Even if you only care about the Jaguars, it would be fun to talk about playoff races. I know many of you hate the Titans, who mathematically are still playoff contenders. A football forum is incomplete without talk about the playoffs. So let's see what the playoff picture is each week and who is still in the hunt.

 

This weekend the Broncos go to Kansas City. It is Game of the Week on CBS because both teams are 9-2, so it is a must-win for the Broncos. If the Chiefs win the head-to-head tiebreaker will not apply, but they can use it for the division record tiebreaker. It is must-see TV for anyone who cares about the AFC playoff race.

 

The Ravens got their sixth win, dropping the Steelers to 5-7, so Pittsburgh cannot afford another loss. The Chargers, Titans, Jets, and Dolphins also entered the week at 5-6 and are mathematically alive. This part will be interesting as tiebreakers will certainly be required for the #6 seed in the AFC.

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Out of the playoff race:

Atlanta Falcons


Can be eliminated this week:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a loss or tie

Minnesota Vikings with a loss or tie

Washington Redskins with a loss

Houston Texans with a loss or tie

Jacksonville Jaguars with a loss or tie


Teams who's playoff hopes are on life support:

St. Louis Rams 

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

Cleveland Browns

New York Jets

Buffalo Bills

 

 

Teams who's playoff hopes are endangered:

Green Bay Packers

San Diego Chargers (will move down to life support with a loss)

Pittsburgh Steelers (will move down to life support with a Tennessee win)

Miami Dolphins (will move down to life support with a loss)

Teams who's playoff hopes can become endangered:

Tennessee Titans (with a loss, and a dolphins win)

Arizona Cardinals (with a loss and a 49ers win)

Chicago Bears (with a loss)

 

Teams in the hunt: 

Philadelphia Eagles

Baltimore Ravens

 

Teams in good position:

Detroit Lions

San Francisco 49ers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Carolina Panthers

 

Teams in excellent position:

Indianapolis Colts

New England Patriots

Kansas City Chiefs

Denver Broncos

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

Why aren't the Vikings, Jaguars, and Texans eliminated yet?

 

The first three teams that can clinch a playoff spot are the Seahawks, Broncos, and Chiefs. All three need to win and get a lot of help, so Kansas City and Denver can't both clinch playoff spots.

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Why aren't the Vikings, Jaguars, and Texans eliminated yet?


The first three teams that can clinch a playoff spot are the Seahawks, Broncos, and Chiefs. All three need to win and get a lot of help, so Kansas City and Denver can't both clinch playoff spots.

7-9 could be good enough to get in as the 6th seed in the AFC. The confrence has 5 good teams and then a veritable ocean of mediocrity.

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Why aren't the Vikings, Jaguars, and Texans eliminated yet?

 

The first three teams that can clinch a playoff spot are the Seahawks, Broncos, and Chiefs. All three need to win and get a lot of help, so Kansas City and Denver can't both clinch playoff spots.

 

Because no other team has enough wins to eliminate them yet.  

 

Denver can clinch with:

Win over Kansas City
AND


Chargers Loss or Tie, Titans loss or tie, Dolphins Loss, Patriots Loss


or


Chargers Loss or Tie, Titans Loss or Tie, and Jets/Dolphins Tie


 

Chiefs can clinch with:

Win over Denver


And


Chargers Loss or Tie, Titans loss or Tie, Dolphins Loss, Patriots Loss


or


Chargers Loss or Tie, Titans Loss or Tie, and Jets/Dolphins Tie


 

Seahawks can clinch with:

Win


And


Cardinals Loss


or


49ers Loss


or


Cardinals tie, 49ers tie


 

or


 

Tie


And


Cardinals loss, 49ers loss, Cowboys loss or tie, Bears loss or tie

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

I like how you color-coded the team clinching requirements. Do that every week.

 

The Seahawks will host the Saints on Monday night. That game could eventually be what determines the #1 seed in the NFC.

 

Because ties are rare, with most seasons not having one, I always throw out that as an option. But we already had a stupid tie this season, so you can do that for Green Bay until the Packers are out.

