Question about Texans playoff hopes!

[Big Dogzz]

Listen I know many of you guys may be thinking I'm crazy for bringing this up and I'm not just jumping up and saying oh hey there is a really great possibility for this but the Houston Texans for the first time in their existence are in the playoff picture this late in the season. I was wondering if anybody knew all the scenarios it would take for the Houston Texans to actually make it however. I don't understand how all the NFL playoff tiebreakers work and I was thinking to have a little something to kind of hope for during our upcoming weeks of football.

I do know that thus far we need:

1) Cleveland loss to Buffalo
2) San Diego loss to Detroit

Questions I do have however are:

1) If the Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars are tied at 9-7 at the end of the year who would make the playoffs (assuming Houston wins out and Jacksonville loses out)?

2) If the Texans are caught in a 3 or 4 way tie with Buffalo, Cleveland, and Tennessee (@ 9-7) then who would win in that case scenario?

[Brando2101]

If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with identical won-lost-tied percentages, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined.

Two Clubs

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

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

3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.

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

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 common games.

10. Best net points in all games.

11. Best net touchdowns in all games.

Three or More Clubs

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

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

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

3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.

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

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 common games.

10. Best net points in all games.

11. Best net touchdowns in all games.

TO BREAK A TIE FOR THE WILD-CARD TEAM

If it is necessary to break ties to determine the two Wild-Card clubs from each conference, the following steps will be taken.

1. If the tied clubs are from the same division, apply division tie breaker.

2. If the tied clubs are from different divisions, apply the following steps.

Two Clubs

1. Head-to-head, if applicable.

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

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

4. Strength of victory.

5. Strength of schedule.

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

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

8. Best net points in conference games.

9. Best net points in all games.

10. Best net touchdowns in all games.

11. Coin toss.

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

When the first Wild-Card team has been identified, the procedure is repeated to name the second Wild-Card, i.e., eliminate all but the highest-ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. In situations where three or more teams from the same division are involved in the procedure, the original seeding of the teams remains the same for subsequent applications of the tie breaker if the top-ranked team in that division qualifies for a Wild-Card berth.


Assuming we win out and Jax loses out

1) Head to Head will be even 1-1
2) Teams will be equal at 2-4 in the division. [this requires the Texans win in Indy]
3) The teams share 14 of the same opponents. They will have the same record.
4) Their conference record will be equal.
5) I have no clue what the strength of victory will be for either team but I have a feeling Jax will take it.


We can't win a tiebreaker vs. the Titans or the Browns which means the Titans need to go 1-2 and the Browns need to lose all of their remaining games. Tenn still needs to play @KC, NYJ,and @IND. Browns got BUF, @CIN, SF.

Just root for the team to play as best they can.

[jerinrulz]

-if the browns win one game, they clinch a higher seed than us, so they need to lose out
-the jags HAVE to lose out for us to even have a chance of tying them
-the titans need to lose at least 2 of 3 games

all of these are based on the premise that we win out, if we dont, we're done

[Miguel]

All of the following MUST happen for us to make the playoffs.
(xx) = week

1) Texans win (6-7)
vs DEN (15)
@ IND (16)
vs JAX (17)

2a) BUF win (7-6)
@ CLE (15)

2b) BUF loss (7-6)
vs NYG (16)
@ PHI (17)

3) CLE loss (8-5)
vs BUF (15)
@ CIN (16)
vs SF (17)

4) TEN loss (7-6) (any two of the 3)
@ KC (15)
vs NYJ (16)
@ IND (17)

I didn't include Denver, because in order for them to be included, they would have to win out as well, which clearly cannot happen in my perfect scenario :)

To make it more clear as to why we have to post a higher record than all 3 teams...

1) Cleveland wins on Head to Head, 1-0.
2) Buffalo wins on Conference Record. (in this scenario, they go 7-5 in Conference, Texans go 6-6.
3) Tennessee wins on Head to Head, 2-0.

[Murph23]

A waste of time to have posters figure out scenarios to make the playoffs, since they won't this season. Ask next season. :rolleyes:

[rezdawg]

The first Tennessee game was tough to lose.

Losing to Atlanta was terrible.

I felt like we completely played like crap in Cleveland.

Next year, we'll be a playoff team.

[Nero]

I saw this thread title, and just started laughing.

Before the season started, and looking at the roster and the utter reliance on unprovens and broken-downs, I predicted a 6-win season. Pretty much the Texans' only hope to surpass that is tonight against the Broncos. After tonight, they may as well shut important guys down and start getting as many young guys as much playing time as they possibly can. Unless anyone actually thinks this team is going to have a chance to beat Indy or Jax? Uhh, no.

[Miguel]

So far, so good!

All of the following MUST happen for us to make the playoffs.
(xx) = week

1) Texans win (6-7)
vs DEN (15)
@ IND (16)
vs JAX (17)

2a) BUF win (7-6)
@ CLE (15)

2b) BUF loss (7-6)
vs NYG (16)
@ PHI (17)

3) CLE loss (8-5)
vs BUF (15)
@ CIN (16)
vs SF (17)

4) TEN loss (7-6) (any two of the 3)
@ KC (15)
vs NYJ (16)
@ IND (17)

I didn't include Denver, because in order for them to be included, they would have to win out as well, which clearly cannot happen in my perfect scenario :)

To make it more clear as to why we have to post a higher record than all 3 teams...

