Hello Everyone,
Ugh, it would seem the Grinch came in and stole Seattle's Christmas in Week 15. Not only did Seattle lose unexpectedly, but almost everything that could go wrong in week 15 for Seattle, did. Thank goodness the Saints won which kept the week from being a total disaster. To help wash out the bad taste, we have the new playoff scenarios for week 16 and thinks are looking very well indeed. As always I will discuss the AFC scenarios here and discuss the corresponding NFC scenarios in a companion article in the main forum under NFC Playoff Scenarios [Week 16]. As before, I will use the following symbols:
*--Home Field Advantage
z--First Round Bye
y--Division Winner
x--Playoff Spot
(e)--Eliminated
As before I will sometimes follow such a symbol with a number to reflect a specific seed if applicable. With all that said, let's dig in.
AFC East
This is still the New England Patriot's division but they are having problems wrapping it up and it's hurting them in the overall AFC playoff picture. Miami is still in it for a playoff spot but a lot of things would have to go right. Everyone else is eliminated.
Name Record Conf. Div. Last Two
New England 9-5 6-4 3-1 Buffalo, NY Jets
Miami 7-7 6-4 4-1 Jacksonville, @Buffalo
Buffalo (e) 5-9 3-7 1-3 @New England, Miami
NY Jets (e) 4-10 3-8 1-4 Green Bay, @New England
Clinching Scenarios: New England can clinch the AFC East with 1) A win 2) a Miami loss. There are no other clinching scenarios.
Elimination Scenarios: New England is eliminated from a first round bye with a LOSS + Houston Win. Miami is eliminated from the AFC East with a loss or New England win (see above). Miami is eliminated from the playoffs with:
1) A win by Tenn + Indy + Baltimore
2) A loss AND a win by any of the following: Baltimore OR Indy OR Tenn
AFC North
Pittsburgh is holding on to this division by her fingernails, but the AFC North is still wide open.
Name Record Conf. Div. Last Two
Pittsburgh 8-5-1 5-5-1 3-1-1 @New Orleans, Cincinnati
Baltimore 8-6 6-4 2-3 @LA Chargers, Cleveland
Cleveland 6-7-1 4-5-1 2-1-1 Cincinnati, @Baltimore
Cincinnati (e) 6-8 4-6 1-3 @Cleveland, @Pittsburgh
Clinching Scenarios: Pittsburgh can clinch the AFC North with a win AND a Baltimore loss (remember that the Pittsburgh tie counts as half a win). Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by Indy, Tenn, and Miami. Likewise Baltimore can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by Indy, Tenn, and Miami.
Elimination Scenarios: Cleveland is eliminated from the AFC North with win by either Baltimore or Pittsburgh. Baltimore is eliminated from the AFC North with a loss and a Pittsburgh win (see above). Cleveland is eliminated from the playoffs with:
1) A Loss
2) A win by Baltimore, Indy, or Tenn
AFC South
The Houston Texans are in the driver's seat and have a real shot as the first week bye, but haven't quite clinched. Indy and Tenn are trying to get that final wildcard spot against Baltimore.
Name Record Conf. Div. Last Two
Houston 10-4 8-3 3-2 @Philadelphia, Jacksonville
Indy 8-6 6-5 3-2 NY Giants, @Tenn
Tenn 8-6 5-6 3-2 Washington, Indy
Jacksonville (e) 4-10 3-7 1-4 @Miami, @Houston
Clinching Scenarios: Houston clinches the AFC South with a win OR Indy + Tenn loss.
Elimination Scenarios: Indy and Tenn are both eliminated from the AFC South with a loss. They are both eliminated from the playoffs altogether with a loss and a Baltimore win.
AFC West
Kansas City currently leads this division due to a division record tiebreak against the LA Chargers, but both Kansas City and the LA Chargers are in the playoffs and the race for the division is going down to the wire. Not only that but both the LA Chargers (Baltimore) and Kansas City (@Seattle) are facing very difficult opponents this week. Stay tuned! Everyone else in this division has been eliminated.
Name Record Conf. Div. Last Two
Kansas City-x 11-3 9-3 4-1 @Seattle, Oakland
LA Chargers-x 11-3 8-2 3-2 Baltimore, @Denver
Denver (e) 6-8 4-6 2-2 @Oakland, LA Chargers
Oakland (e) 3-11 2-8 0-4 Denver, @Kansas City
Clinching Scenarios:
Kansas City can clinch Home Field Advantage with: A Win + A Houston loss Edit: + LA Charger loss
Kansas City can clinch a first round bye (and AFC West) with a win. Edit: + LA Charger loss
Hat Tip: HawkGA
Elimination Scenarios: LA Chargers can be eliminated from the AFC West with a [edit] Loss [/edit] and a Kansas City win.
*whew* I hope this is useful.
