NFL Football Discussion Thread ~ Final Week of Regular Season

NFL ^

[CounterCounterCulture]

*** USELESS VANITY THREAD ***

And thus begins the official end to the season of 20 NFL teams as the 12 survivors jockey for their post-season slots this weekend.

AFC East  
  Team           W  L T 
  Miami          9  6 0 
  N.Y. Jets      8  7 0 
  New England    8  7 0  
  Buffalo        7  8 0 
 
AFC North  
  Team           W  L T 
y-Pittsburgh     9  5 1 
  Cleveland      8  7 0 
  Baltimore      7  8 0 
  Cincinnati     2 13 0  
 
AFC South  
  Team           W  L T 
y-Tennessee     10  5 0 
  Indianapolis   9  6 0 
  Jacksonville   6  9 0 
  Houston        4 11 0 
 
AFC West  
  Team           W  L T 
y-Oakland       10  5 0 
  Denver         8  7 0 
  Kansas City    8  7 0 
  San Diego      8  7 0 
 
NFC East  
  Team           W  L T 
yz-Philadelphia 12  3 0  
  N.Y. Giants    9  6 0 
  Washington     6  9 0 
  Dallas         5 10 0  
 
NFC North  
  Team           W  L T 
y-Green Bay     12  3 0
  Minnesota      5 10 0 
  Chicago        4 11 0 
  Detroit        3 12 0 
 
NFC South  
  Team           W  L T 
y-Tampa Bay     11  4 0  
  Atlanta        9  5 1 
  New Orleans    9  6 0  
  Carolina       6  9 0 
 
NFC West  
  Team           W  L T 
y-San Francisco 10  5 0 
  Seattle        6  9 0 
  St. Louis      6  9 0 
  Arizona        5 10 0  
x-clinched playoff berth
y-clinched division title
z-clinched first-round bye
*-clinched homefield advantage 

Official playoff scenarios

The following are the official playoff scenarios in each conference and division as determined by the NFL. Strength of victory is the season-ending winning percentage of all the opponents a team has defeated. Strength of victory can change after final week.

AFC EAST

Miami Dolphins: Can clinch AFC East division with win or tie.
To clinch home-field advantage: 1) Win AND Oakland loss AND Tennessee loss AND Pittsburgh loss AND Miami wins strength of victory tiebreaker over Oakland and Tennessee.
To clinch a first-round bye: 1) Win AND Pittsburgh loss or tie AND Oakland loss; 2) Win AND Pittsburgh loss or tie AND Tennessee loss; 3) Win AND Tennessee loss AND Oakland loss AND Miami wins strength of victory tiebreaker over Oakland and Tennessee.
To clinch a playoff spot: 1) N.Y. Jets loss or tie AND Denver win; 2) N.Y. Jets loss or tie AND Kansas City loss or tie.

New England Patriots: Can clinch AFC East division: 1) Win AND N.Y. Jets loss or tie.
To clinch a playoff spot: 1) Win AND Cleveland loss or tie AND Denver loss or tie AND Kansas City win; 2) Win AND Cleveland loss or tie AND Denver loss or tie AND San Diego loss or tie; 3) Tie AND N.Y. Jets loss AND Cleveland loss AND Denver loss AND San Diego loss AND Kansas City loss or tie.

New York Jets: Can clinch AFC East division: 1) Win AND Miami loss.
Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win AND Cleveland loss or tie AND Denver win; 2) Win AND Cleveland loss or tie AND Kansas City loss or tie; 3) Tie AND New England loss or tie AND Cleveland loss AND Denver loss or tie AND Kansas City loss AND San Diego loss or tie.

AFC NORTH

Pittsburgh Steelers: Have clinched the AFC North title.
Can clinch home-field advantage: 1) Win AND Tennessee loss AND Oakland loss.
Can clinch a first-round bye: 1) Win AND Tennessee loss; 2) Win AND Oakland loss.

Cleveland Browns: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win AND Denver win AND N.Y. Jets win; 2) Win AND Kansas City loss or tie AND N.Y. Jets win; 3) Win AND Denver win AND Miami win or tie; 4) Win AND Kansas City loss or tie AND Miami win or tie; 5) Tie AND N.Y. Jets loss or tie AND New England loss or tie AND Denver loss or tie AND San Diego loss or tie AND Kansas City loss; 6) New England loss AND N.Y. Jets loss AND Baltimore loss or tie AND Denver loss AND San Diego loss AND Kansas City loss.

Baltimore Ravens: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win AND New England loss AND N.Y. Jets loss AND Cleveland loss AND Denver loss AND San Diego loss AND Kansas City loss.

AFC SOUTH

Tennessee Titans: Have clinched AFC South title.
Can clinch home-field advantage: 1) Win AND Oakland loss or tie; 2) Tie AND Oakland loss; 3) Pittsburgh loss or tie AND Miami win AND Oakland loss AND Tennessee wins on strength of victory tiebreaker over Miami and Oakland.
Can clinch a first-round bye: 1) Win or tie; 2) Miami loss AND Pittsburgh loss or tie; 3) Oakland loss AND Miami win AND Tennessee wins strength of victory tiebreaker over Oakland and Miami.

