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Here's how the 2010 NFL Playoff Picture looks with just Sunday night's Bengals-Jets game left to be played.
NFC
Who's In:
1. Saints (clinched South Division, first-round bye and homefield for the playoffs)
2. Vikings (clinched North Division; clinched first-round bye with Philadelphia loss in Dallas)
3. Cowboys (clinched NFC East with win over Eagles; will host rematch with Philadelphia in the Wild-Card Round)
4. Cardinals (clinched West Division; will host Packers in the Wild-Card Round)
5. Packers (Wild Card winner; heading back to Arizona for rematch with Cardinals in Wild-Card Round)
6. Eagles (will travel to Dallas in Wild-Card Round after Week 17's loss to Cowboys)
NFC Wild-Card Round (Sat.-Sun., Jan. 9-10)
No. 5 Packers at No. 4 Cardinals
No. 6 Eagles at No. 3 Cowboys
AFC
Who's In:
1. Colts (clinched South Division, first-round bye and homefield for the playoffs)
2. Chargers (clinched West Division, first-round bye)
3. Bengals (clinched North Division)
4. Patriots (clinched East Division)
5/6. Ravens (they needed to win to get in -- they won, they're in; will play at New England, either as 5-seed or 6-seed)
Final AFC Playoff Spot Battle:
Jets (a win against Bengals and Jets are in the playoffs)
Texans (won Sunday against Patriots, now need to hope for a Bengals win Sunday night)
AFC Wild-Card Round (Sat.-Sun., Jan. 9-10)
If JETS win Sunday night:
No. 5 Jets at No. 4 Bengals.
No. 6 Ravens at No. 3 Patriots
If BENGALS win Sunday night:
No. 5 Ravens at No. 4 Patriots
No. 6 Texans at No. 3 Bengals
Enjoy The Offseason:
Steelers (they did their part with a win at Miami, but the Ravens' win eliminated Pittsburgh from contention)
Broncos (loss to 4-12 Kansas City eliminated Denver from contention)
Dolphins (eliminated with loss to Steelers)
Jaguars (eliminated with loss at Browns)
After another week's worth of games (save for Sunday and Monday night's games) didn't really do a whole lot to clear things up. Somewhat amazingly, only the Titans were officially eliminated since last week. Even the Dolphins and Jaguars, both of whom lost on Sunday to fall to 7-8, are still technically alive, but they would need a win in Week 17, and then a lot of help.
While the NFC playoff picture is starting to clear up, with only one berth up for grabs, the AFC race is convoluted. Seven of the conference's teams enter the final week of the regular season -- five with 8-7 records, two at 7-8 -- with a chance to cash a pair of wild-card tickets. Tiebreakers are sure to come into play.
Like last week, we'll start with taking a look at the playoff picture and scenarios in the NFC, where things are decidedly less complicated.
NFC
Who's In:
1. Saints (clinched South Division, first-round bye and homefield for the playoffs)
2. Eagles (would clinch NFC East and first-round bye with win over Cowboys in Week 17)
3. Vikings (clinched North Division; can clinch first-round bye with a win and a Philadelphia loss in Week 17)
4. Cardinals (clinched West Division)
5. Packers (Wild Card winner; clinched playoff spot)
6. Cowboys (would win NFC East with win over Eagles in Week 17; could still clinch No. 2 seed and a first-round bye with a win, and losses from both Vikings and Cardinals)
AFC
Who's In:
1. Colts (clinched South Division, first-round bye and homefield for the playoffs)
2. Chargers (clinched West Division, first-round bye)
3. Patriots (clinched East Division)
4. Bengals (clinched North Division)*
Wild Card Hopefuls: Broncos (a win next week doesn't guarantee a spot in the playoffs for Denver as they would lose tiebreakers to Jets and Ravens if all three teams are tied after Week 17; 8-7 / KC); Jets (a win against Bengals and Jets are in the playoffs; 8-7 / CIN)*
*Bengals-Jets will be Week 17's Sunday Night Football game on NBC
Outside Looking In, But Sill Alive:
Ravens (win and they're in; 9-6 / at Oak)
Texans (needs to win against Patriots, and then get help; 8-7 / NE)
Steelers (alive, but barely; 8-7 / at Mia)
Technically Still Alive, And Facing Near Impossible Odds: Dolphins (must win, then must get help; 8-7 / PIT); Jaguars (technically still alive ... but just technically; 7-8 / at Cle)
It's all summed up quite nicely by ESPN's Adam Schefter: "AFC picture coming into focus: If Jets beat Bengals, they're in. If Ravens beat Raiders, they're in. Broncos, Texans, Steelers need help."
