We are now approaching the final games of the 2019 NFL season. Any other season and you’d see a clear-cut favorite. Not the San Francisco 49ers. They are the best team in the NFC, but of course, everyone else has to be good (or teams have to be bad) for them to not be far behind them. As long as the Seahawks keep pulling wins out of their [site decorum] we will continue to not be safe.
A respectable finish to get the worst seeding is 10-6, but with the way this season is, that might not be enough. In a worst case scenario, the 49ers can go 13-3 and that might not be enough for the division, but a wild card, which is disgusting.
Behind the 49ers are the the New Orleans Saints for the conference and the Seattle Seahawks nipping for divisional dominance. The Packers are pretty much not a threat after getting thumped on last week and have dropped to three losses. It would take a train wreck to get them past the 49ers. The Seahawks are right now right behind the 49ers because of that bizarre Monday Night game. While the 49ers are playing the NFC’s best, the Seahawks have been fed cupcakes and teams with half their roster suddenly getting injured on gameday. The Seahawks will face the Minnesota Vikings in Seattle for Monday Night Football.
Below are the games you should care about:
Vikings (8-3) at Seahawks (9-2) — Vikings. I don’t need to explain this one. The Arizona Cardinals are not as bad as their record indicates and the Seahawks are not as good as their record indicates. Getting lucky on injuries and officiating controversy in the final minutes does not make you good. Call me a hater all you want, I don’t care.
Packers (8-3) at Giants (2-9): Giants — It will take a lot for the Packers to get past the 49ers now, but I’m not going to leave it to chance. Besides, I grew up a 49ers fan in the 90s, give me misery!
Rams (6-5) at Cardinals (3-7-1) Cardinals — Last thing we need is another divisional opponent getting in the middle of this NFC West chaos. Besides, how can you hate the Cardinals when the 49ers are not playing them? Stomp them, birds!
Here are tiebreaking procedures in NFL playoff seeding:
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
NOTE: Tie games count as one-half win and one-half loss for both clubs.