gospursgojas
12-25-2005, 05:57 AM
Me and my buddy were going over what has to happen in order for the Cowboys to make the playoffs...and it sure is complicated.
Luckily I found this article:
Playoffs Down To Hope And Win
Mickey Spagnola - Email
DallasCowboys.com Columnist
December 24, 2005 8:27 PM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - After the Cowboys were beaten 35-7 last Sunday in Washington, the immortal and incredulous words of Jim Mora came ringing in our ears:
"Playoffs . . . PLAYOFFS?"
Well, yes, the Cowboys can use the P-word, because thanks to their 24-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers here on Christmas Eve, the Cowboys might be heading into the final game of the season next Sunday against the St. Louis Rams at Texas Stadium with playoff possibilities still existing.
Simply, here is the deal: The Cowboys must win, that's is first and foremost, to finish the season at 10-6. Then, they need either the Washington Redskins (9-6) or - and that's the key word now, or -- the Carolina Panthers (10-5) to lose. If two of those three things occur, the Cowboys will at least claim the NFC's sixth seed in the playoffs and would be heading to the third-seed division winner for a first-round playoff game.
"I think this team has a little spunk to it," said Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells, who is grateful his team could have something to play for right to the end. "I told you I liked 'em."
But because the Cowboys play the NFL's final regular-season game of the season, meeting the Rams in that 7:30 p.m. start New Year's Day, they will know if they have anything on the line in Game 16. The scenarios are many. Two-way ties. Three-way ties. Four-way ties.
Here is the deal: The Cowboys can not win the NFC East. They would lose a tiebreaker at 10-6 with the Giants because New York's 4-2 division record would beat the Cowboys' 3-3. They would lose a tiebreaker with Washington at 10-6 because the Redskins swept the Cowboys. So the NFC East is out of the question.
Now then, wild-cards. The Cowboys would not be able to win a tiebreaker with Chicago at 10-6 if for some reason the Bears lost the NFC North to Minnesota. The Bears already have secured a better conference record. They can not win a tiebreaker with Tampa Bay (10-5) at 10-6. The Bucs beat the Cowboys with a better record against common opponents.
And this is very key: The Cowboys would be tossed out of a three-way tiebreaker with Washington, because when it comes to a three-way tiebreaker for a wild-card berth, if two of the teams are from the same division, then that tie is first broken, and there go the Cowboys because of the Redskins' sweep.
But here is where a Carolina loss could come in handy. Because if the Cowboys win, Washington wins, Tampa Bay wins - even say Minnesota finishes 10-6 - and Carolina loses, Tampa Bay would win the tiebreaker for the NFC South title and there would be a three-way tie, or possibly four, for the final two wild-card berths.
Well, the Cowboys would be tossed out because of the division tiebreaker with Washington, and it appears the Redskins would claim the first tiebreaker. After that, the tied teams all go back into the tiebreaker, including the Cowboys, and if it's just Carolina, the Cowboys win that based on Sunday's win, and they would outlast Minnesota based on strength of victory.
So the Cowboys will be pulling for Philadelphia to beat the Redskins in Philly and for the Falcons to beat Carolina in Atlanta.
Got all that?
Well, just know a good number of the players were wondering about all the different scenarios for the first portion of a rather festive charter flight home Saturday evening. They wanted to get to the bottom of it all.
And while all the ifs, ands and buts will be discussed all week, fortunately or unfortunately the Cowboys will know exactly what, if anything, is on the line when they meet the Rams.
"We got to win out," said veteran receiver Terry Glenn, who caught the game-winning two-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds remaining. "I know we might not make it, but if we win out, I just think things will work out."
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=5FC0B487-E51C-804E-8539643DDF52DD60
Luckily I found this article:
Playoffs Down To Hope And Win
Mickey Spagnola - Email
DallasCowboys.com Columnist
December 24, 2005 8:27 PM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - After the Cowboys were beaten 35-7 last Sunday in Washington, the immortal and incredulous words of Jim Mora came ringing in our ears:
"Playoffs . . . PLAYOFFS?"
Well, yes, the Cowboys can use the P-word, because thanks to their 24-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers here on Christmas Eve, the Cowboys might be heading into the final game of the season next Sunday against the St. Louis Rams at Texas Stadium with playoff possibilities still existing.
Simply, here is the deal: The Cowboys must win, that's is first and foremost, to finish the season at 10-6. Then, they need either the Washington Redskins (9-6) or - and that's the key word now, or -- the Carolina Panthers (10-5) to lose. If two of those three things occur, the Cowboys will at least claim the NFC's sixth seed in the playoffs and would be heading to the third-seed division winner for a first-round playoff game.
"I think this team has a little spunk to it," said Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells, who is grateful his team could have something to play for right to the end. "I told you I liked 'em."
But because the Cowboys play the NFL's final regular-season game of the season, meeting the Rams in that 7:30 p.m. start New Year's Day, they will know if they have anything on the line in Game 16. The scenarios are many. Two-way ties. Three-way ties. Four-way ties.
Here is the deal: The Cowboys can not win the NFC East. They would lose a tiebreaker at 10-6 with the Giants because New York's 4-2 division record would beat the Cowboys' 3-3. They would lose a tiebreaker with Washington at 10-6 because the Redskins swept the Cowboys. So the NFC East is out of the question.
Now then, wild-cards. The Cowboys would not be able to win a tiebreaker with Chicago at 10-6 if for some reason the Bears lost the NFC North to Minnesota. The Bears already have secured a better conference record. They can not win a tiebreaker with Tampa Bay (10-5) at 10-6. The Bucs beat the Cowboys with a better record against common opponents.
And this is very key: The Cowboys would be tossed out of a three-way tiebreaker with Washington, because when it comes to a three-way tiebreaker for a wild-card berth, if two of the teams are from the same division, then that tie is first broken, and there go the Cowboys because of the Redskins' sweep.
But here is where a Carolina loss could come in handy. Because if the Cowboys win, Washington wins, Tampa Bay wins - even say Minnesota finishes 10-6 - and Carolina loses, Tampa Bay would win the tiebreaker for the NFC South title and there would be a three-way tie, or possibly four, for the final two wild-card berths.
Well, the Cowboys would be tossed out because of the division tiebreaker with Washington, and it appears the Redskins would claim the first tiebreaker. After that, the tied teams all go back into the tiebreaker, including the Cowboys, and if it's just Carolina, the Cowboys win that based on Sunday's win, and they would outlast Minnesota based on strength of victory.
So the Cowboys will be pulling for Philadelphia to beat the Redskins in Philly and for the Falcons to beat Carolina in Atlanta.
Got all that?
Well, just know a good number of the players were wondering about all the different scenarios for the first portion of a rather festive charter flight home Saturday evening. They wanted to get to the bottom of it all.
And while all the ifs, ands and buts will be discussed all week, fortunately or unfortunately the Cowboys will know exactly what, if anything, is on the line when they meet the Rams.
"We got to win out," said veteran receiver Terry Glenn, who caught the game-winning two-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds remaining. "I know we might not make it, but if we win out, I just think things will work out."
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=5FC0B487-E51C-804E-8539643DDF52DD60