In 2012 though, we didn't have the bye and got beat badly as well.
In 2009, we were on a 7-1 roll and lost first round.
We've lost with a bye and without a bye. Just one example of losing after a bye does not mean a bye is bad.
To me, having a bye and home divisional game would be much better than playing wildcard weekend.
I don't think that he's suggesting that a bye and home divisional game would be bad. Just that they shouldn't phone it in Week 17 if they have nothing to play for.
Again, I think this is a completely moot point.
These are the things that have to happen for Week 17 to be "meaningless" and us be locked into a #1 seed:
- We beat Atlanta, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay
- Detroit loses one of their next 2 games (vs. Minnesota or @ Chicago)
- Arizona loses their next 2 games (@ St Louis and Seattle)
- Seattle loses at home next week vs San Francisco
- Dallas loses either @ Philly or home vs Indy
If literally all of these things do not happen, we will enter Week 17 with some sort of playoff implication on the line. I don't know why we are so concerned with this idea of having nothing to play for Week 17. It isn't happening.