Just a few little tidbits for ya's when it comes to actual matchups for the Wild Card and Divisional rounds of the playoffs:

# 1 Seed New England can still play any of the teams that are eligible for the playoffs in the AFC, when they host a Divisional Round
Game at Foxborough.

When either Pittsburgh or Baltimore win their division, neither would play New England, as one of them would obviously have a bye as well for the 1st round.  Baltimore being able to fall to no worse than the 5 seed means that they will go to New England if the 3 seed beats the 6 seed.  That's obviously very common and perhaps New England would like some retribution for what Baltimore did to them as the 6 seed last year.  Pittsburgh having the Jets jump them for the 5 seed next week would mean Pittsburgh winning it's 1st round playoff game vs. Kansas City or Indianapolis/Jacksonville would guarantee them a 2nd round matchup in New England.

If Kansas City wins or ties next week, then they guarantee themselves of not having to play in New England in round 2. 

If Indy wins and KC loses next week, then they can't face New England until the AFC Championship game.  Haven't we seen that game somewhere before?  :)

If Pittsburgh wins next week, then the Jets will be locked into the 6 seed and thus will have to go Foxborough if they can get through the # 3 seeded KC, IND, or JACK. 

So, even though the playoff situation is much clearer in the AFC than in the NFC, there's still some good things to be decided next week.

With allowing 75 points in the last 5 quarters, the Giants should not be allowed to play in the NFL next year



What the Giants need to do is start assembling a schedule of mostly college teams for next year



  -   Boise State

  -    TCU

-      maybe they can beat Notre Dame


-    LSU

-    Alabama


-    some Big 12 teams like Nebraska


-    Carolina Panthers


-    Denver Broncos, but only if they play Tebow


-    Detroit



That should be what the Giants do next year

I think Norv Turner, Mike Singletary, Gary Kubiak, and Tom Coughlin (if the Giants don't make the playoffs), all sealed their coaching fates with losses today.

Also, I'm willing to bet Kansas City has clinched the worst Strength of Schedule since the league expanded to 4 divisions per conference in 2002. They played the embarrassing 2010 NFC West, finished in last place last season so they got Buffalo and Cleveland this year, and they didn't have to play the first place team in their own division (themselves)!  I wouldn't be surprised if they finish with the worst strength of schedule ever.

I wonder if nflrules can find the lowest strength of schedule for us for each type of scheduling format over the years.

EARLY WEEK 17 AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE:

  AFC

  CLINCHED:    New England - AFC East division, first round bye and homefield throughout playoffs.
      
;     &nbs
p;   Kansas City - AFC West division
      
;     &nbs
p;   Pittsburgh - playoff spot.
      
;     &nbs
p;   Baltimore - playoff spot.
      
;     &nbs
p;   New York Jets - playoff spot
  ELIMINATED:  Buffalo, Cincinnati, Denver, Cleveland, Houston, Miami, Oakland, Tennessee, San Diego

 PITTSBURGH STEELERS
  Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division and a first-round bye:
   1) PIT win
   2) BAL loss 
   3) PIT tie + BAL tie 

 BALTIMORE RAVENS
  Baltimore clinches AFC North division and a first-round bye:
   1) BAL win + PIT loss or tie
   2) BAL tie + PIT loss

 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
  Indianapolis clinches AFC South division:
   1) IND win or tie
   2) JAC loss or tie

 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
  Jacksonville clinches AFC South division:
   1) JAC win + IND loss

SEEDS
 #1 - NEW ENGLAND
 #2 - PIT (see scenario above)
    - BAL (see scenario above)
 #3 - KC (KC win/tie or IND loss/tie)
    - IND (IND win + KC loss)
 #4 - KC (KC loss + IND win)
    - IND (IND win + KC win/tie OR win/tie OR JAC loss/tie)
    - JAC (JAC win + IND loss)
 #5 - BAL (division scenario above does not occur)
    - PIT (division scenario above does not occur + NYJ loss/tie)
    - NYJ (NYJ win + PIT loss + BAL win/tie)
 #6 - NYJ (NYJ loss/tie OR PIT win/tie OR BAL loss

