Remaining games: NFC playoff contenders***Official NFC Playoff thread with schedules***

[cowboys1981]

1. Green Bay 13-3
2. Seattle 12-4

6. Dallas 11-5 @ 3. Philly 11-5
5. Detroit 11-5 @ 4. ATL 7-9

Ari 10-6
SF 9-7

 

[pancakeman]

Many of the teams we are hoping will rack up some losses, are matched up against each other down the stretch. It minimizes their likelihood of "racking them up".

Hmm, I see it as *ensuring* that we'll see some losses.

 

[Gridiron Man]

Hmm, I see it as *ensuring* that we'll see some losses.

Let's just hope they are the right loses and the wins are the right wins.

 

[RoboQB]

I must be tired from all those turkey sandwiches but can someone tell me how Seattle is currently ahead of us???
We beat them. We have the same record. That is the first tiebreaker. What am I missing? Thanks in advance.

 

[cowboys1981]

I must be tired from all those turkey sandwiches but can someone tell me how Seattle is currently ahead of us???
We beat them. We have the same record. That is the first tiebreaker. What am I missing? Thanks in advance.

Since it's 3 teams tied, it goes by conference record. If it was just us two we get tie breaker due to head to head

 

[RoboQB]

Since it's 3 teams tied, it goes by conference record. If it was just us two we get tie breaker due to head to head

Thanks... I found it... That sucks...... Well, if we can't beat a playoff caliber team in December, we don't deserve to play one in January...
Hopefully, they rest up and regroup for this stretch run... Chicago will be tough with their 7'-0" tall receivers... maybe we can keep up
with them.

 

[Fredd]

these next two weeks are what will decide it for dallas...win the next two while Seattle beats philly this week and you have a 1 game lead for the division with two to play....got to get into the tourney...you can't win it if you aren't in it...even if they don't go on to win the SB this season (and I still have hope), getting playoff experience will be huge for this young team

 

[jobberone]

these next two weeks are what will decide it for dallas...win the next two while Seattle beats philly this week and you have a 1 game lead for the division with two to play....got to get into the tourney...you can't win it if you aren't in it...even if they don't go on to win the SB this season (and I still have hope), getting playoff experience will be huge for this young team

You're right. And it generally takes a year in the playoffs to get the feel of it and come back the next year and compete for it all.

 

[jterrell]

Dallas probably needs to win all 3 NFC games remaining to insure they go.
11-5 and a solid NFC record should be good to go.

Split at 2-2 and you are hoping for chaos amongst other teams.

If the teams with the higher winning % wins out Dallas will make it at 10-6 and a 6 seed but most scenarios of 10 wins leave them out.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Chicago is obviously a must win. The odds are beating both Philly and Indy are slim. So split those 2 and then win in DC. You give yourself a better than 50/50 shot of making it in at 11-5.not guaranteed but a good shot. Lose to Chicago and the season is likely over.

 

[Proximo]

Not sure if this has been brought up yet, but can someone confirm whether ESPN's current playoff standings are correct?

I'm looking at it right now on their website and it has us on the outside looking in. The 2 wildcard spots are occupied by Seattle and Detroit. This doesn't seem right, since we beat Seattle, and have the same overall record as them.

They site the tiebreakers as win % in common opponents and conference games as reasons why Detroit and Seattle are ahead.

 

[alicetooljam]

Not sure if this has been brought up yet, but can someone confirm whether ESPN's current playoff standings are correct?

I'm looking at it right now on their website and it has us on the outside looking in. The 2 wildcard spots are occupied by Seattle and Detroit. This doesn't seem right, since we beat Seattle, and have the same overall record as them.

They site the tiebreakers as win % in common opponents and conference games as reasons why Detroit and Seattle are ahead.

See above...that rule is correct when there is a tie between more than 2 teams, when it is 2 teams its head to head first.

 

[Beast_from_East]

While this will get a great deal of push back, every game from here out is win or go home. Win out and win the East. Stumble at any point an d that game is the elimination game.

Even if we win out we cant win the East without help.............Philly has to lose to somebody else besides us because of our extra division loss to Washington.

