Dec 26 2005
NFC Playoff Picture
Updated 12/16/2005
|
Seed
|
Team
|
Record
|
Div.
|
Conf.
|
|
1
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
13-2
|
6-0
|
10-1
|
|
2
|
Chicago Bears
|
11-4
|
5-0
|
10-1
|
|
3
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
10-5
|
4-1
|
8-3
|
|
4
|
New York Giants
|
10-5
|
4-2
|
8-4
|
|
5
|
Carolina Panthers
|
10-5
|
3-2
|
7-4
|
|
6
|
Washington Redskins
|
9-6
|
4-1
|
9-2
|
|
–
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
9-6
|
3-3
|
7-4
|
TIEBREAKERS:
1.) Tampa Bay wins conference record tiebreakers over New York and Carolina.
What we know: The #1 and #2 seeds are set, as Seattle and Chicago have clinched first-round byes. The Giants are in the playoffs, but they haven’t clinched the NFC East just yet. The rest is still up in the air.
If the Panthers end up missing the playoffs, it’s because their run defense fell apart when they needed it the most. They let Cadillac Williams run over them for 112 yards in a loss to Tampa Bay, and Julius Jones made them look just foolish, gaining 194 yards in a Cowboys win in Charlotte. Take away those two performances, and the Panthers probbaly have the NFC South clinched already. Now, though, they have to go to Atlanta and play a Falcons team that may have no shot at the playoffs but will be more than happy to play spoiler.
Carolina needs a win to clinch a playoff berth. They need a win and a Tampa Bay loss to win the NFC South. The Bucs play the Saints at home. I don’t think Carolina’s going to get a home playoff game this year. Just as well: They’ve lost their last two at home against potential playoff teams.
As for the East, the Giants’ season won’t end on New Year’s Eve, but they haven’t won the division yet. A Giants win or a Redskins loss will do the trick. A Redskins win will put them in the playoffs, and a Redskins win plus a Giants loss gives Washington the division. The Cowboys, meanwhile, need a win and a Redskins loss to make the playoffs. I think there are other scenarios where they get in, but computers may be involved, and as the college game reminds us every year, that would suck…
THIS WEEK’S BIG GAMES:
1.) Carolina at Atlanta (Sun., 1:00 PM, FOX): The Panthers shut down Señor Mexico before. They’ll need to a repeat of that performance in Atlanta. It’s been a while since Carolina’s won a game in Atlanta…
2.) New Orleans at Tampa Bay (Sun., 1:00 PM, FOX): Tampa Bay earned this one. Who on Labor Dya would have expected these guys to have this good a shot at a home playoff game?
3.) N.Y. Giants at Oakland (Sat., 8:00 PM, ESPN): If this game is still going on at 11:30, Regis might be standing in Times Square saying, “What? The game’s on! Cut to commercial!”
4.) Washington at Philadelphia (Sun., 4:15 PM, FOX): I know the Eagles can still get up for division rivals, but this is a team that lost to Arizona last week. Sheriff Gonna Getcha will probably run all over these guys.
5.) St. Louis at Dallas (Sun., 8:30 PM, ESPN): The Cowboys’ hopes for the playoffs could be gone before they even kick off. Good thing the Rams are coming to town. Dallas could use a punching bag by then.
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Maybe it’s just my perennial disappointment, but I have some vague premonition that Carolina’s gonna do another choke job on the last game of the season (remember last year against the Saints). I want them to whip on Atlanta’s ass, but I’m not very confident yet.
Paul, noticing that if U of Pitt picks him up for PhD work in the fall that he’ll finally be in a city with a real NFL team