A championship is the championship. Did Pittsburg have to defeat the Colts twice last year in the playoffs to advance? OK, bad example, with that horrible interception call, I guess they kind of did.
Unfortunately money is the root of the problem. Professional sports has prostituted itself to the point that they have become cheap whores. Get as many teams into the playoff race as possible .... the sucker fans will keep shelling out their money. Regular seasons are nothing more than an extension of spring training/exhibition seasons.
The bowl games stand in the way of a national playoff system but we still watch them.