Week 17 Discussion

[Sharkn20]

Play off started for many teams now!!

Good luck for this last week of regular action!!

[Guest]

I hope you all burn in hell.

Good luck!!

[Sharkn20]

I hope you all burn in hell.

Good luck!!

See how Bynaker play in his last regular season start with the Sharks!

[Guest]

Meaningless week 17 for St. Paul & Dakota, so we're going to trot out some of our lesser used and young players and get them some time on the field.

[sawblade300]

I was going to rest some players this last week, since we have the division clinched. Then I saw we can get the #2 seed if we win, so these guys are going to have to play. Just hoping for no injuries now.

[Guest]

Denver in another epic collapse going 1-5-1 in the last 7 games a win stops the slide. since i started it i sure dont want to end it.

another classic marv

[Guest]

No need to make a separate thread for this with only one week left to play. Here are my breakdowns of the various remaining playoff races in the NC and, if I have the time, I'll do the Utah Conference as well.

But first a quick rundown of the various playoff tiebreakers shamelessly copy/pasted from when I did this the last time.

DIVISION TIEBREAKERS

1) Head to Head
2) Division Record
3) Common Games
4) Conference Record
5) Strength of Victory
6) Strength of Schedule

WILD CARD TIEBREAKERS

(If the tied teams are from the same division, apply division tie breaker).

Two Teams

1) Head to Head
2) Conference Record
3) Common Games (minimum four)
4) Strength of Victory
5) Strength of Schedule

Three or More Teams

(If only two teams remain tied any step, revert to step 1 of the applicable format)

1) Eliminate all but one team from each division with Division Tiebreaker
2) Head to Head
3) Conference Record
4) Common Games (minimum four)
5) Strength of Victory
6) Strength of Schedule

OTHER TIE-BREAKING RULES

1) Only one club advances in any tie-breaking step. Remaining tied clubs revert to the first step of the applicable division or Wild Card tiebreakers.
2) To determine playoff seeding for division winners, apply Wild Card tiebreakers.
3) To determine playoff seeding for Wild Card, apply division tiebreakers if teams are from the same division or Wild Card tiebreakers if teams are from different divisions.

[Guest]

NFC NORTH

NORTH LIBERTY

If the season were only 15 weeks long the Enforcers would be the NC North division champs, #2 seed in the playoffs and would be enjoying a first round bye this week. Unfortunately for North Liberty the season is 16 weeks long and instead they are facing a season ender against a 10-5 Chicago who already have already managed one win against the Enforcers this season. Because of their previous loss to the Reapers, North Liberty must win this game in order to win their division.

Even if they win this week, and Morgantown continues to back into the playoffs, the Enforcers cannot match the Maniac's conference record and cannot overtake them as the #1 seed. If North Liberty loses this week to finish 11-5 they are guaranteed a wild card spot, but which one would depend on how the NC East finished out the season. Brooklyn could win this week to finish 11-5 but still lose their division on tiebreakers to an 11-5 Boston team. An 11-5 Hitmen would then hold a conference record tiebreaker over North Liberty pushing the Enforcers down to WC #2. Boston could also finish 11-5, but in doing so they would win their own division.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) North Liberty win vs. Chicago

Wild Card #1 with: 2) North Liberty loss, Brooklyn and Boston or 3) North Liberty loss and Brooklyn loss

Playoff Seed #2 with North Liberty win
Playoff Seed #5 with North Liberty loss, Brooklyn loss or Brooklyn win and Boston loss
Playoff Seed #6 with North Liberty loss, Brooklyn win and Boston win


CHICAGO

To a certain degree the Reapers control their playoff destinies. A win over North Liberty this week and they are the NC North division champions. If they cannot come way from Iowa with a victory, Chicago's playoff position suddenly becomes dependent upon unfolding NC East race. Three teams in the NC East (Boston, Brooklyn and Camden) could finish 10-6 or better and would all have tie breakers of some sort over a 10-6 Chicago team. Two of these teams (Boston and Brooklyn) can finish no worse than 10-6 but one of these two will also win the division. This means that should they lose to North Liberty this week, the only team the Reapers need to worry about is Camden. Go Irish.

