If playoffs started after this week

[GreenDoberman]

Let's say GB beats StL tomorrow. If they playoffs started, the second wild card team from the NFC would have a LOSING record! Has this ever happened? I don't remember if an 8-8 team got in either.
IF the Rams lose, we would have:
STL 5-6
NYG 5-6 (unbelievable as bad as they looked)
and teams like
TB (they certainly don't deserve to be there)
DAL (huh, they are just one GB?)
CHI (two words, Jeff George)
DET (um, they've lost 5 in row or would be in driver's seat)
CAR (yes, that injury-riddled Panther unit)
NO (the imploding Aints still have a shot)
ARZ (without a legit NFL QB or RB and in contention)

2 gb would be the Wash. Redskins (possibly the worst offense in history, but not out of it)

Likely this is the Rams to lose, but can anyone fathom one of these teams making the playoffs?

 

[GreenDoberman]

Looking at the teams' remaining schedules it gets even more intriguing.

The Rams are in the catbird seat, but if they implode, which is a serious possibility considering they have three tough road games and two games at home they could lose (Philly and NYJ),
it is not out of the realm of possibility there could be 9 teams with 6-10 record tied for 6th place.

It is admittedly a long shot, and at least a few of these teams could make it to 7-9, but barring the Rams getting hot, I can't see any of the teams finishing above .500.

 

[wilheim]

FWIW - the AFC leads the season series between the conferences 32 -18 and has clinched the series even if they lose all of the remaining match-ups.


wil.

 

[Horseshoe]

The AFC has been coming on a bit for the last nine years, with wins by Balt and NE twice, SB close call losses by Tenn and Pitt, with Polian's Indy looking nearer each year..and the Broncs, Jets, and Bolts just a few players short.

Remember the '80s and eary '90s, when any of the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th best NFC squads was still a TD better than the actual AFC rep?..Wil, your No F'ing Chance Conference at least has a chance if Philly gets there.

Still, I would make Philly a live dog vs NE or Pitt, and chalk over all other AFCers, as despite their NFCCG losses, they have an air of confidence this year unlike the past.

Also both of NE's SB wins were finesse-ball by a hair over defensive softies(Lambs & tired Panther bunch in 4th qtr after their playoff run), with Balt beating up a bad NFC rep in NYG squad..leaves any SB game a tossup if the AFC is represented by anyone other than the power and finesse-oriented efficiency of Pitt or NE(which look even better than they have previously)..imho

Keystone State Battle or Bos-Phi/Celtics-Sixers/Bruins-Flyers Hatred Revisited..just fine by me!

 

[Glaken]

Wow!...What another educational weekend!!....I have no idea which team is the best in AFC-NFC.....all the defenses seemed to be off this week.

 

[Horseshoe]

glaken, late Nov and early Dec(especially Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays always have some laydowns and no-shows) in NFL, is just like August in MLB, the teams "do the biz" to create races/interest, then the better ones ramp-up again late..imho

 

[wilheim]

The way it stands right now

Playoff Seeds if the season ended after the Sunday games of Week 12
AFC
Seed Team Record
1 Pittsburgh (North Champions) 10-1
2 New England (East Champions) 10-1
3 San Diego (West Champions) 8-3
4 Indianapolis (South Champions) 8-3
5 N.Y. Jets (Wild Card) 8-3
6 Baltimore (Wild Card) 7-4
Denver 7-4
Jacksonville 6-5
Houston 5-6
Cincinnati 5-6
Buffalo 5-6
Tennessee 4-7
Oakland 4-7
Kansas City 3-8
Cleveland 3-8
Miami 2-9

NFC
Seed Team Record
1 Philadelphia (East Champions) 10-1
2 Atlanta (South Champions) 9-2
3 Minnesota (North Champions) 7-4
4 Seattle (West Champions) 6-5
5 Green Bay (Wild Card) 6-4
6 St. Louis (Wild Card) 5-5
N.Y. Giants 5-6
Arizona 4-7
Dallas 4-7
Carolina 4-7
Detroit 4-7
Tampa Bay 4-7
Chicago 4-7
New Orleans 4-7
Washington 3-8
San Francisco 1-10

NFL tiebreaking procedures


The six postseason participants from each conference will be seeded as follows:

1. The division champion with the best record.
2. The division champion with the second-best record.
3. The division champion with the third-best record.
4. The division champion with the fourth-best record.
5. The Wild Card club with the best record.
6. The Wild Card club with the second-best record.

