NFC Playoff Picture
Division Champions
East--New York
North--Green Bay*
South--New Orleans**
West--San Francisco**
Wildcard--Detroit***,Atlanta***
Tie Breakers:
-New York and Dallas have the same record. Currently, New York has the advantage because they defeated the Cowboys on December 11. They play this Sunday. The winner will be the division champion and there will be no need for a tie breaker.
-New Orleans and San Francisco have the same record and have not played each other. They both have the same division record. San Francisco has the better conference record and has the first-round bye.
Notes:
*Green Bay has won their division and will have the home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
**New Orleans and San Francisco have won their respective divisions
***Atlanta and Detroit have earned wild-card births to the playoffs.
Current Bracket
Detroit at New York winner to play at Green Bay
Atlanta at New Orleans winner to play at San Francisco
Games that matter this weekend
-Detroit at Green Bay--For the Packers, this is a pre-season game. The Lions need this game to ensure that they will face the NFC East champion in the first round. If the game becomes a blowout, expect that both teams will empty their benches in the 4th quarter.
-San Francisco at St. Louis--SF needs this game to ensure a 1st-round bye. St. Louis is trying to avoid qualifying for the first pick in next year's draft.
-Carolina at New Orleans--The Saints need to win this game should the 49ers stumble to get the 1st-round bye.
-Tampa Bay at Atlanta--The Falcons need to win in case the Lions stumble to avoid the likelihood of playing New Orleans again in the first round of the playoffs.
-Dallas at New York--Division championship and playoffs are on the line. This game is really a play-in game to the playoffs. This game has been flexed into the Sunday Night NBC schedule.
Games that do not mean all that much this weekend.
Chicago at Minnesota
Washington at Philadelphia
Seattle at Minnesota
AFC Playoffs
Division Champions
East-New England*
North-Baltimore***
South-Houston**
West-Oakland
Wild Card--Pittsburgh***,Denver
Tie Breakers:
-Baltimore and Pittsburgh have the same record. The Ravens have won both regular-season meetings between the two teams and are the current division leaders.
-Oakland and Denver have the same record. They split their regular season games. They have the same division record and and same conference record. Oakland is ahead of Denver in point differential and is the division leader.
-Denver and New York have the same record, but the Broncos won their only regular season meeting.
Notes:
*New England has won the AFC East division, but has not yet won the right to host the AFC Championship game.
**Houston has won the AFC South Division and will host a first-round game
***Pittsburgh and Baltimore have clinched no worse than a wildcard game.
Current Brackets:
Pittsburgh at Oakland winner to play at New England
Denver at Houston winner to play at Baltimore
Games that matter this weekend
-Buffalo at New England--The Patriots need this game to ensure that they can host the AFC Championship game.
-New York at Miami--The Jets can still make the playoffs if they win this game.
-Baltimore at Cincinnati--The Raven need to win to clinch the division championship and if the Patriots stumble, they can host the AFC Championship game.
-Pittsburgh at Cleveland--If the Steelers win, they can win the division if Baltimore loses and they can host the AFC Championship game if both Baltimore and New England lose.
-Denver at Kansas City--The Broncos will make the playoffs if they win.
-San Diego at Oakland--The winner will be in the playoffs. Both teams have the tie break over Denver. Oakland by a 15-point differential and San Diego by conference record. If Denver loses, the winner of this game wins the division. Oakland, with a victory, wins the division regardless of what Denver does. If Denver loses, Oakland will be in the playoffs, even with a loss. San Diego must win to make the playoffs.
-Indianapolis at Jacksonville--The Colts need to lose and need St. Louis to win in order to get the 1st pick in next years draft. Indy's winning streak, so far, gives that pick to the Rams.
The only AFC game that is not that important is Tennessee at Houston. The Texans can no longer improve their playoff position.
No comments:
Post a Comment