NEW YORK -- The revised playoff format for the 1982 NFL season:
The top eight teams from the National Football Conference and American Football Conference, regardless of division, advance to the playoffs, which begin Jan. 8. The playoff teams will be seeded first through eighth according to won-lost percentages.
-- The opening round, played Saturday, Jan. 8 and Sunday, Jan. 9, matches 1 and 8; 2 and 7; 3 and 6; and 4 and 5 in each conference.
-- The conference semifinals, played Jan. 15-16, match the winners of 1-8 against the winners of 4-5 and the winners of 2-7 against the winners of 3-6.
-- The conference championships will be played Jan. 22-23, with the winners going to the Super Bowl, Jan. 30 in Pasadena, Calif.
The NFL Management Council's competition committee and the NFL office recommend the following tie-breakers for playoff seeds: (Two teams) -- Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
-- Conference games, if equal number are played.
-- Games against common opponents, if there are a minimum of three.
-- Conference games, if unequal number are played.
-- Best net points, all games.
-- Best net touchdowns, all games.
-- Strength of schedule.
-- Coin toss. (Three or more teams) -- Head-to-head sweep (applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or one club has lost to each of ther others.
-- Same steps as in two-team tie.
