Why I Think Passing the Giants and Eagles (not Packers) is Our Best Shot

[Firstiary]

It looks like tying GB might not be enough. I think it will probably need to be the G-Men and Eagles that we pass if we win a wildcard spot. If we beat the Eagles, I still like our chances to play probably either @AZ or @DAL in the first playoff round.

Philly

Of course, we will probably have to beat them in Atlanta to pass them, but we do play them in Atlanta and hopefully we'll have Turner and Norwood for the game. If we win that one, we just need to keep pace with their wins to stay ahead of them in the playoff chase. The rest of their schedule is @DAL, @NYG, SF, DEN, WAS. They might only lose one of those, but if they do we could still keep pace if we take 4/5 from TB, TB, BUF, NYJ, NO.

Green Bay

The first tie-breaker we'd have with GB is record within conference. Their record in conference is already 6-3 and they still play SEA, @AZ, @CHI. Our is 4-4, and we have TB, @TB, NO, PHI. Let's say they win two of those, then we'd have to win all four of those NFC games just to go to the next tiebreaker (though we would win the next tiebreaker, which is common games, if we sweep TB and they lose to CHI). Too many ifs, though. It looks like we're unlikely to pass GB at this point unless they collapse. Though, that is possible since they play @CHI, @AZ, @PIT, BAL, SEA. And they just lost some key players on defense.

New York Giants

If we can beat TB at home this weekend (knock on wood), then we have the same record as the Giants with five left to play. The Giants still play DAL, PHI, CAR, @MIN, @WAS. I think we're more likely to be able to finish with a better record than them than we are to pass GB for a wildcard. If the Giants lose to DAL, MIN, and one more game, then we'd pass them if we can take three of five from TB, BUF, NYJ, PHI, and NO.

Edited November 27, 2009 by Firstiary

[thamill]

The magic number is 10. We can only lose one more game if we want to make the playoffs. We need to beat the teams we should (TB, Buf, NYJ) and need to squeak one of the two out against Philly or NO.

[citsalp]

The magic number is 10. We can only lose one more game if we want to make the playoffs. We need to beat the teams we should (TB, Buf, NYJ) and need to squeak one of the two out against Philly or NO.

Just go one game at a time...Let's beat the Buc's and move on.

[Peyton]

The magic number is 10. We can only lose one more game if we want to make the playoffs. We need to beat the teams we should (TB, Buf, NYJ) and need to squeak one of the two out against Philly or NO.

I agree with you that the magic number is 10, but the Falcons don't want that loss to be to Philly.

[falconidae]

The magic number is ONE. From here on out each game should be treated like a playoff game. No looking ahead, no looking behind. Completely focused on the moment.

That's exactly the attitude I want the falcons to have, from Blank to TD to Smith to Ryan to the rest of the organization.

I've already taken a look at next years schedule and draft, much less the rest of the regular season.