# NFL Predictions - Week 16 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 14, 2000, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536 "2000-12-14T15:10:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/41 "2000-12-18T00:23:53Z")
Goddam, Indy pulls it out. Can someone help me out here? What happens if the Jets, Colts and Steelers all finish 9-7? How does a three-way tie breaker work in that situation? I thought that an Indy win would eliminate the Steelers, but the announcers just said that the race between Indy, Jets and Pgh. would be decided next week. ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/42 "2000-12-18T03:04:56Z")
mouthbreather - Here are the wild card tiebreakers: 1. Head to head 2. Division record 3. Conference record 4. Record against same opponents 5. Points in division 6. Total points 7. Strength of schedule 8. Touchdowns. (For a tie between teams from different divisions, substitute “points in conference” for #5 and remove #2). In the event of a three-way tie, each team’s record is considered against the others. Looking over all the records, I _think_ that Indy is in the best shape in the case of a three-way tie. Now, I’m not the one paid to do this, so I could be wrong, but I still, I think Indy has the best chance of making the playoffs, having a very beatable opponent at home. The Jets, meanwhile, are about to get thrown up against another monster defense. LNO - Remember what I said about your choices being good across the board? Remember? …Well, I still think they were. As they say in bridge, “hard luck, ol’ boy”. Footnote…today on NFL Primetime, Chris Berman whined…WHINED!!..about the division champs not being settled this week. Now, he’s been known to say things he shouldn’t, but WHY THIS, dammit? One of the _great_ things about football is that it always, _always_ comes down to the last week. Does he really want it to be like the NBA? You know, where 14 playoff spots are decided with about 20 games to go? Cripes, and he’s supposed to be one of the _good_ ones… ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/43 "2000-12-18T04:20:11Z")
Gazoo. This had to be the week I’d go entirely with your picks in my office pool. Sigh. But if I’d been following you all season, I’d be in the money. You’re six games ahead of our #1 guy. Woo hoo! You must promise to do this again next year. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/44 "2000-12-18T13:51:51Z")
> [@](#): > > mouthbreather - Here are the wild card tiebreakers: 1. Head to head 2. Division record 3. Conference record 4. Record against same opponents 5. Points in division 6. Total points 7. Strength of schedule 8. Touchdowns. (For a tie between teams from different divisions, substitute “points in conference” for #5 and remove #2). In the event of a three-way tie, each team’s record is considered against the others. > > Looking over all the records, I think that Indy is in the best shape … thats helps somewhat, DKW…thanks. The way I see it – that **IF** next week: Pit beats Sandy eggo, Vikes beat Indy (tough game next week), and Baltimore beats Jets (Go Ravens! you hear that, weirddave? :)) then that leaves PIT, IND, and NYJ all at 9-7. PIT beat NYJ. IND split with NYJ (1 game each) and NYJ had the higher combined score for the 2 games. IND and PIT did not play each other. NYJ have a better division record than IND. It would leave division records looking like this: NYJ 6-2, IND 5-3, and PIT 5-5. It would leave conference records like this: IND 8-4, PIT 8-5, and NYJ 6-6. Can someone tell me definitively how this pans out? I’m dying over here! ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/45 "2000-12-18T14:02:51Z")
I was wrong last week when I said there was no god. There is a god. He just is putting me through HELL. Good: I’m winning the fantasy Super Bowl 74-32, and I still have the Bucs defense yet to play. But my opponent has Martin Gramatica left to play. So, if the defense gets no turnovers, no scores, and gets blown out, and Gramatica kicks a dozen field goals, I’ll lose. But it looks like I’ve got that wrapped up – and I barely slipped into the playoffs as a wildcard. Yay, hooray. Bad: The Vikings lost. I so wanted homefield advantage. Good: The Jets lost. The Lions are beatable, and I want to see them in the playoffs. Bad: I’m dropping like a rock in the office pool, and can only hope that the player above me did even worse. Good: If the Vikings don’t make the Super Bowl, then it’ll be easier to re-sign Moss and Smith in the offseason, so maybe it’s all for the best. And if I look at it that way, then I’ll actually be _happy_ when they have their annual January choke-fest. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/46 "2000-12-18T14:05:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Mouthbreaker:_ > > Can someone tell me definitively how this pans out? I’m dying over here! \*\* You might be interested in [this article](http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/20001218steelers2.asp) from the Post-Gazette, the only one I could find specifying the possibilities. The Steelers win a 3 way tie. The NFL would first break the tie within the same division, which the Jets win, and the two remaining teams then have to break their tie. (This is why the Steelers needed Jacksonville to lose one of its last 2 games, They would win the tie-breakers with the Steelers thus knocking them out of a tie with the Jets). The Steelers own the tie-breaker with the Jets, obviously, as they beat them. Simple, really. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? Steelers win, Jets and Colts lose away? This is not an unlikely scenario. Not at all. I would sooner think that Lemieux would make a comeback . . . ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/47 "2000-12-18T14:11:21Z")
Man, talk about the week of upsets. Only 4 teams favored in _America’s Line_ covered the spread. 6 of the underdogs won outright! Some notes from this weekend: -Anyone else laugh their ass off during the Raider-Seahawk game when Dierdorf kept commenting how he had never seen or heard of a play like that one (the fumble/safety)? Hello? Dumbass? Week 3 of _this_ season? Panthers and Falcons? Big controversy? Sheesh! -I just love watching defenders _bounce_ off of Culpepper when trying to make a sack! -That being said, I was _incredibly_ impressed with the Packers. Ahman Green could easily become the Packer version of Faulk. If they find a way to sneak into the playoffs, they could cause some real damage. -Miami needs a punt returner with some guts. Apparenlty Ogden will call for a fair catch if it’s just him and the punter on the field. My apologies to **AuntiePam** and anyone else who was burned this week by my predictions. But with that many upsets, it was probably a bad week for many people. (Although, I did manage 9-5 so far against the spread.) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/48 "2000-12-18T14:34:51Z")
Now, I’m certainly not here to laugh at Gazoo for picking against the Chefs. But what I want to know is, was the Seattle v. Raiders game as painful to watch for everyone else? Nothing but crowd noise to listen to, and running water to see? Aweful. That, compounded with the fact that I was at my girlfriend’s new cable-free apartment that only picks up 1 1/2 stations, I wasn’t loving life. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/49 "2000-12-18T15:04:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LateComer \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > _originally posted by Mouthbreaker:_ > > Can someone tell me definitively how this pans out? I’m dying over here! \*\* > > You might be interested in [this article](http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/20001218steelers2.asp) from the Post-Gazette, the only one I could find specifying the possibilities. > …\… > Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? \*\* Thanks so much, LC. You just made my morning. [sub]Oh, and mabe you could take a peek [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=51557).[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/50 "2000-12-18T16:33:04Z")
I gotta share… According to Peter King of CNN/SI…Tampa Bay can stil win the NFC Central. Wouldn’t THAT be a kick. They need to win out, and Minnesota needs to lose to Indy next week. If so, Bucs take it on tiebreakers. Who’d have thunk it? ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/51 "2000-12-18T17:18:34Z")
Yup, if Minnesota loses to Indy, and Tampa beats St Louis tonight and Green Bay next week, then they both have the same record, the same division record, the same conference record, but in common opponents, Tampa edges MN 5-0 to 4-1. I never thought I’d cheer for both the Rams and the Packers in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/52 "2000-12-18T17:35:54Z")
I interupt this reasoned and learned football analysis with just two words of a purely personal nature: **GO GIANTS!** Thank you and please resume. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/53 "2000-12-18T17:35:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Falcon \* > **Tampa Bay can stil win the NFC Central. Wouldn’t THAT be a kick. They need to win out, and Minnesota needs to lose to Indy next week. If so, Bucs take it on tiebreakers.** Yeah, but to do that they have to get past Green Bay. At Lambeau Field. In December. The Bucs have never won a game when the temp is below 34 degrees. Brett Favre has never lost a game at Lambeau when the temp is below 34 degrees. It’s a balmy 2 degrees in Wisconsin today. Stranger things have happened (heck, the Pack just beat the Vikes at the dome), but I wouldn’t bet on Tampa winning out. Besides, watching the Packers lose on Christmas Eve would just ruin my holiday. So I’m not even going to think about it… ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/54 "2000-12-18T17:43:40Z")
