Strange playoff scenario (1 Viewer)

[AB in DC]

Click on this scenario, and change the outcome of the week 17 Pitt-Mia game. According to Yahoo, whoever wins this game not only becomes the 6th seed, but also changes the 5th seed too. If Pittsburgh wins, Baltimore is the 5th seed, but if Miami wins, Denver is the 5th seed.

This seems impossible. Could one of the playoff tiebreaker gurus explain this?

 

[Topes]

Definitely not impossible.

In your scenario, each of those teams is 9-7-0 and vying for wild card.

http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures

I don't have your teams' hypothetical schedules all printed out, so not sure how it breaks down.

But definitely not impossible.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

Click on this scenario, and change the outcome of the week 17 Pitt-Mia game. According to Yahoo, whoever wins this game not only becomes the 6th seed, but also changes the 5th seed too. If Pittsburgh wins, Baltimore is the 5th seed, but if Miami wins, Denver is the 5th seed.

This seems impossible. Could one of the playoff tiebreaker gurus explain this?

In this scenario, if PIT beats MIA, they go to 9-7, tying BAL and DEN.Divisional ties get broken first - so BAL is in over PIT and then PIT has the tiebreaker over DEN. BAL - 5th, PIT - 6th.

If MIA beats PIT, the PIT tiebreak advantage over DEN is rendered moot (PIT is now 8-8). MIA, BAL and DEN are 9-7. Denver gets in first I believe due to the conference record as all three teams didn't square off so Conf. record is next tiebreaker, which DEN wins. MIA then has advantage over BAL so they get the 6th spot.

Bottom line is how you get 3 teams all at 9-7, then start to break those ties.

 

[mike9289]

Click on this scenario, and change the outcome of the week 17 Pitt-Mia game. According to Yahoo, whoever wins this game not only becomes the 6th seed, but also changes the 5th seed too. If Pittsburgh wins, Baltimore is the 5th seed, but if Miami wins, Denver is the 5th seed.

This seems impossible. Could one of the playoff tiebreaker gurus explain this?

In this scenario, if PIT beats MIA, they go to 9-7, tying BAL and DEN.Divisional ties get broken first - so BAL is in over PIT and then PIT has the tiebreaker over DEN. BAL - 5th, PIT - 6th.

If MIA beats PIT, the PIT tiebreak advantage over DEN is rendered moot (PIT is now 8-8). MIA, BAL and DEN are 9-7. Denver gets in first I believe due to the conference record as all three teams didn't square off so Conf. record is next tiebreaker, which DEN wins. MIA then has advantage over BAL so they get the 6th spot.

Bottom line is how you get 3 teams all at 9-7, then start to break those ties.

Interesting that Miami has a 9-7 tiebreaker over Baltimore because Balt had the 10-6 tiebreaker over Miami. I guess the Balt's loss to Pitt changes their common opponent record since Miami will need to beat Pitt to get to 9-7. So, long story short, Miami's loss today wasn't a deal breaker. They still need Pitt to beat Baltimore to get in. They also need a bunch more to happen, but all are realistic:Tenn losing to SD

Jack losing to NE

Philly beating Denver

Denver beating KC ? - Might be neccesary

 

[QuizGuy66]

The permutations and combinations are genuinely mind boggling.

There are 10 teams all within 2 games of each other.

IF...

Jacksonville beats NE

Pitt beats Baltimore

Tennessee beats San Diego

Philly beat Denver

and the Jets beat Indy

Plus either Miami or Houston winning (as opposed to them tying each other)

You could have a scenario with

1 9-6 team that hasn't clinched (New England)

and 8 teams all at 8-7

-QG