If they do win their division, Chicago's exact playoff seeding would once again come down to the NC East. Once again either an 11-5 Boston or Brooklyn would hold a tiebreaker (conference record and head to head respectively) over a division winning Chicago.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) Chicago win vs. North Liberty

Wild Card #2 with: 2) Chicago loss, Boston win

Out of Playoffs with: 3) Chicago loss, Boston loss

Playoff Seed #2 with Chicago win, Boston and Brooklyn loss
Playoff Seed #3 with Chicago win, Boston win or Boston loss and Brooklyn win
Playoff Seed #6 with Chicago loss, Boston win

Bonus Division!
NC SOUTH

MORGANTOWN

The Maniacs have locked up their division and the #1 overall seed in the playoffs. Even if they lose to Columbus this week, they are secure in this. Expect to see some resting starters in Morgantown this week.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) doesn't matter, they already won it

Playoff Seed #1 with doesn't matter, already got it

[Guest]

NC EAST

BOSTON

mike17's team might be on maintenance mode, but for Cary Money and company that means more of the same. The Irish find themselves in their usual position, atop the NC East, thanks to a common games tiebreaker over the Brooklyn Hitmen. It all comes down to a Boston win over Charlotte in week 9, and a Hitmen loss to the Sentinels the following week. Inside the division, the Fighting Irish would also have a tie breaker (division record) over Camden, even if they lost to the Cutters this week. A 10-6 Boston team would also have wildcard tiebreakers over a 10-6 Chicago team but lose out, obviously, to an 11-5 North Liberty wild card for seeding. Of course, either North Liberty or Chicago is guaranteed to with their division, likewise Brooklyn would have to win the NC East for Boston to even be in the wild card race, and because the Irish hold a tiebreaker over the only other potential wild card team, Camden, they cannot be eliminated from the wild card race.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) Boston win vs. Camden or 2) Boston loss and Brooklyn loss

Wildcard #1 with: 3) Boston loss and North Liberty win

Wildcard #2 with: 4) Boston loss and North Liberty loss

Playoff Seed #2 Boston win and North Liberty loss
Playoff Seed #3 Boston win and North Liberty win or Boston loss and Brooklyn loss
Playoff Seed #5 Boston loss, Brooklyn win and North Liberty win
Playoff Seed #6 Boston loss, Brooklyn win and North Liberty loss


BROOKLYN

A part of me is afraid I may have somehow jinxed the Hitmen last week by mentioning their need to win a game to prevent tiebreakers deciding a division title. But the rational parts of me insist there is no such thing as jinxes or curses and my simply outlining a possible series of events and conditions could in no way cause their actual coming to pass. And I'm sure the 2031 Dakota Totems would agree.

Brooklyn has to finish with a better record than Boston to win the division. This means they must win this week against South Maryland (which should be easy enough) and hope than Camden can beat Boston (which hasn't happened in a while now). Should they win and yet still lose their division an 11-5 Brooklyn team would hold wild card tie breakers over a potential 11-5 North Liberty (conference record) and a 10-6 Brooklyn team would hold tie breakers over both a 10-6 Chicago and Camden (head to head).

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) Brooklyn win vs. South Maryland and Boston loss

Wildcard #1 with: 2) Brooklyn win and Boston win or 3) Brooklyn loss and North Liberty win

Wildcard #2 with: 4) Brooklyn loss and North Liberty loss

Playoff Seed #2 Brooklyn win and Boston, North Liberty loss
Playoff Seed #3 Brooklyn win, Boston loss and North Liberty win
Playoff Seed #5 Brooklyn win and Boston win or Brooklyn loss, North Liberty win
Playoff Seed #6 Brooklyn loss and North Liberty loss


CAMDEN

Our playoff chances are still hanging by a thread here in New Jersey. We could still finish 10-6 on the year, but of all the other potential 10
-6 teams we would hold a wildcard tiebreaker over only one of them, Chicago (conference record)

Playoff Scenarios

Wildcard #2 with: 1) Camden win vs Boston and North Liberty win

Out of Playoffs: Everything else.

Playoff Seed #6 Camden win and North Liberty win.

[Guest]

NC WEST

YUMA

Yuma's path to the playoffs is the most clear of the three remaining NC West contenders. If they beat Las Vegas they win their division and are the #4 seed. If they lose to Las Vegas, they are out. A loss to the Outlaws would leave both teams with the same 8-8 record, and a split of the season series, but it would also give Las Vegas a better division record (3-3 against 2-4). And while that would be enough to force Yuma out of the running, it wouldn't be enough to guarantee Vegas a spot, but we'll get to that later.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) Yuma win vs. Las Vegas

Out of Playoffs with: 2) Yuma loss

Playoff Seed #4 with Yuma win


PEARL HARBOR

The Defenders are just one game back of Yuma and would hold a head to head tiebreaker over the Aces if both teams were to finish 8-8. They would also hold a division record tiebreaker over an 8-8 Las Vegas squad. They can win the division with a win over San Francisco and a Yuma loss, otherwise they are going home.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) Pearl Harbor win vs. San Francisco and Yuma loss

Out of Playoffs with 2) Pearl Harbor win and Yuma win or 3) Pearl Harbor loss

Playoff seed #4 with Pearl Harbor win, Yuma loss


Las Vegas

The Outlaws find themselves in a very similar situation to Pearl Harbor. They must win their game this week against Yuma to have a chance at the division title, but they also need help from another team to keep it from being snatched away by tiebreakers.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) Las Vegas win vs. Yuma and Pearl Harbor loss

