Taking stock of the playoff races at the quarter pole of the NFL season

[Deus Irae]

After just 4 weeks, are we already settling most of the playoff spots? We've got 7 slots this year.

Right now in the AFC:

Bills
Steelers
Titans
Chiefs

Browns
Ravens
Colts



Right now in the NFC:

Eagles
Packers
Bucs
Seahawks

Bears
Rams
Saints/49ers/Panthers/Cardinals



I thought people might want to weigh in. So have at it.

 

[Joker]

Stefanski has done a great job getting that Browns team to gel. Can a division have three teams make the playoffs? I think the Steelers, Browns and Ravens are going to beat each other's brains in with one of them falling off. IMO. In the east, there's one QB with playoff experience, Cam Newton.Lots of Josh Allen fans out there this season. I see the same QB as I saw last year. Time will tell. Seahawks,Packers for sure...Tompa LOOKS like a lock...don't trust the Eagles or the Bears...Saints/49ers are injury dependent IMO..the rest? prove it

 

[SHOWTIME15]

LOL

 

[Deus Irae]

LOL

That's the current playoff status in the league, based upon the standings.

2020 NFL Football Standings

The AFC has a clear top 7, and the NFC has a clear top 6 with 4 teams tied for #7 at 2-2. I'm not sure what's supposed to be so funny about that, but whatever floats your boat.

 

[Flash]

I have four locks so far: Pittsburgh, Baltimore, KC, and Buffalo. I don't think Cleveland will make the Playoffs. The rest could go either way.

The Patriots did have the toughest schedule coming into the season and I don't think that has changed. They have a tough stretch of games coming up. After last night, it's Denver, SF, Buffalo, NYJ, and Baltimore before the schedule softens up a little bit. I think they have to go at least 3-2 through these five games if they want a shot at the Playoffs.

 

[fnordcircle]

They'll be 3-2 at the bye, then they'll get Cam back and there's only 1 game left they are guaranteed to lose (Baltimore)

There's a number of coin flips games and they'll probably split with Buffalo, at best.

Right now I think with a healthy Cam they go 10-6 if they underachieve, 11-5 if they play to their ability, 12-4 if they play out of their minds.

This post is just a thinly-veiled attempt at trying to feel right about something (I don't pay attention to him enough to know what but I guess it's some roster management hate against BB) by a poster who would routinely crap on this type of post made by anyone excited about where the season is heading if the Patriots were currently highly ranked in the playoff seedings.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I’m guessing 10-6/9-7 and we get in as the wild card. Our schedule has been infinitely tougher than most teams in the early going. If we manage to stay around .500 through the first 10 games or so until it gets easier I feel pretty good. Browns and colts I believe will finish 8 wins or less, one MAY get to 9 or 10 but not both imo. Raiders could be another team of note in the race but we have the tiebreaker on them. This will be a unique year where we actually may need to start rooting FOR KC / Baltimore against some of these other afc teams.

 

[farn]

I’m impressed with the team. They show fight.

Anyone who puts too much stock in last night needs to be reminded of the crazy circumstances. it’s not to say the team can have 4-5 « good losses », but last night isn’t a good barometer.

I don’t know if NE will make the playoffs. But I agree 3-2 at the bye, with losses in SEA & in KC is solid.

 

[Pape]

After just 4 weeks, are we already settling most of the playoff spots?

lot of football left...
lot of ish can go wrong this year...
for anyone...

so, in answer to your question, no.

 

[Doctor DDS]

The Pats entered 2020 with way more challenges than normal. Had to reset their cap costing multiple starters, had the most Covid Opt outs of any team in the league and the schedule gave them both West Coast divisions at a time when the NFC West is the best division in football. Then the year starts and they lose their best player to COVID for an important game (hopefully that is all it is) So far they've played well. Lost to 2 of the best 3 or 4 teams in the league in games that were played evenly. They have little room for error and I think they will need to win all the games they are favored in if they are to make the playoffs.

 

[1960Pats]

I see some mention of the different schedules for each team. These are the top ten and bottom ten for opponents winning %;
The top ten
1 - Atl, Cin (.750)
3 - Hou, NYG (.733)
5 - Mia, NE (.688)
7 - LAC, Min, Was (.677)
10 - Den (.643)
The bottom ten
22 - Buf, KC, TB (.375)
25 - Ind, Ari (.313)
27 - SF (.267)
28 - Ten, Chi, GB, Sea (.250)
32 - Pitt - (.083) Yeow! Their opponents are a combined 1-11 with the only win being Denver's win against the pathetic jete.

Using the current power rankings (they aren't perfect but they're close enough) these are the totals for each division that the AFC plays;

AFCE plays AFCW (65) and NFCW (38) = 103
AFCS plays AFCN (55) and NFCN (62) = 117
AFCW plays AFCE (66) and NFCS (74) = 140
AFCN plays AFCS (69) and NFCE (99) = 168

Incredibly, the 99 number for the putrid NFCE is going up. They're the worst division the NYFL has seen since they went to the idiotic 4 team divisions.

 

[1960Pats]

After just 4 weeks, are we already settling most of the playoff spots? We've got 7 slots this year.

Right now in the AFC:

Bills
Steelers
Titans
Chiefs

Browns
Ravens
Colts



Right now in the NFC:

Eagles
Packers
Bucs
Seahawks

Bears
Rams
Saints/49ers/Panthers/Cardinals



I thought people might want to weigh in. So have at it.

In the AFC the only change I'd make is to swap Baltimore and Pitt, but they're both a playoff lock because of their ultra-easy schedule. The same goes for Cleveland. Unless the Pats catch the Bills they're out.

In the NFC it's very possible that all of the last 4 teams you mentioned, NO, 49ers, Carolina and Arizona, will have a better record than the eventual NFCE "champion", who'll be either Dallas or Philthy.

I think the rest will stay as is.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

That's the current playoff status in the league, based upon the standings.

2020 NFL Football Standings

The AFC has a clear top 7, and the NFC has a clear top 6 with 4 teams tied for #7 at 2-2. I'm not sure what's supposed to be so funny about that, but whatever floats your boat.

We're 4 weeks in... and the thread should be OT...

 

[203Pat]

If we start Hoyer against Denver I don’t think we’re any lock to be 3-2.

 

[lancerman]

If we start Hoyer against Denver I don’t think we’re any lock to be 3-2.

Denver is basically a game we should have been considering an auto win. I still think if we had a performance like last night we edge them out

 

[lancerman]

Anyways my real prediction is that we have to beat then Bills twice to have any shot at winning the division

 

[Triumph]

lot of football left...
lot of ish can go wrong this year...
for anyone...

so, in answer to your question, no.

Where are the Chargers?

The Pats have 1 more win than LAC.

 

[Triumph]

We're 4 weeks in, and the thread should be OT...

Seems like weeks ago when Brady and the Bucs were a disaster.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

If we start Hoyer against Denver I don’t think we’re any lock to be 3-2.

They almost beat the best team in the NFL without Newton and now all of a sudden the Broncos (with Brett Rypien) are worldbeaters? They'll be fine...

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Seems like weeks ago when Brady and the Bucs were a disaster.

They are a good team as long as their opponent is weak (they'll win again this week against Chicago to go 4-1). Yet to be seen if they can hang with KC or GB. We'll find out soon enough. So far they are 0-1 against contenders...