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- Oct 16, 2013
- Messages
- 4,756
Seahawks
Vikings
Rams
Eagles
Panthers
Five teams, two playoff spots - feel free to swap out the Eagles for the Cowboys if you think that the Eagles will win the NFCE.
Despite the sky is falling mentality, the Rams are still in decent shape. Let's dive right in.
Seahawks: @Niners, BYE, @Eagles, Vikings, @rams, @Panthers, Cardinals, Niners
Vikings: Broncos, BYE, @Seahawks, Lions, @Chargers, Packers, Bears
Rams: Bears, Ravens, @Cardinals, Seahawks, @Cowboys, @Niners, Cardinals
Eagles: Patriots, Seahawks, @Dolphins, Giants, @Redskins, Cowboys, @Giants
Panthers: Falcons, @Saints, Redskins, @Falcons, Seahawks, @Colts, Saints
Right off the bat, the Vikings are in the playoffs - in fact, I think they will win the NFCN - but I checked the Packers schedule, and it's also littered with winnable games, so the NFC North will be fielding two playoff teams this year.
Second thing that comes to mind is that the Seahawks schedule is brutal - they play each and every other wildcard contender. For a team that has a record so much better than their point differential would indicate, this isn't a good sign for Seattle.
Third thing that I see is if the Eagles beat the Patriots, I think our game against the Cowboys may decide the 2nd wildcard spot. Any given Sunday and all that, and I get that the Eagles have had some clunkers - but they will be favored in all of their remaining games and have four games against bad teams. In fact as I'm writing this, I'm now confident the Eagles will win the NFC East. So:
Cowboys - @Lions, @Patriots, Bills, @Bears, Rams, @Eagles, Redskins
Much better. If the Cowboys lose to the Patriots, Bears and Eagles, we could lose to them and still get a wildcard.
Last thing is that - I just don't think the Panthers are that good.
Okay now what results do we need? We'll remove the Vikings and Eagles and focus on the Rams, Seahawks and Cowboys for the 2nd wildcard. Instead of going full on Rams homer, I'll try to make some reasonable picks:
Seahawks:
@Niners - L - we need this to happen. So the way the season has gone for the Rams, bet lots of money on Seattle tonight.
@Eagles - L
Vikings - W
@rams - L
@Panthers - W
Cardinals - W
Niners - L
Cowboys:
@Lions - W
@Patriots - L
Bills - W
@Bears - W
Rams - L
@Eagles - L
Redskins - W
Rams:
Bears - W
Ravens - L
@Cardinals - W
Seahawks - W
@Cowboys - W
@Niners - L
Cardinals - W
Some notes:
I think that the Cowboys are done. Whether we beat them or not, going to be tough for them to get in with that schedule.
Seahawks and Rams would both finish 10-6 here, but ultimately in this scenario we would have a better conference record.
So, rooting interest going forward: ignore the Niners, Saints, Packers, Eagles and Vikings - assume they are in. Ignore the Panthers for now, especially since we would own the tiebreaker against them. Root against the Cowboys and Seahawks every week - we need Seattle to lose at least four games, including the one to us. For the Cowboys, they need to lose three games - root against them every week in case they ultimately beat us. The Niners at Seahawks in week 17 may decide our fate - even if we are already even with Seattle, if they win that game, they'd get in because of division record.
The most important remaining games: for the Rams, all of them - but, if we can beat Chicago, relax and have a beer for the Ravens game - losing to an AFC team will not derail the season. If we lose to Seattle, season is over. Losing to the Cowboys would mean we would need a win at the Niners.
At the end of the day, I think Seattle will be the underdog against the Niners, Eagles, Rams, Panthers and Niners. Rams will be underdogs to the Cowboys and Niners (and possibly the Ravens). Cowboys will be underdogs against the Patriots and Eagles (and possibly the Bears).
So all we need to have happen is the favorites win, except for the Bears over the Cowboys (which may be a push), and Rams over the Cowboys.
Yes, the OL is in rough shape - but if we can get it done against the Bears, we have some teams with worse pass rushes coming up. We can do this.
