macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
14 years ago

Conventional wisdom, for what its worth, says the Packers will lose to the New England Patriots this weekend, and the Chicago Bears will beat the quarterback-challenged Minnesota Vikings.

That will hand the Bears the NFC North title no matter what happens in the final two weeks of the season. But it doesnt eliminate the Packers from a playoff berth.

Here is a reasonable scenario that would allow the Packers to qualify for the playoffs as a wild-card team, even if they lose to the Patriots.

*The Packers would have to win their final two games at home against the Giants and Bears, which would give them a 10-6 record.

*Either the Giants or Eagles would have to lose two of their final three games. The Giants schedule: Philadelphia, at Green Bay, at Washington. The Eagles schedule: at New York Giants, Minnesota, Dallas. The Packers best chance would be for the Giants to lose to the Eagles this week, then lose to the Packers next week at Lambeau Field. Assuming the Giants win their season finale against the Redskins, they would finish 10-6.

*Tampa Bay would have to lose one of its final three games. The Bucs schedule: Detroit, Seattle, at New Orleans. If that happens the Buccaneers would finish 10-6.

If all of the above occurs, the Packers, Giants and Bucs would be locked in a three-way tie at 10-6 and be fighting for the final NFC wild-card berth. This assumes New Orleans (10-3) would claim the other wild-card berth as the No. 5 seed. Here would be the criteria to break the three-way tie for the final wild-card spot:

1. Head-to-head. This is not applicable since none of the three teams has beaten the other two, and none of the three teams has lost to the other two. The Bucs have played neither the Giants nor the Packers this season. The Packers projected head-to-head victory over the Giants would only apply in a two-way tiebreaker.

2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference. The Packers, Giants and Bucs would all finish with 8-4 records against NFC opponents.

3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four. This is not applicable because the minimum of four common games is not met. The only common opponents that the Packers, Giants and Bucs share: Washington and Detroit.

4. Strength of victory. This measures the combined records of vanquished opponents, and the Packers currently hold a significant advantage in this category. The combined record of the teams the Packers have beaten, including projected wins over the Giants and Bears, currently stands at 61-70. The Giants are next with a 51-79 record, followed by the Bucs at 45-86 (assuming a best-case scenario for Tampa Bay). Results over the final three weeks of the season will affect the final strength of victory records, but it would be difficult for the Giants or Bucs to make up that much ground on the Packers.

Thus, the Packers would qualify as the No. 6 seed in the NFC and play their first game on the road against the No. 3 seed, which very likely could be the Bears.

One other tiebreaker scenario to consider:

What happens if the Giants beat the Eagles this week and go on to claim the NFC East crown, leaving the Eagles, Packers and Bucs locked in a three-way tie for the final wild-carth berth? First, the Eagles would have to lose one of their final two home games, against either Minnesota or Dallas, to finish 10-6. If that happens, the Eagles would have a 7-5 conference record, compared to the Packers and Bucs 8-4 records against NFC opponents. With the Eagles dropping off, that would leave the Packers and Bucs fighting it out for the final berth, and in this two-team scenario the common opponents record would apply. Assuming the Bucs beat the Lions this week, they would hold a 3-2 record against common opponents (Atlanta, San Francisco, Washington and Detroit) compared to the Packers 2-3 record against those same teams, and that would give the nod to the Bucs. If the Bucs lose to the Lions but finish 10-6, both the Packers and Bucs would have the same common opponents record, and strength of victory would then determine the tiebreaker and would likely give the Packers the edge.

'GBPressGazette Insiders Blog' wrote:



I'm not writing off the Patriots game, but it's nice to realize we have some reasonable scenarios to make the playoffs, even if we lose to the Pats (e.g., Eagles beat the Giants and the Saints beat the Bucs, and the Packers win out against the Giants and Bears).
Greg C.
14 years ago
That's not as bad as I thought. Thanks for posting it.
blank
Cheesey
14 years ago
Still, any losses by us may do us in.
Having to depend on other teams to decide your fate is not a good place to be.
The Packers of course put themselves in that position. If they want to be more then "pretenders" they need to win all 3 of their final games.
UserPostedImage
RaiderPride
14 years ago
Great information. Thank you macbob.

However, beating the Pats would go a great way. Not only to increase the odds of making the playoffs, but to develop confidence within the team and build momentum.

I personally do not want this team to back into the playoffs. I want them to barge through and take it.
""People Will Probably Never Remember What You Said, And May Never Remember What You Did. However, People Will Always Remember How You Made Them Feel."
Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago
Funny. I posted that exact scenario several days ago, and several people scoffed.

Ah, well, a prophet is not without honor except in his own country. 😉
UserPostedImage
RaiderPride
14 years ago

Funny. I posted that exact scenario several days ago, and several people scoffed.

Ah, well, a prophet is not without honor except in his own country. ;)

"Nonstopdrivel" wrote:



You are a prophet Nonstop... A prophet with honor.

Just because you make your predictions and then DO NOT disappear.

