WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The New York Giants needed to win four consecutive road playoff games to capture an NFL championship last season.

Under a new proposal that will be presented to NFL owners at the league's annual meeting this week, the Giants would have begun their run with a home game.

The current format awards first-round byes to the teams in each conference with the two best records plus first-round home games to the other two division winners. The two wild-card teams always played on the road.

The new proposal would still award byes to the two teams with the best records, but the two first-round home games would then go to the two teams with the next best records.

Last season, the wild-card Giants took their 10-6 record to NFC South champion Tampa Bay to play the 9-7 Buccaneers. Under the new proposal, the Bucs would have opened the 2007 playoffs in New York.

The measure is designed to keep the season competitive through 17 weeks. Teams with division titles and playoff berths clinched tend to sit many of their regulars in late-season games. But if the conference seedings are based on record, there is greater probability contending teams would keep their best players on the field.

Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay, the co-chairman of the competition committee, said "the potential reworking of playoff seeding can motivate coaches late in the year based on seed and a potential (of a) home game or not to have more games that count late in the year."

The league also will consider several other proposals. One would prevent hair from covering the player's name and number on the back of his jersey. Another would expand the size of the rosters in training camp beyond 80 players.

Playing-rule wise, the NFL will consider eliminating the 5-yard facemask penalty. All such infractions would become 15-yarders. The NFL also will consider eliminating the "force-out" call against defenses on pass receptions along the sideline.

"There are so many levels of judgment that go into a force-out call," McKay said. "We just think it would create a much more consistent play when you say you get your feet down for a completed pass or you do not. That does not have to do with replay."