SF, SEA, AZ in the Playoffs?

[Shock2k]

Kind of crazy, but there is a good chance you could see three teams from 1 division in the playoffs. I'm not sure that's ever happened before. (Can somebody answer this?)

Arizona has the tie breaker vs. the Panthers, so if they tie, Arizona is in. And the Panthers have another game against a pissed off Saints team next week. Definitely going to be an interesting story line.

Honestly, I would rather see Arizona in the playoffs then the Panthers.

 

[AbsolutNET]

I would imagine that us beating the Cards would make them being in the playoffs highly unlikely? I'd love to see them get in and knock out the 9ers or Panthers, but I don't see it happening if they have to come to Seattle and win.

 

[lukerguy]

Exactly, I would love to see it but not at the expense of a loss at CLINK. Carolina would have to lose 2/3 which is unlikely.

 

[IcedHawk]

But Panthers would have to lost to the Jets or the Falcons. Because, at the least, Cards are losing one more game.

 

[onanygivensunday]

Re three teams from the same division making the playoffs, it has been done... and not that long ago iirc.

Somebody will likely post the team(s) and when it happened.

Nice to see how strong our division is, which will just serve to make us better outside of it.

 

[jblaze]

A good chance? I don't see it. The cardinals have to play us at home and the 49ers in AZ both of which I count as losses.

Panthers probably win at home vs. the Saints and then they got two other easy games so I don't see them losing.

 

[jblaze]

In 1994 the NFC Central (NFC North now) had 4/5 teams in the playoffs
Chicago, Green Bay, Detroit, and Minnesota was the division winner.

I think a few years ago the NFC East had 3 teams in the playoffs being Philly, Dallas, and the Giants.

 

[volsunghawk]

Re three teams from the same division making the playoffs, it has been done... and not that long ago iirc.

Somebody will likely post the team(s) and when it happened.

Nice to see how strong our division is, which will just serve to make us better outside of it.

2011: Ravens, Bengals, Steelers all made it.

 

[Hasselbeck]

Kind of crazy, but there is a good chance you could see three teams from 1 division in the playoffs. I'm not sure that's ever happened before. (Can somebody answer this?)

Arizona has the tie breaker vs. the Panthers, so if they tie, Arizona is in. And the Panthers have another game against a pissed off Saints team next week. Definitely going to be an interesting story line.

Honestly, I would rather see Arizona in the playoffs then the Panthers.

The Cardinals have a brutal stretch coming up. The Panthers have the Saints (at home, where the Saints are completely different on grass) sandwiched in between the Jets and Falcons.

Arizona's best chance to make it is SF slipping up this week against Tampa, which I'm hard pressed to see because they tend to feed off of lesser opponents.

So long story short - don't bank on the Cards at this point. Major long shot.

 

[Polaris]

It can happen, but the odds are long. Carolina and San Fran have the inside track to the wildcard spots. With a single win this coming Sunday, New Orleans will clinch a playoff spot. San Fran will clinch a playoff spot if they beat TB and Atlanta (before they face Arizona). They can clinch this week is two teams (Arizona and either Philly or Dallas) lose and San Fran wins. Finally if Carolina wins any two games (and they face the Jets this weekend and TB at the end of the season in addition to the rematch against NO in Carolina), then Arizona can't lose a single game....but Arizona faces Seattle in Seattle (that's a loss) and San Fran (likely a loss).

Basically Arizona has a BRUTAL schedule (@Tenn, @Sea, SF) and I see two losses on it easy, and that kicks 'Zona out of the playoffs.

The odds are very good that Seattle will eliminate Arizona from the playoffs.

 

[ceej22]

In 2006 and 2007 3 NFC East teams made it. I don't think it happens this year. Not with Carolina in the mix and Arizona facing @Seattle and @SF.

 

[dontbelikethat]

We would have to lose to the Cards at the clink and they have to win out, and also the Panthers would have to lose out or something like that.

 

[Polaris]

We would have to lose to the Cards at the clink and they have to win out, and also the Panthers would have to lose out or something like that.

Not necessarily. Remember that Arizona owns the head to head tiebreak with the Panthers. Essentially Arizona can't lose more than one remaining game and they need help. They either have to wind up tied with Carolina or have a better record than the 4ners. There's a bit more to it, but that's the essential point.

If San Fran and Carolina both win (and they are both strongly favored to do just that), then Arizona will be on life support. In week 16, Seattle will probably give the Cards a loss, and if San Fran and Carolina both win, Arizona would be out. Also if Arizona loses this coming week, then any future loss would eliminate Arizona.

 

[Uncle Si]

Re three teams from the same division making the playoffs, it has been done... and not that long ago iirc.

Somebody will likely post the team(s) and when it happened.

Nice to see how strong our division is, which will just serve to make us better outside of it.

Baltimore, Pitt and Cincy i believe... cant remember the year

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I'd certainly rather see the Cards in the playoffs than the Panthers, but they're a longshot at best. Panthers have three winnable games, and the Cards have us and SF.

 

[Shock2k]

All really good points. I stand by "good" chance. May saying "a chance" would have been less controversial.

 

[scakfan]

Cards would likely have to win out to overtake the 49ers but winning two of their last three is doable if Carolina losses two more. I can see them taking it to the 49ers, who would have already locked up a wildcard, at home if it meant a playoff seed.

 

[Hawks46]

Is there a scenario where SF and Arizona can actually make it in ?

From what I understood, basiclly one or the other gets knocked out of the playoffs is AZ is still in contention the last game of the year.

If we knock AZ from the playoffs, the Niners get an easy win. That's a huge let down game for AZ and they have nothing to play for at that point.

 

[Polaris]

Is there a scenario where SF and Arizona can actually make it in ?

From what I understood, basiclly one or the other gets knocked out of the playoffs is AZ is still in contention the last game of the year.

If we knock AZ from the playoffs, the Niners get an easy win. That's a huge let down game for AZ and they have nothing to play for at that point.

Yes there is. The easiest way for this to happen would be for Carolina and Arizona to be tied for the sixth seed and for San Fran to be the five seed. Arizona would win the tiebreak on head to head.

 

[BreesIsOverrated]

Panthers would have to have an absolute meltdown, but at this point that could be likely.