Thread: ESPN playoff machine now live

Have fun concocting crazy scenarios. I was trying to figure out if the Chiefs could catch us if they win out and we both finish 11-5. Now I'll see how how of a seed I can get the Jaguars.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/machine

By virtue of their 3 game lead, the Broncos would clinch the division simply by beating the Chargers (twice) and the Raiders, at home regardless of what the Chiefs do. (Assuming the Chiefs won out and the Broncos to the Pats, @Steelers and Bengals).

After starting the season 1-5 the Chiefs dug themselves too big a hole. Nobody thinks the Chiefs will win 10 straight. They still have 2 division games against the Raiders and one against the Chargers have to win those. They would be in the playoffs today but they can't afford another loss this season or they might not even get a wild-card.

Most likely scenario:

1. New England
2. Cincinnati
3. Denver
4. Indianapolis
5. Kansas City
6. Pittsburgh

Buffalo and Houston will hover around 8-8 if KC or Pitt takes a dive.

The Chiefs have such an easy schedule, but other than Rivers on a team that has just given up....the Chiefs haven't beaten a good QB yet.

The Chiefs / Bills game this week will be massive in determining who gets in and at what seed.

Originally Posted by Cugel

By virtue of their 3 game lead, the Broncos would clinch the division simply by beating the Chargers (twice) and the Raiders, at home regardless of what the Chiefs do. (Assuming the Chiefs won out and the Broncos to the Pats, @Steelers and Bengals).

After starting the season 1-5 the Chiefs dug themselves too big a hole. Nobody thinks the Chiefs will win 10 straight. They still have 2 division games against the Raiders and one against the Chargers have to win those. They would be in the playoffs today but they can't afford another loss this season or they might not even get a wild-card.

Yeah, but losing one of those division games could hurt us more than losing to NE*, Pitt or Cincy (although KC beat Pitt, so common and conference opponent.) The Raiders loss definitely helps, because it leaves KC as the only even mildly plausible threat, and of course our win against Chicago helps because EVERY win reduces our magic number.

It's highly improbably they or anyone catches us in a division we lead by 3 with just 6 games to play. The questions are whether we can get homefield (answer: Probably not, definitely not if NE* beats us next week) or at least a bye (answer: Even a week ago I'd have said no way, but Cincys stumbles make it every doable if we beat them in Denver.)

Playoff Machine's always fun to play with though.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

Most likely scenario:

1. New England
2. Cincinnati
3. Denver
4. Indianapolis
5. Kansas City
6. Pittsburgh

Buffalo and Houston will hover around 8-8 if KC or Pitt takes a dive.

Denver plays the Bengals at home on primetime TV. If we beat them then we go to #2 seed. I think this is a win for us. The Patriots will be tougher to beat.

Of course if we lose against NE then the Bengals would have to lose 1 more as well. Tough task with a new QB that doesn't have that much experience.

Originally Posted by DenBronx

Denver plays the Bengals at home on primetime TV. If we beat them then we go to #2 seed. I think this is a win for us. The Patriots will be tougher to beat.

Of course if we lose against NE then the Bengals would have to lose 1 more as well.

I think it's fairly likely we finish with the same record as the Bengals but have the tie breaker with a win over them at our house.

I bought my tickets for Broncos v Bengals back in August thinking we'd be in danger of sitting Peyton getting ready for #1 or #2 seed... this is turning out to be a great game to go to.

I still think we finish ahead of the Bengals and get #2 seed, assuming we stumble along the way and lose another game this season.

I'm rooting for the Bills to make the playoffs.

Originally Posted by DenBronx

Denver plays the Bengals at home on primetime TV. If we beat them then we go to #2 seed. I think this is a win for us. The Patriots will be tougher to beat.

Of course if we lose against NE then the Bengals would have to lose 1 more as well. Tough task with a new QB that doesn't have that much experience.

A Cheats loss is a good point I failed to consider, because the rest of Cincys schedule is fairly light apart from us. If Pitt has any players left, that could be a challenge at home (but no less for us on the road) and the Rams aren't awful, but the Browns, Ravens and '49ers are. And I don't envy St. Louis visiting a Bengals team that's on a 2-game losing streak that ended their hope of a perfect season: It's very unlikely that streak continues, IMHO. So we could end up visiting them in the divisional round, assuming we get that far.