WHAT'S UP: AFC SCHEDULE MAKES DOLPHINS A THREAT TO JETS IN AFC RACE By JUSTIN TERRANOVA Posted: 2:04 pm November 4, 2008 The Patriots and Bills had their chances to bury the JetsNew York Jets and Dolphins by the midway point of the season, but that time has passed and all signs point to an intense four-team race in the AFC East in the season's second half. WHAT'S UP: AFC (PHOTOS) Thanks to a Jets (5-3) win over the Bills (5-3), a Dolphins (4-4) victory in Denver, and the Patriots' (5-3) Sunday-night loss to the Colts, the four teams in the division are separated by one game. "One of the goals we set for ourselves coming in here, you can either come into games to compete - or you can come into games to win," Miami's first-year coach Tony Sparano said. "I think there's a difference between both. Neither one is bad. But we come into games to win." And the Dolphins' schedule suggests they could be doing a lot of winning and will be around for the long haul. It brings the possibility of a tremendous Week 17 showdown in the Meadowlands between Brett Favre and Chad PenningtonChad Pennington . The Dolphins play host to the Seahawks on Sunday followed by the Raiders, Patriots, at the Rams, at the Bills, 49ers, at the Chiefs and at the Jets. We will know a lot more about the division in 10 days after the Patriots play host to the Bills (Sunday) and the Jets (Thursday). Then there's always the tangled wild-card story in the conference. Things got sorted out a bit, but three teams are more than two games out of the final spot - Raiders, Bengals and Chiefs. After the four division winners (East - Patriots, North - Steelers, South - Titans, West - Broncos) the Ravens, Jets and Bills are tied at 5-3 for the final two positions. IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY (seed in parentheses): Wild-Card Round: Jets (6) at Patriots (3) Ravens (5) at Broncos (4) Divisional Byes: Titans (1); Steelers (2)
I doubt the Fins are going anywhere near the playoffs but you never know how they can help/hurt us in divisional play.
I believe his seeding is wrong. I think it would be Pats at Jets. The Jets are 2-1 in division and I believe that makes them the leader at the moment. The Pats are 1-2. Edit: actually I'll go further than that. I don't think the Jets are even a wild-card team at this point. I think they win the division if the playoffs started next week.
I think somehow the head to head is first rather than division record. Its ridiculous. I may be wrong though.
TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with identical won-lost-tied percentages, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined. Two Clubs Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs). Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference. Strength of victory. Strength of schedule. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed. Best net points in common games. Best net points in all games. Best net touchdowns in all games. Three or More Clubs (Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format). Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs). Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference. Strength of victory. Strength of schedule. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed. Best net points in common games. Best net points in all games. Best net touchdowns in all games.
Pats play the Bills this week, so we have the opportunity to scrape one of them off our cleats with a win Sunday. Unfortunately, it's another dogass team and our boys in green don't seem to respond to the layups. Let's hope they got it out of their system and can stay above the rabble.
The Phins will lose this week, ending all the talk. They just aren't that good. No team will over look them now.
Ha ha! It just occurred to me... Although I am rooting hard for the Jets, and want them to win... And although I have posted many times about the inferiority of Pennington vs. Favre... And... Although I think the jets are the most talented team in the AFC East... I just imagined, for a moment, how this message board, and the entire NFL media machine, would react if Chad Pennington and the 'Fins managed to upset the Jets, the Bills and the Pats for the AFC East title. It would be pretty wild!!!
Bro we are playing a Seattle team that is struggling big time, then it's the Raiders at home. This is a reply to ChadPennington.
All we have to do is continue to play well and that's it. We can't worry about Miami, just continue to win and we'll be fine. If we continue to play like we played this week we can win all of the games remaining on our schedule. You see what we can do when this team is well coached and prepared for their next opponent. Go Jets!!!!!
The Dophins are much improved, and I no longer consider them an easy win. That being said, if the Jets can't beat the Dolphins out, they are not getting to the play-offs. I don't think more than two teams from the AFC East will make it to the play-offs, and I think the Patriots will win enough games they should win to be one of those teams (even without Brady, they have enough talent and play smart enough to win 10 games). I think the Jets have a good chance to beat out the Dolphins and the Bills, but they need to win those straight-up games, because they have some tough non-division games coming up (Titans, Broncos).
The Dolphins have to classified as a legitimate threat to the entire division. The division is in a dog fight right now........pretty interesting stuff. It is all going to boil down to who plays good, consistent football. If it weren't for a couple of unfortunate bounces of the ball, the Dolphins could be 6-2 right now and have the outright lead.
Never mind. The 3-way tie gets broken to eliminate a team from the playoffs, that being the Bills given the Ravens tiebreakers. Pats win the division and Jets are playing somebody else. Ya know, I'm going to come back and look at this after I've had some coffee. The Obama victory party went until like 5AM and I'm seeing double for the first time in about 25 years.
The phins are a threat because they have the easiest remaining schedule. One other thing that worries me. Parcells does not lose to the same team back to back very often.
