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Saints in playoffs? So you're saying there's a chance ...

By Gene Guillot, The Times-Picayune
on December 13, 2015 at 7:01 PM, updated December 13, 2015 at 7:44 PM
The New Orleans Saints played their most complete game of the season in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, ending their four-game losing streak with a 24-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With three games remaining in the regular season, the big question is: Does this team still have a shot at making the postseason?

There's still a chance.

For the Saints to make the playoffs:
The Saints must beat Lions (4-9) in a nationally-televised "Monday Night Football" game Dec. 21 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the visiting Jaguars (5-8) on Dec. 27 and NFC South rival Falcons (6-7) on the road (Jan. 3).

The Vikings (8-5) must lose to the Bears (5-8), Giants (5-7) and Packers (9-4).

The Bucs (6-7) play the Rams (4-9), Bears (5-8) and Panthers (13-0). If they beat the Panthers, they must lose the other two. If they lose to the Panthers, they only have to lose one of the others. If they lose to the Rams and Bears, the Panthers game doesn't matter.

The Rams must lose once. They play the Bucs, Seahawks (8-5) and 49ers (4-9).

Then there's the NFC East, involving the Giants, Eagles (6-7) and Redskins (6-7). If two of those teams end up 9-7, the Saints are out. If the second-place team is 7-9, the Saints are in. If the second place team is 8-8, and so are the Saints, the Saints win a tiebreaker with the Giants but lose the tiebreaker to the Eagles and Redskins.

Saints in playoffs? So you're saying there's a chance ... | NOLA.com

actually pretty straight forward. You must win and the rest is in the hands of the football gods.

foreverfan

burningmetal

The Rams are 5-8, not 4-9. They wouldn't need to lose if they were 4-9... Sorry, I'm a nazi about writers not proof reading their crap before sending it out.

As for our chances. We'll worry about that if it still matters in week 17. I don't expect it will.

saintsfan1976

I'd give anything for another shot at the Panthers.

SloMotion

The Saints could very well run the table rest of the way, but I don't see the Vikings dropping all three (Bears, Giants, Packers), and probably only one. Bucs'll go two-outta'-three, the Rams will lose at least once and roll the dice on the NFC East, .

burningmetal

Yeah it's not as convoluted of a scenario as would typically be expected for a 5-8 team talking about making the wildcard. Most of the things that need to happen around the Saints are more than possible, and even likely to happen. But the Vikings needing to lose all three is where it goes back to normal. Not much chance of that happening, even though they're struggling a little. They haven't tanked like Atlanta. And I've learned my lesson about thinking the Saints have turned a corner after a win.

RailBoss

The one thing it does, it keeps it interesting.

arsaint

I suspect that the Vikings or Lions will put a lid on this nonsense this week.

This scenario would take a miracle.

IF we make the playoffs, expect us to win the Super Bowl 49-0 while Kate Upton and I cheer the Saints on from my living room...

K Major

The Law of total probability.

NOLA54

Too many if's for my taste.

We could have won several games had we not loss to the rookie QB in the dome.