Out of curiousity: What is the recipe for the Cowboys clinching a playoff berth

[LonghornDub]

Sorry about that-got lost in my own confusion. To clarify-they're playing in Minny...with or w/o Pat Williams, winning in the Metrodome will be pretty hard, especially for a rookie QB.

No prob, I was just trying to figure out if you meant the Vikings would step up in his absence, or something.

 

[Hypnotoad]

How we can clinch next week?

Cowboys beat the Ravens, and
Commanders beat the Eagles, and
Chargers beat the Buccaneers, and
Packers beat the Bears

I believe that'll give us the 5th seed.

To increase our odds of making the playoffs this needs to happen:

Best Case Scenario
Cowboys beats Ravens
Vikings beats Falcons
Chargers beats Buccaneers

If we lose to the Ravens, Falcons Win, and Bucs win... I don't know how we can make it anymore.

 

[willia451]

If we beat Bal, Wash beats Philly, and Minn beats Atl, we are in. The Philly game will not matter.

Go Cowboys!!!

 

[Randy White]

we win AND two of the following three teams lose

Tampa
Atlanta
Chicago

We clinch a playoff spot.

If we lose, there alot of scenarios that would open up and we REALLY don't want to put ourselves in that position.

:starspin

 

[noletime95]

I believe we just need to win and have at least two of the following teams loose: Eagles, Falcons, Bucs.

I don't believe the Bears can catch Dallas if both are tied at 10-6.

 

[acruther]

we win AND two of the following three teams lose

Tampa
Atlanta
Chicago

We clinch a playoff spot.

If we lose, there alot of scenarios that would open up and we REALLY don't want to put ourselves in that position.

:starspin

That is wrong.

per sportsline.com

Dallas clinches a playoff spot:
1) DAL win + PHI loss or tie + CHI loss or tie + ATL loss
2) DAL win + PHI loss or tie + CHI loss or tie + TB loss
3) DAL win + CHI loss or tie + TB loss + ATL loss
4) DAL win + PHI loss or tie + ATL loss + DAL clinches strength of victory
tiebreaker over CHI

 

[SilberBlau]

I believe we just need to win and have at least two of the following teams loose: Eagles, Falcons, Bucs.

I don't believe the Bears can catch Dallas if both are tied at 10-6.

The Bears can't catch us BUT they can make a H2H tiebreaker at 10-6 a three-way in which our win against Tampa doesn't matter any more. We would lose that tiebreaker to Tampa (not to Atlanta). And that's why we need them to lose if both NFC South lose to clinch.

 

[Bleu Star]

It is simple, play like we did against the Giants. We do that and we might not lose again until the 2009 season. The team that played last night, I do not think any NFL team could be the Cowboys if they play like that.

This sums it up perfectly. Bring that defensive intensity to every game!. Our offense will put up some points so that's not a worry. Bring that formula and it's a wrap! One game at a time though! :starspin

 

[acruther]

The Bears can't catch us BUT they can make a H2H tiebreaker at 10-6 a three-way in which our win against Tampa doesn't matter any more. We would lose that tiebreaker to Tampa (not to Atlanta). And that's why we need them to lose if both NFC South lose to clinch.

That is wrong too. The Bears can go 10-6, we can go 9-7. If you want the facts, see my earlier post.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Unless Philly loses between now and the time we play them, it will come down to us beating Philly in the last game more than likely. The winner will be in and the loser out.

I dont know about anyone else but I would rather not clinch anything early.

I would rather play the Eagles game for a win and you are in game.


We cant relax AT ALL. This team doesnt do well when that happens.



Fight. Fight. Fight for our playoff lives.... all the way to SB win.

 

[Coy]

If we beat Bal, Wash beats Philly, and Minn beats Atl, we are in. The Philly game will not matter.

Go Cowboys!!!

This is correct, we have two scenarios in which we could clinch this week:

1. We win and both the eagles and the Falcons lose.

2. We win and the bucs, the falcons and the bears lose.

Any of these two scenarios and we are in, so we could basically rest up guys against Philly.

 

[acruther]

This is correct, we have two scenarios in which we could clinch this week:

1. We win and both the eagles and the Falcons lose.

2. We win and the bucs, the falcons and the bears lose.

Any of these two scenarios and we are in, so we could basically rest up guys against Philly.

Scenario #1 is incorrect as it depends on the Bears strength of schedule which is, of course, dependent on alot of games being played.

 

[Coy]

Scenario #1 is incorrect as it depends on the Bears strength of schedule which is, of course, dependent on alot of games being played.

It`s not totally incorrect, if scenario 1 happens we would only need 1 result of 6 other games which includes NO over Detroit among others.

 

[AdamJT13]

Scenario #1 is incorrect as it depends on the Bears strength of schedule which is, of course, dependent on alot of games being played.

It's strength of victory, not strength of schedule. And it's a virtual certainty that we'll clinch it this weekend if we beat Baltimore.

