Has a Team with the Best Record in the Conference... (1 Viewer)

[rechargeable]

1999 Jaguars 14-2, Titans 13-3 (same division), Colts 13-3 with worse AFC record.

2000 Titans 13-3, Ravens 12-4 (same division), Raiders 12-4 with worse AFC record.

Close but not quite. The '99 Colts and 00' Raiders didn't have the best records in their conferences there. We're talking if say, the '99 Titans ended 14-2 and still bumped down to #5. That can potentially happen this year.

 

[Le_Moyne]

You're all whinning about this now but it has helped us in the past...in 2006 I think we wouldn't have been the 2 seed if it wasn't for winning the division.....

 

[MsMSSaintsFan]

Is this where we say *choking* "Go Bucs"? If Bucs beat Atlanta and then we beat Atlanta, will that put us in the catbird seat having beat the Bucs?

 

[Complex Kid]

...in 2006 I think we wouldn't have been the 2 seed if it wasn't for winning the division.....

Nope:

Bears 13-3
Saints 10-6
Eagles 10-6
Seattle 9-7
Dallas 9-7
Giants 8-8

 

[CCL36]

I think it sucks that the winners of the NFC West are given seeding precedence over the wild card teams. They need to change playoff seeding to go by record. Division winners still get it, but not insured top seeding.

The Good Thing is the number 1 wildcard (the 5th seed) will get the NFC West...which makes it likely that the 5th seed and the 1 seed will face off in the divisional round.

 

[Bartyboy]

Its not as bad as it seems. If the Saints have the 5th seed then they get a warm up game against Seattle or Rams. No home field no bye but good warm up game for playoffs.
Hey Pittsburgh won as wild card and they just barely got in.
As it stands now it would be Rams then possibly Bears then clowns.
I personally would love that. Yea Bears in the cold but we are better than they are.

 

[goboilers]

We can tie Atlanta for the best record in the NFC and if we don't have a better NFC South record, we will have the 5th seed. Even if all the division winners are 7-9 and we are 13-3.

Of the 4 division winners, the best record gets top seed. Of the remaining 4 division winners, the next best gest the second seed.

There is no way to get homefield advantage (1st round bye) without winning your division.

If Atlanta and New Orleans have the same record, the first tie breaker is the division record (against NFC South opponents). The next tie breaker is common opponents. Since both we and Atlanta face nothing but common opponents for the remainder of the seasons, we can never win this tie breaker, which makes all the following ones null and void.

So the ONLY way we can win the division is to either have a better record than the Falcons, or for the Falcons to have an extra NFC South loss if we have the same record. Either way, Atlanta HAS to lose at least 2 games over the next 5.

Thanks.

 

[smchls23]

But I doubt it will change, because the biggest perk of winning your division is getting to host your first playoff game.

No...

The biggest perk of winning your division is getting into the playoffs, regardless of how good you are. That you get to host the game is just icing on the cake..

 

[BIGRON]

We can tie Atlanta for the best record in the NFC and if we don't have a better NFC South record, we will have the 5th seed. Even if all the division winners are 7-9 and we are 13-3.

Of the 4 division winners, the best record gets top seed. Of the remaining 4 division winners, the next best gest the second seed.

There is no way to get homefield advantage (1st round bye) without winning your division.

If Atlanta and New Orleans have the same record, the first tie breaker is the division record (against NFC South opponents). The next tie breaker is common opponents. Since both we and Atlanta face nothing but common opponents for the remainder of the seasons, we can never win this tie breaker, which makes all the following ones null and void.

So the ONLY way we can win the division is to either have a better record than the Falcons, or for the Falcons to have an extra NFC South loss if we have the same record. Either way, Atlanta HAS to lose at least 2 games over the next 5.

I think head-to-head and margin of victory would be one of the top tie breakers before the others are considered. Someone else might know for sure but if the Saints and Falcons end with the same record then the Saints need to win by more than the 3 points the Falcons beat them by.

 

[Complex Kid]

I think head-to-head and margin of victory would be one of the top tie breakers before the others are considered. Someone else might know for sure but if the Saints and Falcons end with the same record then the Saints need to win by more than the 3 points the Falcons beat them by.

Head to head margin of victory doesn't factor in:

http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures
TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION

If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with identical won-lost-tied percentages, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined.




Two Clubs

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

 

[LSSpam]

Twice in a year. That might cause a rule change.

Why? 12-4 teams end up as wildcards pretty often. In 2001 2 12-4 teams in the same conference were wildcards (San Francisco and Green Bay, this was with 3 divisions though). 2008 12-4 Indy was a wildcard, 8-8 Denver a division champ. 2005 12-4 Jacksonville and 11-5 Pittsburgh were wildcards (and Pittsburgh won the Superbowl). 2003 12-4 Tennessee was a wildcard.

A 13-3 team being a wildcard is unique in the 4 division era of the NFL, but our situation in general isn't that special.

 

[Cam71090]

Why? 12-4 teams end up as wildcards pretty often. In 2001 2 12-4 teams in the same conference were wildcards (San Francisco and Green Bay, this was with 3 divisions though). 2008 12-4 Indy was a wildcard, 8-8 Denver a division champ. 2005 12-4 Jacksonville and 11-5 Pittsburgh were wildcards (and Pittsburgh won the Superbowl). 2003 12-4 Tennessee was a wildcard.

A 13-3 team being a wildcard is unique in the 4 division era of the NFL, but our situation in general isn't that special.

Its not a particular record issue. Its having the best record in the conference and potentially in all of football and being a wildcard. If you are what your record is and we have the best record, there is something wrong with a system that doesnt reward its best team.

 

[parlorcitysaint]

We can tie Atlanta for the best record in the NFC and if we don't have a better NFC South record, we will have the 5th seed. Even if all the division winners are 7-9 and we are 13-3.

Of the 4 division winners, the best record gets top seed. Of the remaining 4 division winners, the next best gest the second seed.

There is no way to get homefield advantage (1st round bye) without winning your division.

If Atlanta and New Orleans have the same record, the first tie breaker is the division record (against NFC South opponents). The next tie breaker is common opponents. Since both we and Atlanta face nothing but common opponents for the remainder of the seasons, we can never win this tie breaker, which makes all the following ones null and void.

So the ONLY way we can win the division is to either have a better record than the Falcons, or for the Falcons to have an extra NFC South loss if we have the same record. Either way, Atlanta HAS to lose at least 2 games over the next 5.

That was a lucid, well thought out response. Who are you, and what have you done with Gary?

 

[kizzy821]

There has been discussion. Two issues. First is one that will NEVER change-- all 4 division winners will get into the playoffs. Period. That is the immovable object that the competition commitee and all involved pretty much agree on.

The other issue is how the seeding occurs. You might get a healthy discussion of taking the 4 division winners and two wild cards and simply seeding them by Overall record. But I doubt it will change, because the biggest perk of winning your division is getting to host your first playoff game.

I don't think any rule is so concrete that it can never change. As it stands now it doesn't happen too often, but if it's an issue that persists (where poor performing teams land playoff spots over teams with better records), I can see them revising the procedures. Playoff berths used to be based off records alone, so it's not so inconceivable that it can't be done again.

 

[Scott B]

The Saints went 12-3 in 1987 and which was good enough for a wildcard (49ers went 13-2)

In 1988, they finished in a three way tie for the division at 10-6 and didn't make the playoffs

2008 Patriots went 11-5 and didn't make the playoffs

Stuff happens