ATL Week 16

[whatthe_buck!?]

Alright guys, it took me a sec to get this figured out but here it is, this is the absolute best case scenario (achieved two different ways) for the Packers making the Playoffs:

Optimal Playoff path number one and how achieved:
The most important factor in achieving optimal playoff positioning is avoiding the Niners. The way that occurs is by getting the 4 seed while the niners get the 6 seed or the 3 while the niners get the 5. Getting the 4 means the eagles win out, and then since the Panthers AND the saints own the head to head tiebreaker over the niners they both have to finish with at least as good a record. The problem is that although both the Panthers and Saints have identical records to the niners as of now, the Niners have two games left they should probably win (against the Falcons and the Cards) and the Panthers have to play the Saints this week so one of them is guaranteed at least one loss (unless they tie, which would actually be ideal lol). That being the case, for us to get the 4 and for the Niners to get the 6 we have to hope the niners lose one of their last two games, that the Eagles win out, and that the loser of the saints-panthers this week wins their week 17 game. To make this scenario even better, the saints are the team I would want to lose this week but then still beat out the Niners for the 5th seed with a niners loss in one of their last two games. It would set up a playoff path that would hopefully look like this:

Round 1- Saints at home
Round 2- (assuming the Niners beat the Eagles, which they definitely will) the Panthers in Carolina
Round 3: Either the Seahawks in Seattle or, hopefully, the Niners at Lambeau

Optimal playoff path number two and how achieved:
In this scenario we are looking for the 3rd seed while the Niners end up slotted in the 5th spot. This scenario I believe is more likely between the two I propose here. It is also much preferred by me to scenario #1 above because it guarantees we won't have to face the Seahawks in round 2 coming off 2 weeks rest. Basically the Eagles have to lose one to either the Bears or the Cowboys and the niners have to win their last two. That's it. So if it happens that way this is our playoff path:

Round 1: Saints/Panthers at home
Round 2: Saints/Panthers on the road
Round 3: Seattle in Seattle or niners/Eagles/cowboys at home
*crosses fingers*

Anyway one last thing just as a warning, one externality that could occur based on the latter scenario is me rooting for the bears this Sunday night. If the Packers win (rendering a win or loss to Philly irrelevant for the Bears as far as playoff positioning for the Bears vs the Packers) then im seriously going to be rooting for the Bears as a bears win will knock the Eagles out of the 3 seed and allow us to sit in that spot and hope the Niners win their last two. I hope it doesn't come to that but if it does Im gonna do the smart thing and cheer the bears all the way to the finish...