Current Playoff Standings After Week Six

[ivanvamp]

I know we're just six games in, but I thought it would be fun to look at the current playoff standings. They're kind of interesting.

AFC
1. KC (6-0) - Wins tie break over Denver based on best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
2. NE (5-1)
3. Cin (4-2) - Wins tie break over Indianapolis based on best win percentage in conference games.
4. Ind (4-2)
5. Den (6-0)
6. Mia (3-2)
- - - - -
7. Bal (3-3)
8. Ten (3-3)
9. Cle (3-3)
10. SD (3-3)
11. NYJ (3-3)

NFC
1. NO (5-1) - Wins tie break over Seattle based on strength of victory.
2. Sea (5-1)
3. Det (4-2) - Wins tie break over Chicago based on head-to-head win percentage.
4. Dal (3-3) - Wins tie break over Philadelphia based on strength of victory.
5. SF (4-2) - Wins tie break over Chicago based on best win percentage in conference games.
6. Chi (4-2)
- - - - -
7. GB (3-2)
8. Phi (3-3)
9. StL (3-3)
10. Ari (3-3)

New England, despite not looking at all like the team we've gotten used to over the years, is actually in pretty good shape. The next 4 games are: at NYJ, vs Mia, vs Pit, and at Car. None should be easy, but NE should be favored in all of them, meaning they're the better team. They could be 9-1 by the end of that stretch or, at worst (hopefully), 8-2. They currently have the 8th best point differential in the NFL (+28).

Amazingly, they're ahead of Denver in the current AFC standings, thanks to the tiebreaker rules that put KC ahead of them.

 

[patchick]

On a similar note, the Patriots have the biggest divisional lead of any team in the AFC.

 

[PatsDeb]

Boy it would be sweet if these would hold and Denver ends up as a wildcard. Way too early for such dreaming, however.

 

[ivanvamp]

Boy it would be sweet if these would hold and Denver ends up as a wildcard. Way too early for such dreaming, however.

It is something to watch for during the rest of the season, however. I mean, the Pats could finish with the 3rd best record in the conference but still get a #2 seed. It would especially be sweet if KC could hold off Denver for the AFC West crown, then the Pats would be seeded ahead of Denver simply by winning the AFCE title.

 

[PatsDeb]

It is something to watch for during the rest of the season, however. I mean, the Pats could finish with the 3rd best record in the conference but still get a #2 seed. It would especially be sweet if KC could hold off Denver for the AFC West crown, then the Pats would be seeded ahead of Denver simply by winning the AFCE title.

Agreed. I wasn't even thinking about the playoffs yet, but I was chuckling to myself yesterday that Denver must be bumming that the only other 6-0 team left in the NFL is in its own division.

 

[Rob0729]

Boy it would be sweet if these would hold and Denver ends up as a wildcard. Way too early for such dreaming, however.

How funny would it be if the Broncos had the highest scoring offense of all time, Manning breaks the yards and TD record, and Welker breaks the TD record AND the Broncos are playing on the road on Wild Card Weekend?

 

[everlong]

As a total worst case scenario they go 6-4 the rest of the way including a split vs the Dolphins which at 11-5 would give them the division and get them into the playoffs. I can't see the Fins only losing two other games the rest of the way. Once you're in seeding hasn't mattered post 2004.

 

[fxkane]

How funny would it be if the Broncos had the highest scoring offense of all time, Manning breaks the yards and TD record, and Welker breaks the TD record AND the Broncos are playing on the road on Wild Card Weekend?

And to top it all off--we go to KC rather than to Denver in the AFL final.

Or better still, we end uo the #1 seed. But the game at KC is more realistic.

Go KC.

 

[Ozymandias]

And to top it all off--we go to KC rather than to Denver in the AFL final.

Or better still, we end uo the #1 seed. But the game at KC is more realistic.

Go KC.

To be perfectly honest, I'd rather play Denver in Mile High than play in that nuthouse that is Arrowhead Stadium against KC in an AFCCG, especially with that defense.

