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In a different NFL world, the upcoming playoffs would look a lot differently. If the Detroit Lions had gotten their way last offseason, three of the teams playing at home this upcoming Wild Card Weekend would be hitting the road instead.

The Lions proposed a bylaw change last offseason that would seed non-division-winning playoff teams higher than those who won a division if they had a better regular season record. Division champs would still get an automatic bid to the playoffs, but they would not be guaranteed a home game in the first round.

Here is what seeding would look like had the rule been in place for this postseason -- with the most significant changes bolded. 

AFC

1. Broncos, 2. Patriots, 3. Jaguars, 4. Texans, 5. Bills, 6. Chargers, 7. Steelers. 

NFC

1. Seahawks, 2. Rams, 3. 49ers, 4. Bears, 5. Eagles, 6. Packers, 7. Panthers.

So in the AFC, instead of the 10-7 Steelers hosting a playoff game next weekend in Pittsburgh, they would travel to New England. The Chargers would play in Jacksonville and the Bills would travel to Houston.

Meanwhile, the NFC picture would look much different. The Panthers-Rams game would remain intact, but it would be played at SoFi Stadium instead of Bank of America Stadium as the Rams have four more victories than Carolina. The Niners would host the Packers, and the Bears would host the Eagles.

The proposal, like many before it, didn't get much traction at the NFL league meetings last spring. As sources have told CBS Sports, team owners like having the one-in-four chance every season of hosting a playoff game. And the "football purists," as Mike Tomlin referred to them and himself, believe that winning the division should mean getting a home playoff game.

Why NFL division winners automatically get a home playoff game and why it shouldn't change
Garrett Podell
Why NFL division winners automatically get a home playoff game and why it shouldn't change

And it is important to note that if this rule had been in place this season, teams likely would have treated Week 18 differently. The Bills, Chargers, Eagles and Packers all rested key starters, and the Texans pulled their starters when the AFC South was out of reach Sunday.

That's part of the reason the Lions made the proposal. It wasn't sour grapes after something happened to them: they were actually the No. 1 seed in last season's playoffs (Detroit missed the postseason this season). In their proposal, the Lions said the reasoning for the change was "competitive equity. Provides excitement and competition in late season games."

This will be a big issue for the NFL going forward, especially when the regular season eventually goes from 17 games to 18. The more games, the greater separation of teams, which then results in some bad contests down the stretch like we saw Sunday. Additionally, if the 18th game is not a divisional game, that would mean divisional games make up just a third of the schedule. Divisional games will matter less than ever before.

We reported in the spring this proposal -- or something like it -- has some support within the league office as it looks toward the future. And the odds of an NFL team owner getting to host a playoff game remain the same. One team from each division gets a home playoff game in the current set, and four teams out of the 16 in a conference would get a home playoff game in the Lions' proposal.

Carolina will host a playoff game despite finishing with an 8-9 record. The Panthers are just the fifth team in NFL history (non-strike years) to host a playoff game with a losing record thanks to winning their division. Those teams are 2-4 in the postseason.

And of those five teams, the NFC South has produced three of them. The 2014 Panthers went 7-8-1 and won a playoff game against the NFC West-winning Cardinals. And three years ago the Bucs made the playoffs at 8-9 before bowing out against the Cowboys.

It's possible the rules change in the future as more teams get on board. But the future's not now.