There's a real possibility....

[rodell330]

A real possibility that not 1 but 2 11-5 teams miss out on the playoffs this year. My guess is it could be Dallas and Arizona but seeing Seattle and San Francisco both miss out would be just a wonderful feeling..but I think Seattle gets in with either us or Detroit.

 

[PackFanNChiTown]

I believe the Seahawks will be division champs and the Cards will compete for the WC spot. If so they'd win the tiebreaker over Detroit which would eliminate the Lions which wouldn't suck either lol.

 

[melvin dangerr]

A real possibility that not 1 but 2 11-5 teams miss out on the playoffs this year. My guess is it could be Dallas and Arizona but seeing Seattle and San Francisco both miss out would be just a wonderful feeling..but I think Seattle gets in with either us or Detroit.

I believe there was a story about the competition committee meeting to discuss the playoff formats for next year, maybe and end to 500 or under 500 teams making playoffs...

 

[rodell330]

I believe the Seahawks will be division champs and the Cards will compete for the WC spot. If so they'd win the tiebreaker over Detroit which would eliminate the Lions which wouldn't suck either lol.

No it wouldn't lol but I think Arizona as good as they are on defense will fold like a cheap tent and completely miss the playoffs because Stanton isn't any good and neither is that offense. Losing Palmer hurt them big time.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I believe there was a story about the competition committee meeting to discuss the playoff formats for next year, maybe and end to 500 or under 500 teams making playoffs...

The NFL will discuss the playoff format but nothing is expected to be changed regarding teams seeding:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...bility-for-nfl-in-future?campaign=Twitter_atl

 

[7thFloorRA]

They really should create a provision that requires 8 wins to qualify for the playoffs. Its a joke if NO gets a home game at 7-9. This situation has happened what once.....with the Seahawks? Its not like it would happen all that often.

 

[rodell330]

I believe there was a story about the competition committee meeting to discuss the playoff formats for next year, maybe and end to 500 or under 500 teams making playoffs...

Then they would need to eliminate "division winners" all together then. Because 4 teams are automatic playoff contenders if they win the division even if you go 7-9 like a team from the NFC South will probably do this year. Hey I'm all for it. Take the 6 teams with the best records and let them fight it out . This also puts more pressure in teams to bring it every week which means better football.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

They really should create a provision that requires 8 wins to qualify for the playoffs. Its a joke if NO gets a home game at 7-9. This situation has happened what once.....with the Seahawks? Its not like it would happen all that often.

The only time a team under .500 hosted a playoff game was in the 2010 season when the Seahawks defeated the defensing Super Bowl champions Saints (of all teams). I like the way those playoffs ended though so maybe history will repeat itself.

 

[El Guapo]

While the NFL would prefer better competition, they mostly prefer more money. Having a team from all four corners of the US gets them more television revenue. You'd think that more competitive teams in the playoffs would do it but apparently they don't see it that way.

 

[rodell330]

While the NFL would prefer better competition, they mostly prefer more money. Having a team from all four corners of the US gets them more television revenue. You'd think that more competitive teams in the playoffs would do it but apparently they don't see it that way.

Exactly my argument. I don't want to watch a sorry Falcons team play the Seahawks and get murdered. I'd rather watch the Seahawks play Dallas, Philly, Detroit, or even San Fran again.

 

[red4tribe]

I'm hoping the Cardinals can hang onto the division just long enough to keep Seattle as a wildcard or maybe out of the playoffs entirely. If we win out, I'm sure we will get the #1 seed, the Cardinals are falling fast.

 

[rodell330]

It still amazes me that had we lost yesterday we would've dropped to the sixth seed smh. Now all of a sudden we can end up being the 1 seed in our conference. I'm hoping Seattle and San Fran both miss the plAyoffs but I don't see Arizona winning another game unfortunately .

 

[brandon2348]

I wouldn't give up on Arizona just yet even with Stanton as there undefeated at home. They just played two road games and get to go back home against a Kansas City team that is so so away from home. Detroit just went through the same thing and seemed to re-gain themselves with a home game last Thursday.

Also, I don't think Seattle can go in to Philadelphia and beat them. They don't match up well against Philly offense. Seattle's whole game is putting eight guys in the box and forcing teams to throw and that won't work against Philly offense.

The Niners are done. Kaepernick has regressed and they have holes in there secondary.

I still expect Arizona to hold on and win the west.

