PFT: Week 16 playoff scenarios - Cowboys can clinch

Week 16 playoff scenarios

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 16, 2014, 10:12 AM EST

Four teams have already clinched playoff berths, and in Week 16 eight more teams have the ability to clinch. Here’s how the playoff scenarios look for Week 16:

AFC

CLINCHED: New England – AFC East, Denver – AFC West, Indianapolis – AFC South

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (at New York Jets)

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with a win and a Denver loss.

New England clinches a first-round bye with a win or losses by the Colts, Bengals, Steelers and Ravens.

DENVER BRONCOS (at Cincinnati)

Denver clinches a first-round bye with a win.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (vs. Denver)

Cincinnati clinches the AFC North with a win, a Pittsburgh loss and a Baltimore loss.

Cincinnati clinches a playoff spot with a win or losses by the Chiefs, Chargers and Bills.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (vs. Kansas City)

Pittsburgh clinches a playoff spot with a win.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (at Houston)

Baltimore clinches a playoff spot with a win and losses by the Steelers and Bengals, or losses by the Chiefs and Chargers.

NFC

CLINCHED: Arizona – playoff spot

ARIZONA CARDINALS (vs. Seattle)

Arizona clinches NFC West and home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with a win.

DETROIT LIONS (at Chicago)

Detroit clinches NFC North with a win and a Packers loss.

Detroit clinches a first-round bye with a win, a Packers loss and a Cowboys loss.

Detroit clinches a playoff spot with a win or an Eagles loss.

DALLAS COWBOYS (vs. Indianapolis)

Dallas clinches NFC East with a win and an Eagles loss.

Dallas clinches a playoff spot with a win and losses by the Packers and Lions.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (at Arizona)

Seattle clinches a playoff spot with a win and a loss by either the Eagles, the Lions or the Packers. Seattle also clinches a playoff spot if the Eagles lose and the Cowboys win.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (at Tampa Bay)

Green Bay clinches a playoff spot with a win and either an Eagles loss or a Cowboys win. If the Eagles lose and the Cowboys win, Green Bay clinches a playoff spot even with a loss.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (vs. Atlanta)

New Orleans clinches the NFC South with a win and a Panthers loss.

I still will not believe it until it happens...it is fucked up to have to think like that, but whatevs.

Iamtdg said:

DALLAS COWBOYS (vs. Indianapolis)

Dallas clinches NFC East with a win and an Eagles loss.

Dallas clinches a playoff spot with a win and losses by the Packers and Lions.

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Detroit is playing Chicago, Green Bay is playing Tampa, and the Eagles are playing Washington. While we play the Colts.

It's not looking good for a clinch this weekend.

I thought the NFL re-did schedules so division games closed the season...it should be that way, so basically we should get a bye vs the Colts.

We lose Sunday then we are out, IMO. Just stinks that an 11 win team will miss the playoffs but a 7 win team will get in.

I really don't care about a 7 win team getting in...division winners should be in the playoffs IMO, but should not be guaranteed a home game.

They should get in but its still going to turn my stomach. It doesn't happen often so I can be thankful of that at least. It just so happens that its going to cost the Cowboys this year.

Rev said:

We lose Sunday then we are out, IMO. Just stinks that an 11 win team will miss the playoffs but a 7 win team will get in.

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I could see Philly dropping another game and if they do we are in. It's pretty crazy to think an 11 win team is going to get left at home. Usually you figure 10 wins and you are sure to get a wild card. 9 wins and you have a pretty good shot at making the playoffs. This year however 11 might not even get you in. Yet a team that can't even sniff .500 will be in the playoffs.

Rev said:

They should get in but its still going to turn my stomach. It doesn't happen often so I can be thankful of that at least. It just so happens that its going to cost the Cowboys this year.

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It might wind up costing the Eagles instead.

In a situation like we see with the south this year, I think a division whose best record is a sub .500 record should lose their playoff bid, and a more deserving 11 win team within the conference should receive that bid. Call me crazy, but as it currently stands, it is wrong.

We beat the Colts on Sun. Period.

Indy has looked BAD the last 2 weeks. And they have been carved up by decent QBs all year long. Dallas has tons of momentum from the win in Philly, and everything to play for. I just don't see them dropping this game.