Maybe it's just me but I've been more impressed with the Chiefs than the Broncos. And as we all know, high powered offenses almost always seem to slow down in the playoffs, while defenses tighten up. The Chiefs are exactly the type of defense the Patriots have had major issues with in the past few seasons.

 

[jmt57]

Another way of looking at it (way too soon, I know) - but based on what teams are likely to get in, and what teams are battling for a wild card.

AFCE: Patriots (Dolphins)
AFCW: Chiefs/Broncos
AFCS: Colts (Titans)
AFCN: Bengals (Ravens, Browns)
WC 1: Broncos/Chiefs (AFCW #2)
WC 2: Ravens/Titans/Browns/Jets

NFCS: Saints
NFCW: Seahawks/49ers
NFCN: Lions/Bears/Packers
NFCE: Cowboys (Eagles, Redskins, Giants)
WC1: 49ers/Seahawks (NFCW #2)
WC2: Bears/Lions/Packers (NFCN #2) (Eagles, Rams, Cardinals, Panthers)


- Smaller font used to designate significantly slimmer chance for those teams.

- Multiple teams designated by a "/" mark designate a relatively equal chance for those clubs.



Edit: For a separate point of view, Playoff Status ranks each team's chances of winning the division and making the playoffs as follows. Columns numbered 1 through 6 designate the chances for each of those playoff seeds, and the column for number 7 designates the chances of missing the playoffs.

Team	Div	W	L	T	1**	2**	3*	4*	5	6	7
Chiefs	West	6	0	0	37%	11%	3%	1%	29%	8%	10%
Pats	East	5	1	0	17%	24%	14%	7%	6%	10%	22%
Bengals	North	4	2	0	5%	16%	18%	14%	3%	7%	38%
Colts	South	4	2	0	4%	10%	18%	27%	1%	3%	38%
Broncos	West	6	0	0	30%	10%	3%	1%	31%	11%	15%
Miami	East	3	2	0	5%	14%	7%	3%	10%	13%	48%
 
Titans	South	3	3	0	1%	4%	11%	14%	2%	6%	63%
Ravens	North	3	3	0	1%	6%	11%	10%	2%	7%	63%
Browns	North	3	3	0	1%	2%	6%	7%	3%	6%	75%
Jets	East	3	3	0	< 1%	2%	2%	2%	3%	8%	82%
S.D.	West	3	3	0	1%	1%	1%	< 1%	6%	8%	82%
Texans	South	2	4	0	< 1%	< 1%	3%	8%	1%	3%	85%
Raiders	West	2	4	0	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	2%	6%	92%
Bills	East	2	4	0	< 1%	< 1%	1%	1%	1%	4%	93%
Pitt	North	1	4	0	< 1%	< 1%	1%	2%	< 1%	2%	95%
Jaguars	South	0	6	0	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	1%	< 1%	< 1%	99%

Team	Div	W	L	T	1**	2**	3*	4*	5	6	7
Saints	South	5	1	0	34%	22%	21%	12%	1%	2%	8%
Seattle	West	5	1	0	32%	14%	10%	3%	15%	9%	17%
Lions	North	4	2	0	6%	14%	11%	5%	13%	14%	36%
Eagles	East	3	3	0	3%	7%	11%	28%	2%	3%	47%
49ers	West	4	2	0	11%	8%	6%	2%	26%	14%	34%
Packers	North	3	2	0	6%	13%	11%	4%	11%	12%	42%
 
Cowboys	East	3	3	0	2%	5%	10%	26%	2%	4%	51%
Bears	North	4	2	0	4%	11%	9%	4%	10%	12%	51%
Ariz	West	3	3	0	1%	3%	4%	1%	9%	11%	70%
Car.	South	2	3	0	< 1%	1%	4%	4%	3%	5%	82%
Rams	West	3	3	0	1%	1%	2%	1%	5%	7%	84%
Wash	East	1	4	0	< 1%	< 1%	1%	6%	1%	1%	91%
Falcons	South	1	4	0	< 1%	< 1%	1%	1%	2%	4%	91%
Vikings	North	1	4	0	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	1%	1%	97%
Giants	East	0	6	0	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	2%	< 1%	< 1%	98%
Bucs	South	0	5	0	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	< 1%	99%