With the NFL's Week 15 nearly complete (all we have left is Monday night's Giants-Redskins game), the playoff picture is quickly becoming crystal clear! Or, the opposite. As we wrote earlier today, there was a possibility that seven teams in the AFC would end Sunday tied with a 7-7 record. In actuality, there are now "just" six teams at 7-7 -- we were way off.
What does it all mean? It means the AFC playoff picture, with a half-dozen 7-7 teams, is as muddled as can be with two weeks to go. It means the NFC will likely go down to the final week. It means you better freshen up on your tiebreakers. It means you better get set for a wild finish to the regular season.
With only two weeks of games remaining, the playoff picture is still, well, a little nuts. The NFC is considerably less muddled than the AFC, so let's start there.
NFC
Who's In:
1. Saints (clinched South Division, first-round bye)
2. Vikings (clinched North Division)
3. Eagles (clinched playoff spot)
4. Cardinals (clinched West Division)
Wild Card Hopefuls: Packers (9-5 / SEA, at Ari); Cowboys (control their own destiny; 9-5 / at Was, PHI)
Outside Looking In, But Still Alive: Giants (8-6 / CAR, at Min)
AFC
Who's In:
1. Colts (clinched South Division, first-round bye)
2. Chargers (clinched West Division)
Division Leaders:
3. Patriots (leading East Division by two games; 9-5 / JAX, at Hou)
4. Bengals (leading North Division by one game, No. 4 seed still up for grabs; owns head-to-head tiebreaker with Ravens; 9-5 / KC, at NYJ)
Wild Card Hopefuls: Ravens (control their own destiny; 8-6 / at Pit, at Oak); Broncos (control their own destiny; 8-6 / at Phi, KC)
Outside Looking In, But Sill Alive: Just about everyone.
Jaguars (best standing among the six teams; 7-7 / at NE, at Clev)
Dolphins (need to win out; 7-7 / HOU, PIT)
Jets (need to win out and hope 9-7 is good enough to get in -- not looking good; 7-7 / at Indy, CIN)
Steelers (alive, but barley; 7-7 / BAL, at Mia)
Titans (need to win out to even have a chance ... and a slim chance at that; 7-7 / SD, at Sea)
Texans (it's not looking good, even if they win out; 7-7 / at Mia, NE)
Glad we could get all that cleared up.
2010 NFL Playoff Schedule Highlighted By Three Week 17 Rematches
After four months, 17 weeks and over 1,000 touchdowns, the 2010 NFL Playoffs are set.
With the Jets' win over the Bengals Sunday night, New York captured the AFC's five-seed. Meanwhile, Cincy dropped a spot and is now the four-seed;, New England will start the playoffs as the three-seed in the AFC. New York's win also means that for the first time ever, the NFL's Wild-Card Round will feature three rematches from Week 17: Jets-Bengals, Packers-Cardinals and Eagles-Cowboys. Familiarity breeds contempt ...
WILD-CARD WEEKEND
Saturday, Jan. 9
Sunday, Jan. 10
Complete look at the the 2010 Playoff Picture:
NFC
1. Saints
2. Vikings
3. Cowboys
4. Cardinals
5. Packers
6. Eagles
NFC Wild-Card Round (Sat.-Sun., Jan. 9-10)
Sat., Jan. 9, 8:00 p.m. EST (NBC): No. 6 Eagles at No. 3 Cowboys
Sun., Jan. 10, 4:30 p.m. EST (Fox): No. 5 Packers at No. 4 Cardinals
* Lowest remaining seed plays at No. 1 New Orleans; other winner from Wild-Card weekend travels to No. 2 Minnesota for NFC Divisional Round, Jan. 16-17
AFC
1. Colts
2. Chargers
3. Patriots
4. Bengals
5. Jets (earned Wild-Card spot with Sunday night against Cincinnati)
6. Ravens
AFC Wild-Card Round (Sat.-Sun., Jan. 9-10)
Sat., Jan. 9, 4:30 p.m., EST (NBC): No. 5 Jets at No. 4 Bengals
Sun, Jan. 10, 1:00 p.m. EST (CBS): No. 6 Ravens at No. 3 Patriots
* Lowest remaining seed plays at No. 1 Indianapolis; other winner from Wild-Card weekend travels to No. 2 San Diego for AFC Divisional Round, Jan. 16-17
Enjoy The Offseason: Texans (eliminated Sunday night when Jets defeated Bengals)
Jan 03 11:25p by Ryan Hudson - 1 comment