srm76

I summarized this for a friend earlier today when I was stuck in a tax seminar and thought I'd post it here since I went to the trouble. These are basically the tie-breaker scenarios as I see them based on NFL rules assuming 1) the Saints and Panthers split their two games and 2) they both finish with the same overall record. Let me know your thoughts, I'm posting verbatim what I sent him:

"Okay 1st scenario - both teams win out and split with each other - Saints win division due to better record against NFC

2nd scenario - both teams finish 2-2, split with each other, but Saints lose to Rams and Panthers lose to Jets - this would be a total cluster**** - sparing you the details of why it would come down to this, the team which had the better strength of victory would win the division - to do this, the total combined winning percentage of the teams each team beat during the season would be calculated and the highest percentage would win. Of each teams' 11 wins, only four would differ from each other so it would come down to whether 1) the Cowboys, Cardinals, Bears and Bills had better combined seasons (our wins they wouldn't have) or 2) the Giants, Vikings, Rams and Patriots had better combined seasons (their wins we wouldn't have). Right now our teams are a combined .500 and theirs are .469 so through 12 games we'd win the tie-breaker. Bottom line is pull for our teams the rest of the way and against theirs.

3rd scenario - both teams finish 2-2, split with each other, but Saints lose to Bucs and Panthers lose to Falcons - Saints win division due to better record against NFC

4th scenario - both teams finish 2-2, split with each other, but Saints lose to Bucs and Panthers lose to Jets - Panthers win division due to better NFC South record

5th scenario - both teams finish 2-2, split with each other, but Saints lose to Rams and Panthers lose to Falcons - Saints win division due to better NFC South record

Bottom line is if we beat Carolina once and beat the Bucs we're going to win the division as long as they don't go 3-1 in their last 4 games. If they do, which is definitely possible if not likely, the key is going to be winning that road game against the Rams. Last time we played them there it ended up costing us a Super Bowl appearance."