 

Based on the number of teams that must help the Seahawks, Broncos, and Chiefs, the most likely team to clinch this weekend - if any of them - is the Seahawks. All they need is a win and one team - either the Cardinals or 49ers - to lose. The Cardinals play at Philadelphia and the 49ers host the Rams, so Arizona is more likely to help Seattle. I do not expect the Broncos or Chiefs to get what they need because all realistic scenarios require four teams to lose.

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For anyone who cares about the playoffs, I will write up a cheering list each week, so let me know if you are interested.

 

Because I am a Broncos fan, I have to root for:

 

Bengals (for Chargers loss)

Colts (for Titans loss)

Jets (for Dolphins loss)

Texans (for Patriots loss)

 

That is going to suck. I can't imagine the Patriots losing at Houston. Good thing the Broncos don't have to clinch their playoff spot this week.

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Teams that can clinch this week:

 

Already In

Seattle Seahawks


 

<b>New England Patriots Can Clinch With:</b>


<b>Win</b>


<b>AND</b>


<b>Dolphins loss </b>


<b>or</b>


<b>Baltimore loss or tie</b>


 

<b>Kansas City Chiefs Can Clinch With:
</b>

<b>Win
</b>

<b>AND
</b>

<b>Dolphins loss or tie
</b>

<b>or
</b>

<b>Ravens loss or Tie
</b>

 

<b>OR
</b>

 

<b>Tie
</b>

<b>AND
</b>

<b>Dolphins loss
</b>

<b>or
</b>

<b>Ravens loss
</b>

 

<b>Denver Broncos can clinch with:
</b>

<b>WIN
</b>

 

<b>OR
</b>

 

<b>Loss or Tie
</b>

<b>AND

Dolphins loss or tie
</b>

<b>or
</b>

<b>Ravens loss or tie
</b>

 

<b>Indianapolis Colts can clinch with:

Win

AND
</b>

<b>Tennessee loss
</b>

 

<b>OR
</b>

 

<b>Tie
</b>

<b>AND

Tennessee tie
</b>

 

<b>New Orleans Saints can clinch with:

Win
</b>

<b>AND

Cowboys loss + Eagles Loss + Cardinals Loss
</b>

 

<b>Carolina Panthers Can clinch with:</b>


<b>Win</b>


<b>AND

Cowboys Loss + Eagles Loss + Cardinals Loss + 49ers Loss</b>


 

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

Based on the matchups in Week # 14,   at the very least it looks like New England,  Denver,  and Indianapolis are going to clinch playoff spots this weekend.   With the Colts likely clinching because of an expected loss by Tennessee.  Kansas City has a realistic chance of clinching a spot this weekend as well.

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<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Out of the playoff race:

Atlanta Falcons

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Washington Redskins

Tampa Bay Buccaneers


Can be eliminated this week:

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Minnesota Vikings with a loss or tie OR Detroit Win

Houston Texans with a loss or tie OR Miami win OR Baltimore Win OR Jets Win OR Browns win

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Jacksonville Jaguars with a loss or tie

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">St. Louis Rams  with a loss


Teams who's playoff hopes are on life support:

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

Cleveland Browns

New York Jets

Buffalo Bills

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">San Diego Chargers

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> 

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Teams who's playoff hopes are endangered:

Green Bay Packers

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Tennessee Titans

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> 

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Teams in the hunt: 

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Philadelphia Eagles

Baltimore Ravens

Miami Dolphins

Dallas Cowboys

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> 

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Teams in good position:

San Francisco 49ers

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
Teams in Great position: 

Detroit Lions

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> 

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Teams in excellent  position:

Indianapolis Colts

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">New England Patriots

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Kansas City Chiefs

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Denver Broncos

<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

Cincinnati Bengals

Carolina Panthers

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

Jags still in this thing…lets go!

---

Gene's Myth

Doctor, can you please use black for the Panthers if you can't find the right shade of blue? That light green is hard to read.

 

I am ready to say the Packers will not make it. They are too far behind the 49ers and Panthers to get in as a wild card team.

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Jags still in this thing…lets go!