Not after giving themselves the heimlich maneuver in Philly. If they were going to choke-- that was the moment to do it. This team has lots of fight and they can finally run the ball and take some of the pressure off Romo.

To be honest-- the game in Wash worries more than the Colts game.

Hawkeye19 said:

We beat the Colts on Sun. Period.

Indy has looked BAD the last 2 weeks. And they have been carved up by decent QBs all year long. Dallas has tons of momentum from the win in Philly, and everything to play for. I just don't see them dropping this game.

Not after giving themselves the heimlich maneuver in Philly. If they were going to choke-- that was the moment to do it. This team has lots of fight and they can finally run the ball and take some of the pressure off Romo.

To be honest-- the game in Wash worries more than the Colts game.

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That's why this weekend I'm going to become a huge Redskins fan for a day.

Iamtdg said:

That's why this weekend I'm going to become a huge Redskins fan for a day.

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Httr!

NoDak said:

Detroit is playing Chicago, Green Bay is playing Tampa, and the Eagles are playing Washington. While we play the Colts.

It's not looking good for a clinch this weekend.

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Yep. This team has taught me not to even bother checking until week 17 is over.

Hawkeye19 said:

To be honest-- the game in Wash worries more than the Colts game.

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It shouldn't. The stars are aligning for the Colts.

Dallas needs its running game more than ever, but DeMarco Murray, Zach Martin, and Doug Free are all hurt. This is reminding me of the way 2007 finished with TO and Andre Gurode going down.

AT&T Stadium has perfect passing conditions and gives Dallas a home field disadvantage.

Dallas can't cover receivers and can't rush the passer. TY Hilton is uncoverable and Andrew Luck has only been slowed by strong, consistent pass rushes.

Yes there's this story about how Hilton might be out with a hammy. Complete bullshit.

Logically Indy should rest Hilton away at an NFC opponent with the AFC South clinched, but these are the Dallas Cowboys and on CBS' national game there couldn't be a stronger showcase for Luck and the Colts in general.

p1_ said:

In a situation like we see with the south this year, I think a division whose best record is a sub .500 record should lose their playoff bid, and a more deserving 11 win team within the conference should receive that bid. Call me crazy, but as it currently stands, it is wrong.

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Crazy.


You are punishing them for the other teams in their division sucking more. Take away the home game for them at best but you still have to award them for sucking less.

ravidubey said:

Yep. This team has taught me not to even bother checking until week 17 is over.

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Doesn't have anything to do with "this team". We can beat the Colts. It'll be a tough game, and Luck is a hard QB to defend, but we're capable of beating them.

I was talking more along the lines of while we have a tough matchup, the other three teams are playing the dregs of the NFL.

ravidubey said:

It shouldn't. The stars are aligning for the Colts.

AT&T Stadium has perfect passing conditions and gives Dallas a home field disadvantage.

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Open the roof, Jerry! Buy another TV later.

Rev said:

Crazy.

You are punishing them for the other teams in their division sucking more. Take away the home game for them at best but you still have to award them for sucking less.

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Sub-500 teams should not make it. Period. Divisional suckage in general drives me crazy.

I fucking hate that the goddamned Patriots have had a cakewalk for most of the last 15-20 years. Dolphins, Bills, and Jets. Which New England native came up with that hopeless lineup?

Granted, weak divisions helped make the Steelers and Cowboys of the 70's and 49ers of the 80's into dynasties, but the main criterion for becoming dynasty should not be division hopelessness like it was for San Francisco.

That's what makes the 90's Cowboys stand head and shoulders above all others, IMO. They emerged from a division that had just produced the last two Superbowl champions and four of the previous six. The Eagles team they had to beat twice every year could have beaten anyone in the league, and they were the division's 4th best.

Look at the 49ers go down in flames now that their division is even a bit competitive after having dominated it in 2011. They are out and wondering about both their QB and HC.

Carp said:

I really don't care about a 7 win team getting in...division winners should be in the playoffs IMO, but should not be guaranteed a home game.

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Yea, I agree with both points.

It sucks that a shitty team with a losing record will make it in this year, but if you take automatic bids away from division winners, then you have to create a new system to get that final participant in and then it can get tricky.

The system is fine the way it is and these instances don't occur very often. Now, as Carp pointed out, a division winner shouldn't just be guaranteed a home game if they are as bad as the NFC South winner is going to be.