Here ... is my pipe dream.

"Zero2Cool" wrote:

The announcers mentioned that there is a scenario that the Packers could win and still not make the playoffs. They said that the possibility of it is so remote not to even worry about but I was just wondering what it might be. Maybe someone smarter than I am could expand on this.


edit: Thanks for adding this to the proper thread Z2C. I knew this would have been commented on but just didn't find it soon enough.

"azrunning" wrote:

"azrunning" wrote:

Update: On Monday morning the NFL updated its website regarding the Green Bay Packers' playoff chances.

After earlier stating that the Packers could win against Chicago Sunday and miss the playoffs (see below ) now when you go the NFL website's playoff explainer here and click on "Green Bay Packers" it says:

"Pretty simple math for the Packers: Win in Week 17 vs. Chicago and they're in. If they get in, they could be the most dangerous No. 6 seed in recent history."

Apparently, the NFL's playoff formula and tiebreakers are so complicated even the league can't necessarily figure it all out.

The NFL website also says the Packers can clinch with a loss and losses by the New York Giants and Tampa Bay.

If you thought all the Green Bay Packers had to do was beat the Chicago Bears Sunday and they were in the playoffs, you were mistaken.

If the Packers win on Sunday, "only a odd alignment of planets would keep them out" of the playoffs, the NFL says on its website. That info comes up when you click on "Green Bay Packers" on the NFL's playoff explainer here .

No further details were provided, but presumably the answer is somewhere in the NFL's intricate tiebreaking procedures .

It is possible for there to be up to a four-way tie at 10-6 between Green Bay, the New York Giants, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. New Orleans plays Atlanta on Monday night, New Orleans and Tampa play on Sunday and the Giants play Washington.

The Green Bay-Chicago game on Sunday at Lambeau Field will be at 3:15 p.m. and televised by FOX, the NFL announced Sunday night.

The St. Louis Rams-Seattle Seahawks game that will decide the NFC West champion will be the Sunday night game on NBC at 7:20.

Here is where you can see the entire schedule for Sunday.

Here are the rules for flexible scheduling that explains how the teams ended up playing at what times on Sunday.

The Bears have locked up the NFC North title, and will be the No. 2 seed and gain a first-round bye if Philadelphia loses its delayed game against Minnesota on Tuesday or loses on Sunday or if the Bears beat the Packers

1 Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
2 Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3 Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4 Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5 Strength of victory.