Unlike Punxutawany Phil..... The prophet who makes his prediction then disappears for another year. Someone, please kill that fricken rodent.
""People Will Probably Never Remember What You Said, And May Never Remember What You Did. However, People Will Always Remember How You Made Them Feel."
Pack93z
14 years ago

Funny. I posted that exact scenario several days ago, and several people scoffed.

Ah, well, a prophet is not without honor except in his own country. ;)

"Nonstopdrivel" wrote:



They (I) didn't scoff.. I simply think that it isn't the best scenario for the Packers to make the playoff.. you know sitting everyone and pretending this is a like a bye.

Like the pass rush for the Giants is going to give Rodgers and the offense an easier time that a soft Pats defense.

Personally I would rather win this game and give us other opportunities to make the dance.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago
It was not you to whom I was referring. I was referring to those who insisted we had to win out to make the playoffs.

I'd rather win out. I don't like the idea of sitting key starters. But I like the idea of losing our star quarterback for the rest of the season even less. I hope he's ready to go, but if he isn't, he's earned his rest.
UserPostedImage
macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
With Tampa Bay losing to Detroit, and NYG losing to Philadelphia, our playoff hopes got a shot in the arm.

Bucs lost one of their final 3. We need to beat the Giants next weekend, and one other (Bears or Patriots) and we would be in. We're back to controlling our own destiny.
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Zero2Cool (17m) : The only team I know is Texas from that. Who are the other three?
Mucky Tundra (1h) : Notre Lame vs Pedo St tonight and the Luckeyes vs Texas tomorrow
Mucky Tundra (1h) : Stud
Zero2Cool (3h) : E. Cooper. Rookie of Month. Defense.
Mucky Tundra (8-Jan) : @AaronNagler · 2m Both Jordan Love and Malik Willis were Limited participants at Packers practice today.
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : Johnson didn't make it until 2020. Ring 2023. 🤷 Personally, he should have been in years prior to Hall.
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : HUMP DAY
beast (8-Jan) : Guys that have a good shot at making the NFL Hall of Fame usually get into their teams pretty fast
beast (8-Jan) : Yeah, but is Kampman and the others in the NFL Hall of Fame?
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : Johnson was Hall of Fame, 2020. Should haev been in Ring a year later, not three years.
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : I could be wrong there though
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : Guys like Kampman, Tim Harris, Al Harris, etc all over 15 years. Hall of Fame is 5 year wait
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : I guess I see players in Packers Hall come way later
beast (8-Jan) : Yeah, usually teams hall of fames are a much lower bar than the NFL
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : is it uncommon for Hall before Ring?
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : S Xavier McKinney named first-team All-Pro by NFLPA
beast (8-Jan) : I missed it, sorry, but he got into the NFL Hall of Fame years before that
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : Jones took his sweet ole time!
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : Yeah, he's in the ring of honor, just saw video and his name is up there
Zero2Cool (8-Jan) : Didn't they have a thing in 2023 for Jimmy's ring of honor? I swear I saw it
beast (8-Jan) : Though if they're legitimately trying to re-sign MM, then it makes sense.
beast (8-Jan) : Jerry Jones still hasn't put Jimmy Johnson in the Ring of Honor, but he's in the NFL's Hall of Fame, Jones is petty
Mucky Tundra (8-Jan) : Unless the Cowboys are planning an extension, seems kinda petty
beast (8-Jan) : Cowboys denied Bears request
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : From what I'm reading, MM is under contract through the 14th of January; after that he's free game
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : McCarthy let go or not extended??
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Chicago Bears have asked the Dallas Cowboys permission to interview Mike McCarthy for head coaching vacancy
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : The winners page that is
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : I was not hoping for that. It messes up the page lol
beast (6-Jan) : Thank you, and I was really opening we were going to get 4 or more tied for the top 3.
beast (6-Jan) : Thank you, and I was really opening we were going to get 4 or more tied for the top 3.
beast (6-Jan) : Thank you, and I was really opening we were going to get 4 or more tied for the top 3
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : congrats beast on 2024 !
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : congrats porky on winning 2023 pick'em! (oops sorry)
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : Packers have $60M+ of 2025 cap space on paper TODAY.
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Missed FG into a Lions TD; that'll do pig, that'll do
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : That might be it for the Vikings
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Oh so the refs do know what intentional grounding is
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : what the hell was that Goff?! Not much pressure and he just air mails it to Harrison
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : They really need to to get rid of the auto first down for illegal contact
Martha Careful (6-Jan) : watching the Vikings and Lions it's understandable why they swept the Packers. So much better product
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Even when GB got pressure he was throwing darts; vs no pressure on that last pass he just air mails an open guy
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : didn't have guys in his face ... pressure makes difference
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Where was this Darnold vs GB?
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : BALL DON'T LIE
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : how was that not a safety? Goff throws it at an offensive lineman
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Zero, I thought that was a given! ;)
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Zero I looked through earlier and noticed the same thing. Bonkers year. I just wonder if beast put any money on games
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : I'm hoping for BLOODBATH. Pummel one another.
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : 8 people in pick'em would have won any year with their total lol
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