| RolStoppable said: Looks like we could know most of the playoff teams after week 16, similar to last season where we headed into December with lots of still realistic contenders and then had them drop like flies before week 17. Also looks like Green Bay vs. Detroit will be flexed into the primetime slot of week 17. It's basically the only game left where both teams will play for it all. This marks the fourth year in a row where the Packers play for the NFC North title against their direct rival in week 17. In 2013 they toppled the Bears in Chicago, in 2014 they fended off the Lions in Green Bay, in 2015 they fell to the Vikings in Green Bay. If I understood the playoff scenarios correctly, a loss of the Redskins against the Giants would mean that the Packers clinch a playoff berth before their game against Detroit starts. I don't want to root for the Giants though, so the Packers shouldn't even consider to rely on others and instead finish the job. |
Not quite, although it's about as close as imaginable. For anyone interested, here are all the ways all teams left in the race that haven't clinched can make it into the playoffs (to my knowledge). Not taking ties into account because I'm lazy.
AFC
Kansas City (Division): Beat Denver and San Diego + Oakland Loss to Denver
Kansas City (Wild Card): Beat Denver OR Beat San Diego OR any Denver or Miami loss + Pittsburgh beats Baltimore OR any Denver or Miami loss + Pittsburgh losses to Baltimore and Cleveland
Miami: Beat New England OR any Denver loss OR Kansas City losses to Denver and San Diego
Denver: Beat KC and Oakland + Miami loss to New England
Baltimore: Beat Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh (Division): Beat Baltimore OR Beat Cleveland + Baltimore loss to Cincy
Pittsburgh (Wild Card): Loss to Baltimore + Beat Cleveland + Miami Loss to New England OR Loss to Baltimore + Beat Cleveland + Kansas City losses to Denver and San Diego
NFC
Detroit (Division): Beat Green Bay
Detroit (Wild Card): Beat Dallas + Loss to Green Bay OR Losses to Dallas and Green Bay + Washington Loss to New York
Green Bay (Division): Beat Detroit
Green Bay (Wild Card): Loss to Detroit + Washington Loss to New York + Any of the results in the Tampa section don't occur
Washington: Beat New York + Green Bay Loss to Detroit OR Beat New York + Detroit Losses to Dallas and Green Bay
Tampa Bay: Beat Carolina + Kansas City beats Denver + Detroit Loss to Dallas + Green Bay Loss to Detroit + Washington Loss to New York + Dallas beats Philadelphia + San Francisco beats Seattle + Tennessee beats Houston + Indianapolis beats Jacksonville
If anyone's wondering why the last scenario is so convoluted, it's because it would result in Tampa tied with Green Bay for the final wild card spot at 9-7, and just barely edging them out on the Strength of Victory tiebreaker. And I mean barely. If any of those results don't end up happening, Tampa is eliminated.
So to fully respond, Washington losing alone doesn't quite do it, though it would take some crazy bullshit for it to not be enough.