Ugh, it would seem the Grinch came in and stole Seattle's Christmas in Week 15. Not only did Seattle lose unexpectedly, but almost everything that could go wrong in week 15 for Seattle, did. Thank goodness the Saints won which kept the week from being a total disaster. To help wash out the bad taste, we have the new playoff scenarios for week 16 and thinks are looking very well indeed. As always I will discuss the AFC scenarios here and discuss the corresponding NFC scenarios in a companion article in the main forum under NFC Playoff Scenarios [Week 16]. As before, I will use the following symbols:
*--Home Field Advantage
z--First Round Bye
y--Division Winner
x--Playoff Spot
(e)--Eliminated
As before I will sometimes follow such a symbol with a number to reflect a specific seed if applicable. With all that said, let's dig in.
AFC East
This is still the New England Patriot's division but they are having problems wrapping it up and it's hurting them in the overall AFC playoff picture. Miami is still in it for a playoff spot but a lot of things would have to go right. Everyone else is eliminated.
Name Record Conf. Div. Last Two
New England 9-5 6-4 3-1 Buffalo, NY Jets
Miami 7-7 6-4 4-1 Jacksonville, @Buffalo
Buffalo (e) 5-9 3-7 1-3 @New England, Miami
NY Jets (e) 4-10 3-8 1-4 Green Bay, @New England
Clinching Scenarios: New England can clinch the AFC East with 1) A win 2) a Miami loss. There are no other clinching scenarios.
Elimination Scenarios: New England is eliminated from a first round bye with a LOSS + Houston Win. Miami is eliminated from the AFC East with a loss or New England win (see above). Miami is eliminated from the playoffs with:
1) A win by Tenn + Indy + Baltimore
2) A loss AND a win by any of the following: Baltimore OR Indy OR Tenn
AFC North
Pittsburgh is holding on to this division by her fingernails, but the AFC North is still wide open.
Name Record Conf. Div. Last Two
Pittsburgh 8-5-1 5-5-1 3-1-1 @New Orleans, Cincinnati
Baltimore 8-6 6-4 2-3 @LA Chargers, Cleveland
Cleveland 6-7-1 4-5-1 2-1-1 Cincinnati, @Baltimore
Cincinnati (e) 6-8 4-6 1-3 @Cleveland, @Pittsburgh
Clinching Scenarios: Pittsburgh can clinch the AFC North with a win AND a Baltimore loss (remember that the Pittsburgh tie counts as half a win). Pittsburgh can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by Indy, Tenn, and Miami. Likewise Baltimore can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by Indy, Tenn, and Miami.
Elimination Scenarios: Cleveland is eliminated from the AFC North with win by either Baltimore or Pittsburgh. Baltimore is eliminated from the AFC North with a loss and a Pittsburgh win (see above). Cleveland is eliminated from the playoffs with:
1) A Loss
2) A win by Baltimore, Indy, or Tenn
AFC South
The Houston Texans are in the driver's seat and have a real shot as the first week bye, but haven't quite clinched. Indy and Tenn are trying to get that final wildcard spot against Baltimore.
Name Record Conf. Div. Last Two
Houston 10-4 8-3 3-2 @Philadelphia, Jacksonville
Indy 8-6 6-5 3-2 NY Giants, @Tenn
Tenn 8-6 5-6 3-2 Washington, Indy
Jacksonville (e) 4-10 3-7 1-4 @Miami, @Houston
Clinching Scenarios: Houston clinches the AFC South with a win OR Indy + Tenn loss.
Elimination Scenarios: Indy and Tenn are both eliminated from the AFC South with a loss. They are both eliminated from the playoffs altogether with a loss and a Baltimore win.
AFC West
Kansas City currently leads this division due to a division record tiebreak against the LA Chargers, but both Kansas City and the LA Chargers are in the playoffs and the race for the division is going down to the wire. Not only that but both the LA Chargers (Baltimore) and Kansas City (@Seattle) are facing very difficult opponents this week. Stay tuned! Everyone else in this division has been eliminated.
Name Record Conf. Div. Last Two
Kansas City-x 11-3 9-3 4-1 @Seattle, Oakland
LA Chargers-x 11-3 8-2 3-2 Baltimore, @Denver
Denver (e) 6-8 4-6 2-2 @Oakland, LA Chargers
Oakland (e) 3-11 2-8 0-4 Denver, @Kansas City
Clinching Scenarios:
Kansas City can clinch Home Field Advantage with: A Win + A Houston loss Edit: + LA Charger loss
Kansas City can clinch a first round bye (and AFC West) with a win. Edit: + LA Charger loss
Hat Tip: HawkGA
Elimination Scenarios: LA Chargers can be eliminated from the AFC West with a [edit] Loss [/edit] and a Kansas City win.
*whew* I hope this is useful.