Indianapolis Colts: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win or tie; 2) New England loss or tie; 3) N.Y. Jets win; 4) Cleveland loss or tie AND Kansas City loss or tie; 5) Cleveland loss or tie AND Denver win.

AFC WEST

OAKLAND Raiders: Have clinched AFC West title.
Can clinch home-field advantage: 1) Win; 2) Tie AND Tennessee loss or tie; 3) Pittsburgh loss or tie AND Tennessee loss AND Miami loss; 4) Pittsburgh loss or tie AND Tennessee loss AND Oakland wins strength of victory tiebreaker over Tennessee and Miami.
Can clinch first-round bye: 1) Tie; 2) Miami loss or tie AND Pittsburgh loss or tie; 3) Miami loss or tie AND Tennessee loss; 4) Tennessee loss AND Oakland wins strength of victory tiebreaker over Tennessee and Miami.

Denver Broncos: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win AND Cleveland loss or tie AND New England loss or tie AND N.Y. Jets loss or tie; 2) Win AND Cleveland loss or tie AND Miami loss AND N.Y. Jets win; 3) Tie AND New England loss or tie AND N.Y. Jets loss AND Cleveland loss AND Kansas City loss or tie AND San Diego loss or tie.

Kansas City Chiefs: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win AND Denver loss or tie AND New England loss or tie; 2) Win AND Denver loss or tie AND Indianapolis win or tie AND N.Y. Jets loss or tie; 3) Win AND Denver loss or tie AND Indianapolis loss AND N.Y. Jets win AND Cleveland win; 4) Tie AND New England loss AND N.Y. Jets loss or tie AND Cleveland loss or tie AND Denver loss AND San Diego loss or tie.

San Diego Chargers: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win AND Denver loss or tie AND Kansas City loss or tie AND New England loss or tie AND N.Y. Jets loss or tie AND Cleveland loss or tie; 2) Win AND Denver loss or tie AND Kansas City loss or tie AND Miami loss AND N.Y. Jets win AND Cleveland loss or tie; 3) Tie AND Denver loss AND Kansas City loss AND New England loss AND N.Y. Jets loss AND Cleveland loss.

NFC EAST

Philadelphia Eagles: Have clinched NFC East title and a first-round bye.
Can clinch home-field advantage: 1) Win; 2) Tie AND Green Bay loss or tie; 3) Green Bay loss.

New York Giants: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win; 2) Tie AND New Orleans loss or tie; 3) New Orleans loss.

NFC NORTH

Green Bay Packers: Have clinched NFC North title.
Can clinch home-field advantage: 1) Win AND Philadelphia loss or tie; 2) Tie AND Philadelphia loss; Can clinch first-round bye: 1) Win or tie; 2) Tampa Bay loss or tie.

NFC SOUTH

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Have clinched NFC South title.
Can clinch first-round bye: 1) Win AND Green Bay loss.

Atlanta Falcons: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win or tie; 2) N.Y. Giants loss or tie; 3) New Orlean loss or tie.

New Orleans Saints: Can clinch playoff spot: 1) Win AND N.Y. Giants loss or tie; 2) Win AND Atlanta loss; 3) Tie AND N.Y. Giants loss.

NFC WEST

49ers: Have clinched NFC West title.

Source

The following teams have been officially eliminated from playoff contention:

Arizona, Buffalo, Carolina, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Minnesota, St. Louis, Seattle and Washington

WEEK 17 SCHEDULE

(all times Eastern Standard Time)

Saturday, Dec. 28 
Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants, 1:30 pm
Kansas City at Oakland, 5:00 pm 
Sunday, Dec. 29 
Atlanta at Cleveland, 1:00 pm
Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 1:00 pm 
Carolina at New Orleans, 1:00 pm
Cincinnati at Buffalo, 1:00 pm 
Dallas at Washington, 1:00 pm
Miami at New England, 1:00 pm 
Minnesota at Detroit, 1:00 pm
Tennessee at Houston, 1:00 pm 
Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 4:05 pm
Arizona at Denver, 4:15 pm 
Green Bay at N.Y. Jets, 4:15 pm
Seattle at San Diego, 4:15 pm 
Tampa Bay at Chicago, 8:30 pm  
Monday, Dec. 30 
San Francisco at St. Louis, 9:00 pm  

POSTSEASON

Wild-Card Weekend 
Saturday, Jan. 4
AFC or NFC game, 4:30 pm on ABC
AFC or NFC game, 8:00 pm on ABC 
Sunday, Jan. 5
AFC game, 1:00 pm on CBS
NFC game, 4:30 pm on FOX 
Divisional Playoffs 
Saturday, Jan. 11
AFC game, 4:30 pm on CBS
NFC game, 8:00 pm on FOX
Sunday, Jan. 12
NFC game, 1:00 pm on FOX
AFC game, 4:30 pm on CBS 
Conference Championships 
Sunday, Jan. 19
NFC Championship Game, 3:00 pm on FOX
AFC Championship Game, 6:30 pm on CBS 
Super Bowl XXXVII 
Sunday, Jan. 26
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
6:00 pm on ABC 

[Skooz]

Another Chiefs fan!

