Lions didn't make it any easier for us but.... If the Dolphins beat the Bills and the Bengals and Ravens BOTH lose, the Dolphins will clinch the 6th seed next week (if ESPN Playoff Machine is to be believed)
I can definitely see the Pats beating the Ravens next week. I wouldn't hold my breath on the Vikes beating the Bengals, but they did put up 48 yesterday.
The fact that the Bengals are unbeaten at home this year makes it a pretty big long shot.. but you never know. Brutal that the Lions couldn't take care of business tonight. It's funny, if the Dolphins win next week and the Bengals lose, we'll be rooting for the Pats to beat the Ravens, but if the Bengals win, we'll need the Ravens to beat the Pats so the Bengals have something to play for week 17 (plus give us an outside shot at the division) The being said, the Bengals still probably wouldn't be able to rest starters week 17 even if they do clinch the division next week as they would still have a shot at winning the 2 seed if the Bills upset the Pats. Anyway this is getting complicated. Fins just need to win out. Thanks Justin Tucker!
it is complicated... a single game's outcome could **** us or send us to the playoffs... like you say, just beat the Bills... focus on the Bills... Buffalo... Cold...
Just win out Miami, if we can't beat the bills and the jets then this team does not deserve the playoffs
I believe that's correct, because even if the Ravens win the following week and we lose, the Ravens win the division and we'd be tied with the Bengals (with tie-breaker on our side).
I don't like this argument and never have. The Saints and Pats both lost to the Jets. The Panthers lost to the Bills. Sometimes, good team lose to lesser opponents. It's the NFL. It happens. That doesn't mean a team isn't deserving of a playoff spot. If you make it, you deserve it. But if we don't beat the Bills and Jets it won't matter anyway because we won't be there.
No, no. We still do. If we win out, we're in no matter what happens anywhere else. 2 wins guarantees us the playoffs.
Going to be tough. I think Miami could struggle against both. I think that the Jets would even be tougher given the circumstances and how Ryan can motivate his players. December football. I hope Miami didn't blow thier load on the Pats....
This is probably obvious or easy to look up...but I'm feeling lazy. How are we in no matter what if we win out? If the Ravens also win out don't they have the 6th place tiebreaker? What am I missing here?
For the Ravens to win out, they'd have to beat the Bengals Week 17. That would have them win their division so they wouldn't be a wild card. That would put us vs the Bengals for the WC and we have the tiebreaker since we beat them. This scenario happened because the Bengals lost Sunday. Our destiny is entirely within our hands. We win out and we're in. Simple.
Ahhh got ya wasn't figuring in the Pit vs Cin game. Damn...what a good feeling. Hope coach philbin keeps them grinding and winning
As much as I hate them, I absolutely abhor the fact that the Dolphins pathway to the playoffs has us quoting the Raiders Al Davis, but it is true: "Just win, Baby!" Wandering off muttering..... "#&^#$%() Clarence Davis!!!!!! &(&*&^&*^*(^&
Yes, it's true that lesser teams can beat better teams, but better teams that lose to lesser teams in key games aren't going to do anything in the playoffs. That's why I don't expect New Orleans to make any sort of splash in the playoffs: they NEEDED badly to win against the Rams but blew it. On the other side of that coin is the Seahawks, who blew the doors off the Giants, and the Ravens, who just continue to win. If we are a good team, we'll beat the Bills and the Jets. If we don't, we aren't a good team.
so Seattle and Baltimore are the only good teams left then I guess? I mean Denver lost to San Diego, a lesser team in Denver... so they aren't good. Indy loses games they should win. Cincy lost a big game Sun night, so they aren't good. KC? NE? Anything can and does happen in the playoffs. SB winners come from every seed. Once you get in, if you play up to you potential, you can do it. Ah yes, the key is just getting there... JUST GET THERE.....
I can see the Bengals losing. Andy Dalton just doesn't seem to rise to big games, he's got Stafforditis. The Vikes took the Iggles to the woodshed and "should have" beaten the Ravens.
I specifically said in key games. Us losing to the Bills earlier in the season was bad, but we could come back from that. These next two games are key, as was the game against the Pats that we won. If we win these next two games, I think we can make some noise in the playoffs. If we only win one yet still make the playoffs, I think we'll go out in the first round. If we win neither, we won't be in the playoffs and we won't deserve to be because we aren't good enough.