Alright everyone,
The Turkey has been cooked, the leftovers are in the icebox, Christmas carols are in the air, and that can only mean one thing: It's playoff scenario season! With the consent of the moderators, I will go over the AFC picture and scenarios here on the NFL Nation Forum as a companion thread to the NFC Playoff Scenarios in the main forum. With all that said, let's get started with.....
AFC East Record Conf. Div. Next Five
New England(2.5) 8-3 6-2 3-0 Minny, @Miami, @Pittsburgh, Buffalo, NY Jets
Miami 5-6 4-4 2-1 Buffalo, New England, @Minny, Jacksonville, @Buffalo
Buffalo 4-7 3-5 1-1 @Miami, NY Jets, Detroit, @New England, Miami
NY Jets 3-8 2-6 0-4 @Tenn, @Buffalo, Houston, Green Bay, @New England
Clinching Scenarios: NONE That said note that New England is in firm control with a magic number (Miami) of two and a half. If New England wins it's next two games (one of which is Miami), it will clinch the AFC East.
Elimination Scenarios: If the NY Jets lose or tie, they are eliminated from the AFC East race. If Buffalo ties or loses AND New England wins, then Buffalo is also eliminated from the AFC East Race. Buffalo can be eliminated altogether starting on week 14. The NY Jets can be eliminated from the playoffs if both Indy and Baltimore wins AND the Jets lose.
AFC North Record Conf. Div. Next Five
Pittsburgh 7-3-1 4-3-1 3-1-1 LA Chargers, @Oakland, New England, @New Orleans, Cincinnati
Baltimore 6-5 6-3 2-3 @Atlanta, @Kansas City, Tampa, @LA Chargers, Cleveland
Cincinnati 5-6 3-4 1-3 Denver, @LA Chargers, Oakland, @Cleveland, @Pittsburgh
Cleveland 4-6-1 3-4-1 2-1-1 @Houston, Carolina, @Denver, Cincinnati, @Baltimore
Clinching Scenarios: NONE Although Pittsburgh has a 2 game edge (given the division tiebreak against both Baltimore and Cincy), this is still almost anyone's division especially considering how brutal Pittsburgh's closing schedule is. It is worth noting that Baltimore currently holds the final (#6) seed but is in a dogfight for it with about five other teams including Cincinnati.
Elimination Scenarios: NONE That said, Cleveland could be eliminated as soon as week 14.
AFC South Record Conf. Div. Next Five
Houston 8-3 6-2 3-1 Cleveland, Indy, @NY Jets, @Philly, Jacksonville
Indianapolis 6-5 5-4 2-1 @Jacksonville, @Houston, Dallas, NY Giants, @Tenn
Tennessee 5-6 3-6 2-2 NY Jets, Jacksonville, @NY Giants, Washington, Indy
Jacksonville 3-8 2-6 0-3 Indy, @Tenn, Washington, @Miami, @Houston
Clinching Scenarios: NONE Houston will likely clinch the AFC South before it clinches a WC spot. Houston has a solid two game lead, but the week 14 game vs Indy will likely be decisive.
Elimination Scenarios: If Jacksonville loses and both Baltimore and Indy win, then Jacksonville is eliminated from the playoffs. If Jacksonville loses OR Houston wins, then Jacksonville is eliminated from the AFC South.
AFC West Record Conf. Div. Next Five
Kansas City 9-2 7-1 3-0 @Oakland, Baltimore, LA Chargers, @Seattle, Oakland
LA Chargers 8-3 5-2 2-2 @Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, @Kansas City, Baltimore, @Denver
Denver 5-6 3-5 2-2 @Cincinnati, @San Francisco, Cleveland, @Oakland, LA Chargers
Oakland 2-9 1-6 0-3 Kansas City, Pittsburgh, @Cincinnati, Denver, @Kansas City
Clinching Scenarios: Kansas City only has a one game edge on the LA Chargers although they do have the tiebreaks currently and a much easier closing schedule. That said it is possible for Kansas City to clinch no worse than a wildcard spot. This happens if Kansas City wins and the following teams lose: Tenn, Indy, and Baltimore. It is virtually certain the #5 seed will be either KC or the LA Chargers.
Elimination Scenarios: The Oakland Raiders are eliminated from the playoffs if they lose (likely IMHO) and either Indy or Baltimore wins since that would give at least six NFL teams with better playoff qualification records than Oakland (7 wins or better).
*whew* I hope this was useful to you.