In other words, if both teams are 12-4 and split the head to head match up..................we lose the division because we lost to Colt McCoy.

 

[Beast_from_East]

11-5 probably gets us in, unless the football gods are very unkind.

However, 10-6, which is normally a shoe-in is statistically very LOW possibility for Dallas.

Let's look at why.

Assuming Dallas is fighting for a wildcard berth, they are doing so against 4 other teams - Arizona, Seattle, San Francisco and Detroit.

For Dallas to get in at 10-6, they have to beat out 2 of these teams. Arizona and SF have the tiebreaker over Dallas and would have to finish 9-7. Arizona would have to lose ALL 4 remaining games to have this happen. SF would have to finish 2-2, which is possible, but not likely, as they have games remaining against Oakland
and at home against the reeling Cardinals. Which means SF would have to lose to Seattle and at home against San Diego. Maybe that happens, but its asking alot.

Unfortunately, the Dallas vs. Detroit tiebreaker is not looking good. If both teams finish 10-6, you got to common opponents. IF Dallas beats Chicago (which they probably need to do finish 10-6) Dallas would be 4-1 against common opponents. Detroit also travels to Chicago in a few weeks. If Detroit loses to Chicago they finish 3-2 against common opponents and Dallas wins the tiebreaker. HOWEVER, if Detroit also beats Chicago, then the tiebreaker goes to Conference record, where it is IMPOSSIBLE for Dallas to have a equal or better record if both teams finish 10-6. Therefore Detroit has the inside track in this head to head tiebreaker.

Seattle still remains Dallas' best chance to make the playoffs at 10-6. If Seattle finishes 10-6 and does NOT win its division (meaning Cardinals need to figure out how to go at least 2-2) then Dallas has the tiebreaker and would have to beat out only 1 of SF or Detroit for the wild card berth. However, due to Arizona injuries, Seattle definitely has the inside track to a division title atm.

Dallas needs 11-5. Sucks, but its da truth

Nice break down.......................10-6 is not going to get it done for Dallas with their terrible conference record this year.

 

[Wayne02]

Many of the teams we are hoping will rack up some losses, are matched up against each other down the stretch. It minimizes their likelihood of "racking them up"..

Week 14
SEA vs PHI

Week 15
SF vs SEA

Week 16
SEA vs AZ
CHI vs DET

Week 17
DET vs GB
AZ vs SF

If our best chances at this stage are with Seattle losing the division, i like those odds best. Just look at their schedule. Hopefully they will lose every game with the exception of the Eagles game. Their week 17 match up is the Rams.

Need for Philly to beat them too IMO.

 

[Beast_from_East]

these next two weeks are what will decide it for dallas...win the next two while Seattle beats philly this week and you have a 1 game lead for the division with two to play....got to get into the tourney...you can't win it if you aren't in it...even if they don't go on to win the SB this season (and I still have hope), getting playoff experience will be huge for this young team

And on the flip side, can anybody name me one single head coach in the NFL that missed the playoffs 4 consecutive seasons and was brought back for a 5th season?

Not saying Jerry is going to fire Garrett if we miss the playoffs, just saying NFL teams don't tolerate this level of failure for this long without making changes.

Anybody think of one single head coach that was retained for a 5th season after missing the playoffs the previous 4?

 

[mldardy]

Even if we win out we cant win the East without help.............Philly has to lose to somebody else besides us because of our extra division loss to Washington.

In other words, if both teams are 12-4 and split the head to head match up..................we lose the division because we lost to Colt McCoy.

If we win out I wouldn't really care that much about losing out on the division. We would still be in the playoffs. We can only control the games we play.

 

[Staubacher]

Even if we win out we cant win the East without help.............Philly has to lose to somebody else besides us because of our extra division loss to Washington.

In other words, if both teams are 12-4 and split the head to head match up..................we lose the division because we lost to Colt McCoy.

Maybe Philly will lose to Colt McCoy. They already almost lost to Kirk Cousins.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Maybe Philly will lose to Colt McCoy. They already almost lost to Kirk Cousins.

One can always hope.

 

[30yrheel]

We're probaby out already but lose to the Bears and it's all over but the crying.