 

[adambr2]

I put my picks through the rest of the year through the ESPN playoff machine and this is what it gave me. Playoff teams in bold. I've got the 49ers sneaking in at 10-6, and Dallas as the hard luck team home at 10-6. In the AFC I've got San Diego, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Houston all missing out at 9-7.

AFC
AFC EAST CUR PROJ
New England 9-3 13-3
Miami 6-5 10-6
Buffalo 7-5 8-8
NY Jets 2-9 2-14
AFC WEST CUR PROJ
Denver 9-3 12-4
Kansas City 7-5 10-6
San Diego 8-4 9-7
Oakland 1-11 1-15
AFC NORTH CUR PROJ
Cincinnati 8-3-1 9-6-1
Baltimore 7-5 9-7
Pittsburgh 7-5 9-7
Cleveland 7-5 9-7
AFC SOUTH CUR PROJ
Indianapolis 8-4 12-4
Houston 6-6 9-7
Tennessee 2-10 4-12
Jacksonville 2-10 3-13
NFC
NFC EAST CUR PROJ
Philadelphia 9-3 12-4
Dallas 8-4 10-6
NY Giants 3-9 4-12
Washington 3-9 3-13
NFC WEST CUR PROJ
Seattle 8-4 12-4
San Francisco 7-5 10-6
Arizona 9-3 9-7
St. Louis 5-7 8-8
NFC NORTH CUR PROJ
Green Bay 9-3 13-3
Detroit 8-4 11-5
Minnesota 5-7 7-9
Chicago 5-7 5-11
NFC SOUTH CUR PROJ
New Orleans 5-7 9-7
Atlanta 5-7 7-9
Carolina 3-8-1 4-11-1
Tampa Bay 2-10 2-14

 

[brandon2348]

I put my picks through the rest of the year through the ESPN playoff machine and this is what it gave me. Playoff teams in bold. I've got the 49ers sneaking in at 10-6, and Dallas as the hard luck team home at 10-6. In the AFC I've got San Diego, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Houston all missing out at 9-7.

AFC
AFC EAST CUR PROJ
New England 9-3 13-3
Miami 6-5 10-6
Buffalo 7-5 8-8
NY Jets 2-9 2-14
AFC WEST CUR PROJ
Denver 9-3 12-4
Kansas City 7-5 10-6
San Diego 8-4 9-7
Oakland 1-11 1-15
AFC NORTH CUR PROJ
Cincinnati 8-3-1 9-6-1
Baltimore 7-5 9-7
Pittsburgh 7-5 9-7
Cleveland 7-5 9-7
AFC SOUTH CUR PROJ
Indianapolis 8-4 12-4
Houston 6-6 9-7
Tennessee 2-10 4-12
Jacksonville 2-10 3-13
NFC
NFC EAST CUR PROJ
Philadelphia 9-3 12-4
Dallas 8-4 10-6
NY Giants 3-9 4-12
Washington 3-9 3-13
NFC WEST CUR PROJ
Seattle 8-4 12-4
San Francisco 7-5 10-6
Arizona 9-3 9-7
St. Louis 5-7 8-8
NFC NORTH CUR PROJ
Green Bay 9-3 13-3
Detroit 8-4 11-5
Minnesota 5-7 7-9
Chicago 5-7 5-11
NFC SOUTH CUR PROJ
New Orleans 5-7 9-7
Atlanta 5-7 7-9
Carolina 3-8-1 4-11-1
Tampa Bay 2-10 2-14

I think your close but I think San Diego pulls it out over Kansas City and Arizona holds on to division over Seattle. No way Seattle wins out with there remaining four games.

Also, I don't trust Cinncy but I suppose that division is a crap shoot.

 

[adambr2]

Then they would need to eliminate "division winners" all together then. Because 4 teams are automatic playoff contenders if they win the division even if you go 7-9 like a team from the NFC South will probably do this year. Hey I'm all for it. Take the 6 teams with the best records and let them fight it out . This also puts more pressure in teams to bring it every week which means better football.

I agree that they would have to eliminate division winners because as long as you have division winners, the playoff reward needs to be there. I wouldn't eliminate them, though. Division championships still have some degree of prestige for teams and revenue for the NFL. Think of all the money that the NFL and teams make through divisional championship merchandise and clothing every year, not to mention the interest in the NFL that the divisional rivalries offer.

An alternative solution would be to just have two 8 team divisions in each conference rather than four 4 team divisions. You wouldn't have an awful sub .500 team winning a division.

