Official 2008 AFC Playoff Race Thread

[Jerry Jabber]

The Bills need to win out. Even at 10-6, we will lose any tiebreakers with the other AFC teams since we already are 4-4 in the conference & 0-3 in the division.

[bills_fan]

The Bills need to win out. Even at 10-6, we will lose any tiebreakers with the other AFC teams since we already are 4-4 in the conference & 0-3 in the division.

 

 

Any Bills playoff scenario assumes at least a 7-5 conference record and 2-4 in the division.

[Raf]

The Bills need to win out. Even at 10-6, we will lose any tiebreakers with the other AFC teams since we already are 4-4 in the conference & 0-3 in the division.

 

Everything would be easy if they win out, but at 10-6 you can't say we'll lose tiebreakers automatically. Especially if they lose the 49ers or the Broncos game.

 

I agree that the three divisional games are must win, because the team we are most likely going to be competing with for the last wild card spot is New England.

[Poeticlaw]

My Analysis:

 

Going by record and remaining schedule, the South and West Divisions seem relatively settled with the Titans and Broncos winning their respective divisions and the Colts earning one of the Wild Cards (although I wouldn't be too surprised to see the Chargers beat out the Broncos). The Ravens and Steelers both have pretty difficult remaining schedules, so my best guess is that no Wild Card team comes from the AFC North this year.

 

As for the AFC East and the status of our Bills, all I'll say is that we are in very big danger of losing not only the division title but also the other wild card if we lose even just 1 additional division game. The AFC conference record tiebreaker could be in play, as well, since there's the possibility that all 4 AFC East teams finish with a 3-3 division record. Therefore, I'd say that our final 4 games - including the Denver away game - are all "must win" scenarios. The 49ers game should also be considered "must win" (sorry Crayonz...) because I could see the Pats, Jets, and Colts all finishing 11-5 or better even if we were to win our last 4 after a 49ers loss to end up 10-6.

 

Here's the silver lining: if the Jets lose to Miami in Week 17 or in 2 of their other 3 non-AFC East games, the Bills control their own destiny for that precious AFC East Division crown/playoff home game that has escaped us for the past 12 seasons.

 

Im sorry i dont mean to be a nit pick BUT i highlighted in bold what is incorrect- The Bills are in jeapordy of losing the last playoff spot with A LOSS PERIOD!!!!! Lets look at it- Baltimore is the only one capable of really falling If it conmes down to our division the tie breaker goes to who?

Jets 8-3 Den-SF-BUF-SEA-MIA left its unlikey but 3-2 worst i see- In order for a scenario to work out we need them to lose to US & MIA for 3-3 division

NE 7-4 PIT-SEA-OAK-ARI-BUF left We need PIT to win Ari to WIN and US to WIN For 3-3 in division and better record in common oponnents its unlikely 3-2 is worse i see

MIA-6-5 STL-BUF-SF-KC-JETS- its unlikely 3-2 best i see Miami has the softest schedule left BUT we NEED to beat them and they NEED to beat the jets

BUFF-SF-MIA-JETS-DEN-NE we need to win out SF/DEN are common opponent tie breakers only if we are 3-3 in division

I will saty with optimism 5-0 but the BEST i see is 2-3

(unlikely but Possible) based on above

JETS 11-5 if the beat mia they get division we go to tie breaker for wildcard

NE-10-6

MIa-9-7

Buffalo 11-5 based on above scenario happening we get the tie breaker win division jets go to play off tie breaker

[Typical TBD Guy]

Thanks for this as it is definitely useful, but I don't think that this thread should have been started by a guy named "McKinleys Curse".

 

Good point. I just changed my moniker to "McKinley's Blessing."

 

To everyone: I'll be regularly updating this thread, once all the AFC games for each particular week are finished.