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From: ryan@fremen.DEC
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Richardson's rankings, tie-breakers, etc.
Message-ID: <77@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 28-Nov-84 11:30:25 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.77
Posted: Wed Nov 28 11:30:25 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Nov-84 08:48:29 EST
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This is how the NFL tie-breakers work (this is from memory, so it might not
be perfectly correct):
	1. Head-to-head competition (points if teams are 1-1)
	2. Division record (only applied to teams in the same division)
	3. Conference record
	4. Record against common opponents (pct. - teams may have different
		number of games against common opponents)
	5. Net points in conference games
	6. Net points in all games
	7. Net TD's in all games
	8. Coin flip

Hmm, for some reason I had the impression there were nine - perhaps I missed
one (or perhaps number 1 should be overall record).

As a Patriots fan, I'm hoping you're right, but I've suffered too many years
to believe in it (the Dallas game is exactly what we've come to expect over
the years).  Still, the chances aren't that bad - if the Pats win all three
remaining games (and only St. Louis this coming weekend stands a real chance
now that Philly's lost Jaworski), and the Raiders lose to Miami or Pittsburgh
the Pats are in.  If the Raiders lose to Detroit, it'll come down to net
points in conference games, in which the Pats have a slight edge now, but 
they've only got one more conference game while the Raiders have two.

As for the NFC East, the Giants (I still can't believe it) have the advantage.
They've beaten Dallas twice and beat Washington by more than Washington beat
them, so they'll win any tie.  They also have the easiest remaining schedule
(Jets, Cards, Saints).  Washington and Dallas must play each other, St. Louis
must play the Pats, Giants, and Washington, and Dallas closes at Miami. Winning
2 out of 3 is probably good enough to guarantee a playoff spot for the Giants,
and they'll still be in it if they lose 2.  Right now, I'd favor them to win
the division, with Washington and LA as the wild cards. It's going to be
interesting, though.

As a matter of fact, the only way the Giants can win two and not make the
playoffs is if 
	a. Either Washington or Dallas wins all three (thus taking the
		division title).
	b. The Giants' only loss is to St. Louis, by more points than
		they beat St. Louis before.
	c. St. Louis wins all three (thus getting one wild card).
and	d. LA wins at least two (getting the other wild card because they
		beat the Giants).
Thus, if the Pats beat St. Louis this weekend the Giants can clinch a
playoff spot by winning two out of three (This is all perfectly clear,
I hope - there will be a quiz before the last weekend).

Anyone for the Giants and Patriots in the Super Bowl?

That inspires a trivia question - when was the last time a major sport
championship (baseball, football, basketball, hockey) featured two opponents
from the Northeast (for the sake of argument, let's say Penn., NJ, NY, and
New England)?  Respond directly to me (let's not flood the net with
identical answers) and I'll post the result.

	Mike Ryan - DEC - Merrimack, NH

P.S. I like those standings - they're pretty close to how I'd pick the
teams.  I especially enjoy seeing the AFC Central leader in 19th place
overall.