Oh well, another year. With a little D the Chiefs can make it to the Super Bowl next year. I really believe that.

Next year.........

[Let's Roll]

You're killin' me here. I'm really a Cowboy fan, Packers #2.

[dtel]

Dear Mike,
Please remove my name from the stadium.
Love,
Dad

[dtel]

Did you notice how Janikowski took the ball from the ref and then rolled it around in the glop before kicking it?
Pretty heady play.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Didn't notice that, but sounds like a good plan.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

That Raiders , Chiefs game was painful to watch.

Go Chiefs, next year!

[Chi-townChief]

Hmmmmm ..... looks like the plot persists in thickening.

[h-roark]

Hey Chief- Dub and Counter I have now seen a couple of websites after the Chiefs loss indicating that if the beloved Brownies win tomorrow they are in? True?

Happy holidays!

[Chi-townChief]

I think the Browns will still need help from the Jets or Fins but it's starting to look better - gotta get that win against the Falcons, though!! GO BROWNS!!!

[BraveMan]

Lambeau Field At A Glance

Dedicated: Sept. 29, 1957, Green Bay 21, Chicago Bears 17.

Capacity: 66,110 in 2002... 60,890 in 2001... 71,500 in 2003 (approximately)... 32,500 in 1957 (original seating)

Original name: "City Stadium" (new City Stadium)

Original Cost: $960,000 (paid off in 1978)

Redevelopment Cost: $295 million (2001-03)

Renamed: Rededicated as Lambeau Field Sept. 11, 1965, following death of Curly Lambeau the previous June.

Owner: City of Green Bay and Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District (operated/maintained by the team).

Field: Installed in May 2002, the surface is a Kentucky bluegrass hybrid (40% Princeton 105, 30% midnight, 20% aelphi, 10% touchtone). The sod sits atop a 3-6 inch soil foundation (Level 2), which includes columns of USGA-grade sand that promote drainage and maintain the grass through rain and snow. Beneath the soil is a 10-inch bed of sand (Level 3) atop a heating pipe network. Providing the base (Level 4) is a 4-inch bed of pea gravel and a drainage blanket.

Soil Warming System: Installed in 1997 to replace original system, installed by Vince Lombardi for 1967 season (failed during the Ice Bowl); current system contains more than 30 miles of radiant heating pipe, which maintains a root-zone temperature of 70-plus degrees during winter months.

Location: 1265 Lombardi Ave., southwest Green Bay.

Largest Crowd: 64,196 vs. Chicago Bears, Dec. 1, 2002.

NFL Championship Games: Three (1961, 1965 and 1967).

Packers All-Time Lambeau Record (1957-2001):
Regular Season: 134-82-4 (.618)
Postseason: 11-0-0 (1.000)
Overall: 143-82-4 (.633)

[Chi-townChief]

Found it !! From espn.com:

Cleveland clinches a playoff spot:
1. A win, Denver win and N.Y. Jets win;
2. A win and N.Y. Jets win;
3. A win, Denver win and Miami win or tie;
4. A win, and Miami win or tie;
5. A tie, N.Y. Jets loss or tie, New England loss or tie, Denver loss or tie, and San Diego loss or tie;
OR a loss, N.Y. Jets loss, Baltimore loss or tie, Denver loss, and San Diego loss.

*There are other scenarios in which Cleveland can clinch a playoff berth if it is determined that after this week's games they will own the strength of victory tiebreaker over the teams they are tied with.

Here's the page:
http://msn.espn.go.com/nfl/news/2002/1203/1470397.html

[CounterCounterCulture]

According to ESPN, the Indianapolis Colts have now clinched a playoff spot (wildcard) due to the Raiders knocking out the Chiefs.

[timestax]

Too bad the Brownies don't get to play the Cincinnati Bengals again, eh!!

[CounterCounterCulture]

Just think, if Dwayne Rudd hadn't thrown that helmet at the end of that first game against KC, the Browns would have been in the driver's seat. Now they need help.

[PRND21]

Go Colts Go

[Chi-townChief]

I can think of at least (3) more:

- The missed field goal in OT in the first Pittsburgh game.
- The interception of the go-ahead TD pass at the end of the first Baltimore game.
- The incompletion in the end zone at the end of the Indy game.

But, as they say: "Dem's da breaks!"

[mr.pink]

Thanks for kicking off such a fun thread. Hope you make it a weekly thing during the playoffs.

Congrats on the Raider win, hope my Steelers are the ones who turn up in the Coliseum for the divisional round.

[mr.pink]

One more thing.....this year, the most valuable Woodson on the Raiders isn't named Charles. I think you could make a case for RW as team defensive MVP.

[CounterCounterCulture]

But, as they say: "Dem's da breaks!"

And another saying goes "Woulda Coulda Shoulda." I sure heard that enough after the (T)uck Rule Game. ;-)

[BuddhaBoy]

Great Choice.

Raiders all the way, especially after the way they were robbed by the Patriots last year.