed. I do think there's something to be said today for the bye week getting teams out of their rhythm. Everyone would take it because it eliminates the risk of losing and accumulating injuries but since the inclusion of the 7th teams last year the #7s have been awful teams. In the long run not sure being #2 isn't better even with the risk of injury.

53% of 1 seeds making the Super Bowl seems like a pretty big deal, and seems to run counter to that. I don't believe in the rust thing AT ALL. Teams know how to deal with a bye. In a one game scenario, where a little bad luck can knock you out...that may 1 seeds getting the Super Bowl shows how meaningful it is. 47% of teams seeded 2-7. HUGE difference.

Obviously, those are the better team, but typically the gap between 1 and 2 (and sometimes 1 and 3) isn't really that big.

And that number includes some outliers. Tennessee was the 1 seed last year, but probably the 5th best team in the AFC. Some random schedule luck and key wins in close games gave them the 1 seed.