The first playoff game should start the following Saturday after the conference championships, then play it out the next Saturday or so (depending on how many teams are in the playoff) until the Champion is decided. Then play the bowl games throughout the holidays. Waiting 4 or 5 weeks to start the playoffs can kill a teams momentum. Also it would alleviate the ordeal of coaches trying to do double duty for weeks, when they are hired away and want to coach through the playoffs.