Football (North America: NFL, CFL, Arena Football, minor leagues)

[Alps]

I'm not convinced an undefeated Penn State is necessarily ranked higher than an undefeated Clemson. There is also a decent chance that Georgia wins the SEC (they always play hard in the championship) and it's them plus either Bama or LSU.

[Max Rockatansky]

Looks like the Dolphins might blow their chance at 0-16, they are up 21-7 at the half over the Jets. 

[kevinb1994]

Looks like the Dolphins might blow their chance at 0-16, they are up 21-7 at the half over the Jets.

Looks like the Jets' season is going to pot. Like that's anything new.

[jakeroot]

Looks like the Dolphins might blow their chance at 0-16, they are up 21-7 at the half over the Jets.

I don't know how to react to this situation. I'm happy and sad.

[Max Rockatansky]

Looks like the Dolphins might blow their chance at 0-16, they are up 21-7 at the half over the Jets.

I don't know how to react to this situation. I'm happy and sad.

Turns out the Dolphins are so bad that they failed at failing final score; 26-18.  Probably will end up being a net win for fan bases not wanting NFL teams to start the practice of tanking seasons.  So now the Jets are a legitimate competitor for that number one pick.  Right now Cincinnati controls their own destiny if they go winless. 

[jp the roadgeek]

Right now Cincinnati controls their own destiny if they go winless.

Bengals still have to play the Jets and Dolphins, plus the Jets still have the Redskins, and of course, the Jets and Dolphins meet again at 16W.

[Max Rockatansky]

Right now Cincinnati controls their own destiny if they go winless.

Bengals still have to play the Jets and Dolphins, plus the Jets still have the Redskins, and of course, the Jets and Dolphins meet again at 16W.

Yes, in theory the Bengals could lock up the first pick by virtue of tanking the rest of away given they are the only winless team. 

[thspfc]

Tank bowls abound in the NFL. The Jets were extremely terrible today, the score doesn't begin to describe their awfulness.

[jakeroot]

Last time the Dolphins won a game (Dec 9, 2018) was also the second to last time the Patriots lost, until today. Against the Dolphins of course, in the infamous Miami Miracle! Probably the best day of my life. So glad I was there to witness that.

[hotdogPi]

Last time the Dolphins won a game (Dec 8, 2019) was also the second to last time the Patriots lost, until today. Against the Dolphins of course, in the infamous Miami Miracle! Probably the best day of my life. So glad I was there to witness that.

Since you already know the result of a game taking place next month, can you tell me who will win the Super Bowl?

[Alps]

Last time the Dolphins won a game (Dec 8, 2019) was also the second to last time the Patriots lost, until today. Against the Dolphins of course, in the infamous Miami Miracle! Probably the best day of my life. So glad I was there to witness that.

Since you already know the result of a game taking place next month, can you tell me who will win the Super Bowl?

Jets.

[jakeroot]

Last time the Dolphins won a game (Dec 8, 2019) was also the second to last time the Patriots lost, until today. Against the Dolphins of course, in the infamous Miami Miracle! Probably the best day of my life. So glad I was there to witness that.

Since you already know the result of a game taking place next month, can you tell me who will win the Super Bowl?

thanks. got my 8's and 9's mixed up.

[Max Rockatansky]

Last time the Dolphins won a game (Dec 8, 2019) was also the second to last time the Patriots lost, until today. Against the Dolphins of course, in the infamous Miami Miracle! Probably the best day of my life. So glad I was there to witness that.

Since you already know the result of a game taking place next month, can you tell me who will win the Super Bowl?

Jets.

Have any teams actually been eliminated from playoff contention at this point?

[MNHighwayMan]

Have any teams actually been eliminated from playoff contention at this point?

No, but some might as well be, at this point.

[Max Rockatansky]

Have any teams actually been eliminated from playoff contention at this point?

No, but some might as well be, at this point.

Hey, the Jets in "theory"  could finish 9-7 and make it in as a Wild Card to create the scenario Alps described above.  I'd love to see some team go on some crazy long losing streak but sneak into the playoffs as a 8-8 or 9-7 team.  I know more than a handful of 0-4 teams ended up making playoff berths but I don't believe there has ever been an 0-5 to make it. 

[thspfc]

Have any teams actually been eliminated from playoff contention at this point?

No, but some might as well be, at this point.

Hey, the Jets in "theory"  could finish 9-7 and make it in as a Wild Card to create the scenario Alps described above.  I'd love to see some team go on some crazy long losing streak but sneak into the playoffs as a 8-8 or 9-7 team.  I know more than a handful of 0-4 teams ended up making playoff berths but I don't believe there has ever been an 0-5 to make it.

Packers had 6 losses a little over halfway through the season and made it a few years ago. Though that was a bit sketchy because of Aaron Rodgers' "run the table" witchcraft. Paranormal forces acted on them that year.

