If we cut Kris Brown, start and actually use Slaton, and cut out the ridiculous personal fouls, this team still has a shot.
Here is our remaining schedule:Indy, at home - We need this game. We were close in Indy. This is a winnable game if we play well.
Jacksonville in Jax - This is the most important game we have left. Jacksonville is ahead of us in the WC standings. We need this one if we want any shot at the playoffs
Seattle at home - This is a team on the ropes, should be a win for us
St Louis in STL - With Bulger gone, and our team able to contain runners like SJack, I think this should be a win
Miami in Fl - This game is significantly less scary with Ronnie Brown out for the year. We should be able to win here.
New England at home - NE is a tough team for us to face. Its like the Colts. They pass a lot, and dont rely on the run game. Could go either way.
We could finish anywhere from 11-5 to 8-8. I think that 9-7 or 10-6 are reasonable records for us to achieve. At some point, this team has got to get a break from the football gods.
The teams we are still competing against for a wild card are:
Jacksonville @ 6-4
Denver @ 6-4
Pittsburgh @ 6-4
Baltimore @ 5-5
Jacksonville
@SF - This could go either way, but Jax could win this game
Hou - Lets assume they lose this game
Mia - Could go either way, but Jax probably wins
Indy - They were close in Indy, so could go either way.
@NE - Warm weather team in NE when they are locking up a spot, looks like a loss
@Cle - Jackonsville should win this easily
Jacksonville could be anywhere from 10-6 to 8-8. They realistically appear to be headed for a 9-7 or 10-6 record.
If we beat them and we beat Indy, we will be tied for division record if they also beat Indy, so the tie breaker will go down to common opponents:
Two games against Indy (both are 0-1 at this point)
Two games against Tenn (both are 1-1)
Cardinals (both are 0-1)
Seattle (Jax is 0-1, we havent played)
STL (Jax is 1-0, we havent played)
NYJ (Jax is 1-0, we are 0-1)
Buffalo (both are 1-0)
SF (Jax hasnt played, we are 1-0)
Miami (neither has played)
So if we both beat Indy, and we both beat Miami, and Jax wins at SF while we win in Sea, then we'll be tied again for common opponents and it goes down to conference wins. Jax is 5-2 in the conference and we are 4-4. At this point, we really need Jax to lose to SF, Miami, or both.
Denver
The broncos are currently at 6-4 and on a free fall. Remaining opponents:
NYG - Giants should take care of this game
@KC - Division game, could go either way
@Indy - Indy should win this game
Oak - Denver will probably win this game, although its a division game
@Philly - In Philly is always difficult, could go either way
KC - At home to close the season against KC, Denver should win
So Denver looks to be somewhere between 8-8 and 10-6.
They are 2-1 in the division, with 3 winnable division games left, giving them the tie breaker over us. We need them to fall to 8-8 or 9-7 in order to jump them in the rankings
Pittsburgh
The Steelers are at 6-4 and coming off an embarassing loss at KC. Big Ben also got hurt, although he plans to play Sunday.
@Baltimore - tough game, could go either way
Oakland - Should be a win
@Cleveland - Should be a win
Green Bay - Either way
Baltimore - Tough division game, but at home, goes either way
@Miami - Finish up the season between 2 teams in the hunt, could go either way
They have to play Baltimore twice, meaning that both of these teams are not going to be in the wc race by seasons end.
Realistically they appear to be headed for 8-8 to 11-5. I dont think they can sweep Baltimore, but we'll have to see. That loss to KC really helped us. If they split with Baltimore, that puts them at 7-5. They would then have 2 gimmes to put them at 9-5. Games against GB and Miami leaves them at 11-5 or 10-6. A split with Baltimore and a victory at Cleveland gives them a division record of 3-3, which would tie us if we beat Indy and Jax.
Common opponents:
Tenn (Steelers 1-0, Texans 1-1)
Bengals (Steelers 0-2, Texans 1-0)
Oakland (Steelers yet to play, Texans 1-0)
Miami (both yet to play)
Baltimore Currently sits at 5-5
Remaining games:
Pitt - division, will probably split
@GB - tough game in cold Lambeau
Detroit - should be a gimme
Chicago - This team is a mess, and can go either way
@Pitt - See above
@Oakland - should be a gimme
That leaves them at 7-9 to 10-6. I dont see them sweeping Pitt
Division record with a split at Pitt is 3-3, also tied with us if we beat Indy and Jax
Common opponents:
NE - Baltimore lost, weve yet to play
Bengals - Baltimore 0-2, Texans 1-0
Indy - Both lost
Oakland - Texans 1-0, Baltimore yet to play
So again, another toss up
I didn't include Miami because we have a head to head game with them
Summary:
The Texans are at 5-5 with 2 gimme games (7-5) and 4 that could go either way. Division record is the tie breaker after head to heads, and so we desperately need to win both our division games to have any shot at the playoffs.
The Jaguars are 6-4 with 1 gimme (7-4) and 5 that could go either way. If we want to jump them for a chance at the WC, we need them to lose both division games (to us and to Indy)
The Broncos are 6-4 with 2-3 gimmees (8-4) and 3-4 that could go either way. This team is two faced, so I can't tell how competitive they are right now. If they continue to freefall, they may be a nonfactor
The Steelers are 6-4 with 2 gimmees (8-4) and 4 games that could go either way.
The Ravens are 5-5 with 2 gimmees (7-5) and 4 that could go either way.
These last two play each other twice before the season is over, and that result will go a long way in determining who gets in.
All of these teams have legimate chances to make the postseason, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.
It looks like there could be as many 5 teams tied at 10-6 with similar division records, so at this point SOS is important, as is record in teh conference, against common opponents, and in the DIVISION.
