Playoff Picture - Standings & Key Fixtures

Paully D

Well, with two weeks to go and quite a tight playoff race in some aspects, it's time to look at how things are shaping up going into the final week.

First, the AFC.

AFC North:

Browns 11-3
Bengals 10-3
Ravens 6-7
Steelers 0-13

AFC South:

Texans 14-0
Colts 10-4
Titans 8-6
Dreams 1-13

AFC East:

Patriots 10-4
Bills 7-6
Jets 4-10
Dolphins 4-8

AFC West:

Chargers 14-0
Broncos 4-9
Chiefs 3-9
Raiders 3-11

Texans, Patriots and Chargers have their divisions and playoff spots locked up. One game separates the Bengals and Browns in the North. Regardless, it looks like the loser of the divisional battle between the Bengals and Browns will join the Colts in the wildcard, though the Titans will be hoping to take advantage of any Colts slip-ups.

Key AFC Fixtures:

Week 16 - Colts @ Browns, Redskins @ Bengals, Broncos @ Titans
Week 17 - Dreams @ Colts, Bengals @ Raiders, Browns @ Ravens, Lions @Titans

TV networks are predicting the week 16 clash between the Colts @ Browns as their "Game of the AFC" from the remaining fixtures.

Predicted playoff teams:

Texans & Chargers (top 2 seeds), Patriots, Bengals, Browns, Colts

Now, the NFC.

NFC North:

Bears 8-6
Packers 7-7
Lions 6-7
Vikings 5-8

NFC South:

Buccaneers 12-2
Saints 10-4
Falcons 8-6
Panthers 5-9

NFC East:

Redskins 10-4
Eagles 8-6
Giants 5-9
Cowboys 2-12

NFC West:

Seahawks 11-2
49ers 8-5
Rams 1-12
Cardinals 1-11

Seahawks, Buccaneers and Redskins look to have secured their divisions and with it, playoff spots, though the Eagles will be confident of pushing the Redskins to the final whistle of the regular season. The battle for top spot in the North is an intriguing one, with the new Packers GM pushing the Bears all the way. The wildcard spots are going to come down to the Saints, Falcons, Eagles/Redskins and Bears/Packers, with the NFC South having a good chance of sending three teams to the playoff dance.

Key NFC Fixtures:

Week 16 - Saints @ Panthers, Eagles @ Falcons, Packers @ Dreams, Cardinals @ Bears
Week 17 - Falcons @ Panthers, Buccaneers @ Saints, Vikings @ Packers, Redskins @ Eagles, Bears @ Texans

TV networks are calling the week 17 clash between the Redskins and Eagles as their "Game of the NFC" from the remaining fixtures.

Predicted playoff teams:

Seahawks & Buccaneers (top 2 seeds), Redskins, Bears, Saints, Eagles

Overall, some huge games to come over the next couple of weeks!

helimachoptor

WORST COMMISH AND PALAYER EVER

SIm the week and lose
Play the cpu and lose :pac:

I did myself out of the play offs!

PADRAIC.M

Nice work paully!

Paully D

So with wins for the Colts, Bengals, Titans, Saints, Packers, Bears and Eagles in the key week 16 games, where does that leave us going into the final week of the regular season?

AFC:

There's nothing left to play for in terms of spots in the AFC as all playoff spots have been locked up. The Chargers and Texans take the top two seeds and receive first round byes, while the Bengals and Patriots progress as division winners, joining the Colts and Browns in the playoffs.

Seeding, however, is up for grabs in the AFC and the matchups for the Wildcard Weekend could change as a result of week 17 games.

NFC:

Unlike the AFC, there's quite a bit at stake in the NFC with only 3 playoff spots of 6 locked in. They are the Buccaneers and Seahawks as #1 and #2 seeds, with the Saints in the wildcard. Two divisions are left to be decided (the NFC North and NFC East) and only one game separates the Redskins (10-6), Eagles (9-6) and Bears (9-6).

