Officials May Be Back, Playoffs May Be Cut

The NFL moved closer Monday to resolving two pressing issues--one that will put regular officials back on the field; the other that will preserve the 16-game season, at the expense of a wild-card weekend.

The league and its officials reached an agreement in their contract dispute, and are close to ending the lockout, during which the NFL used replacements. The Associated Press reported the story Monday afternoon, citing a league source, and The Times confirmed it later in the day.

A league spokesman declined to comment on the report, and agent Tom Condon, representing the officials, did not return phone calls.

The deal reportedly is the same one offered by the league--and rejected by the officials--Sept. 4. That called for a 50% raise this season.

It still must be ratified by the 119 officials. They are expected to vote by e-mail, a process that could finish by Wednesday morning. Assuming they accept the offer, regular officials will work this weekend’s games.

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who set aside last weekend’s schedule because of last week’s terrorist attacks, is expected to announce today that those games will be made up in early January. They will be played instead of the wild-card games, reducing the number of playoff teams from 12 to eight.

The anticipated plan has drawn varied reactions from coaches and players. Many want to preserve the sanctity of the full 16-game season, while others cringe at the thought of an already-selective playoff process getting even tougher.

“I think we have a pretty good playoff system the way it sits,” said Philadelphia Coach Andy Reid, who prefers a modified 15-game schedule. “My initial thought is to continue on and don’t disrupt the playoff system the way it is now.”

Washington Coach Marty Schottenheimer is not so concerned, although his team, pounded by San Diego in the opener, is facing longer odds of reaching the playoffs than the Eagles.

“I don’t know if [canceling the wild-card games] makes a lot of difference,” he said. “Given the amount of time remaining in the season, whether we get eight teams or 12 [in the playoffs], we can get representative teams. The ground rules have been set early enough.”

Because the league seems particularly balanced this season, narrowing the field of playoff contenders will leave some good teams out in the cold.

No team seeded lower than fourth has advanced to a conference championship game since the 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars upset Buffalo and Denver to reach the AFC title game. Only one such wild-card team made it to the Super Bowl: New England in 1985, when there were only two wild-card teams per conference.

Still, the modified format should have a significant impact. The AFC has several very good teams, but only one division will send two teams, and the two others will send one.

For instance, there is no way the playoffs could include Oakland and Denver of the AFC West, as well as Tennessee and Super Bowl champion Baltimore of the AFC Central.

“The goal around here for so long has been, ‘Get into the playoffs,”’ Jacksonville linebacker Kevin Hardy said. “If you can get into the playoffs, we know the magic can begin.”

Coach Herman Edwards of the New York Jets said he’s in favor of the 16-game format, even though the AFC East has at least three legitimate playoff contenders in the Jets, Miami and Buffalo.

“I want to play as many as we can play,” Edwards said.

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NFL Playoff Schedule

A look at the original NFL playoff schedule for the season. The NFL might eliminate a wild-card game in each conference, eliminating the Jan. 5 games and four playoff teams:

SAT., JAN. 5, 2002--Wild-card game #1, wild-card game #2

SUN., JAN. 6, 2002--Wild-card game #3, wild-card game #4

SAT., JAN. 12, 2002--Divisional game #1, divisional game #2

SUN., JAN. 13, 2002--Divisional game #3, divisional game #4

SUN., JAN. 20, 2002--AFC Championship, NFC Championship

SUN., JAN. 27, 2002--Super Bowl VI at Louisiana Superdome