AFC Tie-breaker
 

So, listening to 610 this morning something was mentioned that confused me.

It was mentioned that if the Texans lose in a couple weeks to the Pats, the Texans lose the tie breakers they have already against BAL and DEN or something like that?? Basically they were saying those tie breakers we already own could be potentially blown with a loss to the Pats (perhaps something additionally has to happen to add to this to cause that?).

My question....is there any truth in that? All my years in watching football, I don't remember losing a head to head tie breaker to a team we beat by losing to another team???? Of course it's been years and years since any of that mattered for a Houston team so maybe I am forgetting something..

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

I'm betting you misheard. You can't lose a head-2-head tiebreaker, but in a 3 way tie, assuming the teams have beaten each other, that tiebreaker goes out the window.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Eh, talking heads trying to take up radio silence.

If they are talking about this kind of crap, they wasting airtime.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

At first I was thinking I misheard as well but I perked up and listened to the rest of the conversation and while I don't remember the details, they definitely laid out some convoluted explanation of how that could potentially lose us the tie breakers and #1 seed.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

This is what I am hoping but checking to see if I am missing something here...

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Like Stemp already pointed out-the only way the Head to Head doesn't count it in the case of a three way tie. I'm betting that is what they were looking at-more than one team (including the Texans) finishing 13-3.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

An example of what they were saying is this scenario:

Texans, Ravens, and Patriots all finish the season 13-3.

In the regular season:
Texans beat Ravens
Ravens beat Patriots
Patriots beat Texans


In this scenario, each team is 1-1 against the teams with the tied overall records, so the head to head tie breaker is thrown out, and next next tie breaker is used, which I believe is record against the AFC conference.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Yeah I must have misheard them because I know if we all finish say 13-3 then then it gets dicey but I didn't realize each team was 1-1 in this scenario either. I believe you are correct that the AFC record comes in to play after that which as of now our only loss was NFC which I am thankful for so obviously if the Pats beat us that tarnishes that.

Clearly I missed them probably mentioning the 1-1 issue if finishing at 13-3 which is what confused me and made me think they were saying something totally different.

Thx for the clarification.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

If we lose to New England, we would go to 9-1 in the conference (if we beat Tennessee). New England & Baltimore could possibly be 9-1 at that time as well. So it's possible for all three teams to finish 11-1 in the conference.

FYI, Denver is also sitting there with 3 loses. They could possibly end the season 13-3 as well. They have Baltimore on their schedule, a win against Baltimore would assure Baltimore doesn't finish better than 13-3, then Baltimore would also have another loss in the conference meaning they won't finish better than 10-2, so we need to root for Denver to beat Baltimore, but lose somewhere else (so there is no 13-3 three-way tie).

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Here ya go.

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

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

That's correct. Of course your scenario could get even more convoluted if Denver beats the Ravens and also finishes 13-3.

I think in any scenario where we lose to the Pats and end up 13-3 along with them and anyone else I think New England would end up with the top seed.

In a multiple team tie-breaker, though, once one team has been placed the tie-breaking rules go back to head-to-head.

Also in the case of multiple teams tied with the same record if one team swept the others or was swept they would be either eliminated or be the top seed.

I think the safest thing to do is beat New England and this is all moot. I'm hoping SF beats them after we play them either way. It would give us a cushion if we do lose.

I don't want it to come down to the final Sunday against the Colts.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

So Baltimore would be eliminated since they lost to both the Texans & the Patriots.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

^^^^^^^^^this

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

They beat the Patriots.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Ravens beat the Patriots.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Bleh , we just need to beat the Pats .... Problem solved!

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Damn...... I was looking at the Broncos schedule. My bad.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Then we still may be in a three way tie with Denver & Baltimore. Just going through all the scenarios.

:kitten:



But since we beat both teams, we'll win the tie breaker.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

If the Texans finish 4-1 with the only loss being that MNF game at NE, they will still win the #1 seed regardless of what everyone else does. They'll be 14-2 and the best Baltimore can finish is 14-2, with Houston winning the tiebreaker.

The OP must have definitely misheard what they were saying.

Re: AFC Tie-breaker
 

Not the case with a loss only to NE. That can definitely happen assuming the Texans lose another game in addition to the Pats game and both Baltimore and New England win out. However, in order for the Patriots to win out they will have to beat us and San Francisco in consecutive weeks. Likewise, the Ravens would have to beat the Broncos, Giants, and Redskins.

I like our chances at the top seed overall.