Playoffs
 

I know this is a stupid question, but I'm a die hard Saints fan. Do you think the Saints have any shot at the playoffs now?

:casstet:

Playoffs
 

Not likely, but possible. Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to the playoffs.

[Edited on 12/12/2003 by BillyC]

Playoffs
 

What would have to happen for the Saints to make the playoffs?

Playoffs
 

I meant to type \"NOT\" likely. Not, \"LOT\" likely.

Anyway, to answer your question.

We need Dallas to lose at least once and Green Bay to lose once and we need to win out. I think that would put us in.

Playoffs
 

Playoffs
 

Well, it doesn\'t look good. We can catch Dallas pretty easily I think. That\'s realistic. Dallas plays @ Washington and then home against NYG. Dallas is better than both of these teams, but if anyone knows that records don\'t matter when you play in your division, it\'s the Saints. If Dallas loses to one of those teams AND we beat them, then we jump them in the playoff race.

Green Bay is a problem. They go out at San Diego, at Oakland, and then home against Denver. Denver can definitely beat them and that would make them 9-7 too. Problem is, I\'m not sure what the tie-breaker is for same-conference non-division rival teams. I have four possible ideas: record against like opponents, record in conference, points against, and division record. I have no idea which, if any of these are right, but we\'re basically screwed in all of them. See below:

1. Record against like opponents.
Green Bay beat Chicago twice, Seattle, and Tampa, but lost to Philly. That makes them 4-1. We beat Chicago and Tampa once each, but lost to Tampa, Philly, and Seattle. That makes us 2-3. Translation - we lose.

2. Record in conference:
At best we could tie. They are 8-5 in the NFC with 0 NFC games left. We are 6-5 in the NFC with NYG and Dallas left. Even if we win out we would also be 8-5 and thus it would defer to another way of breaking the tie.

3. Points against:
Right now they have 276 points against. We have 292 points against. We would have to pitch a couple of shutouts and they would have to give up a lot of points. That\'s not likely to happen to them against San Diego and Oakland.

4. Division record:
They are 4-2 in their division. We are 3-3. Again, we lose.

So basically, unless Green Bay loses two, it doesn\'t look like we can catch them.


Seattle may be catchable. They are @ St Louis, home against Arizona, and then @ San Fran. If they have a meltdown a la the NO Saints last season and they lose to Arizona, they could lose out and end up 8-8... but again, it\'s not likely. There is only one NO Saints team in this league and we are it. Of course, all of this is assuming that we win out, which may be the least likely proposition of all.

Playoffs
 

DIVISION TIES
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/foo...iebreakers_ap/


If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with identical best won-lost-tied percentages, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined. The same steps are used to determine the sites of postseason games.

Two Clubs


Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).


Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.


Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.


Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, if applicable.


Best net points in division games.


Best net points in all games.


Strength of schedule.


Best net touchdowns in all games.


Coin toss.

Three or More Clubs


Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).


Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.


Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.


Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.


Best net points in division games.


Best net points in all games.


Strength of schedule.


Best net touchdowns in all games.


Coin toss.

Note: If one team wins mutiple-team tiebreaker to advance to playoff round, remaining teams revert to step 1 of applicable two-club format, i.e., either in division tiebreaker or Wild Card tiebreaker. If two teams in a mutiple-team tie possess superior marks in a tiebreaking step, this pair of teams advances to the top of the applicable two-club format to break the tie. One team advances to playoff round, while others return to step 1 of applicable two-club or three-club tiebreaker.

Playoffs
 

Sadly true.
You can make up some scenarios how the Saints will make the play-offs, but they have to be called \'fantastic\'. By the way: First tie-breaker is conference record (Green Bay 7-5, Saints at best 7-5), second is common opponents (which we lose).
Best chance right now: Saints win out and Carolina loses out.

Playoffs
 

Yeah, catching Green Bay seems pretty unlikely. Seattle or Carolina crashing and burning seems more likely, but that ain\'t exactly what I\'d call probable. You know?

Playoffs
 

The last I heard we had the tie-breaker on Green Bay.
I think Dallas is the team in our crosshairs.

But alas, winning out is about as likely as Brittany Spears ripping my clothes off.