Hello Everyone,
This has been a terrific week to be a Seahawks fan! We win and San Fran loses, and I will bring the good news on the latest playoff picture for this weekend. As always, I use the following codes for teams that have already secured a berth in the playoffs. As always there will be a companion article Week 14 AFC Playoff Picture
* means that the team has secured home field through the playoffs
z means the team has secured a first week bye
y means the team has secured a division title (sometimes followed by a (#) indicating playoff seed)
x means the team has secured a playoff spot (again sometimes followed by a (#) indicating specific seed)
e means the team has been eliminated from the playoffs
NFC East
This division continues to be a disaster zone for the NFC and again, no one seems to want to win this division. The Giants finally fell out of playoff contention, but the Redskins are barely hanging on to the tiniest sliver of a chance at the division (being the only team that actually won in week 13)
Team----------Record-----Conf---------Div-----Next Five
Dallas----------- 6-6 -------- 5-3 --------- 4-0 - @Chicago, Rams, @Philly, Wash
Philadelphia--- 5-7 -------- 3-5 --------- 1-1 - NY Giant, @Wash, Dallas, @NY Giant
Washington---- 3-9 -------- 2-6 --------- 0-3 - @Green Bay, Philly, NY Giants, @Dallas
e-NY Giants--- 2-10 ------- 2-7 --------- 1-2 - @Philly, Miami, @Wash, Philly
Clinching Scenarios: There are no clinching scenarios for the NFC East.
Elimination Scenarios: The NY Giants are eliminated from the playoffs. The Washington Redskins will be as well with a loss or a Dallas win. A Philly loss OR Minnesota win eliminates Philly from any wild card consideration.
NFC South
This year this is the New Orleans' Saint's division and everyone else lives in it. That pretty much sums up the state of this division. Not as putrid as the NFC East, but not far from it.
Team----------Record-----Conf--------Div-----Next Five
y-New Orleans - 10-2 -------- 8-2 ------- 4-1 - San Francisco, Indy, @Tenn, @Carolina
Carolina ---------- 5-7 --------- 2-7 ------- 1-3 - @Atlanta, Seattle, @Indy, New Orleans
Tampa Bay ------ 5-7 --------- 4-6 ------- 2-3 - Indy, @Detroit, Houston, Atlanta
e-Atlanta --------- 3-9 --------- 3-6 ------- 2-2 - Carolina, @San Francisco, Jax, @Tampa Bay
Clinching Scenarios: New Orleans has clinched the division and is on the verge of clinching at least the 3 seed. There are no other clinching scenarios for the NFC South.
Elimination Scenarios: By losing to New Orleans, Atlanta has been eliminated from the playoffs. Because Minnesota lost, Carolina and Tampa Bay hold on to a shred of a chance of a wild card but are both definitely on the outside looking in. Carolina is eliminated from the playoffs with a loss plus either a Chicago Win OR Minny Win. Tampa Bay is eliminated from the playoffs with a loss + Chicago win.
NFC North
This year the NFC North looks to be a contest between the Vikings and the Packers. Because Minnesota lost, a number of teams in the NFC still stay at least mathematically alive for the last wild card spot. Also Minnesota really needed a win last week because they are now a game behind Green Bay and lost to them already.
Team----------Record-----Conf--------Div-----Next Five
Green Bay --- 9-3 -------- 8-2 --------- 3-0 - Wash, Chicago, @Minnesota, @Detroit
Minnesota --- 8-4 -------- 6-3 --------- 1-2 - Detroit, @LA Chargers, Green Bay, Chicago
Chicago ------ 6-6 -------- 5-4 --------- 3-1 - Dallas, @Green Bay, Kansas City, @Minnesota
e-Detroit ------ 3-8-1 ----- 2-6-1 ------- 0-4 - @Minnesota, Tampa Bay, @Denver, Green Bay
Clinching Scenarios: There are no clinching scenarios for the NFC North this week.