 

I can't believe we have to lose to be eliminated when so many other AFC teams are still in the hunt. That is crazy.

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I can't believe we have to lose to be eliminated when so many other AFC teams are still in the hunt. That is crazy.

Yeah, but there are 4 weeks to go.  A win by the Dolphins or Ravens, and they can knock us out with another win.  

 

Also the new shade of blue should be easier to see.

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

Yeah, but there are 4 weeks to go.  A win by the Dolphins or Ravens, and they can knock us out with another win.  

 

Also the new shade of blue should be easier to see.

 

After spending all season talking about clinching the #1 pick in the draft, I thought we would be the first to be eliminated.

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Mike Mayock said during our game last night this weekend has a lot of good games featuring matchups of playoff contenders including Colts/Bengals, Lions/Eagles, Seahawks/49ers, Cowboys/Bears, and Panthers/Saints. The Bears are in survival mode, but not eliminated yet. This week also is the one all 6-6 and 5-7 teams and the 5-6-1 Packers must win to stay alive.

---

Mike Mayock said during our game last night this weekend has a lot of good games featuring matchups of playoff contenders including Colts/Bengals, Lions/Eagles, Seahawks/49ers, Cowboys/Bears, and Panthers/Saints. The Bears are in survival mode, but not eliminated yet. This week also is the one all 6-6 and 5-7 teams and the 5-6-1 Packers must win to stay alive.

Yep, this is basically elimination week where a good majority should drop out of the playoffs race and narrow it down to the actual wildcard contenders for the last 3 games. Its a very important week of football standings wise.

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Yep, this is basically elimination week where a good majority should drop out of the playoffs race and narrow it down to the actual wildcard contenders for the last 3 games. Its a very important week of football standings wise.

 

The Packers must be thankful the Falcons suck because they Aaron Rodgers was ruled out. But even if they win, I don't think that will be enough to save them. The stupid tie really hurt.

 

Do you think any of the 6-6 teams will stay alive this weekend?

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It's a pipedream for the Jags to make the playoffs, but I think that I've determined what is necessary for the Jaguars to make the playoffs.


NOTE: Using Courier New because it lines up nicer, and thus makes this a little less terrible on the eyes, imo.

Teams we have to worry about:


 

BAL at 6-6. Must finish 1-3 or worse.


MIA at 6-6. Must finish 1-3 or worse.


PIT at 5-7. Must finish 2-2 or worse.


NYJ at 5-7. Must finish 2-2 or worse.


SD  at 5-7. Must finish 2-2 or worse.


TEN at 5-7. Must finish 2-2 or worse.


Head-to-head Tiebreaker:


 

 SD wins  1-0.


TEN loses 0-2.

Conference Tiebreaker


BAL ties as they can finish 7-5 in the conference at best.


MIA loses regardless as they can finish 6-6 in the conference at best.


PIT loses regardless as they can finish 6-6 in the conference at best.


NYJ loses regardless as they can finish 4-8 in the conference at best.


 

Head-to-head Tiebreaker


Note: I'm a bit fuzzy on how this tiebreaker works in regards to teams in the same division, so if I'm wrong just let me know.

Note2: BAL is the only team to make it to this tiebreaker.


BAL and JAC lost to DEN. Tied.


BAL and JAC beat CLE. Tied. (BAL lost their second matchup, so I think that a tie is the best they can hope for.)


BAL and JAC beat HOU. Tied. (JAC won their second matchup, so I think that a tie is the worst they can hope for.)

BAL lost to BUF (JAC required to win). JAC +1.


 

Thus we win the tiebreakers and make it to the playoffs.



 

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It would be a miracle if all of that happened. I am very surprised we have not been mathematically eliminated yet with only four wins and three games left to play. The Seahawks got in the playoffs with a losing record by winning their division and would have been eliminated otherwise when it happened. If a 7-9 team ever got in as a wild card, people would call for changes to playoff tiebreakers.

 

I think in two more years, we will be ready for another playoff run. Until then, I am just enjoying whatever wins we can get and hoping the Broncos dominate the AFC playoffs.

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