1) Cleveland wins on Head to Head, 1-0.
2) Buffalo wins on Conference Record. (in this scenario, they go 7-5 in Conference, Texans go 6-6.
3) Tennessee wins on Head to Head, 2-0.

[WildSweet&Cool]

I have to say that, though it's very unlikely that the Texans will make the playoffs, it's quite refreshing to not be eliminated so late in the season, and to have that distant dream of making the playoffs. This has been the best year in Texans history. Even though we've struggled with injuries and poor decisions, we're still fighting and we still have an opportunity to end the season over .500. We're going in the right direction.

[Major]

A waste of time to have posters figure out scenarios to make the playoffs, since they won't this season. Ask next season. :rolleyes:

Last year, something like 6 different things needed to happen the last week of the season for the Titans to make the playoffs, many of them pretty crazy upsets. 5 happened - the only one that didn't is the Titans winning.

Certainly not likely, but the impossible happens a lot more than you'd think.

[macalu]

Last year, something like 6 different things needed to happen the last week of the season for the Titans to make the playoffs, many of them pretty crazy upsets. 5 happened - the only one that didn't is the Titans winning.

Certainly not likely, but the impossible happens a lot more than you'd think.
yep, i remember that.

[Big Dogzz]

You know to the last two posters I just wanted to say thank you because when I started this post I wasnt trying to say hey the Texans are a lock to make it but at the same time if its possible lets just hope and pray that certain things happen. This is what being a fan is suppose to be all about. I am soo happy with the team right now as to how they responded against Denver. I actually really hope it happens now just so people can believe again here in Houston. I wonder what these same fans were thinking when we were down 3-1 to Phoenix in the NBA playoffs. It's part of the fun of being a fan to root for your home team through the thick and through thin..

[yobod]

A waste of time to have posters figure out scenarios to make the playoffs, since they won't this season. Ask next season. :rolleyes:

What the hell, man. Lighten up, jeez. We, as Texans fans, have never had the opportunity to talk about the playoffs this late in a season. If he wants to do it, let him do it. The fact that there is a scenario that even ALLOWS us to get into the playoffs as of right now is awesome in my opinion. This team is headed in the right direction, and I say if people want to get excited, let them. We haven't had a chance to talk NFL playoffs in Houston since a few years before the Oilers left.

[yobod]

I saw this thread title, and just started laughing.

Before the season started, and looking at the roster and the utter reliance on unprovens and broken-downs, I predicted a 6-win season. Pretty much the Texans' only hope to surpass that is tonight against the Broncos. After tonight, they may as well shut important guys down and start getting as many young guys as much playing time as they possibly can. Unless anyone actually thinks this team is going to have a chance to beat Indy or Jax? Uhh, no.

So I guess this means we shouldn't be shutting down important guys yet, right?

[WildSweet&Cool]

... I wonder what these same fans were thinking when we were down 3-1 to Phoenix in the NBA playoffs. It's part of the fun of being a fan to root for your home team through the thick and through thin..

The newspaper headlines here read "Choke City". But when we stepped up and won, the newspapers responded with headlines changed to "Clutch City". And that's how Houston came to be known as Clutch City.

Ya never know what's gonna happen. As Chris Berman likes to say, "That's why they play the game".

[DaDakota]

Hope for next year !

;)

DD

[rezdawg]

If we do end up 4th in our division, the good thing is that we will play the 4th place teams of other divisions...which will hopefully make for a relatively easier schedule next year. Regardless, this team is a playoff team when healthy. I think they showed that this year.

[Jet Blast]

If we do end up 4th in our division, the good thing is that we will play the 4th place teams of other divisions...which will hopefully make for a relatively easier schedule next year. Regardless, this team is a playoff team when healthy. I think they showed that this year.

The strength of schedule has the Texans playing the same place finisher of the AFC West (away) and AFC East (home) in 2008. So, right now it looks like the Texans will play at Oakland and host Miami in 2008.

Due to the rotational schedule the NFL has implemented, it is easy to figure out which teams the Texans will play in 2008. Besides the divisional teams here are the opponents the Texans will play next season:

HOME
Ravens
Bengals
Bears
Lions
Dolphins*

AWAY
Browns
Steelers
Packers
Vikings
Raiders*

* = currently same place finishers

The Texans are playing the AFC North and NFC North next year, two very competitive divisions. If they make the playoffs, they will certainly have earned it.

[Nero]

So I guess this means we shouldn't be shutting down important guys yet, right?


Heheh All I am saying is that Indy is going to hand our heads to us, and Jax probably is too. Believe me, I would be delighted to see it happen differently, and stranger things have of course happened.

However, it ain't likely. But then again, who would have thought Denver would have rolled over so completely in such an important game for them?

As others have said, that is why they play the games.

But if Indy is up by like 3 touchdowns in the 2nd half, then yes, rest some guys and get some kids some experience.