Post by Cincinnati Bengals (Chris) on Nov 11, 2017 23:15:48 GMT -5
Welcome to the Week 9 Playoff Picture. I will update these weekly to explain the playoff scenarios in each conference leading up to the playoffs in Week 13. Remember, playoff tiebreaker criteria is based on record, head-to-head and then points in that order. 16 teams in total make the playoffs, 8 from each conference. The division winners in each conference all receive a top-4 seed on that basis, and the remaining 4 teams will receive an at-large bid, all determined by the same tiebreaker criteria used in determining the playoff field.
Potentially 12 AFC teams can reach 7 wins (Including the three teams that already have 7 or more wins), and 7 AFC teams can reach 8 wins (Including PIT, who has 8 wins), so Pittsburgh has clinched at least a 7-seed (Because they lost this week, that figure remains unchanged). The loss to MIA means that Garrett has left open an infinitesimal possibility that CIN could win the AFC North, but it would require CIN to beat him outright (And Chris is 0-4 against Garrett) and win out against BAL and CLE. That situation would also require Garrett to lose at least one more game to one of BAL or CLE. Los Angeles and Houston have the next easiest paths to clinching a playoff berth, though HOU has quite a bit more work to do to ensure He wins the AFC South, whereas LAC needs only to beat OAK to seal the AFC West. Baltimore has also been eliminated, and is the only AFC team as of yet for which that is the case.
In the NFC, 9 teams can potentially reach 7 wins (Including the three teams that already have 7 or more wins), and 6 teams can reach 8 wins (Including SEA and MIN, who each have 8 wins). That means that with 8 wins apiece, both Seattle and Minnesota have clinched a playoff spot, and neither can be less than a 6-seed. Each can also win their respective division with one more win apiece (Or a CHI loss for MIN). Carolina can also lock up the NFC South with one more win, though Philadelphia will require either a DAL loss or a head-to-head win over DAL to eliminate them from division contention in the NFC East. As far as playoff eliminations go, both Tampa Bay and Atlanta have been eliminated.
AFC
1. Pittsburgh 8-1 CLINCHED NO WORSE THAN 7-SEED
2. Los Angeles Chargers 7-2
3. Houston 7-2
4. Cincinnati 6-3
5. Oakland 6-3
6. Tennessee 6-3
7. Buffalo 5-4
8. New England 5-4
9. Jacksonville 5-4
10. Indianapolis 5-4
11. New York Jets 4-5
12. Cleveland 4-5
13. Kansas City 4-5
14. Denver 3-6
15. Miami 3-6
16. Baltimore 1-8 ELIMINATED
NFC
1. Seattle 8-1 CLINCHED NO WORSE THAN 6-SEED
2. Minnesota 8-1 CLINCHED NO WORSE THAN 6-SEED
3. Carolina 7-2
4. Philadelphia 6-3
5. Arizona 5-4
6. Chicago 5-4
7. Detroit 4-5
8. New Orleans 4-5
9. Dallas 4-5
10. Washington 3-6
11. Los Angeles Rams 3-6
12. San Francisco 3-6
13. New York Giants 2-7
14. Green Bay 2-7
15. Atlanta 1-8 ELIMINATED
16. Tampa Bay 0-9 0 ELIMINATED
Potentially 12 AFC teams can reach 7 wins (Including the three teams that already have 7 or more wins), and 7 AFC teams can reach 8 wins (Including PIT, who has 8 wins), so Pittsburgh has clinched at least a 7-seed (Because they lost this week, that figure remains unchanged). The loss to MIA means that Garrett has left open an infinitesimal possibility that CIN could win the AFC North, but it would require CIN to beat him outright (And Chris is 0-4 against Garrett) and win out against BAL and CLE. That situation would also require Garrett to lose at least one more game to one of BAL or CLE. Los Angeles and Houston have the next easiest paths to clinching a playoff berth, though HOU has quite a bit more work to do to ensure He wins the AFC South, whereas LAC needs only to beat OAK to seal the AFC West. Baltimore has also been eliminated, and is the only AFC team as of yet for which that is the case.
In the NFC, 9 teams can potentially reach 7 wins (Including the three teams that already have 7 or more wins), and 6 teams can reach 8 wins (Including SEA and MIN, who each have 8 wins). That means that with 8 wins apiece, both Seattle and Minnesota have clinched a playoff spot, and neither can be less than a 6-seed. Each can also win their respective division with one more win apiece (Or a CHI loss for MIN). Carolina can also lock up the NFC South with one more win, though Philadelphia will require either a DAL loss or a head-to-head win over DAL to eliminate them from division contention in the NFC East. As far as playoff eliminations go, both Tampa Bay and Atlanta have been eliminated.
AFC
1. Pittsburgh 8-1 CLINCHED NO WORSE THAN 7-SEED
2. Los Angeles Chargers 7-2
3. Houston 7-2
4. Cincinnati 6-3
5. Oakland 6-3
6. Tennessee 6-3
7. Buffalo 5-4
8. New England 5-4
9. Jacksonville 5-4
10. Indianapolis 5-4
11. New York Jets 4-5
12. Cleveland 4-5
13. Kansas City 4-5
14. Denver 3-6
15. Miami 3-6
16. Baltimore 1-8 ELIMINATED
NFC
1. Seattle 8-1 CLINCHED NO WORSE THAN 6-SEED
2. Minnesota 8-1 CLINCHED NO WORSE THAN 6-SEED
3. Carolina 7-2
4. Philadelphia 6-3
5. Arizona 5-4
6. Chicago 5-4
7. Detroit 4-5
8. New Orleans 4-5
9. Dallas 4-5
10. Washington 3-6
11. Los Angeles Rams 3-6
12. San Francisco 3-6
13. New York Giants 2-7
14. Green Bay 2-7
15. Atlanta 1-8 ELIMINATED
16. Tampa Bay 0-9 0 ELIMINATED
