Armen Da Pats Fan
2nd Team Getting Their First Start
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- Sep 13, 2004
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AFC EAST:
The whole division is in playoff contention!
The New England Patriots (9-4) can win their fourth consecutive division championship this week, which can tie Indianapolis (if they also do so this year) for the longest active such streak. The Pats host Houston on Sunday, then finish the season with two road games. New England lost its first road game of the year last week (in Miami), its first shutout (21-0) since 2003.
"We're 9-4," says Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. "There are a lot of teams who would like to have that record. We'll be judged by the body of our work."
The Patriots this Sunday can clinch the AFC East with:
1. NE win + NYJ loss or tie, OR
2. NE tie + NYJ loss.
The New York Jets (7-6), Buffalo Bills (6-7) and Miami Dolphins (6-7) -- with the last two on 3-1 streaks -- are still in playoff contention but cannot clinch a berth this week.
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AFC NORTH:
The Baltimore Ravens (10-3) have a two-game lead on the streaking Cincinnati Bengals (8-5 and winners of four in a row) and can clinch their first division title since 2003 on Sunday when they host AFC North rival Cleveland.
The Ravens have won six of their past seven, with a good amount of the credit due to their dominating defense. Baltimore has surrendered a league-low 170 points. "You always want to play your best football in December," says Ravens LB Bart Scott. "They don't hand out too many trophies in the first half of the year."
The Ravens can take the AFC North crown this week with:
1. BAL win + CIN loss or tie, OR
2. BAL tie + CIN loss.
Baltimore can clinch a playoff berth with:
1. BAL win or tie, OR
2. CIN loss or tie + BAL clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ, OR
3. DEN loss or tie + BAL clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ, OR
4. NYJ loss or tie + CIN loss or tie, OR
5. NYJ loss or tie + DEN loss or tie, OR
6. NE loss + CIN loss or tie + JAX loss, OR
7. NE loss + DEN loss or tie + JAX loss.
Strength of victory: The season-ending won-lost-tied percentage of all opponents a team has defeated.
Cincinnati and the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-7) are still in playoff contention but cannot clinch a berth this week. Cleveland has been eliminated.
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AFC SOUTH:
A two-game separation here also, with one team smarting from last week's meeting with the other.
The Indianapolis Colts (10-3) can win their fourth successive division championship Monday night against Cincinnati. They come off a 44-17 loss to the AFC South second-place Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5), therefore splitting the season series.
"We need a convincing win where we can get our confidence and swagger back," says Colts LB Cato June. A win would give Indianapolis at least a playoff berth and tie head coach Tony Dungy with Tom Landry (1966-73) and Chuck Noll (1972-79) for the second-most consecutive playoff berths in history -- eight, behind Landry's nine from 1975-83.
The Colts win the division with: 1. JAX loss, OR
2. IND win or tie + JAX tie.
Indianapolis clinches its fifth playoff berth in a row with:
1. IND win or tie, OR
2. DEN loss or tie.
The Jaguars -- winners of three of their past four and seeded sixth right now in the AFC -- and Tennessee Titans (6-7) are still in playoff contention but cannot clinch a berth this week. Houston has been eliminated.
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AFC WEST:
One goal down, another one reachable Sunday night. That's the mission of the San Diego Chargers (11-2), the top-ranked team in the AFC. The Bolts won the division last week, their second crown in three years, and can earn a first-round bye this week.
Coupled with those possibilities is Chargers wunderkind RB LaDainian Tomlinson possibly breaking another revered NFL record. Last week, Tomlinson established the league mark for season TDs with 29. Sunday night he can surpass an NFL record that has stood for 46 years -- most total points scored in a season. Green Bay Packers Pro Football Hall of Fame RB Paul Hornung registered 176 points in 1960. Tomlinson enters Week 15 with 174 points.
With all the Tomlinson fireworks, the Chargers this week can secure a first-round bye with:
1. SD win + IND loss.
The Denver Broncos (7-6) and Kansas City Chiefs (7-6) are still in contention but cannot secure a playoff berth this week. Oakland has been eliminated.
