Playoff picture! How the West is shaping the East!

by Steve O' on Dec 1, 2008 7:14 PM MST

The Broncos big win at Giants Stadium against the Jets has changed the landscape in the AFC Playoff picture. MHR's very own HoosierTeacher apparently had a little foreshadowing when he said that the Jets game had big playoff implications. I firmly believe the West belongs to Denver and while almost anything and everything is still possible I thought I would try to imagine who Denver will face first.

Division winners that are IN - Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Denver,

Division that is IN-teresting - AFC East! I am going with the Dolphins. WHAT!?! Here is why. Look at the remaining schedules...

NYJ - SF, Buffalo, Seattle, Miami

NE Patriots - Seattle, Oakland, Arizona, Buffalo

Miami - Buffalo, SF, KC, NYJ

First let's eliminate the Pats. With two straight trips out west, the latter being against a good Arizona team, I just don't see NE running the table and 11-5 gets the East prize. They will finish 10-6.

Now the Jets and the Dolphins, it is all going to come down to the last game of the season. I just don't think that the Jets are going to sweep them. Miami is a much better football team than they were on opening day and as us Bronco fans know, sweeping a division opponent is hard to do. I like Miami, getting a pep talk from the Tuna the Fish will go into Giants Stadium and win. So that puts both teams at 11-5 and time for the rule book:

TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION
If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with identical won-lost-tied percentages, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined.

Two Clubs
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.

With the Jets and Fins both at 11-5, 1-1 head to head, 4-2 in the division, it will all come down to common games..... Enter the AFC West.

The AFC West has been a thorn in the side to the Jets and it may cost them their division. They lost to the Chargers, Raiders and Broncos and beat the Chiefs. Miami meanwhile has gotten the better of the West, beating them all with the Chiefs coming up in Week 16.

The Dolphins beat the West and subsequently win the East!

Now that this hypothetical playoff assumption has some division winners let's look at the potential wildcards.

Indianapolis - Projected finish 12-4 ( Projected AFC Losses 2) Tennessee has nothing to play for in Week 17, resting it's starters and allowing Manning and Co' into the playoffs. The Jax game in Week 16 looms large!

NYJets - Projected finish 11-5 ( Projected AFC Losses 5) The Jets squeek in on account of the schedule, the Jets remaining schedule, as noted above, is candy compared to the Ravens who have Washington, Pittsburgh, @ Dallas and Jacksonville. Brutal.

Baltimore - No playoffs - Projected finish 9-7 (Projected AFC Losses 4) Baltimore faces a very tough schedule heading into the home stretch. My faith in a rookie QB leading them to playoffs is nonexistent. Sorry crabcake lovers.

Patriots - Projected finish 10-6 (Projected AFC Losses 5) Tough year to have ten wins and not make the post season but it has been a weird year. Sorry and thanks for playing. I must say that the Superbowl loser hangover continues, either from injury or whatever but look at the last 8 years, there has to be something to this.

2000 New York Giants - Lost Super Bowl XXXV
2001 New York Giants - 7-9 record, no playoffs

2001 St. Louis Rams - Lost Super Bowl XXXVI
2002 St. Louis Rams - 7-9 record, no playoffs

2002 Oakland Raiders - Lost Super Bowl XXXVII
2003 Oakland Raiders - 4-12 record, no playoffs

2003 Carolina Panthers - Lost Super Bowl XXXVIII
2004 Carolina Panthers - 7-9 record, no playoffs

2004 Philadelphia Eagles - Lost Super Bowl XXXIX
2005 Philadelphia Eagles - 6-10 record, no playoffs

2005 Seattle Seahawks - Lost Super Bowl XL
2006 Seattle Seahawks - 9-7 record (made playoffs, 1st round exit)

2006 Chicago Bears - Lost Super Bowl XLI
2007 Chicago Bears - 7-9 record, no playoffs

2007 New England Patriots - Lost Super Bowl XLII
2008 New England Patriots - ?????? (Steve O' says 10-6 no playoffs)

Now the final seeding -

1. Tennessee

2. Pittsburgh

3. Miami (holds tiebreaker vs Broncos)

4. Denver

Wild cards - Indy and the Jets.

Get ready Bronco Nation...I think the Colts are coming to town!

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

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Comments

Your last statment is interesting.

For the past few weeks when I think about what we have to do to win the division and who we could possibly play should that happen. Then I see the Colts as one of the wild cards. Should that happen ( at least it is at home ) it will be quite an interesting game.

"It doesn't dissipate" ~ Mike Shanahan

Cutler's 4th qtr/OT game winning drives: 6

by weazel on Dec 1, 2008 8:33 PM MST reply actions

I think it will be the Colts vs Broncos again, I agree with the Fish taking the AFC East

"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum

by Broncoman on Dec 2, 2008 12:17 AM MST reply actions

Fish

Man, I knew that the Fins would improve a lot, but taking the AFC East this year, I didn’t think that would happen. I hope that we get the Colts, however. I have a lot of respect for Dungy and Manning and their team, but, we are getting payback if that happens. We need to learn how to protect our house. It needs to start this Sunday against the Chefs, and continue into the playoffs.

by PABroncofan on Dec 2, 2008 4:43 AM MST reply actions

Tennessee has nothing to play for in Week 17, resting it’s starters and allowing Manning and Co’ into the playoffs.

Returning the favor… I like it.

But yes the Jets, Miami and Indy are the most likely opponents. I would very much prefer the Jets. Not just because we just beat them, but Manning will slice our defense up – and so will the ultra-effecient Pennington. We are dependend on facing a team against whom we can sell out against the run, and hope for decent coverage and maybe a couple of turnovers…

Remember: New England won 18 last year; Oakland's won 19 in a half-decade
/The great Dane - formerly known as Claaaaas!

by Claus Vestergaard on Dec 2, 2008 5:57 AM MST reply actions

I want the fish

I soooooo want the fish!! >:)

Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.

by Jeremy Bolander on Dec 2, 2008 2:01 PM MST up reply actions

If the playoffs were held today,

the Broncos would host Indy in the wildcard round. Your predicition may very well hold up! My writing on the possibility of a first round bye was shot down when we blew it against the raiders though.

Good post!

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Dec 2, 2008 2:16 PM MST reply actions

Thanks HT

I was going to mention something about the Raiders game foiling your insight!!

"His incredible impact during the late '60s and early-to-mid-'70s saved the franchise from relocation and helped the Broncos become the marquee organization it is today." Floyd Little's Tales From The Broncos Sideline

by Steve O' on Dec 2, 2008 4:11 PM MST up reply actions