Elimination Scenarios: Detroit was eliminated from the playoffs in week 13. No other NFC North team can *quite* be eliminated from the playoffs or division this week.
NFC West
Overall this is probably the best division this season in the NFC. With a win vs Minnesota this week and a San Fran loss vs the Ravens, Seattle now takes over first place at least for week 14 in this division. All that said, both San Fran and Seattle continue to control their own destinies (week 17 is looking more and more decisive), and it is looking more and more like the 1/2 and 5 seed will come from here and come from Seattle or San Fran. There is an increasing chance that the LA Rams may yet sneak in as the #6 seed but remain on the outside looking in and their chances don't look good given their schedule.
Team----------Record-----Conf--------Div-----Next Five
Seattle ------- 10-2 --------- 7-1 -------- 3-0 - @LA Rams, @Carolina, Arizona, San Francisco
San Fran --- 10-2 -------- 7-1 --------- 3-1 - @New Orleans, Atlanta, LA Rams, @Seattle
LA Rams ---- 7-5 --------- 5-3 -------- 1-2 - Seattle, @Dallas, @San Francisco, Arizona
e-Arizona ---- 3-8-1 ------ 2-7-1 ------ 0-4 - Pittsburgh, Cleveland, @Seattle, @LA Rams
Clinching Scenarios: 1) If Seattle wins or ties this week they are IN the playoffs. A win insures Seattle can finish no worse than 11-5 and imposes a loss on the Rams insuring they can do no better than 10-6 and no other team aside from the Vikings can reach 11-5 either. Likewise a tie would insure the Seattle tiebreak vs the Rams by head to head AND no worse than a 10-5-1 record while the Rams could do no better than 10-5-1 either and loses any tiebreak with Seattle in this case. 2) A San Fran win + Seattle win or tie insures that the 49ners are in the playoffs. That's because a Seattle win or tie puts the Rams out of reach of Seattle or San Fran (see above).
Elimination Scenario: Arizona has already been eliminated. If Seattle wins or ties, the LA Rams are eliminated from NFC West contention (but are barely alive for the playoffs).
This has been a terrific week to be a Seahawks fan! We win and San Fran loses, and I will bring the good news on the latest playoff picture for this weekend. As always, I use the following codes for teams that have already secured a berth in the playoffs. As always there will be a companion article Week 14 AFC Playoff Picture
* means that the team has secured home field through the playoffs
z means the team has secured a first week bye
y means the team has secured a division title (sometimes followed by a (#) indicating playoff seed)
x means the team has secured a playoff spot (again sometimes followed by a (#) indicating specific seed)
e means the team has been eliminated from the playoffs
NFC East
This division continues to be a disaster zone for the NFC and again, no one seems to want to win this division. The Giants finally fell out of playoff contention, but the Redskins are barely hanging on to the tiniest sliver of a chance at the division (being the only team that actually won in week 13)
Team----------Record-----Conf---------Div-----Next Five
Dallas----------- 6-6 -------- 5-3 --------- 4-0 - @Chicago, Rams, @Philly, Wash
Philadelphia--- 5-7 -------- 3-5 --------- 1-1 - NY Giant, @Wash, Dallas, @NY Giant
Washington---- 3-9 -------- 2-6 --------- 0-3 - @Green Bay, Philly, NY Giants, @Dallas
e-NY Giants--- 2-10 ------- 2-7 --------- 1-2 - @Philly, Miami, @Wash, Philly
Clinching Scenarios: There are no clinching scenarios for the NFC East.
Elimination Scenarios: The NY Giants are eliminated from the playoffs. The Washington Redskins will be as well with a loss or a Dallas win. A Philly loss OR Minnesota win eliminates Philly from any wild card consideration.
NFC South
This year this is the New Orleans' Saint's division and everyone else lives in it. That pretty much sums up the state of this division. Not as putrid as the NFC East, but not far from it.
