Division/Wild Card situation for the Patriots

[yall hate]

On Sportscenter, they said this about the division spot:

Miami wins the division if they beat the Jets

Jets wins the division if they beat Miami and Patriots lose to Buffalo

Patriots win if they beat Buffalo and Jets beat Miami



Now I don't know what the Ravens situation is.

I'm pretty certain the Ravens are in with a win.  They win a tiebreaker with the Pats (if Pats don't win the division), and if the Pats do win the Division then they'd have a better record than both the Jets & Miami.

So what would happen if Ravens and Miami lose but the Patriots win (meaning Patriots dont get the division).  Who gets the wildcard spot, Ravens, Patriots, or Miami?

Alright, now I'm more confused.  If the Ravens and Dolphins both lost, wouldn't the Pats win the division?  They'd be at 11-5 and the other three teams would be 10-6.

yes.  If the Ravens and dolphins were to lose, with the pats winniing, that would mean the pats won the division, and the jets are the wildcard (by virtue of beating the dolphins).

[Redz]

and lets get one thing straight

THE PATS ARE NOT GOING TO LOSE TO BUFFALO

[nickagneta]

I really would prefer for the Pats and Dolphins and Broncos to win and the Ravens to lose. In this scenario this occurs:

AFC Playoffs Week 1

1. Tennessee - bye
2. Pittsburgh - bye
3. Miami - at home vs. New England
4. Denver - at home vs. Indianapolis
5. Indianapolis - @ Denver
6. New England - @ Miami

In this scenario I see easy New England and Indy wins setting up:

AFC Playoffs Week 2

1. Tennessee - at home vs New England
2. Pittsburgh - at home vs Indianapolis
3. Indianapolis - @ Pittsurgh
4. New England - @ Tennessee

Steelers/Colts and Pats/Titans are both toss ups in my book and could set up:

AFC Championship

New England @ Indianapolis or Pittsburgh


I really do believe this would be the easiest way for the Pats to make the SuperBowl because they would have to play their toughest opponent in the AFC Championship. Then anything is possible.

[Redz]

no matter what the scenario the Pats deserve a huge ovation for a great season given the circumstances.  It's been fun.

[houlana]

the jets dolphins game has been moved to 4pm

i think this is really bad for the pats and its not fare.
if the pats beat the bills then that would eliminate the jets. they will know the score before their game starts and will have nothing to play for.
i feel that mangini would lose this game with nothing to play for to get back at BB.

these games have to be played at the same time to give everybody a fare shot at the division

[yall hate]

the jets dolphins game has been moved to 4pm

i think this is really bad for the pats and its not fare.
if the pats beat the bills then that would eliminate the jets. they will know the score before their game starts and will have nothing to play for.
i feel that mangini would lose this game with nothing to play for to get back at BB.

these games have to be played at the same time to give everybody a fare shot at the division

That isnt true.  if the Ravens lose, and the Pats win, the Jets will be fighting for a playoff spot.  The ravens game is at the same time as the Jets game, so the Jets wont know what their situation is until the Ravens game is over.

Additionally, the there are calls for Mangini to be fired.  He is coaching for his career.  He will be trying to win.

[houlana]

the jets dolphins game has been moved to 4pm

i think this is really bad for the pats and its not fare.
if the pats beat the bills then that would eliminate the jets. they will know the score before their game starts and will have nothing to play for.
i feel that mangini would lose this game with nothing to play for to get back at BB.

these games have to be played at the same time to give everybody a fare shot at the division

That isnt true.  if the Ravens lose, and the Pats win, the Jets will be fighting for a playoff spot.  The ravens game is at the same time as the Jets game, so the Jets wont know what their situation is until the Ravens game is over.

Additionally, the there are calls for Mangini to be fired.  He is coaching for his career.  He will be trying to win.

that is true, but come on man.
the ravens are not gona lose the Jags at home with playoff birth on the line.
all these games should be played at the same time so there is not let down from any team, it is only fare.

that is how they do it in champions league group stages, just to avoid these kind of situations

[nickagneta]

the jets dolphins game has been moved to 4pm

i think this is really bad for the pats and its not fare.
if the pats beat the bills then that would eliminate the jets. they will know the score before their game starts and will have nothing to play for.
i feel that mangini would lose this game with nothing to play for to get back at BB.

these games have to be played at the same time to give everybody a fare shot at the division

That isnt true.  if the Ravens lose, and the Pats win, the Jets will be fighting for a playoff spot.  The ravens game is at the same time as the Jets game, so the Jets wont know what their situation is until the Ravens game is over.

