If you watched the games this past weekend, you understand the importance of playing at home. How important is home-field advantage? Teams that have clinched a playoff spot will go all-out in weeks 16 and 17 to earn a home game. And even if they have that secured, they'll keep playing for a bye or home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Guys who could use the rest play hurt. Coaches dig deep to find the right plays. Fans understand the importance of winning. Playing at home is a big deal in the playoffs.

Well, unless it's fantasy football. Then, you know, it's no big deal.

In the NFL, a home playoff game translates to a win most of the time. Coming out of a first-round bye, the odds are even more in the team's favor. Playing at home matters. Earning the bye matters. The better teams earn those spots, and they tend to take care of business when the games start.

So, while watching all the home teams win in the divisional round, I have to wonder: Why don't fantasy leagues give a real advantage to their highest playoff seeds? For the most part, it doesn't matter much. There's no inherent advantage to being the best team (except for probably having the better players). While some leagues have a bye, all that really does is expand the playoff pool, and take away a week of regular-season play. It adds an extra round of games. So the teams with a bye avoid a disadvantage, but that's about it.

If it's so important in the real game, why can't it have more importance in ours? I'm in one league that gives the home team one point in the playoffs. An average score is around 100 in that league, so it's much less than what Vegas normally spots the home team in the NFL for gambling purposes, where the winner normally scores just under 30.

But in my other leagues you get nothing. If we're fighting all year for the playoffs, shouldn't being a top team get something? Giving the home team a few points is an obvious solution, but how many? Three? Five? At what point does it become too much, and an advantage turn into an unfair advantage?

I think you can avoid that and reward the best team by simply allowing the top seed to choose their opponent. In a four-team playoff, they could choose any of the remaining teams, and play them. Maybe the second seed had a devastating injury, or really bad matchups. Or maybe the top owner has a hunch and wants to play a specific opponent.

Is that an advantage? Definitely. Nobody else gets to pick their opponent. Is it a guarantee of success? Absolutely not. You can imagine how funny it will be when the top team willingly walks into a buzzsaw. But hey, it was their choice. If you choose correctly, you might be able to navigate your way to the title. But if not, well, league-wide mockery could be your punishment. What's better than that?

I think home-field advantage affected all four playoff games. The Patriots would have probably beaten the Chargers in Los Angeles, but it would have been closer. But imagine if they played the San Diego Chargers, where they'd have rabid fans. The Patriots haven't been as good on the road. Would the Chargers be playing this Sunday?

I also think the Rams would have had a tougher time in Dallas, though they're the better team. We'd have gotten a better game at least, which wasn't really as close as the final score indicated.

I think the Colts and Chiefs would have been a toss-up in Indianapolis. I'm sure the Colts would have managed a first down before the final drive of the half at least, and Andy Reid doesn't have a stellar playoff record. Better chance of an upset.

And in Philadelphia, I can't say the Saints would have moved on. If they spotted the Eagles two touchdowns, I'd be confident in saying they wouldn't. Some of the remaining teams could be different if they played in different stadiums.

Of course, all the winning teams deserved their victory. They earned the right to be the home team, and all them except New Orleans put on pretty dominant performances. And the Saints were on the perfect field to come back from 14-0. They earned that advantage, too.

After watching those games, I think the best fantasy teams should experience a little advantage in our playoffs as well. Maybe a few points; maybe the right to pick their opponent. If you play in a league where changes are actually possible (not always the case. Some owners still won't approve that new-fangled decimal scoring), I think it's a fair and fun change to make in the offseason.

Does your league give any perks to the top teams in the playoffs? Do you think it would make the playoffs better or worse? Share your thoughts below.