The Falcons keep their faint playoff hopes alive with the 23-17 victory over the Jaguars on Sunday.
Here’s how:
Seattle has clinched a playoff berth. But if Falcons win out and Seattle and Minnesota lose their final games, all three teams will finish 9-7 overall and 6-6 in the NFC.
In that scenario, Seattle will be in as the fifth seed (first wild card). The tiebreaker for the Falcons-Vikings would be the sixth one listed below for ties between three or more clubs: Strength of schedule.
In a three-way tiebreaker, the Falcons believe they have not been eliminated. They have not been told by the NFL they were eliminated. Falcons believe they are still mathematically alive.
It’s possible in the strength of schedule tiebreaker that the Falcons would have an edge on Minnesota, but they have not been told that for certain by the NFL.
REMAINING GAMES:
Falcons: Carolina, New Orleans.
Seattle: St. Louis, at Arizona
Minnesota: New York Giants, at Green Bay
HERE ARE THE LEAGUE RULES TO BREAK A TIE FOR THE WILD-CARD TEAM
Three or More Clubs
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)
- Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
- Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
- Strength of victory.
- Strength of schedule.
- Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
- Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
- Best net points in conference games.
- Best net points in all games.
- Best net touchdowns in all games.
- Coin toss
When the first Wild-Card team has been identified, the procedure is repeated to name the second Wild-Card, i.e., eliminate all but the highest-ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. In situations where three or more teams from the same division are involved in the procedure, the original seeding of the teams remains the same for subsequent applications of the tie breaker if the top-ranked team in that division qualifies for a Wild-Card berth.
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