The clash between the Eagles and Redskins looks absolutely mouthwatering and has a lot at stake. An Eagles win would give them the division (by virtue of tiebreaker because of a 38-35 win against the Redskins in week 14), while a Redskins win would give them the division and then the Eagles would be waiting on the results of the NFC North teams to determine if they'd get a wildcard on 9-7.

In the NFC North, the tiebreaker comes down to divisional record as the Bears and Packers are 1-1 vs each other this season. The Packers would be expected to beat the CPU Vikings which would give them a divisional record of 4-2, compared to the Bears 3-3. This means that, most likely, if my calculations are correct, that the Bears need to get the win against the 15-0 Texans to win the division. This task could be made a lot easier if the Texans decide to rest starters ahead of the playoffs, but with a bye coming up, the lure of a perfect season may prove too much for the Texans to resist.

After that, it gets too complicated for me to calculate regarding the tiebreakers for the last wildcard spot. :pac:

In short, Redskins @ Eagles, Bears @ Texans and Vikings @ Packers is where it's all happening this gameweek!

Pudsy33

Does anyone have any idea if a loss puts me out or what?

Edit: it seems a Texans win would see me through in the second wildcard spot?

Knex*

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Does anyone have any idea if a loss puts me out or what?

You'd be 10-6, so you'll get a wildcard.

Pudsy33

A bears win might move me out though?

Knex*

Pudsy33 wrote: »

A bears win might move me out though?

Hmm. Could be right there. Had it in my head you were through regardless.

Paully, sort this out there, chap :pac:

adrian522

We need the EPSN playoff machine. In July.

Paully D

Pudsy33 wrote: »

A bears win might move me out though?

It goes on head-to-head to separate two wildcard teams that have the same record. You didn't play each other, so next step is common games played within conference.

As you're both NFC, you're 8-3 in the NFC and the Bears are 7-4. The Bears have finished their NFC games now as they play the Texans in week 17 so you'd win based on that.

I think

Knex*

Paully D wrote: »

It goes on head-to-head to separate two wildcard teams that have the same record. You didn't play each other, so next step is common games played within conference.

As you're both NFC, you're 8-3 in the NFC and the Bears are 7-4. The Bears have finished their NFC games now as they play the Texans in week 17 so you'd win based on that.

I think

That's cleared it up nicely. So, what Paully is saying, Pudsy, is put yourself on Auto and let me play cpu :pac:

Pudsy33

Knowing EA like I do, the tie breaking system will be so messed up that they'll probably kick us all out and somehow put the LA Dreams into the playoffs.

Pudsy33

Me and Knex playing now, pretty sure the CPU Niners will beat the loser to a wildcard

Pudsy33

Hammered by knex. By my calculations, a win for the Niners against the cardinals puts me out and them in. **** this game :mad:

PerrinV2

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Hammered by knex. By my calculations, a win for the Niners against the cardinals puts me out and them in. **** this game :mad:

I think Madden treats a draw as a loss(at least from what I've seen in GM mode) so should they win ye'll be level but with the skins having a better conference record

Paully D

Does anyone know the matchups (if any are guaranteed yet) for the Wildcard Weekend games? I'm away from the Xbox so can't check. Cheers.

guns4all

All fixtures are guesses only (subject to change)

AFC WILDCARD ROUND
Bengals v Patriots
Colts v Browns

NFC WILDCARD ROUND
Saints v Redskins/Eagles (Eagles with better divisional record don't know about H2H)
Eagles/Redskins v Bears/49ers (if 9ers win against Cards and they are in)

Raoul

guns4all wrote: »

All fixtures are guesses only (subject to change)

AFC WILDCARD ROUND
Bengals v Patriots
Colts v Browns

NFC WILDCARD ROUND
Saints v Redskins/Eagles (Eagles with better divisional record don't know about H2H)
Eagles/Redskins v Bears/49ers (if 9ers win against Cards and they are in)

I thought I was fine without a doubt. Come on cards! !