 

[TJV]

I don’t want to see division winners eliminated from the playoffs, but I don’t want them to automatically get HFA in the first game either. I’d like to see re-seeding according to records for each round of the playoffs.

 

[E. Wolf]

Ideal scenario if for Arizona to hold on, so that Seattle, as a wildcard, does not have a home game. They are a different team away. If we lose another game and Seattle wins the division, they'd have seedijng over us. If we have to play in Seattle, it's over. That's the only scenario I can imagine that could undo us.

 

[rodell330]

Ideal scenario if for Arizona to hold on, so that Seattle, as a wildcard, does not have a home game. They are a different team away. If we lose another game and Seattle wins the division, they'd have seedijng over us. If we have to play in Seattle, it's over. That's the only scenario I can imagine that could undo us.

I can see Seattle running the table..but I can also see us running the table as well. Hopefully San Francisco can do us a solid and knock them off in a couple of weeks. I think we can beat them in Seattle but I'd much prefer them have to come to Lambeau.

 

[RRyder]

I can see Seattle running the table..but I can also see us running the table as well. Hopefully San Francisco can do us a solid and knock them off in a couple of weeks. I think we can beat them in Seattle but I'd much prefer them have to come to Lambeau.

Seattles schedule isn't a cake walk. Ill be shocked if they win out. SF will still play them tough and Arizona will be fighting to hold on to a playoff spot and the division. Personally I got them losing to philly next week. Thats just not the same team without that crowd backing them up

 

[rodell330]

Seattles schedule isn't a cake walk. Ill be shocked if they win out. SF will still play them tough and Arizona will be fighting to hold on to a playoff spot and the division. Personally I got them losing to philly next week. Thats just not the same team without that crowd backing them up

And neither are we. If we slowed down Philly I'm sure Seattle who has a way better defense can slow down Philly and control the tempo by pounding lynch. As for San frAn and Arizona? It's possible they lose to San Francisco but that game is in Seattle so that's probably not going to happen and Arizona won't score enough to beat Seattle so I rest my case.

 

[brandon2348]

And neither are we. If we slowed down Philly I'm sure Seattle who has a way better defense can slow down Philly and control the tempo by pounding lynch. As for San frAn and Arizona? It's possible they lose to San Francisco but that game is in Seattle so that's probably not going to happen and Arizona won't score enough to beat Seattle so I rest my case.

I disagree. Seattle is going to have a hard time by getting spread out by Philly. There secondary is slow other then Thomas. They have been feeding off poor QB play and vanilla offenses last two weeks. They cant really get pressure with 4 anymore. Look for Phil's wide open offense to find spaces in there "slow zone".

People can buy into the main stream hype if they want but we have a better secondary then Seattle.

 

[RainX]

The only thing that needs to be changed about the playoffs is seeds 3 through 6 should be seeded by record. The bottom two division winners should be guaranteed a playoff spot but not HFA in the WC round if one of the other non-division winning WC teams has a better record. This will still keep divisions relevant. An 8-8 Saints team shouldn't be hosting an 11-5 5th seeded WC IMO just like we didn't deserve a home WC game against SF last year being 8-7-1.

The top 2 seeded division winners getting byes and homefield in the divisional round like usual should remain.

 

[RRyder]

And neither are we. If we slowed down Philly I'm sure Seattle who has a way better defense can slow down Philly and control the tempo by pounding lynch. As for San frAn and Arizona? It's possible they lose to San Francisco but that game is in Seattle so that's probably not going to happen and Arizona won't score enough to beat Seattle so I rest my case.

Thats not a great case but respectable enough to get partial credit. Seattle is not the juggernaut they were last year. As has been said Seattle wont be able to spread out philly and pound it and dont have the same pass rush they did last year. Honestly McCoy might break 150+ yards against them next week. And Arizona might not score alot against Seattle but the Seahawks wont run up the score on them either. That game screams 6 points or less deciding it so I wouldnt put it past the cards to make one play to win it. SF is prolly the easiest of the 3.

And whats with the" if we can slow down Philly im sure Seattle can" comment??? We slowed down both Philly and the vaunted Patriots offense. Two teams that havent been slowed down to often this year. Our D shouldnt be underestimated after this past week. Common man

Can Seattle win out? Yes. Do I think they will? No. Does it matter what Seattle does if we win out? No. Let those Seahawks run into the buzz saw that is the Greenbay Packers at home.

 

[red4tribe]

Seattle has a tough enough schedule that I expect they'll lose at least one more game.