When can we realistically clinch a play off spot?

[Glasgow Seahawk]

So we are 6-1 at the moment. Our records when we reached the play offs in the last few years are: 2012- 11-5, 2010- 7-9

What week do we realistically clinch a play off spot as either NFC West Champions or if we hit a blip, a wild card spot?

I have a feeling that with the 49ers only one game behind, we might not clinch it until Week 14 when we play them at Candlestick. I'm hoping the Saints do us a favor when the 49ers have to go to the Superdome in week 11 though.

 

[bestfightstory]

I don't see the Niners winning 13 games and I don't see us winning any fewer than 13 games. Using that as a rough guide for purpose of estimation then our magic number is 8 (remaining Seahawks wins added to Niners losses).


Or something like that.

 

[HighlandHawk]

10-6 should net us a wild card spot going by the implosion the rest of the NFC is having.

Looking at the remains of the schedule
@ Rams (should win but Brockers will tear the offensive line a new one so don't rule them out)
Bucs (winnnnnnnn)
@ Falcons (dome cross country 10am game. Falcons won't be able to put 30 on this team again but still not to be ignored)
Vikings (aye, well... no we'll win)
-- Bye -- At this point we should now be focussing on home field
Saints (big toughie. If anyone can knock us off the home field it's them this year)
@ 49ers (short week game, Niners are still a damn good team)
@ Giants (currently a laughing stock but should pick themselves up by then plus a cross country early game)
Cards & Rams (home to finish up and we should be able to clinch home field during these two games)

 

[grizbob]

I don't see the Niners winning 13 games and I don't see us winning any fewer than 13 games. Using that as a rough guide for purpose of estimation then our magic number is 8 (remaining Seahawks wins added to Niners losses).


Or something like that.

That is exactly the number I was going to pull out of my arse, but I wouldn't have been able to explain it :th2thumbs:

 

[Polaris]

Normally the playoff spots start being clinched sometime in late November at the earliest. Assuming we continue to win, I expect that we could clinch a WC spot sometime around then. As for the Division, that really depends on San Fransisco. As things are going (as assuming the Niners lose in New Orleans), I bet we clinch the division if when we beat San Fran in Candlestick.

 

[pmedic920]

Playoffs? You know the rest.

 

[Polaris]

10-6 should net us a wild card spot going by the implosion the rest of the NFC is having.

Looking at the remains of the schedule
@ Rams (should win but Brockers will tear the offensive line a new one so don't rule them out)
Bucs (winnnnnnnn)
@ Falcons (dome cross country 10am game. Falcons won't be able to put 30 on this team again but still not to be ignored)
Vikings (aye, well... no we'll win)
-- Bye -- At this point we should now be focussing on home field
Saints (big toughie. If anyone can knock us off the home field it's them this year)
@ 49ers (short week game, Niners are still a damn good team)
@ Giants (currently a laughing stock but should pick themselves up by then plus a cross country early game)
Cards & Rams (home to finish up and we should be able to clinch home field during these two games)

You forgot Tampa Bay in the Clink between the Rams and the Falcons game, and given the state of the Falcons and it's at the Clink, I think it's safe to project we probably win this.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

I only see San Francisco possibly losing against us and New Orleans currently and ditto for us. I see nothing completely decided before week 16.

I am seeing Seattle 14-2, San Francisco 13-3 as a realistic possibility.

 

[HawkFan72]

SF is getting better. They'll win at least 10 games, so it's going to come down to the last couple weeks of the year.

 

[HighlandHawk]

10-6 should net us a wild card spot going by the implosion the rest of the NFC is having.

Looking at the remains of the schedule
@ Rams (should win but Brockers will tear the offensive line a new one so don't rule them out)
Bucs (winnnnnnnn)
@ Falcons (dome cross country 10am game. Falcons won't be able to put 30 on this team again but still not to be ignored)
Vikings (aye, well... no we'll win)
-- Bye -- At this point we should now be focussing on home field
Saints (big toughie. If anyone can knock us off the home field it's them this year)
@ 49ers (short week game, Niners are still a damn good team)
@ Giants (currently a laughing stock but should pick themselves up by then plus a cross country early game)
Cards & Rams (home to finish up and we should be able to clinch home field during these two games)

You forgot Tampa Bay in the Clink between the Rams and the Falcons game, and given the state of the Falcons and it's at the Clink, I think it's safe to project we probably win this.

Nope it's there

 

[Steve2222]

Well seeing as we're already 11-1 (I have no doubt we finish 8-0 at home, to include beating NO) it's safe to say we've already clinched a WC. Clinching the #1 is going to be crucial though. We get the #1 seed, might as well put us in the SB.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

The division can't be decided until Week 12 at the earliest.

 

[CaptainSkybeard]

We may not clinch the division until week 17. A playoff spot of any kind, I think week 13-14 is possible.

 

[Hawks46]

I only see San Francisco possibly losing against us and New Orleans currently and ditto for us. I see nothing completely decided before week 16.

I am seeing Seattle 14-2, San Francisco 13-3 as a realistic possibility.

This is my feeling about how the season turns out. If NO beats SF, and then we beat them, it's over and we have the division. At that point, unless we're seriously fighting for HFA with NO, I can see us playing our starters a half a game against AZ, and half a game against the Rams up here.

If we beat NO, and NO beats SF, assuming we've won the rest of the games we should win, that puts SF at 3 losses and us at 1. Unless the wheels really fall off, it won't even matter if we beat them there. But I'd really like us to thunderstomp them again...when you have a team down, you keep your foot on their throat.

Atlanta worried me at the beginning of the season. That franchise is really beat up and down, and they probably won't have much to play for by then, but Smith will still have them paying hard. We have to assume that they'll be fighting for a wildcard spot, and will give their best effort. This team wants revenge and I think it will be a bloodbath.

The Rams DL isn't quite as on as it was last year. That team still doesn't have the talent or consistency to beat us. That said, we can't beat ourselves either. If we play like we did at AZ, it's lights out. STL's front 7 isn't miles ahead of AZ's, but it's ahead, and we handled them pretty well.

NO still remains the biggest game on the schedule, followed by SF. If SF beats NO, then SF becomes the biggest remaining game on the schedule.

 

[C-Dub]

SF is getting better. They'll win at least 10 games, so it's going to come down to the last couple weeks of the year.

This is what I'm thinking. We should have a pretty good idea after the @SF game. Coming away with a win would be huge since I don't see SF losing more than 4. They might only lose one more all year.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Out of Saints, Lions, Bears, Packers, Seahawks, and 49ers, one of those teams will have to miss the playoffs because the NFCE winner is getting in. All it will take is us not fading and one of those other five teams fading to make it happen. Maybe around win ten for us, win eleven or twelve if no one out of that group fades.

The thing is that the Lions, Bears, and Pack all still have to play each other at least once if not twice, so they'll beat up on one another and help us out immensely.

 

[Sarlacc83]

In my estimation, 11 wins guarantees a WC, so as early as Week 13 at the Hawks' current rate.

If we beat SF at Candlespitz, Week 14 will guarantee the NFC West.