Playoff Picture

[balfan23]

Not so sure the Jags are going to laying down for the titans next week. Here’s the scenario.

If the Titans win next week and we also win, the Titans are the 6 seed (assuming Steelers win one of two remaining games).

If the Titans are the 6 seed they will play the Jags again in week two, knowing the Titans have played them well.

Yeah - it will be a tough call. JAX played poorly last week too, so they may be wanting to go into the postseason on a higher note than losing a bad road game where there was publicized in-fighting on the side lines, followed by a preseason game 4 styled drubbing on the road to a division rival that allows them to get into the playoffs.

If they can't move their seed ... I honestly don't think we'll know what they are really going to do until game time. I wouldn't doubt that their staff will say all week long that they are going to still go all out, but may only be paying lip service.

 

[RavensMania]

Yeah - it will be a tough call. JAX played poorly last week too, so they may be wanting to go into the postseason on a higher note than losing a bad road game where there was publicized in-fighting on the side lines, followed by a preseason game 4 styled drubbing on the road to a division rival that allows them to get into the playoffs.

If they can't move their seed ... I honestly don't think we'll know what they are really going to do until game time. I wouldn't doubt that their staff will say all week long that they are going to still go all out, but may only be paying lip service.

I think you are right. They won’t be saying anything that we can take for granted.

 

[Ellicottraven]

So from what I’m picking up if the bills lose we are in no matter what teams win or lose which is nice but the dolphins don’t really put hope into me lol

So its easy then. Let's just root for the Bills to lose. I feel much better already because based on how Cincy performed we need to bring our A game to win our game. A Colts type performance is going to warrant help from others to make the playoffs.

 

[Inqui]

Inqui said: "If we lose to the Bengals and the Titans and Bills win and Chargers lose: The Titans take the #5 seed with a better conference record, and we'd take #6 over the Bills."

"If we lose to the Bengals and the Chargers and Bills win and Titans lose: This is where things start to look a little grim... "

In the 1st scenario, the part about the Titans taking #5 is correct, but we end up tied with the Bills on conference record and common games. According to to the machine, we will lose to the Bills on strength of victory.

I see what happened, I had the Bills losing to the Raiders, which gave both sides a different record in common games. They actually beat the Raiders, so both sides would indeed be 4-1. In which case you're right in that it goes to SoV, in which case we're buggered because the Browns give our winning record 0 wins and 32 losses, which won't help any percentage figure.

I had your second scenario listed already so no disagreements there.

 

[cobrajet]

We just may have to beat the Bengals because we may not get in if Bills and Titans win next Sunday.

 

[Tank]

We just may have to beat the Bengals because we may not get in if Bills and Titans win next Sunday.

Well alrighty then!

 

[Ellicottraven]

Yeah - it will be a tough call. JAX played poorly last week too, so they may be wanting to go into the postseason on a higher note than losing a bad road game where there was publicized in-fighting on the side lines, followed by a preseason game 4 styled drubbing on the road to a division rival that allows them to get into the playoffs.

If they can't move their seed ... I honestly don't think we'll know what they are really going to do until game time. I wouldn't doubt that their staff will say all week long that they are going to still go all out, but may only be paying lip service.

Well nothing matter if our whole team shows up (I'm looking at you defense) and plays like it is capable and gets a W.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

If Carr doesn't cough up one big play after another and our pass rush can step up against a weak OL, and if our offense plays like it did in weeks prior, then we should win, I just hate how cinci plays us though

 

[ZonaRaven]

Agreed, we should win, but I'd definitely feel better about the Bills or Titans losing

 

[Filmstudy]

1) we win (or tie), 2) Bills lose (or tie) OR 3) Titans lose (or tie). If those two teams win and we lose, no other combination of anything will make a difference. ... we'll be out From what I can see, Chargers game mean nothing to us.

This is correct and boiled down to the simplest form.

 

[ZonaRaven]

This is correct and boiled down to the simplest form.

Wait, if the Bills or Titans lose, we're automatically in but if they both lose and we lose we're then out? Am I interpreting that correctly?

 

[RavensMania]

Wait, if the Bills or Titans lose, we're automatically in but if they both lose and we lose we're then out? Am I interpreting that correctly?

No. We are in either way.

 

[Ravens20002012]

Yeah we would be 9-7 Bills 8-8 Titans 8-8 so we are in with that. If we lose and they both win all 3 at 9-7 we are out

 

[balfan23]

Wait, if the Bills or Titans lose, we're automatically in but if they both lose and we lose we're then out? Am I interpreting that correctly?

No - there is an OR between all 3 of those stated events. Any one of those happen and we're in.

Actually, the scenario you just stated (where all 3 of the Ravens, Bills and Titans lose) and we're the #5 seed - along with the best scenario - which is the one where we win (and it doesn't matter what else happens). We control our destiny to the #5 seed.

 

[balfan23]

All 3 of the games that have the potential to matter to us will be going on at the same time. I'll be watching our game and, if it is developing as a blow out win for the Ravens (which I'm not counting on) I probably wont be giving a thought to the other two games, but if it is close (which I expect) or God forbid, if we're behind, I'll have one eye to both of these other two games and will be praying for a safety net.

 

[TheCity5]

If I can recall last year the Redskins were in a win-and-in situation against the Giants who were locked in as the #5 seed and the Giants still went with their starters. I think this can be a test for Jacksonville heading into the playoffs. They have not been there in years so this may serve as a playoff atmosphere game to carry onto to the postseason.

Edit: They're playing their starters.

 

[Tank]

If I can recall last year the Redskins were in a win-and-in situation against the Giants who were locked in as the #5 seed and the Giants still went with their starters. I think this can be a test for Jacksonville heading into the playoffs. They have not been there in years so this may serve as a playoff atmosphere game to carry onto to the postseason.

Edit: They're playing their starters.

Yeah, I think the idea of resting starters and not trying to win went away long ago. I can’t recall who it was that did it but I think there was someone who tried and then came out and threw a dud. It seems it’s accepted thought that a winning attitude is not something you turn off and on like a switch and you want to head into the tournament with all the momentum you can generate. Go Jags!

 

[Crabcruncher]

The ESPN playoff machine is back, every possible scenario can be clicked on. Heres the link.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/machine

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Yeah, I think the idea of resting starters and not trying to win went away long ago. I can’t recall who it was that did it but I think there was someone who tried and then came out and threw a dud. It seems it’s accepted thought that a winning attitude is not something you turn off and on like a switch and you want to head into the tournament with all the momentum you can generate. Go Jags!

That would be the colts who were pushing for an undefeated season under jim Caldwell, instead of chasing perfection he rested his starters and they lost a game or 2, and came out and looked like shit in the playoffs.

Edit: they actually went to the SB... nvm. But they did give up a perfect record

 

[JO_75]

Yeah, I think the idea of resting starters and not trying to win went away long ago. I can’t recall who it was that did it but I think there was someone who tried and then came out and threw a dud. It seems it’s accepted thought that a winning attitude is not something you turn off and on like a switch and you want to head into the tournament with all the momentum you can generate. Go Jags!

The way I see it, Alex Smith and the Chiefs offensively are regaining the momentum they had at the start of the season. Mahomes is starting and Smith is sitting, therefore helping us if we face them.

Also plenty of teams resting starters this week, the Rams are locked into the 3 or 4 seed, but are resting their starters instead of trying to go for the 3 seed.