Team----------Record-----Conf--------Div-----Next Five
y-New Orleans - 10-2 -------- 8-2 ------- 4-1 - San Francisco, Indy, @Tenn, @Carolina
Carolina ---------- 5-7 --------- 2-7 ------- 1-3 - @Atlanta, Seattle, @Indy, New Orleans
Tampa Bay ------ 5-7 --------- 4-6 ------- 2-3 - Indy, @Detroit, Houston, Atlanta
e-Atlanta --------- 3-9 --------- 3-6 ------- 2-2 - Carolina, @San Francisco, Jax, @Tampa Bay
Clinching Scenarios: New Orleans has clinched the division and is on the verge of clinching at least the 3 seed. There are no other clinching scenarios for the NFC South.
Elimination Scenarios: By losing to New Orleans, Atlanta has been eliminated from the playoffs. Because Minnesota lost, Carolina and Tampa Bay hold on to a shred of a chance of a wild card but are both definitely on the outside looking in. Carolina is eliminated from the playoffs with a loss plus either a Chicago Win OR Minny Win. Tampa Bay is eliminated from the playoffs with a loss + Chicago win.
NFC North
This year the NFC North looks to be a contest between the Vikings and the Packers. Because Minnesota lost, a number of teams in the NFC still stay at least mathematically alive for the last wild card spot. Also Minnesota really needed a win last week because they are now a game behind Green Bay and lost to them already.
Team----------Record-----Conf--------Div-----Next Five
Green Bay --- 9-3 -------- 8-2 --------- 3-0 - Wash, Chicago, @Minnesota, @Detroit
Minnesota --- 8-4 -------- 6-3 --------- 1-2 - Detroit, @LA Chargers, Green Bay, Chicago
Chicago ------ 6-6 -------- 5-4 --------- 3-1 - Dallas, @Green Bay, Kansas City, @Minnesota
e-Detroit ------ 3-8-1 ----- 2-6-1 ------- 0-4 - @Minnesota, Tampa Bay, @Denver, Green Bay
Clinching Scenarios: There are no clinching scenarios for the NFC North this week.
Elimination Scenarios: Detroit was eliminated from the playoffs in week 13. No other NFC North team can *quite* be eliminated from the playoffs or division this week.
NFC West
Overall this is probably the best division this season in the NFC. With a win vs Minnesota this week and a San Fran loss vs the Ravens, Seattle now takes over first place at least for week 14 in this division. All that said, both San Fran and Seattle continue to control their own destinies (week 17 is looking more and more decisive), and it is looking more and more like the 1/2 and 5 seed will come from here and come from Seattle or San Fran. There is an increasing chance that the LA Rams may yet sneak in as the #6 seed but remain on the outside looking in and their chances don't look good given their schedule.
Team----------Record-----Conf--------Div-----Next Five
Seattle ------- 10-2 --------- 7-1 -------- 3-0 - @LA Rams, @Carolina, Arizona, San Francisco
San Fran --- 10-2 -------- 7-1 --------- 3-1 - @New Orleans, Atlanta, LA Rams, @Seattle
LA Rams ---- 7-5 --------- 5-3 -------- 1-2 - Seattle, @Dallas, @San Francisco, Arizona
e-Arizona ---- 3-8-1 ------ 2-7-1 ------ 0-4 - Pittsburgh, Cleveland, @Seattle, @LA Rams
Clinching Scenarios: 1) If Seattle wins or ties this week they are IN the playoffs. A win insures Seattle can finish no worse than 11-5 and imposes a loss on the Rams insuring they can do no better than 10-6 and no other team aside from the Vikings can reach 11-5 either. Likewise a tie would insure the Seattle tiebreak vs the Rams by head to head AND no worse than a 10-5-1 record while the Rams could do no better than 10-5-1 either and loses any tiebreak with Seattle in this case. 2) A San Fran win + Seattle win or tie insures that the 49ners are in the playoffs. That's because a Seattle win or tie puts the Rams out of reach of Seattle or San Fran (see above).
Elimination Scenario: Arizona has already been eliminated. If Seattle wins or ties, the LA Rams are eliminated from NFC West contention (but are barely alive for the playoffs).