Fencer

Not that I've looked it up, but if the Pats and the Bengals tie at 10-6 or 11-5, I presume the tiebreaker is record against common opponents. (They'd have the same conference record anyway, since they that's the case after this week.)

So has anybody checked how that plays out?

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sbpatfan

I think the tiebreaker would come down to strength of victory if that were to happen (which the Patriots would win).

FIXED: upstater1 is right.

PatsWickedPissah

It IS strength of schedule which is why the Pats are the 3 seed now.

NFL 2009 Playoff Race - CBSSports.com

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Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck." RAH

upstater1

You guys mean strength of victory, not SOS.

PatsWickedPissah

Yes 10 char

__________________
Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck." RAH

groundgame

Strenth of schedule in their winning games. Therefore, Pats #3 seed if they win @ HOUSTON, or if they lose @ HOUSTON and Bengals lose @ JETS.

Gumby

It goes to strength of Schedule (Pats advantage) IF AND ONLY IF Both teams have same outcome next week.

If Either both W or both Lose.

If one wins and other loses than the winner has a better overall record as well as better common opponents schedule (1st tiebreaker) and gets the 3 seed.

CIN: W: Bal 2x L: Den, Hou TBD: Jets
NE: W: Bal, Jets L: Jets, Den TBD: Hou