Out of Playoffs with: 2) Las Vegas win and Pearl Harbor win, or 3) Las Vegas loss

Playoff seed #4 with Las Vegas win, Pearl Harbor loss

[Guest]

Bonus Division!
NC SOUTH

MORGANTOWN

The Maniacs have locked up their division and the #1 overall seed in the playoffs. Even if they lose to Columbus this week, they are secure in this. Expect to see some resting starters in Morgantown this week.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) doesn't matter, they already won it

Playoff Seed #1 with doesn't matter, already got it

Thanks for clarifying I really can rest my starters, which is very much needed. Here's hoping I last long enough in the playoffs to bring my stud WR back.

[Guest]

PEARL HARBOR

The Defenders are just one game back of Yuma and would hold a head to head tiebreaker over the Aces if both teams were to finish 8-8. They would also hold a division record tiebreaker over an 8-8 Las Vegas squad. They can win the division with a win over San Francisco and a Yuma loss, otherwise they are going home.

Playoff Scenarios

Division title with: 1) Pearl Harbor win vs. San Francisco and Yuma loss

Out of Playoffs with 2) Pearl Harbor win and Yuma win or 3) Pearl Harbor loss

Playoff seed #4 with Pearl Harbor win, Yuma loss


I like our chances!

[Guest]

Great write up rando!

[Guest]

2031 UTAH CONFERENCE PLAYOFF BREAKDOWN

There's no need to go over the conference division by division. Unlike the NC where 3 of the 4 divisions are still up for grabs, in the UC all four have already been decided. Unless you are a fan of a team angling for a wild card spot, there is little to be had here in terms of late season drama.

If the season ended right now

Seed #1 – Utah
Seed #2 – Punxsutawney
Seed #3 – Memphis
Seed #4 – Kalispel
Seed #5 – Denver
Seed #6 – Phoenix

Still in the race

Lake County
Ohio

Utah has the #1 seed, first round playoff bye and home field throughout locked down. Nothing they can do on the field this week matters at all. The Bees have already lost to Los Alamos once this year, but unless they are particularly worried about the stigma of being swept by a sub .500 team, you can expect see lots of starters sitting this week out for Utah.

Punxsutawney holds a head to head tie breaker over Memphis thanks to their week 7 victory over the Mustangs. Memphis' only hope for a first round playoff bye would be if they won this week and for the Phils to lose. Both teams are playing division rivals whom they have already lost to once this season (Port City and Motor City) but to make matters just that much harder for the Mustangs, Memphis will be on the road this week while Punxsutawney is hosting their game.

Kalispel is very much like Utah, or at least they are as much alike as the most dominant team in the history of ever and a barely above .500 squad from the worst division in football can be. That is to say that, like the Bees, the Stags are absolutely locked into their current playoff seeding. Nothing they do this week matters. Kalispel has a handful of starters playing through various minor injuries, may as well rest 'em up to avoid any further pulling of the groins.

Things really only become interesting once we get to the wild card spots. Denver and Phoenix currently hold a half game edge over Lake County and Ohio due to the two teams likely conspiring to create a tie game earlier this season. However, because both Denver and Phoneix and Lake County and Ohio are playing each other this week, the holders final two playoff spots are all but guaranteed to change.

The only way for both Denver and Phoenix to make the playoffs at this point would be if they tied again AND if Lake County and the Sharks also tied. A very unlikely proposition. The most likely scenario is that both games will end with scores where the numbers to not match. In this case the winners of both games would advance to the playoffs, while the losers would go home. Once again the earlier tie game by Denver and Phoenix would mean that which ever of the two finished at 10-5-1 would get Wild Card #1 and whichever UC East team finished 10-6 would be Wild Card #2.

If Denver and Phoenix somehow manage to tie again, while the Xtreme and the River Sharks manage to finish their game up properly, then the winner of the Lake County/Ohio game would be Wild Card #1 at 10-6 while Denver would get the nod as WC#2 at 9-5-2 due to their current common games tie breaker.

On the other side of that coin, should the Sharks and Extreme and in a tie and Denver/Phoenix end as a non-tie, then the winner of the second game would be the #1 Wild Card, while the others would all go into a three way tiebreaker between 9-6-1 teams. The River Sharks would be bumped out by Lake County as the the first step of this tiebreaker (eliminate all but one team from each division) due their loss to the Extreme earlier this season. Lake County would lose out to a 9-6-1 Denver team on conference record, but against Phoenix it would come all the way down to strength of victory, and I'm not even going to bother trying to sort that out.

[BradZ]

Here we go!