The Turkey has been cooked, the leftovers are in the icebox, Christmas carols are in the air, and that can only mean one thing: It's playoff scenario season! With the consent of the moderators, I will go over the AFC picture and scenarios here on the NFL Nation Forum as a companion thread to the NFC Playoff Scenarios in the main forum. With all that said, let's get started with.....
AFC East Record Conf. Div. Next Five
New England(2.5) 8-3 6-2 3-0 Minny, @Miami, @Pittsburgh, Buffalo, NY Jets
Miami 5-6 4-4 2-1 Buffalo, New England, @Minny, Jacksonville, @Buffalo
Buffalo 4-7 3-5 1-1 @Miami, NY Jets, Detroit, @New England, Miami
NY Jets 3-8 2-6 0-4 @Tenn, @Buffalo, Houston, Green Bay, @New England
Clinching Scenarios: NONE That said note that New England is in firm control with a magic number (Miami) of two and a half. If New England wins it's next two games (one of which is Miami), it will clinch the AFC East.
Elimination Scenarios: If the NY Jets lose or tie, they are eliminated from the AFC East race. If Buffalo ties or loses AND New England wins, then Buffalo is also eliminated from the AFC East Race. Buffalo can be eliminated altogether starting on week 14. The NY Jets can be eliminated from the playoffs if both Indy and Baltimore wins AND the Jets lose.
AFC North Record Conf. Div. Next Five
Pittsburgh 7-3-1 4-3-1 3-1-1 LA Chargers, @Oakland, New England, @New Orleans, Cincinnati
Baltimore 6-5 6-3 2-3 @Atlanta, @Kansas City, Tampa, @LA Chargers, Cleveland
Cincinnati 5-6 3-4 1-3 Denver, @LA Chargers, Oakland, @Cleveland, @Pittsburgh
Cleveland 4-6-1 3-4-1 2-1-1 @Houston, Carolina, @Denver, Cincinnati, @Baltimore
Clinching Scenarios: NONE Although Pittsburgh has a 2 game edge (given the division tiebreak against both Baltimore and Cincy), this is still almost anyone's division especially considering how brutal Pittsburgh's closing schedule is. It is worth noting that Baltimore currently holds the final (#6) seed but is in a dogfight for it with about five other teams including Cincinnati.
Elimination Scenarios: NONE That said, Cleveland could be eliminated as soon as week 14.
AFC South Record Conf. Div. Next Five
Houston 8-3 6-2 3-1 Cleveland, Indy, @NY Jets, @Philly, Jacksonville
Indianapolis 6-5 5-4 2-1 @Jacksonville, @Houston, Dallas, NY Giants, @Tenn
Tennessee 5-6 3-6 2-2 NY Jets, Jacksonville, @NY Giants, Washington, Indy
Jacksonville 3-8 2-6 0-3 Indy, @Tenn, Washington, @Miami, @Houston
Clinching Scenarios: NONE Houston will likely clinch the AFC South before it clinches a WC spot. Houston has a solid two game lead, but the week 14 game vs Indy will likely be decisive.
Elimination Scenarios: If Jacksonville loses and both Baltimore and Indy win, then Jacksonville is eliminated from the playoffs. If Jacksonville loses OR Houston wins, then Jacksonville is eliminated from the AFC South.
AFC West Record Conf. Div. Next Five
Kansas City 9-2 7-1 3-0 @Oakland, Baltimore, LA Chargers, @Seattle, Oakland
LA Chargers 8-3 5-2 2-2 @Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, @Kansas City, Baltimore, @Denver
Denver 5-6 3-5 2-2 @Cincinnati, @San Francisco, Cleveland, @Oakland, LA Chargers
Oakland 2-9 1-6 0-3 Kansas City, Pittsburgh, @Cincinnati, Denver, @Kansas City
Clinching Scenarios: Kansas City only has a one game edge on the LA Chargers although they do have the tiebreaks currently and a much easier closing schedule. That said it is possible for Kansas City to clinch no worse than a wildcard spot. This happens if Kansas City wins and the following teams lose: Tenn, Indy, and Baltimore. It is virtually certain the #5 seed will be either KC or the LA Chargers.
Elimination Scenarios: The Oakland Raiders are eliminated from the playoffs if they lose (likely IMHO) and either Indy or Baltimore wins since that would give at least six NFL teams with better playoff qualification records than Oakland (7 wins or better).
*whew* I hope this was useful to you.
