SNF Flex Schedule Watch Followup and Playoff Watch

I was going to recount the primetime games on ESPN, NBC and the NFL Network to determine if I miscounted earlier, but with the Bears locking up the NFC North, Bears-Packers is now probably out for a Week 17 pick, leaving open the question of whether any Week 17 NFC game could be palatable to the NFL.

Saints-Bucs is the chief nominee. New Orleans won the first meeting between the two and they’re separated by two games, but if the Saints lose out and the Bucs win out, the division records would both be 3-3 and the Bucs would hold the common games tiebreaker. But it only works if the Bucs or Saints are guaranteed a playoff spot if they win, and if it’s the Saints, they also have to be guaranteed to be out of the playoffs if they lose.

Green Bay and the Giants are the other two playoff contenders; they play each other this week. If the Pack win that game and they both lose Week 17, they’ll both be 9-7, and Tampa would join them with a loss, meaning the Saints would have already clinched a playoff spot. All three teams would also be 7-5 in conference games. Tampa beat Washington and lost to the Lions, and the NFC North and East played each other. Green Bay played Atlanta and the 49ers, but the Giants played Carolina and Seattle, so the Skins and Lions are the only common games. The NFL sets a minimum of four for the common games tiebreaker to apply, so the next tiebreaker would be strength of victory, and who knows where that would go. So much for Saints-Bucs if the Pack beat the Giants.

What if the Giants win? The Wild Card standings entering Week 17 would then be: NYG and NO 10-5; TB 9-6; GB 8-7 and out. If the Giants win the winner is in and the loser is out; if the Giants lose Tampa Bay is guaranteed to be in with a win and out with a loss. So yes, there is a scenario where the NFL would want to pick a Week 17 NFC game, still. But can they?

Here’s a list of all the games on NBC, NFL Network, and ESPN this season, sorted by which network the games were taken from, and taken from each network’s schedule page to avoid confusion or misinformation. NBC games in green, ESPN in red, NFL Network in blue.

AFC games:

1. Jets @ Dolphins
2. Colts @ Redskins
3. Steelers @ Saints
4. Patriots @ Steelers
5. Chargers @ Colts
6. Steelers @ Ravens
7. Ravens-Jets
8. Chiefs-Chargers
9. Patriots-Dolphins
10. Titans-Jaguars
11. Colts-Texans
12. Steelers-Bengals
13. Chargers-Broncos
14. Patriots-Jets
15. Ravens-Texans
16. Ravens @ Falcons
17. Bengals @ Jets
18. Texans @ Eagles
19. Colts @ Titans

NFC games:

1. Vikings @ Saints
2. Cowboys @ Redskins
3. Giants @ Colts
4. Bears @ Giants
5. Eagles @ 49ers
6. Vikings @ Packers
7. Cowboys @ Packers
8. Giants @ Eagles
9. Eagles @ Cowboys
10. Packers @ Patriots
11. Vikings @ Eagles
12. Saints-Niners
13. Bears-Packers
14. Vikings @ Jets
15. Giants-Cowboys
16. Eagles-Redskins
17. Niners-Cardinals
18. Bears-Vikings
19. Saints @ Falcons
20. Bears @ Dolphins
21. Niners @ Chargers
22. Panthers @ Steelers
23. Cowboys @ Cardinals

I may have counted wrong, but if I did, it only further confirms that the NFL desperately needs to pick a CBS game. I stand by my original prediction and bewilderment (and I’m not even putting this up on B/R).

AFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS	WILD CARD	WAITING IN THE WINGS (8-6)
SOUTH 48-6	510-4
8-6
WEST 39-5	610-4
8-6
NORTH 210-4
10-4
EAST 112-2
10-4
ALSO STILL ALIVE: CLINCHED PLAYOFF SPOT

NFC Playoff Picture

DIVISION LEADERS	WILD CARD	OTHER NFC WEST CONTENDERS
WEST 46-8	510-4	5-8
6-8
EAST 310-4	69-5
9-5
NORTH 210-4	8-6
8-6	8-6
SOUTH 112-2
10-4
OUT ON TIEBREAKERS CLINCHED PLAYOFF SPOT