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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9867502
The whole division is in playoff contention!
The New England Patriots (9-4) can win their fourth consecutive division championship this week, which can tie Indianapolis (if they also do so this year) for the longest active such streak. The Pats host Houston on Sunday, then finish the season with two road games. New England lost its first road game of the year last week (in Miami), its first shutout (21-0) since 2003.
"We're 9-4," says Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. "There are a lot of teams who would like to have that record. We'll be judged by the body of our work."
The Patriots this Sunday can clinch the AFC East with:
1. NE win + NYJ loss or tie, OR
2. NE tie + NYJ loss.
The New York Jets (7-6), Buffalo Bills (6-7) and Miami Dolphins (6-7) -- with the last two on 3-1 streaks -- are still in playoff contention but cannot clinch a berth this week.
---------------------------------------------------
AFC NORTH:
The Baltimore Ravens (10-3) have a two-game lead on the streaking Cincinnati Bengals (8-5 and winners of four in a row) and can clinch their first division title since 2003 on Sunday when they host AFC North rival Cleveland.
The Ravens have won six of their past seven, with a good amount of the credit due to their dominating defense. Baltimore has surrendered a league-low 170 points. "You always want to play your best football in December," says Ravens LB Bart Scott. "They don't hand out too many trophies in the first half of the year."
The Ravens can take the AFC North crown this week with:
1. BAL win + CIN loss or tie, OR
2. BAL tie + CIN loss.
Baltimore can clinch a playoff berth with:
1. BAL win or tie, OR
2. CIN loss or tie + BAL clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ, OR
3. DEN loss or tie + BAL clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ, OR
4. NYJ loss or tie + CIN loss or tie, OR
5. NYJ loss or tie + DEN loss or tie, OR
6. NE loss + CIN loss or tie + JAX loss, OR
7. NE loss + DEN loss or tie + JAX loss.
Strength of victory: The season-ending won-lost-tied percentage of all opponents a team has defeated.
Cincinnati and the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-7) are still in playoff contention but cannot clinch a berth this week. Cleveland has been eliminated.
---------------------------------------------------
AFC SOUTH:
A two-game separation here also, with one team smarting from last week's meeting with the other.
The Indianapolis Colts (10-3) can win their fourth successive division championship Monday night against Cincinnati. They come off a 44-17 loss to the AFC South second-place Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5), therefore splitting the season series.
"We need a convincing win where we can get our confidence and swagger back," says Colts LB Cato June. A win would give Indianapolis at least a playoff berth and tie head coach Tony Dungy with Tom Landry (1966-73) and Chuck Noll (1972-79) for the second-most consecutive playoff berths in history -- eight, behind Landry's nine from 1975-83.
The Colts win the division with: 1. JAX loss, OR
2. IND win or tie + JAX tie.
Indianapolis clinches its fifth playoff berth in a row with:
1. IND win or tie, OR
2. DEN loss or tie.
The Jaguars -- winners of three of their past four and seeded sixth right now in the AFC -- and Tennessee Titans (6-7) are still in playoff contention but cannot clinch a berth this week. Houston has been eliminated.
---------------------------------------------------
AFC WEST:
One goal down, another one reachable Sunday night. That's the mission of the San Diego Chargers (11-2), the top-ranked team in the AFC. The Bolts won the division last week, their second crown in three years, and can earn a first-round bye this week.
Coupled with those possibilities is Chargers wunderkind RB LaDainian Tomlinson possibly breaking another revered NFL record. Last week, Tomlinson established the league mark for season TDs with 29. Sunday night he can surpass an NFL record that has stood for 46 years -- most total points scored in a season. Green Bay Packers Pro Football Hall of Fame RB Paul Hornung registered 176 points in 1960. Tomlinson enters Week 15 with 174 points.
With all the Tomlinson fireworks, the Chargers this week can secure a first-round bye with:
1. SD win + IND loss.
The Denver Broncos (7-6) and Kansas City Chiefs (7-6) are still in contention but cannot secure a playoff berth this week. Oakland has been eliminated.
---------------------------------------------------
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9867502
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