Last night was a tough, tough loss for su
Here is our remaining schedule:Indy, at home - We need this game. We were close in Indy. This is a winnable game if we play well.
Jacksonville in Jax - This is the most important game we have left. Jacksonville is ahead of us in the WC standings. We need this one if we want any shot at the playoffs
Seattle at home - This is a team on the ropes, should be a win for us
St Louis in STL - With Bulger gone, and our team able to contain runners like SJack, I think this should be a win
Miami in Fl - This game is significantly less scary with Ronnie Brown out for the year. We should be able to win here.
New England at home - NE is a tough team for us to face. Its like the Colts. They pass a lot, and dont rely on the run game. Could go either way.
We could finish anywhere from 11-5 to 8-8. I think that 9-7 or 10-6 are reasonable records for us to achieve. At some point, this team has got to get a break from the football gods.
The teams we are still competing against for a wild card are:
Jacksonville @ 6-4
Denver @ 6-4
Pittsburgh @ 6-4
Baltimore @ 5-5
Jacksonville
@SF - This could go either way, but Jax could win this game
Hou - Lets assume they lose this game
Mia - Could go either way, but Jax probably wins
Indy - They were close in Indy, so could go either way.
@NE - Warm weather team in NE when they are locking up a spot, looks like a loss
@Cle - Jackonsville should win this easily
Jacksonville could be anywhere from 10-6 to 8-8. They realistically appear to be headed for a 9-7 or 10-6 record.
If we beat them and we beat Indy, we will be tied for division record if they also beat Indy, so the tie breaker will go down to common opponents:
Two games against Indy (both are 0-1 at this point)
Two games against Tenn (both are 1-1)
Cardinals (both are 0-1)
Seattle (Jax is 0-1, we havent played)
STL (Jax is 1-0, we havent played)
NYJ (Jax is 1-0, we are 0-1)
Buffalo (both are 1-0)
SF (Jax hasnt played, we are 1-0)
Miami (neither has played)
So if we both beat Indy, and we both beat Miami, and Jax wins at SF while we win in Sea, then we'll be tied again for common opponents and it goes down to conference wins. Jax is 5-2 in the conference and we are 4-4. At this point, we really need Jax to lose to SF, Miami, or both.
Denver
The broncos are currently at 6-4 and on a free fall. Remaining opponents:
NYG - Giants should take care of this game
@KC - Division game, could go either way
@Indy - Indy should win this game
Oak - Denver will probably win this game, although its a division game
@Philly - In Philly is always difficult, could go either way
KC - At home to close the season against KC, Denver should win
So Denver looks to be somewhere between 8-8 and 10-6.
They are 2-1 in the division, with 3 winnable division games left, giving them the tie breaker over us. We need them to fall to 8-8 or 9-7 in order to jump them in the rankings
Pittsburgh
The Steelers are at 6-4 and coming off an embarassing loss at KC. Big Ben also got hurt, although he plans to play Sunday.
@Baltimore - tough game, could go either way
Oakland - Should be a win
@Cleveland - Should be a win
Green Bay - Either way
Baltimore - Tough division game, but at home, goes either way
@Miami - Finish up the season between 2 teams in the hunt, could go either way
They have to play Baltimore twice, meaning that both of these teams are not going to be in the wc race by seasons end.
Realistically they appear to be headed for 8-8 to 11-5. I dont think they can sweep Baltimore, but we'll have to see. That loss to KC really helped us. If they split with Baltimore, that puts them at 7-5. They would then have 2 gimmes to put them at 9-5. Games against GB and Miami leaves them at 11-5 or 10-6. A split with Baltimore and a victory at Cleveland gives them a division record of 3-3, which would tie us if we beat Indy and Jax.
Common opponents:
Tenn (Steelers 1-0, Texans 1-1)
Bengals (Steelers 0-2, Texans 1-0)
Oakland (Steelers yet to play, Texans 1-0)
Miami (both yet to play)
Baltimore Currently sits at 5-5
Remaining games:
Pitt - division, will probably split
@GB - tough game in cold Lambeau
Detroit - should be a gimme
Chicago - This team is a mess, and can go either way
@Pitt - See above
@Oakland - should be a gimme
That leaves them at 7-9 to 10-6. I dont see them sweeping Pitt
Division record with a split at Pitt is 3-3, also tied with us if we beat Indy and Jax
Common opponents:
NE - Baltimore lost, weve yet to play
Bengals - Baltimore 0-2, Texans 1-0
Indy - Both lost
Oakland - Texans 1-0, Baltimore yet to play
So again, another toss up
I didn't include Miami because we have a head to head game with them
Summary:
The Texans are at 5-5 with 2 gimme games (7-5) and 4 that could go either way. Division record is the tie breaker after head to heads, and so we desperately need to win both our division games to have any shot at the playoffs.
The Jaguars are 6-4 with 1 gimme (7-4) and 5 that could go either way. If we want to jump them for a chance at the WC, we need them to lose both division games (to us and to Indy)
The Broncos are 6-4 with 2-3 gimmees (8-4) and 3-4 that could go either way. This team is two faced, so I can't tell how competitive they are right now. If they continue to freefall, they may be a nonfactor
The Steelers are 6-4 with 2 gimmees (8-4) and 4 games that could go either way.
The Ravens are 5-5 with 2 gimmees (7-5) and 4 that could go either way.
These last two play each other twice before the season is over, and that result will go a long way in determining who gets in.
All of these teams have legimate chances to make the postseason, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.
It looks like there could be as many 5 teams tied at 10-6 with similar division records, so at this point SOS is important, as is record in teh conference, against common opponents, and in the DIVISION.
Last night was a tough, tough loss for su
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