Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

According to Playoffstatus.com, the Pats would be out of the running for a first-round bye with:

(A—not operative) JAC d. NE *and* any one of
1. DEN d. CLE or
2. MIA d. NE next week or
3. DEN d. KC next week

(B) MIA d. NE next week *and* either of
1. DEN d. CLE or
2. DEN d. KC next week

(C—not operative) HOU d. MIN *and* DEN d. CLE *and* DEN d. KC next week

(D) DEN d. CLE *and* HOU d. IND next week *and* DEN d. KC next week

* * * *

The Pats can clinch a first-round bye with either:

1. ANY THREE of NE d. JAC, NE d. MIA next week, CLE d. DEN, and KC d. DEN next week or
2. NE d. JAC, NE d. MIA next week, MIN d. HOU, and IND d. HOU

In other words, the Pats are not in control of their own destiny, but there might still even be a possibility of HFA.

Re: Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

Pats win and a Houston or Denver loss gets at a least #2.

Pats win and a Denver loss and a Houston loss gets #1

Re: Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

I can see the 2-seed assuming Indy has something to play for next week. If they do and they beat the Texans and we hold court next week, we are the 2- seed with a first round bye.

No way is Denver losing these two games.

So would Indy have any incentive to play this one out next week against the Texans ?

Re: Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

Yes. Everyone asking to/thinking we will rest our starters next week are insane. We can still get #1 or #2 seed, why settle for a #3?

Re: Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

They can't move up in the seeding but they might be able to move down with a loss. Houston has never won in Indy and it will be Chuck Pagano's return game...would Indy want to throw Chuck Pagano's return game? That seems wrong to me, I don't know.

Re: Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

Good point. I forgot that this is going to be Pagano's return. That alone should be enough to fire up that football team and win it for Chuck.

Re: Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

But even if the Colts give up, we play at 1 and the Broncos play at 4. If we roll over and let Miami beat us, that will also allow the Broncos to rest their players. By winning next week we put the pressure on Manning to win. That, and maybe some bad weather (finally) in Denver will get him to fold.

Either way, Go Chiefs!!

Re: Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

The question is whether Indy can move down to #6 with a loss. I don't know if they can but they will REALLY want #5 because after we destroyed them earlier, #5 would get them @Bal or @Cin whereas #6 would put them in Foxboro (assuming we don't get a bye).

Hopefully there's a scenario in which Indy can move down to #6 because that (in addition to Pagano) would give them incentive for the game.

Re: Pats' clinching/elimination options for a first round bye
 

Colts boards are saying that the 5th seed is theirs because they have a strength of victory tiebreaker edge over the Bengals even if they tie with the Bengals in record and conf. record