Vikings
Rams
Eagles
Panthers
Five teams, two playoff spots - feel free to swap out the Eagles for the Cowboys if you think that the Eagles will win the NFCE.
Despite the sky is falling mentality, the Rams are still in decent shape. Let's dive right in.
Seahawks: @Niners, BYE, @Eagles, Vikings, @rams, @Panthers, Cardinals, Niners
Vikings: Broncos, BYE, @Seahawks, Lions, @Chargers, Packers, Bears
Rams: Bears, Ravens, @Cardinals, Seahawks, @Cowboys, @Niners, Cardinals
Eagles: Patriots, Seahawks, @Dolphins, Giants, @Redskins, Cowboys, @Giants
Panthers: Falcons, @Saints, Redskins, @Falcons, Seahawks, @Colts, Saints
Right off the bat, the Vikings are in the playoffs - in fact, I think they will win the NFCN - but I checked the Packers schedule, and it's also littered with winnable games, so the NFC North will be fielding two playoff teams this year.
Second thing that comes to mind is that the Seahawks schedule is brutal - they play each and every other wildcard contender. For a team that has a record so much better than their point differential would indicate, this isn't a good sign for Seattle.
Third thing that I see is if the Eagles beat the Patriots, I think our game against the Cowboys may decide the 2nd wildcard spot. Any given Sunday and all that, and I get that the Eagles have had some clunkers - but they will be favored in all of their remaining games and have four games against bad teams. In fact as I'm writing this, I'm now confident the Eagles will win the NFC East. So:
Cowboys - @Lions, @Patriots, Bills, @Bears, Rams, @Eagles, Redskins
Much better. If the Cowboys lose to the Patriots, Bears and Eagles, we could lose to them and still get a wildcard.
Last thing is that - I just don't think the Panthers are that good.
Okay now what results do we need? We'll remove the Vikings and Eagles and focus on the Rams, Seahawks and Cowboys for the 2nd wildcard. Instead of going full on Rams homer, I'll try to make some reasonable picks:
Seahawks:
@Niners - L - we need this to happen. So the way the season has gone for the Rams, bet lots of money on Seattle tonight.
@Eagles - L
Vikings - W
@rams - L
@Panthers - W
Cardinals - W
Niners - L
Cowboys:
@Lions - W
@Patriots - L
Bills - W
@Bears - W
Rams - L
@Eagles - L
Redskins - W
Rams:
Bears - W
Ravens - L
@Cardinals - W
Seahawks - W
@Cowboys - W
@Niners - L
Cardinals - W
Some notes:
I think that the Cowboys are done. Whether we beat them or not, going to be tough for them to get in with that schedule.
Seahawks and Rams would both finish 10-6 here, but ultimately in this scenario we would have a better conference record.
So, rooting interest going forward: ignore the Niners, Saints, Packers, Eagles and Vikings - assume they are in. Ignore the Panthers for now, especially since we would own the tiebreaker against them. Root against the Cowboys and Seahawks every week - we need Seattle to lose at least four games, including the one to us. For the Cowboys, they need to lose three games - root against them every week in case they ultimately beat us. The Niners at Seahawks in week 17 may decide our fate - even if we are already even with Seattle, if they win that game, they'd get in because of division record.
The most important remaining games: for the Rams, all of them - but, if we can beat Chicago, relax and have a beer for the Ravens game - losing to an AFC team will not derail the season. If we lose to Seattle, season is over. Losing to the Cowboys would mean we would need a win at the Niners.
At the end of the day, I think Seattle will be the underdog against the Niners, Eagles, Rams, Panthers and Niners. Rams will be underdogs to the Cowboys and Niners (and possibly the Ravens). Cowboys will be underdogs against the Patriots and Eagles (and possibly the Bears).
So all we need to have happen is the favorites win, except for the Bears over the Cowboys (which may be a push), and Rams over the Cowboys.
Yes, the OL is in rough shape - but if we can get it done against the Bears, we have some teams with worse pass rushes coming up. We can do this.