Additionally, the there are calls for Mangini to be fired.  He is coaching for his career.  He will be trying to win.

that is true, but come on man.
the ravens are not gona lose the Jags at home with playoff birth on the line.
all these games should be played at the same time so there is not let down from any team, it is only fare.

that is how they do it in champions league group stages, just to avoid these kind of situations

If the Jets could lose to the Seahawks in a cold weather snow situation then the Ravens could drop a game to the Jags. Stranger things have happened.

[yall hate]

the jets dolphins game has been moved to 4pm

i think this is really bad for the pats and its not fare.
if the pats beat the bills then that would eliminate the jets. they will know the score before their game starts and will have nothing to play for.
i feel that mangini would lose this game with nothing to play for to get back at BB.

these games have to be played at the same time to give everybody a fare shot at the division

That isnt true.  if the Ravens lose, and the Pats win, the Jets will be fighting for a playoff spot.  The ravens game is at the same time as the Jets game, so the Jets wont know what their situation is until the Ravens game is over.

Additionally, the there are calls for Mangini to be fired.  He is coaching for his career.  He will be trying to win.

that is true, but come on man.
the ravens are not gona lose the Jags at home with playoff birth on the line.
all these games should be played at the same time so there is not let down from any team, it is only fare.

that is how they do it in champions league group stages, just to avoid these kind of situations

But the bottom line is if the Pats win, the Jets go into that game knowing they COULD make the playoffs.  Maybe I am missing something, but that is the same hope that they have if the game was at the same time as the pats.  No matter what happens, the Jets know they need to win and then they need help, just like the Pats.

That being said, it makes sense for the league to move that game to 415 because of TV.  The fact is, if the Pats win, both the Jets game and the Ravens game will be watched by a lot of people because the results will impact multiple teams and their playoff chase.

[Donoghus]

Quite the coincidence, back in '02 the Pats needed help from a Brett Favre led team to make the playoffs and didn't get it. (Packers folded like a house of cards)  Six years later, same scenario is unfolding.  Hoping for a different result this time.

[houlana]

u guys are right,
its just that i feel that the ravens are playing really well playing the jags who are kinda tanking the season. i have more hope in the jets beating the fins. i just hope it works out either way

[Schupac]

Look guys it's really simple...

If the Patriots win and Miami loses but Baltimore wins then the Patriots are in.
If Miami loses but Baltimore loses and the Patriots win then Baltimore is in.
If Baltimore wins but Miami Wins and the Patriots lose the Patriots are out.
If Miami can win but only wins by 7 points or less while Baltimore loses but by 3 points or less while the Patriots team bus stalls then the Patriots get to go, but if Miamia wins by 15 points then Baltimore has to play without their shirts on which is a distinct disadvantage in this weather meanwhile Matt Cassell will be allowed to, on one down of the game hit somebody with a two-by-four and say "how do you like the taste of my mutton?". 
Of course, if New England loses, Baltimore loses and Miami loses then the Lions go to the superbowl, blood rains the dead rise and it's the apocolypse.
Now, if it is the apocolypse but John Madden is commentating we can look forward to about 3 hours of "see, what they need to do here is not sin so much." and "well that's just a heckuva football play by a football player on this here football field of the devil." and "the key to this game is for the Patriots to try and score more than their opponent".

Sorry, I had 5 minutes left on my break and nothing to do... back to work.

[Brickowski]

Ravens will win, Jets will lose.  That's tough for the Pats, particulatrly since (1) their season was basically decided by the coin flip at the end of regulation in the second Jets game, and (2) even decimated by injuries, the Pats are better than at least half of the teams that will make the playoffs.

[Donoghus]

Ravens will win, Jets will lose.  That's tough for the Pats, particulatrly since (1) their season was basically decided by the coin flip at the end of regulation in the second Jets game, and (2) even decimated by injuries, the Pats are better than at least half of the teams that will make the playoffs.

Sadly, that is what my gut is telling me too.

[PaulPierce34G]

Ravens will win, Jets will lose.  That's tough for the Pats, particulatrly since (1) their season was basically decided by the coin flip at the end of regulation in the second Jets game, and (2) even decimated by injuries, the Pats are better than at least half of the teams that will make the playoffs.

Agreed...Gut feeling for me, as well.  Sometimes, it's just sad at the way playoffs are set up. For example, Denver or San Diego is heading to the playoffs.  Denver won't have more than 9 wins, should they be victorious this week, & San Diego can't top 8... They should give the 6 slots per conference to the top 6 teams overall. Then again, that would defeat the purpose of a divisional title..But, if I had to choose a format, that's how it would go.  It's, in a sense, unfair for a team to come out with potentially end up with 11 wins & still fall short, while there's a possibility a .500 club could get in.