Playoff standings

[richpjr]

Right now, we are the 6th ranked playoff team due to tie breakers:

1 New England 9 2 0 .818 2-1-0 6-2-0 .500 .480 AFC East Champ
2 Denver 8 3 0 .727 3-0-0 6-1-0 .545 .523 AFC West Champ
3 Cincinnati 7 3 1 .682 2-1-0 5-3-0 .467 .390 AFC North Champ
4 Indianapolis 7 4 0 .636 4-0-0 6-3-0 .483 .344 AFC South Champ
5 Kansas City 7 4 0 .636 1-2-0 5-3-0 .488 .532 Wins tie break over Baltimore based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate San Diego (Kansas City wins tie break over San Diego based on head-to-head win percentage). Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Cleveland (Baltimore wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage). Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Pittsburgh (Baltimore wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage).
6 San Diego 7 4 0 .636 2-2-0 5-3-0 .430 .286 Wins tie break over Baltimore based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Cleveland (Baltimore wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage). Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Pittsburgh (Baltimore wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage).
7 Baltimore 7 4 0 .636 2-3-0 3-4-0 .495 .386 Wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage.
8 Pittsburgh 7 4 0 .636 2-2-0 6-3-0 .417 .422 Wins tie break over Cleveland based on best win percentage in common games.
9 Cleveland 7 4 0 .636 2-2-0 4-4-0 .393 .357
10 Miami 6 5 0 .545 2-1-0 5-3-0 .537 .439 Wins tie break over Buffalo based on best win percentage in division games.
11 Buffalo 6 5 0 .545 3-2-0 3-5-0 .527 .436
12 Houston 5 6 0 .455 1-1-0 4-3-0 .492 .345
13 Tennessee 2 9 0 .182 1-2-0 2-6-0 .558 .364 Wins tie break over NY Jets based on best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
14 NY Jets 2 9 0 .182 0-3-0 2-6-0 .591 .364
15 Jacksonville 1 10 0 .091 0-3-0 1-7-0 .574 .636 Wins tie break over Oakland based on best win percentage in conference games.
16 Oakland 1 10 0 .091 1-3-0 1-8-0 .612 .636

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

Big game Sunday.

[TTK]

Big game Sunday.

I think this is the biggest game of the year.

If the Bolts lose this, I think they lose the playoffs. Looking at the Raven's schedule, we're not going to be able to catch them and pass them if they have the tiebreaker with the head to head win.

[Panama]

5 Kansas City 7 4 0 .636 1-2-0 5-3-0 .488 .532 Wins tie break over Baltimore based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate San Diego (Kansas City wins tie break over San Diego based on head-to-head win percentage). Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Cleveland (Baltimore wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage). Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Pittsburgh (Baltimore wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage).
6 San Diego 7 4 0 .636 2-2-0 5-3-0 .430 .286 Wins tie break over Baltimore based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Cleveland (Baltimore wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage). Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Pittsburgh (Baltimore wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage).
7 Baltimore 7 4 0 .636 2-3-0 3-4-0 .495 .386 Wins tie break over Cleveland and Pittsburgh based on head-to-head win percentage.

I'm not sure this is correct. I believe once SD loses the tie-breaker to KC they've got to wait for the tie-breakers with same-record 2nd place teams to sort themselves out. If there are no other 7-4 second place teams, then San Diego comes back into play.

[SFW]

I think this is the biggest game of the year.

If the Bolts lose this, I think they lose the playoffs. Looking at the Raven's schedule, we're not going to be able to catch them and pass them if they have the tiebreaker with the head to head win.

I don't see it that way. Every game is important but it is too early to call it a do or die game. It is getting close to that point but they are not there yet. Even if they can't catch Baltimore they can still catch KC. SD has one more head to head game and KC plays Denver this weekend so there is a lot of football to be played.

Regardless of any current tie-breaker scenario or current ranking, none of it matters unless the Chargers take care of business over the next 5 games. 3-2 at a minimum.

[Panama]

I don't see it that way. Every game is important but it is too early to call it a do or die game. It is getting close to that point but they are not there yet. Even if they can't catch Baltimore they can still catch KC. SD has one more head to head game and KC plays Denver this weekend so there is a lot of football to be played.

Regardless of any current tie-breaker scenario or current ranking, none of it matters unless the Chargers take care of business over the next 5 games. 3-2 at a minimum.

Do we want KC or Denver to win? My initial thought is KC, because I feel they have a better chance of losing games down the road and could help us steal the division from Denver. But if we're resigned to Denver taking the West (which I'm not, yet), perhaps we'd prefer Denver to win. Thoughts?

[richpjr]

We have the hardest schedule in the league over the last 5 games (.690 winning percentage) and are the only team that doesn't play a team with a losing record the rest of the year. We will have to earn it it we want to get in.

[Boltergeist]

I can't imagine that we will be favored in any of the remaining games. If this team makes the playoffs, it will have earned it.

[thelightningwill]

According to CBS, if the playoffs were to start today, we'd be playing in Cincinnati. Chiefs would play in Indy. Same thing as last year. Only, this year, if we win, we'd go to Foxboro, and the winner of Chiefs/Colts would go to Denver. Last year, we went to Denver and the Colts beat the Chiefs to go to Foxboro.

[UtahBolt]

Not to mention that all of our wins (except Seattle) to this point have been against QBs that have either been benched, are backups or are rookies. Now we get Flacco, Brady, Manning, Kapernick and Smith. Ugh.

[SDFan]

We have the hardest schedule in the league over the last 5 games (.690 winning percentage) and are the only team that doesn't play a team with a losing record the rest of the year. We will have to earn it it we want to get in.

I wouldn't want it any other way. They need to fight and scratch tooth & nail on every single down to prove they have what it takes to win it all. I'm tired of let downs after playoff bye weeks as Division winners or going 1 and done after backing in, etc.

[thelightningwill]

Not to mention that all of our wins (except Seattle) to this point have been against QBs that have either been benched, are backups or are rookies. Now we get Flacco, Brady, Manning, Kapernick and Smith. Ugh.

Flacco is inconsistent. Kaepernick sucks. Smith is average. Brady is a Hall of Famer but has generally been mediocre against us. I think lightning-bolt decals throw off his vision. Manning is great unless he's pressured. If we could somehow hit that fool early, he'll suck.

We can beat these guys.