I mean, it does seem absurd that someone will get into the playoffs from the NFC East, and possibly both wildcards could come from the NFC West.
Followup: I don't have the patience (or maybe even the competence) to work out all the permutations for the NFL schedule. That said, I checked every season since the NFL went to four 4-team divisions per conference.
You have an average of 9 .500 teams per conference (8.97 to be exact) over the past 17 seasons (starting in 2002). The fewest .500 teams in a conference is 7, this has happened 7 times. For reference, the Seahawks made their sub-.500 appearance in 2010.
AFC NFC 2018 8 7 2017 8 10 2016 10 9 2015 9 7 2014 11 7 2013 10 9 2012 7 9 2011 10 10 2010 9 7 2009 10 10 2008 10 11 2007 8 9 2006 11 9 2005 9 9 2004 10 7 2003 8 8 2002 12 7
There are currently 6 teams guaranteed to finish at or above .500 in the NFC this year. Very likely 7. 4 more teams have at least a mathematical chance of reaching .500 (although some of them likely play each other so not all 4 could actually do it).
I mean, it does seem absurd that someone will get into the playoffs from the NFC East, and possibly both wildcards could come from the NFC West.
"The future ain't what it used to be."
As a fan of an NFC East team, I'd say that I'd be OK with the over .500 rule for playoff teams.
#HTTR
Yesterday's 48-46 Niners win was a scorigami.
Well, one is not really a crime, it breaks the "code:" Out partying while too "sick" to play:
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/l...-with-the-flu/
Bowling in orange leather pants? Multiple felonies …
And the Steelers get a third round pick for "letting" him go.
If he was trying to be discreet, a bowling alley in Boonton, NJ (where "Boon" is short for "Boonies" as it is an outer suburb of NYC) would be a good place to do so - not a place where Page 6 would be sending their people. Orange leather pants really helps offset the goal of not being noticed.
I'm guessing Bell and Antonio Brown were not leading members of the Pittsburgh chapter of MENSA when they were on the Steelers together.
"According to NFL.com, some of the footage the Patriots took included video of coaches signaling from the Bengals sideline. On the Patriots' end, they claimed it was all an innocent mistake, while also acknowledging that their crew did violate NFL policy."
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/p...ame-on-sunday/
They get caught so often making "innocent" mistakes that obtain information useful in game situations.
How many times DON'T they get caught?
A control freak like Belichek had nothing to do with it?
What gets me is the people who will say, "It doesn't matter. They're a great team anyway, and they'd have won their Super Bowls without such shenanigans."
Oh really? Sounds like a logical fallacy to me. We can't really know. We can't go back and play the game the same way with just the one change, namely, the secrets gained from illicit video being taken away from them. If they didn't need to video (or deflate) for to get a winning advantage, why do they do so? Perhaps the advantage they get by this kind of cheating is enough to put them over the top. It's like how much better an MLB batter is when they know what pitch is coming. You still have to have a well-timed and executed swing, but knowing what the opposition is going to do is a consequential advantage.
"You especially can't say it makes the difference vs. the Bengals or Browns."
Then why do it? Obviously, because they feel the can't be as sure of winning without doing so.
Bunch of horsepuckey.
To quote Buddy the Elf, "You sit on a throne of lies!"
Crowder having a good night for the Jets so far, on a team that is wholly overmatched by the Ravens.
Happy to see Lamar Jackson break Vick's QB rushing record. Anything to further erase his name from history is a good thing. Don't like the Ravens, but don't like Vick far more.
Stunned that the NFL named Vick an "honorary" Pro Bowl captain. So I guess Ray Rice has hope for next year.