NFL Playoff Picture: NFC West showdowns loom

by Ryan Van Bibber on Dec 22, 2010 6:44 AM CST in 2010 NFL Playoff Picture

The St. Louis Rams may not have merited a prime time game this season, but for the second week in a row the Thursday night game features an NFC West entrant. This week, it's the Arizona Cardinals taking on the Dallas Cowboys. On Sunday, the Rams play the 49ers in St. Louis, while Seattle travels to Tampa Bay.

On Friday morning, the Cardinals should be relegated, officially, to the spoiler roll, wrapping up their season next week against San Francisco. Tampa Bay is favored by 6 points over the Seahags. The cigar chomping men wearing green visors (that is who sets odds, right?) made the Rams 2-point favorites to beat the 49ers.

Assuming Seattle loses this weekend, a Rams win would give them a solid one game lead in the division, though it would not give them a playoff spot. A Seattle loss combined with a Rams win this week, would set up a showdown in Seattle for the last week of the season. A Rams win there would give them a playoff berth and an 8-8 record. A Seattle win would give them a playoff berth and a 7-9 record.

If the Rams lose this week, by some toxic spill accident of fate, they will not be entirely eliminated from the hunt. Spagnuolo's team would need beat Seattle and pray that Arizona beats the 49ers next week. If San Francisco wins their last two games, they'll make the playoffs, proving there is no such thing as karma.

With a win on Sunday, which admittedly is starting to seem like a Festivus Miracle, the Rams can simplify the NFC playoff picture, eliminating San Francisco.

In your trumped up outrage watch, former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi defends the current playoff seeding system that gives division winners a home game (via Mike Sando's ESPN NFC West blog). Bruschi points out that winning the division is an accomplishment, and changing it to a record-based seeding system would eventually mean that a 10-win team that wins its division loses home field advantage to an 11-win team.

Translation, the NFC West won't always be this bad.

Poll

Who will win the NFC West?

The Rams, of course

387 votes

Seattle

83 votes

San Francisco

122 votes

592 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Arizona and Dallas play Saturday I believe

"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon

by BruinHalo on Dec 22, 2010 10:02 AM CST via mobile reply actions

True, Carolina plays Pittsburgh Thursday.

Both are on NFL Network so I can understand the mistake. Being next to last weekend and the NFL likes all 16 games on the final Sunday, NFLN (as in the past) usually has a Thursday & Saturday game in week 16.

by RBramfan on Dec 22, 2010 10:18 AM CST up reply actions

As another thought..

When we beat the 9ers this week, will we be “flexed” into Sunday night on week 17 ;-)

Reason, the winner will win the NFC west without any other “factors” involved.

My guess is no, they will probably want to flex “bigger drawing” teams even without the playoff implications for “both” teams.

by RBramfan on Dec 22, 2010 10:30 AM CST reply actions

Sadly

I don’t believe there is a night game in Week 17.

by BruinHalo on Dec 22, 2010 11:04 AM CST up reply actions

Here are the flex rules..

Begins Sunday of Week 11
In effect during Weeks 11-17
Only Sunday afternoon games are subject to being moved into the Sunday night window.
The game that has been tentatively scheduled for Sunday night during flex weeks will be listed at 8:15 p.m. ET.
The majority of games on Sundays will be listed at 1:00 p.m. ET during flex weeks except for games played in Pacific or Mountain Time zones which will be listed at 4:05 or 4:15 p.m. ET.
No impact on Thursday, Saturday or Monday night games.
The NFL will decide (after consultation with CBS, FOX, NBC) and announce as early as possible the game being played at 8:15 p.m. ET. The announcement will come no later than 12 days prior to the game. The NFL may also announce games moving to 4:05 p.m. ET and 4:15 p.m. ET.
Week 17 start time changes could be decided on 6 days notice to ensure a game with playoff implications.

Note the last line. Decision will be made after Monday night game.

by RBramfan on Dec 22, 2010 12:24 PM CST up reply actions

But if there were a night game

The Rams/Seahawks game is the best afternoon game to flex.

by BruinHalo on Dec 22, 2010 11:05 AM CST up reply actions

Possibilities

The NFL always prefers it to be a game where there is a do-or-die scenario for both teams. Needless to say, barring a loss at home this week to the 49ers, this game will be just that. So with that in mind, flexing the Rams game would make sense, but apparently the league has other ideas. This guy has been following it and has a rather logical argument that shows the NFL will probably look elsewhere:

http://sports.morganwick.com/

go cards, o's, and phillies.

...boiler up.

by moboiler on Dec 23, 2010 3:30 PM CST up reply actions