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Logicallylethal
Well-Known Member
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.
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.