Playoff scenarios

[Logicallylethal]

With two games left all we need is a victory or a 49er loss and we guarantee home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Nothing is a lock in the NFL but we are definitely in the driver's seat for that #1 so for the sake of the discussion let's pretend that we have the #1 seed locked up.

Now...as the 1 seed who would we want to face the most and who would we least like to face?

Obviously teams we would want to face most would be
- Eagles, Cowboys, Bears

Team you wouldn't mind facing but could see them presenting some problems with their talent
- Lions

Then there are the three elite teams in the NFC
- Saints, Niners, Panthers

Which one of those three would you least like to face. My answer would be the 49ers. Although I feel confident we would be able to beat them at the Clink, there's no denying how good they are playing right now. Their defense is just so good when they are healthy.

Saints and Panthers are a toss up to me. Panthers could present a lot of problems with that front 7 but I don't think Cam Newton is ready for a prime time 12th man NFC Championship crowd at the Clink. That performance against Brees on MNF was insane but at the end of the day Drew Brees is still Drew Brees and any time you have someone like that you have a puncher's chance.

So here's how my list would look like from least like to face to most like to face

- 49ers, Saints, Panthers, Lions, Bears, Eagles, Cowboys



This is how I see the playoff scenarios working out

Scenario 1) - Both wild card teams win (Panthers #5, 49ers #6). This would mean we have to face San Fran in the divisional round most likely without KJ Wright. This is probably my least favorite scenario

Scenario 2) - Panthers lose next week and 49ers win out. This would move the 49ers into the #5 seed and Panthers back to #6. In this scenario if both wild card teams win out we get the Panthers at the Clink and won't have to face New Orleans or San Fran til the NFC Championship where KJ Wright should be back...hopefully (...maybe an outside shot Browner is back too?)

Scenario 3) - Panthers lose out and Zona manages to win one of the two final games. This would make both teams 10-6 and Zona with the tie breaker (head to head win week 5) would replace Carolina as the final wild card team. This would mean that if both wild card teams win out we get Zona at the Clink rather than San Fran. This scenario is great...unless Detroit/Philly/Chicago/Dallas beats Zona in the wild card round. That would mean the higher seed automatically goes to play the #2 seed and San Fran the lone wild card team would face us in the divisional round

Scenario 4) - Both or one of the wild card teams lose in the wild card round. This is probably the most preferred scenario but also least likely to happen. Out of all the divisional teams I think Detroit has the best chance to upset Carolina or San Fran. Bears could have an outside shot with those big playmakers at wr. Eagles and Cowboys...they might as well just wave the white flag. Only problem with this scenario is unless both wild card teams lose, we will still end up with either Carolina or San Fran in the divisional round. One wild card team losing will eliminate one of those elite teams but all that means is the Saints will have an easy match up in the divisional round.


I'm rooting for Zona to get in but if that's not possible then I will be rooting for Carolina to slip to #6. Panthers d is very good but I feel like we can take advantage of that secondary. I want to see New Orleans/San Fran with KJ Wright back. He makes such a big difference covering the elite tight ends. And outside of Gronk it doesn't get any better than Graham and Davis.

 

[dude82]

Even though I'm confident that the Hawks can beat anybody at home, the two teams I'd be most concerned about facing are San Francisco and New Orleans. Yes, we've already blown both of those teams out at home this year, but neither team is as awful as they played in those games and at the very least, they're gonna set out to prove it.

Carolina played the Hawks close, but they did it in Carolina and they did it against a Seahawks team that wasn't at full strength, particularly on defense. The Hawks likely won't be at full strength on defense in a playoff match-up either, but they'd be a lot closer to it than they were in week 1. Throw in a potential Percy Harvin sighting and I think the Seahawks would take it at home by more than 5.

Chicago likes to sling the ball around and while they can run the ball a little bit, it isn't their strength. I think the Seahawks can get to Cutler and make him force some throws, which plays into our strength.

Detroit looks better on the ground than they have in years, but like Chicago, their strength is throwing the ball. I don't see a repeat of what they did to us last year in Detroit happening in Seattle, mainly because our pass rush isn't a one-man show like it was last year when Clemons was the only guy getting consistent pressure on the quarterback. Megatron will be a handful, but if any team is equipped to handle him, it's this one.

Neither the Eagles nor the Cowboys have a defense, particularly against the pass.

I'm not really worried about Arizona since we already beat them in Glendale by 12 (and it wasn't nearly as close as the score would indicate that it was) and beat them by nearly 5 times that amount the last time they played here. I don't expect the latter outcome either this coming week or in a playoff game and the quarterback situation is obviously different from what it was when they came here last December, but I think we could take care of business against them if they made it to the Divisional Playoffs.