[jeffandnicole]

Last time the Dolphins won a game (Dec 8, 2019) was also the second to last time the Patriots lost, until today. Against the Dolphins of course, in the infamous Miami Miracle! Probably the best day of my life. So glad I was there to witness that.

Since you already know the result of a game taking place next month, can you tell me who will win the Super Bowl?

Jets.

Have any teams actually been eliminated from playoff contention at this point?

After thinking this through, I think if it's three teams in a division are 8-0, and one is 0-8, with the three winning teams beating the losing team twice, and the losing team also losing to two conference opponents, I'm trying real hard to think of a way they can still be in it if they win the next 8 games. Due to dvision and conference tie breaker guidelines, I don't think they could possibly make it into the playoffs.

Some of the reasoning includes, that be 3 winning division opponents still need to play each other choice each. Even if one were to win the 4 other division games against the other two, the other two games will either split,  or one team will win two.  Since the 0-8 team has already lost against two conference opponents they still have four other conference opponents to play. I don't foresee it being possible for the other nine non first-place place teams in a conference to all go 4-8 in the conference, which would allow the 0-8 team to squeak in at 8-8 in this scenerio with 4 conference wins.

So while it's possible, they would need a horribly stacked schedule to allow for this.

[ilpt4u]

After thinking this through, I think if it's three teams in a division are 8-0, and one is 0-8, with the three winning teams beating the losing team twice

Not possible with the Current schedule formula, as one of your 6 Intra-Divisional games must be played Week 17. So the 0-8 team could be 0-5 against the 3 Divisional opponents by end of Week 8 (would still be highly unusual), but simply not possible to be 0-6 inside the Division until Week 17

and the losing team also losing to two conference opponents, I'm trying real hard to think of a way they can still be in it if they win the next 8 games. Due to dvision and conference tie breaker guidelines, I don't think they could possibly make it into the playoffs.

Some of the reasoning includes, that be 3 winning division opponents still need to play each other choice each. Even if one were to win the 4 other division games against the other two, the other two games will either split,  or one team will win two.  Since the 0-8 team has already lost against two conference opponents they still have four other conference opponents to play. I don't foresee it being possible for the other nine non first-place place teams in a conference to all go 4-8 in the conference, which would allow the 0-8 team to squeak in at 8-8 in this scenerio with 4 conference wins.

So while it's possible, they would need a horribly stacked schedule to allow for this.

I don't think it is possible

[webny99]

I don't know how to react to this situation. I'm happy and sad.

I'm indifferent about Jets/Dolphins, but this does describe my feelings about Pats/Ravens.

On the one hand, a Ravens win is worse for the Bill's playoff chances. And I'm not a big Ravens fan.. in fact, they are probably one of my least favorite teams after the Patriots. On the other hand, a Pats loss is a good thing, no matter who pulls it off! So I guess overall, I'm slightly more happy than sad.

I thought it was kind of cool that the Dolphins won and the Patriots lost in the same week. It brings the upper and lower bounds back down to earth and up from the grave, respectively (and lets be honest, both narratives had gotten out of control); and that's a good thing for the league.

[webny99]

Oh, and on the topic of the Jets making the playoffs / winning the Super Bowl:

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/an-nfl-team-will-probably-go-from-last-place-to-the-playoffs-could-it-be-the-jets/

[jakeroot]

I thought it was kind of cool that the Dolphins won and the Patriots lost in the same week. It brings the upper and lower bounds back down to earth and up from the grave, respectively (and lets be honest, both narratives had gotten out of control); and that's a good thing for the league.

I will have to agree with this. Both teams were starting to play into a stereotype. Then again, I was fine with an 0-16 year for the Dolphins if it meant a #1 pick.

[webny99]

I still think the Bengals will get at least 2 wins, if not 3 or 4. The Jets should (key word there) pick up a few more wins, as well.
So, the #1 pick is still within reach for the Dolphins, even if it got less likely after Sunday. My prediction is if anyone ruins it, it'll be the Jets, not the Bengals.

We shouldn't forget the Falcons and Redskins both still have just one win each, too.

[thspfc]

BREAKING: The Jets have signed the Monday night football black cat to a 1 year, $2.6 billion contract.

[Stephane Dumas]

So far, we got lots of teams who won a 1st league championship this year with the St. Louis Blues (NHL), Toronto Raptors (NBA) and Washington Nationals (MLB).  Will the lightning strike again for the upcoming SuperBowl?

[NWI_Irish96]

So far, we got lots of teams who won a 1st league championship this year with the St. Louis Blues (NHL), Toronto Raptors (NBA) and Washington Nationals (MLB).  Will the lightning strike again for the upcoming SuperBowl?

Probably not lightning but possibly an arrowhead.