Is Thursday another MUST WIN?

[BlueTalons]

So apparently its possible for us to win out, go 12-4 and still miss the playoffs. Its highly unlikely, but just the fact that thats a possibility means every game from here on out is a must win.

I don't think that is possible. Eagles and Cowboys play twice still, and a win out by us means we beat the Eagles and also the Niners twice. Lions and Packers also play once more giving us the edge on the loser.

 

[RunTheBall]

So apparently its possible for us to win out, go 12-4 and still miss the playoffs. Its highly unlikely, but just the fact that thats a possibility means every game from here on out is a must win.

I don't see ANY scenario where we would win out and miss the playoffs.

 

[DavidSeven]

If they lost on Thursday but then won their remaining games, then they would almost surely make the playoffs at 11-5 and may even still win the division.

So, I mean, I wouldn't technically call it a "must win" in the truest sense of those words. It's a bigger game for SF IMO, because it means they probably have to beat Seattle @ C-Link just to get in.

 

[MidwestHawker]

I think it's still Head-to-head, Division Record, Conference Record tho in deciding Wild Card.

Division record isn't a tiebreaker for breaking ties between teams from different divisions.

 

[FargoHawk]

Every remaining game is a must win.

 

[AROS]

Yes.

 

[DavidSeven]

11-5 gets you in.

I assumed before the Cardinals game that sweeping one of SF/AZ and splitting the other would be enough. Beat Philly and St. Louis and you're in, even with one more division loss.

 

[Cartire]

So apparently its possible for us to win out, go 12-4 and still miss the playoffs. Its highly unlikely, but just the fact that thats a possibility means every game from here on out is a must win.

I don't see ANY scenario where we would win out and miss the playoffs.

Nope, I was wrong, its the packers that could go 12-4 and miss the playoffs. But that would require SF, Dal, and detroit to win out which would negate our chances regardless.

Im actually gonna do some more tinkering with the playoff scenerio machine. Its starting to look like we are guaranteed with an 11-5 record as well.

 

[volsunghawk]

It really is, is it not? gotta pretty much win out against division opponents to make the playoffs.
Who in the NFC is headed for a tailpipe job, as in choke of epic proportions? Lions? Cowpatties? Eagles? all of those look ripe for a collapse.

We haven't really had a must win game this season until this past game against Arizona. Every game from here on out is a must win.

We don't want to end up relying on tiebreakers for getting into the postseason or for playoff seeding. Look at the competition:

Dallas: We're a game behind them and we lose the tiebreaker to them.
Philly: We need to win that game because we're a game back and a loss means we lose any tiebreaker to them, as well.
Green Bay: We have the tiebreaker, but are a game back of them.
Detroit: We're tied in record and in conference record, and we don't play them, and their remaining schedule is a cakewalk in comparison.
San Fran: They get to play Oakland and a collapsing Chargers team, so our games against them are absolute must wins.
Arizona: We have to win out for any chance at the division.

The NFC South will send only one team to the postseason, so there are 7 teams (including us) fighting for 5 spots. We can't rely on those other teams to collapse since we have a tougher schedule than any of them.

 

[Anonymous]

If we are going to lose one, I'd rather it be to the Eagles. Because that way, it is still possible to be first seed in the tournament.

Play with your scenarios with this...

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/machine

Tell it to sort by defensive rank for the best possible scenario.

 

[Hawks46]

Close to a must win, but if we were to lose, we would still control our own destiny vs the niners on the tie-breaker by winning the last 4 games. In that case our record would be

Seahawks 11-5 (4-2 division)
49ers 11-5 (3-3 division)
Cards ?????????

Correct. It's not a "win and you're out" game, but it's as close as possible.

If we beat the Niners, we get them once more at home, build momentum into the Philly game, and get a monkey off our back about a losing streak down there. If we hang 2 losses on the Niners, they're pretty much done from a record stand point.

11-5 will get us in, but it has to be the right wins. Losing just once to the Niners brings possible tie breaks into play which could honestly bump us out.

The other big thing is that the Niners have a MUCH easier schedule than we do. We have to hang 2 losses on them to assure they're out of the playoffs, because I just don't see anyone other than AZ able to do it on the schedule.

 

[jhoeHawk]

Every game from now until February is a MUST-WIN game. We dug ourselves into this hole by going 7-4(tbh, i will take 7-4 almost any other year) this year and gave ourselves very little room for error the rest of the way.

 

[kearly]

It is a must win if you want Seattle to have (a realistic) hope for a home playoff game. But if Seattle loses, they would still have a strong chance for the playoffs if they win out in December.

 

[nolachawks]

Yes, but as others have stated they really are all must win games from here on out. Our remaining games are 49ers, Eagles, 49ers, Cards and Rams. All are teams that we will be fighting for a playoff spot with, excluding the Rams..probably. Its a tough stretch, a very tough stretch but unfortunately we did it to ourselves. Losing close games and games that we should and could have won.