 

[calsnowskier]

Carolina and NO play next week, essentially for the NFCS title. Not sure why you are giving the 2seed to NO without any thought.

Personally, as a Niner fan, I want Carolina to win that game. Assuming the Niners win out, that would give then the 5, meaning if SF and NO win in round 1, the games would be SF @ Carolina and NO @ Seattle. As a Niner fan, that is the best possible situation. If NO can somehow beat you guys (not likely, but...) and the Niners are able to beat Carolina in Carolina (tough task) than we would host NO in the NFCCG.

It is dangerous for either of us to discount the North or East team, but for either of them to make it to round 2 would require a decent upset. However, your point about the 2 seed getting one of them if there is only 1 upset is interesting. If you could choose, right now, to be the 1 or the 2, which would you choose?

 

[Screamin12th]

The Panthers scare me the Most.

They have a great front 7 they have a great running game and a great defense. They Beat San Fran in San Fran and can play with anyone if they are running well.

San Fran and NO in my eyes will be blown out again in Seattle. Panthers not so much.

 

[gowazzu02]

They all scare me. Im a worrier by nature. A lifetime of rooting for Seattle franchises will do that to you I guess.

 

[Wedgie]

They all scare me. Im a worrier by nature. A lifetime of rooting for Seattle franchises will do that to you I guess.

 

[SeattleOspreys]

I'm not sure why anyone is afraid of the Saints?

People used to say we can't win on the road but the Saints have now lost to
the Jets, the Hawks, the Rams and escaped vs the Falcons. No fear.

This is how the seeds are going to go down.

1 Seed: Hawks
2 Seed: Carolina
3 Seed: Bears
4 Seed: Eagles
5 Seed: 9ers (do have to beat Zona on road)
6 Seed: Saints

Bears and 9ers win the WC game.

Hawks vs 9ers in the divisionals
Panthers vs Bears in the divisionals

Hawks vs Bears in the NFCCG.

Hawks to the SB.

I like a lot of chalk but I can't go 1 vs 2 so Panthers get upset.
Marshall and Jefferies churn em and burn em. D sucks though.

Alot of scenarios heading into week 16. For this to roll, I have
Chicago beating Philly at the Lincoln next Sunday night and
have Carolina beating the Saints next Sunday. 9er's beating
Zona on the final Sunday and Philly beating Dallas. Detroit
will lock the North if Chicago loses to Philly.

I know this will never take place with the NFC North being undecided,
the NFC East being undecided, the NFC South being undecided and
the WC positions being undecided.

This is just coming from my intuition.

 

[MrS]

We shouldn't fear any team, our defense is clearly the best in the league and with our home field advantage it would take a miracle of epic proportions to beat us. I dont care who we are playing.

If we get to play the niners and saints again at home it will make the path to the SB all the more sweet. I can only imagine the belly aching from the media and other fans if we end up playing teams like detroit and philly on our way to the SB.

 

[WizardHawk]

Defenses win you games in the playoffs. If that is true then SF and Carolina should be the teams of most concern. Both have given your offense fits in their last meetings this year and both could play aggressive and dominating defense even on the road.

Of those two SF has to concern you the most. I don't want to hear a seahawk fan spew that nonsense about our last two scores against them in our house. That doesn't mean a damned thing come the playoffs this year. They are a division rival and know your team inside and out as well as any other team in the country. You just aren't going to surprise them with anything. They know exactly who you are. Their offense scares you more than Carolina's as well. Crabtree wasn't in that first game at the Clink this year and Kaepernick was at the start of a 4 game funk that he eventually worked his way out of. Gore has also traditionally always been a problem for Seattle.

What teams do you want to see the most? Those who are more offensive powers than defensive. Whatever team is really getting it done more on that side of the ball come the post season is ripe for a blow out at the Clink.

 

[octagondd]

In this order:

Niners, Panthers, Saints, Eagles, Lions, Bears, Boys

Niners - Best of the bunch - Great defense, huge run game and now weapons clicking
Panthers - Great Defense - Good run game and Cam is making good decisions
Saints - Brees, Graham, Sproles and now they know what doesn't work
Eagles - Foles seems like the real deal - McCoy - Good Run D, Bad Pass D
Lions - Good Run D, Bad Pass D - Big Offensive weapons
Bears - Defense not so great, but huge WR/TE targets that will be tough to cover and Forte
Boys - Romo - bwhahaha

I want to play the Cowboys. How can we make that happen? I think they have to win out and Eagles lose out or something, then some crazy, magical game against the Niners in Dallas where DeMarco Murray just rolls all over the Niners and Gore has a migraine and can't play. Kaep pops his eyeballs out of socket while trying to tighten his helmet and they take him in for concussion protocol and rule him out of the game.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

I worry some, no matter who we play, but I say bring on who ever. You want to be the best , then beat the best.

