Have the Cowboys NOT clinched a playoff berth?

[FreddieMercury 0]

...and tell me what I'm missing:

 

Dallas loses to both Philly and Detroit, and finishes 9-7

Giants beat New Orleans and Washington, finish 9-7

Philly beats Dallas, lose to Atlanta, finish 9-7

Atlanta beats Carolina and Philly, finish 9-7

 

First of all, Philly wins the NFC east, based on their head-to-head sweep of Dallas. So Dallas, Atlanta, and the Giants are left in a three-way tie for the two wild card spots.

 

So here's how that tie gets broken:

 

Three or More Clubs

(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)

1. Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the three Wild-Card participants.

 

So the first step is to break the tie between Dallas and the Giants. They split head-to-head, but the Giants have a better divisional record. So Dallas is eliminated there, and Atlanta and the Giants advance.

 

How am I wrong here? It wouldn't be the first time the NFL has gotten this wrong...

[elemeno 0]

You forgot to add that for the first tie-breaker (with 3 or more clubs), it is between New York and Atlanta, New York Wins it because they have beaten them H2H. So now you have determine NYG as first of the 3.

 

Then Atlanta and Dallas go through another tie-breaker procedure (for 2 clubs) and Dallas is winning the H2H.

[vlade117 0]

they clinched - from espn.com

 

 

NFC playoff standings

Team W L T Div Conf

z -- 1. Chicago 12 2

z -- 2. New Orleans 9 5

x -- 3. Dallas 9 5

4. Seattle 8 6

5. Philadelphia 8 6

6. Giants 7 7

7. Atlanta 7 7

8. Green Bay 6 8

9. San Francisco 6 8

10. Carolina 6 8

11. Minnesota 6 8

12. St. Louis 6 8

 

z -- clinched division title

x -- clinched playoff berth

[MissionCoach 4]

...and tell me what I'm missing:

 

Dallas loses to both Philly and Detroit, and finishes 9-7

 

 

Put down the crackpipe son and get yourself into a good treatment clinic...ain't no way Dallas is losing to EITHER the eaGALS or the loins

[FreddieMercury 0]

You forgot to add that for the first tie-breaker (with 3 or more clubs), it is between New York and Atlanta, New York Wins it because they have beaten them H2H. So now you have determine NYG as first of the 3.

 

Then Atlanta and Dallas go through another tie-breaker procedure (for 2 clubs) and Dallas is winning the H2H.

 

Well, according to the quote above (which I excerpted from here), the divisional clubs go through the first tiebreaker. That would be Dallas and the Giants, which the Giants win. Giants beat Atlanta H2H, so that means they would be #5 seed and Atlanta would be #6, but Dallas is apparently eliminated before that is determined.

 

(As an aside, I will say that if Dallas loses to the freaking Lions, then they don't *deserve* the playoff spot.)

[The Next Generation 10]

Well, according to the quote above (which I excerpted from here), the divisional clubs go through the first tiebreaker. That would be Dallas and the Giants, which the Giants win. Giants beat Atlanta H2H, so that means they would be #5 seed and Atlanta would be #6, but Dallas is apparently eliminated before that is determined.

 

(As an aside, I will say that if Dallas loses to the freaking Lions, then they don't *deserve* the playoff spot.)

 

Dallas beat Atlanta H2H so there is NO WAY Atlanta can advance with the same record as Dallas.

[elemeno 0]

Well, according to the quote above (which I excerpted from here), the divisional clubs go through the first tiebreaker. That would be Dallas and the Giants, which the Giants win. Giants beat Atlanta H2H, so that means they would be #5 seed and Atlanta would be #6, but Dallas is apparently eliminated before that is determined.

 

(As an aside, I will say that if Dallas loses to the freaking Lions, then they don't *deserve* the playoff spot.)

 

from the quote above, it is used to determine WHO makes it out of the first tie-breaker, once the Giants are placed 1st, the tie-breaker procedure occurs all over again but with 2 clubs (Atlanta and Dallas)

[FreddieMercury 0]

from the quote above, it is used to determine WHO makes it out of the first tie-breaker, once the Giants are placed 1st, the tie-breaker procedure occurs all over again but with 2 clubs (Atlanta and Dallas)

 

I think we're reading it differently. Here's what I was looking at:

 

Three or More Clubs

(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)

1. Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.

2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)

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

4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.

5. Strength of victory.

6. Strength of schedule.

7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.

8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.

9. Best net points in conference games.

10. Best net points in all games.

11. Best net touchdowns in all games.

12. Coin toss

 

With Dallas, the Giants, and Atlanta tied at 9-7, the first step is to "apply the division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to step 2." That means the division tie breaker is applied to eliminate Dallas, no?

[VaTerp 0]

You are WRONG. No matter how you want to interpret what you read the simple fact is this . . .

 

If Dallas and ATL both end up 9-7 then DAL holds the H2H w/ their win IN ATL this past week. No WAY some confusing 3 way tie rule trumps that.

 

Keep It Simple Stupid.

[elemeno 0]

That divisional tie rule is for just that, people within the same division. Last I remember, Dallas isn't in the same division as Atlanta, but I could be wrong.

[lennie75 0]

I think we're reading it differently. Here's what I was looking at:

With Dallas, the Giants, and Atlanta tied at 9-7, the first step is to "apply the division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to step 2." That means the division tie breaker is applied to eliminate Dallas, no?

No...it is used to get the Giants in the playoffs. Then you apply the tiebreakers with Atlanta and Dallas. The tie breaker is not used to eliminate 1 team out of 3 it is used to advance 1 out of 3. How would it be fair to decide who is the better team between Dallas and Atlanta by looking at Dallas and New York...Think for a second.

[FreddieMercury 0]

That divisional tie rule is for just that, people within the same division. Last I remember, Dallas isn't in the same division as Atlanta, but I could be wrong.

 

What I quoted was under the section "To Break A Tie For The Wild-Card Team". There's another section called "To Break A Tie Within A Division". In cases where three or more clubs are tied for the wild card, and they are from different divisions (such as Dallas and Atlanta), it says to follow the steps excerpted above. And that pretty clearly says to eliminate all but the highest seeded teams from each division first, which would eliminate Dallas.

 

No...it is used to get the Giants in the playoffs. Then you apply the tiebreakers with Atlanta and Dallas. The tie breaker is not used to eliminate 1 team out of 3 it is used to advance 1 out of 3. How would it be fair to decide who is the better team between Dallas and Atlanta by looking at Dallas and New York...Think for a second.

 

Well, you have to use different rules when three or more teams are involved. Otherwise, how do you decide a hypothetical situation where team A beats team B, team B beats team C, and team C beats team A?

 

Besides, whether or not we think it's fair, it's what the rule says that count. And the rule says "Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club". It says to eliminate, not to advance.

[sirensong 111]

I think we're reading it differently. Here's what I was looking at:

With Dallas, the Giants, and Atlanta tied at 9-7, the first step is to "apply the division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to step 2." That means the division tie breaker is applied to eliminate Dallas, no?

 

i see your confusion, but think of it this way: step 1 is to solve the giants/cowboys question--in your example, giants clinch, cowboys are thrown back in the pool--not auto-eliminated.

[bkros42 0]

just stop worryign about it, they are not going to lose to detroit who is throwing their season.

[JGB_11 0]

just stop worryign about it, they are not going to lose to detroit who is throwing their season.