49ers remaining games- Hawks, Raiders, Hawks, Chargers, Cards
Eagles remaining games- Cowboys, Hawks, Cowboys, Redskins, Giants
Cards remaining games- Falcons, Chiefs, Rams, Hawks, 49ers
Lions remaining games- Bears, Bucs, Vikings, Bears, Packers
Cowboys remaining games- Eagles, Bears, Eagles, Colts, Redskins
Packers remaining games- Patriots, Falcons, Bills, Bucs, Lions
SEAHAWKS remaining games- 49ers, Eagles, 49ers, Cards, Rams

Looking at this Lions have a pretty easy road and the Packers have been looking really good. With that being said we need the Eagles or Cowboys to start a losing streak, preferably the Eagles since the Cowboys own a tiebreaker over us. Looks like we have the toughest road ahead of us. We wouldn't have to worry about a wildcard if we can take care of business in our division but that statement is easier said than done but winning yesterday was a big help. Just my 2 cents but I can see the

49ers going 3-2 putting them at 10-6 going 1-1 against us
Eagles going 2-3 putting them at 10-6 with us owning the tie breaker
Cards going 2-3 putting them at 11-5 with us having the tiebreaker
Lions going a possible 4-1, but hopefully 3-2 putting them at 10-6
Cowboys going 4-1, I think the Boys are pretty good. 12-4 and winning division
Packers going 4-1, They are looking real good 12-4 and winning division
Seahawks going a hopeful 4-1 putting us at 11-5 and winning the divison and not having to worry about the mess that will be the wildcard situation

What does everyone else think?

 

[NJSeahawk]

Is Thursday another MUST WIN?

 

[Cartire]

Close to a must win, but if we were to lose, we would still control our own destiny vs the niners on the tie-breaker by winning the last 4 games. In that case our record would be

Seahawks 11-5 (4-2 division)
49ers 11-5 (3-3 division)
Cards ?????????

Correct. It's not a "win and you're out" game, but it's as close as possible.

If we beat the Niners, we get them once more at home, build momentum into the Philly game, and get a monkey off our back about a losing streak down there. If we hang 2 losses on the Niners, they're pretty much done from a record stand point.

11-5 will get us in, but it has to be the right wins. Losing just once to the Niners brings possible tie breaks into play which could honestly bump us out.

The other big thing is that the Niners have a MUCH easier schedule than we do. We have to hang 2 losses on them to assure they're out of the playoffs, because I just don't see anyone other than AZ able to do it on the schedule.

From what I can see on the playoff scenerio, if we split with the niners but both teams win out the rest, we still win the tiebreaker over them at 11-5 a piece.

 

[ZagHawk]

Until the Hawks lock a spot in the playoffs. Every week is Must Win. That's fair right?

 

[Blitzhawk]

The simple answer is YES. The complex answer is not necessarily. :th2thumbs:

 

[Sgt. Largent]

One of the two remaining road conference games IMO are a must win, maybe both...........so take your pick, win @ SF or win @ Arizona.

Since I hate SF more than Arizona, I'll pick this one.

 

[Marvin49]

Yes, but as others have stated they really are all must win games from here on out. Our remaining games are 49ers, Eagles, 49ers, Cards and Rams. All are teams that we will be fighting for a playoff spot with, excluding the Rams..probably. Its a tough stretch, a very tough stretch but unfortunately we did it to ourselves. Losing close games and games that we should and could have won.

49ers remaining games- Hawks, Raiders, Hawks, Chargers, Cards
Eagles remaining games- Cowboys, Hawks, Cowboys, Redskins, Giants
Cards remaining games- Falcons, Chiefs, Rams, Hawks, 49ers
Lions remaining games- Bears, Bucs, Vikings, Bears, Packers
Cowboys remaining games- Eagles, Bears, Eagles, Colts, Redskins
Packers remaining games- Patriots, Falcons, Bills, Bucs, Lions
SEAHAWKS remaining games- 49ers, Eagles, 49ers, Cards, Rams

Looking at this Lions have a pretty easy road and the Packers have been looking really good. With that being said we need the Eagles or Cowboys to start a losing streak, preferably the Eagles since the Cowboys own a tiebreaker over us. Looks like we have the toughest road ahead of us. We wouldn't have to worry about a wildcard if we can take care of business in our division but that statement is easier said than done but winning yesterday was a big help. Just my 2 cents but I can see the

49ers going 3-2 putting them at 10-6 going 1-1 against us
Eagles going 2-3 putting them at 10-6 with us owning the tie breaker
Cards going 2-3 putting them at 11-5 with us having the tiebreaker
Lions going a possible 4-1, but hopefully 3-2 putting them at 10-6
Cowboys going 4-1, I think the Boys are pretty good. 12-4 and winning division
Packers going 4-1, They are looking real good 12-4 and winning division
Seahawks going a hopeful 4-1 putting us at 11-5 and winning the divison and not having to worry about the mess that will be the wildcard situation

What does everyone else think?

If I'm reading that correct, then Seattle would win division, Cards would be Wild-Card, and Niners or Lions would be in depending on Tie-Breaker? (Niners have Heads-to-head tie-breakers with Philly and Dallas)