 

[dude82]

I think the Cowboys might be the team that everybody wants to play in the playoffs.

 

[Logicallylethal]

What's your guy's thoughts on Green Bay if they make it?

If Detroit loses tonight it opens up the door for GB to sneak in if they win out.

I feel like a healthy Aaron Rodgers with Cobb also coming back...if they get red hot they could be very dangerous and may be able to upset a Carolina/New Orleans or San Fran in the wild card round playing at Lambeau

 

[HaroldSeattle]

My thoughts on Green Bay is I'd love to play them in the playoffs. The reason being:

A) I think we would stomp them.

B) Maybe they would quit talking about the hail mary or fail mary as Packers fans refer to it.

 

[Logicallylethal]

My thoughts on Green Bay is I'd love to play them in the playoffs. The reason being:

A) I think we would stomp them.

B) Maybe they would quit talking about the hail mary or fail mary as Packers fans refer to it.

 

[SeattleCoug]

After the Monday night game here is how I see it playing out.

1. Seattle
2. Carolina, I think they beat the Saints at home this week
3. Philly,
4. Green Bay, I see them winning out
5. San Fran
6. New Orleans

6 New Orleans over 3 Philly
5 San Fran over 4 Greenbay

1 Seattle over 6 New Orleans
5 San Fran over 2 Carolina

1 Seattle over 5 San Fran

If those playoff teams are correct then there really is no easy out. Gotta take every team seriously
Green Bay will be dynamic with Rodgers and Lacy
Philly is explosive with McCoy and Desean
Carolina stingy D
Saints still have Brees
The Niners are the Niners, we hate them but they are likely our biggest competition.

 

[octagondd]

After the Monday night game here is how I see it playing out.

1. Seattle
2. Carolina, I think they beat the Saints at home this week
3. Philly,
4. Green Bay, I see them winning out
5. San Fran
6. New Orleans

6 New Orleans over 3 Philly
5 San Fran over 4 Greenbay

1 Seattle over 6 New Orleans
5 San Fran over 2 Carolina

1 Seattle over 5 San Fran

If those playoff teams are correct then there really is no easy out. Gotta take every team seriously
Green Bay will be dynamic with Rodgers and Lacy
Philly is explosive with McCoy and Desean
Carolina stingy D
Saints still have Brees
The Niners are the Niners, we hate them but they are likely our biggest competition.

That looks about right. I thought maybe Philly over NO, in the WC round because NO is bad on the road, but the Eagles pass Defense is horrible and this is Foles' first time, so I think Brees does win that matchup.

 

[SeattleCoug]

That looks about right. I thought maybe Philly over NO, in the WC round because NO is bad on the road, but the Eagles pass Defense is horrible and this is Foles' first time, so I think Brees does win that matchup.

I think New Orleans has a slightly better defense so Ill give them a slight edge. Plus I think the playoff experience for Brees and Payton may give them a slight edge over Foles and Kelly.

Plus Ill admit part of me really wants a Niner-Hawk NFC championship so the only way that happens is if the Saints were to win or else we would see the Niners in the divisional round.

 

[octagondd]

I think New Orleans has a slightly better defense so Ill give them a slight edge. Plus I think the playoff experience for Brees and Payton may give them a slight edge over Foles and Kelly.

Plus Ill admit part of me really wants a Niner-Hawk NFC championship so the only way that happens is if the Saints were to win or else we would see the Niners in the divisional round.

Yep, could be Saints/Bears as well, if the Bears hold home field against the Pack in week 17. Either way I think Saints win WC round.

 

[yossarian]

These are the current standings:
1. Seattle
2 New Orleans
3 Philadelphia
4 Chicago
5 Carolina
6 San Francisco

I could see New Orleans and Carolina switching positions, and the 49ers moving to 5th.
In any event you guys have such an absolute home field advantage it's hard to see someone going in and winning.

I could see the 49ers doing it, the last game at the CLINK was 5-0 at the half, 12-3 or something after 3 quarters, the 49er defense played well but the offense did nothing then the wheels came off. Plus they've played there enough they may be less intimidated by the time the playoffs roll around, so maybe with Crabtree back, etc., they have a chance.

Carolina has a great defense, which always travels well, and maybe Newton gets hot.
New Orleans I'm just not that impressed with so far, we should have beat them in their own house, and you guys killed them.