Yeah, I agree. Not to mention that the Packers are quietly playing very good ball again. I’ll be picking the Pack to win for sure next week. ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/55 "2000-12-18T18:52:51Z")
Hey, I didn’t say Tampa Bay WOULD win the division, just that they COULD. I see them losing to Indy as a bigger threat than Tampa Bay losing to Green Bay, though. Question? Has anyone wrapped up home field in the AFC? And if not, who needs to win what to get it? _crosses fingers that the Titans could pull it off_ ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/56 "2000-12-18T19:01:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Falcon \* > \*\*Question? Has anyone wrapped up home field in the AFC? And if not, who needs to win what to get it? _crosses fingers that the Titans could pull it off_ \*\* A Titan win or a Baltimore loss next week ensures the Titans home field throughout the playoffs. Here’s the [scenarios](http://espn.go.com/nfl/s/2000/1127/906268.html). ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/57 "2000-12-19T00:07:27Z")
In the “whoda thunk it?” department: The Redskins will most likely finish at 7-9, and maybe at 8-8. The New Orleans Saints will make the playoffs after being 3-13 last season. The **Philadelphia Eagles** will (probably) host a playoff game after being 5-11 last season. The Redskins will not make the playoffs. 🙂 BTW, the NFC is starting to look very interesting. The Vikings looked (and were) very beatable yesterday, as did the Giants, who did their damnedest to lose. The Saints are on a roll, but I think their cloud’s going to burst realsoonnow. Whoever loses tonight is going to have an uphill battle, and the winner will be in command for the playoffs. The Packers are playing well, but Favre is one hit from this team not going anywhere. The **Eagles** , however, can take any team, and even they’re due to beat the Giants at some point. I like this. 🙂 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/58 "2000-12-19T02:19:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gazoo \* > \*\* > My apologies to **AuntiePam** and anyone else who was burned this week by my predictions. But with that many upsets, it was probably a bad week for many people. (Although, I did manage 9-5 so far against the spread.) \*\* No apologies necessary. It’s not like I paid you or something. 🙂 I checked with the Pool Guy at work today, and the only person who moved up was someone who gained one spot from the bottom. It’s been fun reading these threads. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/59 "2000-12-19T02:31:40Z")
Gazoo - Re: Fumble safety. Maybe Dan Dierdorf just missed that game (considering the teams involved, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did). The “controversy”, AFAIK, stems from the fact that an interception just outside the end zone which carries the defender in the end zone counts as a touchback. A lot of fans think that not giving fumble recoveries this exemption is unfair. Actually, I think it makes perfect sense, because with an interception, there’s been no net gain on the play and the quarterback can throw it wherever he wants. Therefore, it’s unfair to punish the defender just because the ball just happened to come down just short of the goal line. With a fumble, however, the ball carrier has possession right up to the point of the fumble, so it’s perfecty fair to count possession right at the point the defender makes the recovery. (I hope you understand what I’m getting at here.) In any case, the call, as by the current rules, was correct in both games. For the record…I’m pretty sure someone asked this, but I don’t remember who…as of right now, seven of twelve playoff spots and ONE division title (Giants, NFC East) have been clinched. If the Bucs beat the Rams today, they get playoff spot #8; if they lose, the Vikings win the divison. Again, those are the _only_ locks thus far. I love this game. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536/60 "2000-12-19T05:27:37Z")
i’m a Rams fine…and i’m freakin pissed. That fat bastard Fumbled on the 25…FUMBLED!!! Thanx a lot refs…just cost the Rams the freakin season! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-predictions-week-16/45536.md?page=4)