RZ34 NFC Playoff Picture
by AST1N | 8 years ago | 0 Comments
New Orleans Saints (13-2)
Week 17 Matchup: New York Giants (10-5)
Playoff Outlook – The Saints just need to win/tie to get the #1 seed. However, if they lose and either the Cowboys or Eagles win their last two games, they will drop down to #2 or #3. If Saints and Rams are tied at #2, the Rams have the head-to-head advantage.
The Saints had a really good draft, but that’s not hard when you own 16 of the first 32 picks. Cooks is still cheesy, and Prewitt will try and pound it out with Childress, assuming he stays healthy. Once Sloan comes back, his offense should regain its form. This is probably the best team he’s had all cycle and his best chance at making a run. However, the NFC is very strong this season, and I just don’t see him beating the Eagles or Rams to get to the Super Bowl.
Rated – Properly Rated
Dallas Cowboys (12-2)
Week 16 Matchup – Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
Week 17 Matchup – Detroit Lions (9-5)
Playoff Outlook – Dallas can get the #1 seed by winning their remaining 2 games and a Saints loss. They will be #2 if they win out and Saints win. If they beat the Eagles, they will win the division and will automatically get #1-3 seeds. They maybe could drop to #3 if they go 1-1 and are in a 3 way tie with the Rams and Saints, but I don’t feel like examining the head-to-head tie breaker based on common-games between Cowboys and Rams. A loss to the Eagles ties up the division records. Basically… it’s a mess and too many variables.
Cowboys are who we thought they were. Zeke gashing the defense behind that line and Winston playing smart football. It’s a great approach and has been working so far. My concern is if they can keep up in a high-scoring game. If a team can get up early on them and take away the run, forcing more downfield passing, that’d be the best approach. They rank #29 in passing and that’s where they should be challenged. Problem is, they have the #1 team against the run and 9th against the pass, so getting a lead will be difficult. Don’t sleep on them.
Rated – Underrated
Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
Week 16 Matchup – Dallas Cowboys (12-2)
Week 17 Matchup – Green Bay Packers (5-9)
Playoff Outlook – Pretty much the same as the Cowboys. If it is a h2h tie-breaker for seeding with the Rams, they have the advantage.
I said Cooks was cheesy, but he’s a mild queso when compared to Perriman. >30 YPC? GTFO. That is dumb. Metal has missed Wentz, even if Kessler came in and got the job done. Their offense is based around the run (6th), and Wentz, just like Winston, only needs to be a game manager. The defense carries this team, ranking 1st in points allowed, 1st in yards allowed, and 1st in passing yards allowed.
Rated – Properly Rated
Los Angeles Rams – (12-3)
Week 17 Matchup – Denver Broncos (7-7)
Playoff Outlook – Can get the #2 seed if Saints lose and Cowboys/Eagles win out. If both don’t happen, they will get the #3 seed.
Rams are in trouble. Goff went down until the Super Bowl week, and they are playing with a practice squad QB in which Steelers Guy once dubbed him as “a white Michael Vick who can’t throw”. I don’t know how that comparison works, but hey, this is Steelers guy we are talking about. Luckily, he just needs to chuck the ball as far as he can for White to run under, throw it up to Jeffery to outjump the CB, or give the ball to Wagner and let him run through the defense. Ultimately, I don’t see him making the run without a good QB (MVP caliber, even!), no matter how good the rest of the team is.
Rated – Overrated
Detroit Lions (9-5)
Week 17 Matchup – Dallas Cowboys (12-2)
Playoff Outlook - #4 Seed
Lions started off hot, and then the shit storm came in and wrecked the team and their record, losing 4 of their last 6 games. Peek is having a great season, especially for only being a rookie. However, the defense is just middle of the pack and I can see the other teams in the playoffs gashing them. Nick made a good run and really made progress from last season, but the competition in the NFC should result in a WC round loss.
Rated – Overrated
New York Giants (10-5) / Arizona Cardinals (9-5)
Arizona Cardinals Schedule – Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
New York Giants Schedule – New Orleans Saints (13-2)
Playoff Outlook for #6 seed – If the Giants lose, they are out. Giants win and Cards lose, Giants are in. However, it gets messy if both teams win. They have the same conference record, as well as the same win-loss percentage of common games:
Cards beat - SF, CHI, DAL, SF
Cards lost - NO
Giants beat - CHI, SF, DAL, NO
Giants lost – DAL
It will then come down to strength of victory, which is amazingly close:
|
Strength of Victory |
|||
|
Cardinals |
Giants |
||
|
W |
L |
W |
L |
|
4 |
11 |
8 |
7 |
|
4 |
10 |
5 |
9 |
|
6 |
9 |
1 |
13 |
|
7 |
7 |
3 |
11 |
|
8 |
6 |
6 |
9 |
|
1 |
13 |
3 |
11 |
|
5 |
10 |
3 |
11 |
|
12 |
2 |
7 |
8 |
|
2 |
12 |
3 |
11 |
|
6 |
9 |
12 |
2 |
|
11 |
4 |
13 |
2 |
|
66 |
93 |
64 |
94 |
This means each team will have to root for the teams they beat this season to win as many Week 17 games as possible. It’s about to get crazy. I am not going to evaluate the teams, because I am going home from work and don’t feel like evaluating two teams in which only one is making the playoffs. Sorry guys, I only work 8-5 at my RedZone job.
Rated - Properly