The following procedures will be used to break standings ties for postseason playoffs and to determine regular-season schedules.
NOTE: Tie games count as one-half win and one-half loss for both clubs.

TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION
If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with identical won-lost-tied percentages, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined.

Two Clubs
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.

Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format).
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.

TO BREAK A TIE FOR THE WILD-CARD TEAM OR AMONG DIVISION WINNERS
If it is necessary to break ties to determine the two Wild-Card clubs from each conference, the following steps will be taken.
1. If the tied clubs are from the same division, apply division tie breaker.
2. If the tied clubs are from different divisions, apply the following steps.

Two Clubs
1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory.
5. Strength of schedule.
6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best net points in conference games.
9. Best net points in all games.
10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
11. Coin toss.

Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)
1. Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in conference games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss


When the first Wild-Card team has been identified, the procedure is repeated to name the second Wild-Card, i.e., eliminate all but the highest-ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. In situations where three or more teams from the same division are involved in the procedure, the original seeding of the teams remains the same for subsequent applications of the tie breaker if the top-ranked team in that division qualifies for a Wild-Card berth.

OTHER TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURES
1. Only one club advances to the playoffs in any tie-breaking step. Remaining tied clubs revert to the first step of the applicable division or Wild-Card tie breakers. As an example, if two clubs remain tied in any tie-breaker step after all other clubs have been eliminated, the procedure reverts to step one of the two-club format to determine the winner. When one club wins the tie breaker, all other clubs revert to step 1 of the applicable two-club or three-club format.
2. In comparing division and conference records or records against common opponents among tied teams, the best won-lost-tied percentage is the deciding factor since teams may have played an unequal number of games.
3. To determine home-field priority among division titlists, apply Wild-Card tie breakers.
4. To determine home-field priority for Wild-Card qualifiers, apply division tie breakers (if teams are from the same division) or Wild-Card tie breakers (if teams are from different divisions).

TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURE FOR DRAFT
If two or more clubs are tied in the selection order, the strength-of-schedule tie breaker is applied, subject to the following exceptions for playoff clubs:


1. The Super Bowl winner is last and the Super Bowl loser next-to-last.
2. Any non-Super Bowl playoff club involved in a tie shall be assigned priority within its segment below that of non-playoff clubs and in the order that the playoff clubs exited from the playoffs. Thus, within a tied segment a playoff club that loses in the Wild-Card game will have priority over a playoff club that loses in the Divisional playoff game, which in turn will have priority over a club that loses in the Conference Championship game. If two tied clubs exited the playoffs in the same round, the tie is broken by strength of schedule.

If any ties cannot be broken by strength of schedule, the divisional or conference tie breakers, whichever are applicable, are applied. Any ties that still exist are broken by a coin flip.



wil.

 

[Glaken]

Thanks Wil.....great post...makes the Rams v. Packers game a deal breaker for one of them.....As a "caveat emptor" I never bet against Favre on Monday Night.

 

[Glaken]

If I lived in "Vegas Baby"....I would post up on some "Underdogs"......I have no idea who will be in Jax....I think maybe the Steelers...the other team is still a toss.

 

[winkyduck]

the one thing that really needs to be considered here is this:


The AFC Playoffs are gonna be BRUTAL! youa re gonna have 6 quality teams - just about any of which could make the Super Bowl. the possibility of them all beating each other up truly exists.

Meanwhile

The NFC Playoffs look like Philly will have a free ride to the Super Bowl - or at least to the NFC Champ Game. the possibility exists Philly will waltz to Jacksonville w/o too much trouble.

while there is a 2-week break between the Champ Games and the SB this could look like the NBA in the 1980s when the Lakers got a free pass to the finals almost every year while the Eastern Conference beat the crap out of each other and had nothing left come time to play the Lakers. This means the AFC team could be so beat up just getting to the SB while the Eagles won't, the Eagles could win the SB because of the easier path to the game.

something to consider.

 

[wilheim]

Factoid: New England won their 17th straight home game (including playoffs) today. Not to mention 25th of 26 regular season contest anywhere.


wil.

Forgot to mention - Over the last four seasons they are 32-4 in games played after Nov. 1, 4-0 this month.

 

[Glaken]

Wil...One of my best friends lives and dies by the Patriots....No one can control Vick....If you blitz the safeties you only have one guy to catch him past the LB line...If you "cover 2" he may run for 10-20 yards....This week Atlanta Defense took the week off...The Falcons may get beat next week at Raymond James but if they win, HFA is a lock. Time to come up with a playoff contest, for all on the RX.