AFC East:

NE - 1*
NYJ - 5, 6*

AFC North:

PIT - 2*, 5, 6
BAL - 2, 5*

AFC South:

IND - 3, 4*, E
JAC - 4, E*

AFC West:
KC - 3*, 4



New England is the #1 seed
Pittsburgh is the #2 seed with a win (or Baltimore loss).  Baltimore is the #2 seed with a win and Pittsburgh loss or tie or a tie and a Pittsburgh loss.
Kansas City is the #3 seed with a win or tie.  Indianapolis is the #3 seed with a Kansas City loss and an Indianapolis win.
Indianapolis is the #4 seed with a Kansas City and Indianapolis win or a Jacksonville loss.  Jacksonville is #4 seed with a win and an Indianapolis loss.  Kansas City is the #4 seed with Indianapolis as the #3 seed.
If Pittsburgh wins, Baltimore is the #5 seed.  If Pittsburgh loses, they are the #5 seed with a New York Jets loss.  If Pittsburgh loses, Baltimore wins or ties, and the New York Jets win, the New York Jets are the #5 seed.
The New York Jets are the #6 seed unless Pittsburgh loses, Baltimore wins, and the New York Jets win, in which case the Steelers are the #6 seed.

Right, thanks both of you.  I guess it was just so far out of my mind that the Steelers (or the Ravens for that matter) will lose that I forgot to take into account all of the possibilities.  Also my reflexive desire as a Jets fan not to play Peyton Manning.

EARLY WEEK 17 AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE:

  AFC

  CLINCHED:    New England - AFC East division, first round bye and homefield throughout playoffs.
      
;  Kansas City - AFC West division
      
;     &nbs
p;   Pittsburgh - playoff spot.
      
;  Baltimore - playoff spot.
      
;  New York Jets - playoff spot
  ELIMINATED:  Buffalo, Cincinnati, Denver, Cleveland, Houston, Miami, Oakland, Tennessee, San Diego

 PITTSBURGH STEELERS
  Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division and a first-round bye:
   1) PIT win
   2) BAL loss 
   3) PIT tie + BAL tie 

 BALTIMORE RAVENS
  Baltimore clinches AFC North division and a first-round bye:
   1) BAL win + PIT loss or tie
   2) BAL tie + PIT loss

 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
  Indianapolis clinches AFC South division:
   1) IND win or tie
   2) JAC loss or tie

 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
  Jacksonville clinches AFC South division:
   1) JAC win + IND loss

Jman,

 

You are incorrect in your statement that the Jets are locked into the 6 seed.  If Baltimore and New York win next week and Pittsburgh loses, Baltimore wins the AFC North. New York would then get the 5 seed over Pittsburgh based on head to head.

A quick correction JMan.  Wins by the Ravens and Jets and a loss by the Steelers will give the Jets the #5 seed over the Steelers by virtue of the Jets head to head victory. 

Okay sorry for that.  Guess that's what happens when you cut and paste to Microsoft Word and back.  And sorry gwsmith, didn't see you'd already posted it.  Anyway, here's what I put (I had another scenario or two involving ties):

AFC East

New England has clinched the AFC East, a First-Round Bye, and the #1 seed.

New York has clinched a wild-card berth and is locked into the #6 seed.

AFC North

Pittsburgh clinches the AFC North and a First-Round Bye (#2 Seed) with:
  1) win
  2) BAL loss
  3) tie + BAL tie

Baltimore clinches the AFC North and a First-Round Bye (#2 Seed) with:
  1) win + PIT loss or tie
  2) tie + PIT loss

AFC South

Indianapolis clinches the AFC South with:
  1) win
  2) tie
  3) JAC loss or tie

Jacksonville clinches the AFC South with:
  1) win + IND loss

AFC West

Kansas City has clinched the AFC West


As for Seeding:
- The North champion will be the #2 seed
- Kansas City wins the #3 seed with a win, tie, Indianapolis loss or Indianapolis tie
- Indianapolis wins the #3 seed with a win + Kansas City loss