Playoff Push

[Kerb Hohl]

Just a random thread here as the playoff matchups start to become relevant.

Post your weekly thoughts, schedules, and speculations here.

Here is what I think they will look like by the end of the year:
NFC
1. Saints 14-2
2 Vikings 12-4
3. Cardinals 11-5
4. Cowboys 10-6
5. Packers 10-6
6. Eagles 10-6
_____________
Giants 9-7
Falcons 9-7

AFC
1. Colts 14-2
2 Patriots 12-4
3. Bengals 12-4
4. Chargers 10-6
5. Steelers 10-6
6. Texans 9-7
_____________
Ravens 9-7 (I think they deserve a spot but they have a tough schedule)
Broncos 9-7
Jaguars 8-8

I haven't really speculated on all the tiebreaking scenarios so maybe the Broncos should be looked at over the Texans at 9-7, etc.

Bengals have an interesting 4 guaranteed wins remaining and 2 or 3 really tough games.

Interesting thought on the Queens/Cards. Cards have 2 games coming up they should win. Queens have one more game they should win and then have tough games the rest of the way. I think if Arizona beats Minnesota at home in 3 weeks, then we are probably looking at Minnesota not getting a bye and also possibly facing the Packers in the 3/6 game round 1.

Damn you 49ers D and Hauschka. The Queens as good as they looked against us would still be in the thick of not making the playoffs of those 2 came through.

[Wade-A-Holic]

If it weren't for the fact that the remainder of Carolina's schedule is a murderers row, I would say they could be right there also. They're really playing well since their awful start.

[Aaron It Out]

If that scenario plays out, and we are able to handle the Cowgirls again, that would make for QUITE the interesting matchup in the Divisional round. I've always been told that no team can beat another team three times in one year.

[an_also]

That loss to Tampa is going to bite us in the ass bigtime

[bucks59]

If that scenario plays out, and we are able to handle the Cowgirls again, that would make for QUITE the interesting matchup in the Divisional round. I've always been told that no team can beat another team three times in one year.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... ede6b.html

[Wade-A-Holic]

The games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh are going to be telling for obvious reasons. Both of those teams are fighting for their playoff lives as well, so they will be playoff-intensity games in which we'll find out if we're going to sink or swim.

[Kerb Hohl]

The games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh are going to be telling for obvious reasons. Both of those teams are fighting for their playoff lives as well, so they will be playoff-intensity games in which we'll find out if we're going to sink or swim.

The good thing there is if we're going to lose 2(maybe 3) games to make the playoffs, THOSE are the ones we would choose if we could.

If we lose those 2 and win the rest or lose one more to the Bears, we still have a great conference record and go to the playoffs.

[eagle13]

Its gonna take at least 10-6 for us to make it as WC

[Kerb Hohl]

Its gonna take at least 10-6 for us to make it as WC

Not so sure about that.

Look at the schedules for these teams:

I'll bold the other contending opponents

Atlanta: Giants, Eagles, Saints
Philadelphia: Atlanta, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Denver
Dallas: New York, New Orleans, San Diego, Philidelphia
New York: Atlanta, Philidelphia, Denver, Dallas, Carolina, Minnesota

Either somebody is going to run away with the East and beat those 2nd place teams down to 9-7 or they are going to beat eachother up and go 9-7/10-6 and have worse conference records than Green Bay.

Meanwhile, we don't really have a tough NFC opponent left aside from the Bears and the Cardinals in what will most likely be a meaningless game for them.

So even if we go 9-7, our conference record and tiebreaker over Dallas will be huge. I'm just assuming if we lose it will be to Baltimore/Pittsburgh.

[Kerb Hohl]

So let's imagine this scenario:
Atlanta finishes 9-7. Lose to Philly, NY, NO
Dallas finishes 10-6. Lose to New York, NO, San Diego. Beats Philly.
New York finishes 9-7: Lose to Philly, Minnesota, Carolina
Philidelphia finishes 11-5: Lose to Dallas. Wins out.

I don't know, random scenario I have with only 1 "upset" loss. You could paint 1000 of those scenarios but all we need is 2 of those 4 teams to lose 7 and considering they all play each other which means they'll have 5 or 6 losses without even counting their other games, I think 9-7 could definitely do it so long as the losses are to AFC teams.

[an_also]

Charles Robinson of yahoo sports predicts we'll finish 9-7 and grab the final wild card spot.

Green Bay
6. Green Bay Packers (9-7)
Green Bay will qualify for the final wild card with a tiebreaker over Atlanta, thanks to a better record inside the NFC. The mercurial play of the defense is what is going to make the difference in the remaining seven games. The unit was abysmal in back-to-back losses against Minnesota and Tampa Bay, but it turned around with its best game of the season against Dallas. Gaining momentum in the next four weeks against San Francisco, Detroit, Baltimore and Chicago is a must. The Packers will also benefit from a season finale that will likely see the Cardinals resting some of their starters. Beyond the sacks and the defense, the health of linebackers Aaron Kampman(notes) and Brandon Chillar(notes) will be paramount down the stretch.

[Wade-A-Holic]

The games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh are going to be telling for obvious reasons. Both of those teams are fighting for their playoff lives as well, so they will be playoff-intensity games in which we'll find out if we're going to sink or swim.

The good thing there is if we're going to lose 2(maybe 3) games to make the playoffs, THOSE are the ones we would choose if we could.

If we lose those 2 and win the rest or lose one more to the Bears, we still have a great conference record and go to the playoffs.

I was going to respond to this by saying that if we don't play well in those two games, that I won't even care if we get into the playoffs, because those games will show me that we won't be able to do anything when we're there, but then I remember Arizona last year and some of the horrendous beat-downs they took during the regular season, and even late in the season, before catching lightning in a bottle. After the defensive performance I witnessed this past Sunday, nobody can convince me that this team isn't capable of going on a run. I'm not saying it will happen. I'm just saying it's possible.

[humanrefutation]

If that scenario plays out, and we are able to handle the Cowgirls again, that would make for QUITE the interesting matchup in the Divisional round. I've always been told that no team can beat another team three times in one year.

We beat Tampa three times in one season a while back. It's not impossible. I can see us losing to them again.

But, I do recall us sweeping Minnesota in the regular season and losing to them in the wildcard round a few years back, at home. Favre was our QB, and he played horribly. Maybe he can do us a favor and give Minnesota a similar performance if we meet up come playoff time.