 

[kmd24]

If Dallas and Chicago tie at 10-6, it will be almost impossible for the Chicago to win a tiebreaker. If the tenth Dallas win is against Philadelphia, then Dallas wins the tiebreaker on conference record.

If the tenth Dallas win is against Baltimore, then Chicago would have to win the strength of victory (the combined record of the opponents in all of a team's wins). Currently, Dallas has a strength of victory of 54-70-2, and Chicago has a stength of victory of 41-70-1. Assuming that Dallas beats Baltimore and loses to Philadelphia and that Chicago beats Green Bay and Houston then their respective strength of victory would be 63-77-2 (Dallas) and 53-88-1 (Chicago). In this case, Chicago would need the following results to happen in order to win the strength of victory:

Week 16
St. Louis over San Francisco
San Diego over Tampa Bay
Detroit over New Orleans
New York Jets over Seattle
Houston over Oakland
Minnesota over Atlanta
Philadelphia over Washington
Carolina over New York Giants

Week 17
St. Louis over Atlanta
Jacksonville over Baltimore
Kansas City over Cincinnati
Detroit over Green Bay
Indianapolis over Tennessee
Minnesota over New York Giants
New Orleans over Carolina
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Oakland over Tampa Bay
Arizona over Seattle

If all of that happened, then Chicago (68-91-1 SOV) would earn the 6th wildcard over Dallas (67-91-2 SOV) and Philadelphia (10-5-1) would be the 5th wildcard. If even ONE of those games is decided opposite to how it is listed, then Chicago would lose out to Dallas in a tiebreaker.

So basically, if Dallas beats Baltimore Saturday night, Chicago, for all intents and purposes, cannot catch Dallas.

 

[Coy]

If Dallas and Chicago tie at 10-6, it will be almost impossible for the Chicago to win a tiebreaker. If the tenth Dallas win is against Philadelphia, then Dallas wins the tiebreaker on conference record.

If the tenth Dallas win is against Baltimore, then Chicago would have to win the strength of victory (the combined record of the opponents in all of a team's wins). Currently, Dallas has a strength of victory of 54-70-2, and Chicago has a stength of victory of 41-70-1. Assuming that Dallas beats Baltimore and loses to Philadelphia and that Chicago beats Green Bay and Houston then their respective strength of victory would be 63-77-2 (Dallas) and 53-88-1 (Chicago). In this case, Chicago would need the following results to happen in order to win the strength of victory:

Week 16
St. Louis over San Francisco
San Diego over Tampa Bay
Detroit over New Orleans
New York Jets over Seattle
Houston over Oakland
Minnesota over Atlanta
Philadelphia over Washington
Carolina over New York Giants

Week 17
St. Louis over Atlanta
Jacksonville over Baltimore
Kansas City over Cincinnati
Detroit over Green Bay
Indianapolis over Tennessee
Minnesota over New York Giants
New Orleans over Carolina
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Oakland over Tampa Bay
Arizona over Seattle

If all of that happened, then Chicago (68-91-1 SOV) would earn the 6th wildcard over Dallas (67-91-2 SOV) and Philadelphia (10-5-1) would be the 5th wildcard. If even ONE of those games is decided opposite to how it is listed, then Chicago would lose out to Dallas in a tiebreaker.

So basically, if Dallas beats Baltimore Saturday night, Chicago, for all intents and purposes, cannot catch Dallas.

My point exactly, great post.

 

[percyhoward]

So basically, if Dallas beats Baltimore Saturday night, Chicago, for all intents and purposes, cannot catch Dallas.

If I understand correctly, this scenario gets us in?
Dallas over Baltimore

San Diego over Tampa Bay

Minnesota over Atlanta

 

[Coy]

If I understand correctly, this scenario gets us in?
Dallas over Baltimore

San Diego over Tampa Bay

Minnesota over Atlanta

NO. This gets us in.

1. We win and both the eagles and the Falcons lose.

2. We win and the bucs, the falcons and the bears lose.

Any of these two scenarios and we are in, so we could basically rest up guys against Philly.

 

[percyhoward]

NO. This gets us in.

1. We win and both the eagles and the Falcons lose.

2. We win and the bucs, the falcons and the bears lose.

Any of these two scenarios and we are in, so we could basically rest up guys against Philly.

kmd pretty much proved the Bears can't catch us , though.

 

[kmd24]

If I understand correctly, this scenario gets us in?
Dallas over Baltimore

San Diego over Tampa Bay

Minnesota over Atlanta

No, here's a counterexample:

Eagles 10-5-1, 5th seed
Tampa, Chicago, Dallas tied at 10-6, Tampa would win the tiebreaker based on best conference record (head-to-head only matters if one team has swept the other two in a three way tie). Even though Chicago can't catch us, they can screw up our tiebreaker with Tampa. If we ended up in a three way tie with Atlanta and Tampa, though, we would win the tiebreaker because intradivisional tiebreakers are decided first.

As far as help goes, an Eagles loss would help more than anything.