Playoff Seed

[erckm510]

Absolute fantasy best case besides Seattle losing their last 2 and the Niners winning the last 2?

Seattle/NO byes

SF vs Eagles
Carolina vs Packers. If the Packers have a healthy Rodgers I think they would actually have the best shot of beating Sea. Carolina would be my 2nd choice.

 

[supreme_clientele81]

IMO the best case scenario is we get the 5th seed Carolina gets the 6th. Detroit and Dallas win their divisions. So the match-ups would be:

1st Round
Panthers vs Lions
49ers vs Cowboys

2nd Round
49ers vs Saints
Panthers vs Seattle

Championship
Panthers vs 49ers

 

[yossarian]

I think it's a difficult choice. On the one hand if we're the 5th seed, it's possible that another team could knock off Seattle at home and then we wouldn't have to go to Seattle, but I don't think either Carolina or New Orleans can go into Seattle and win. That means that Seattle would be our 3rd road playoff game --we'd be beat up by then.

On the other hand if we're the 6th seed Seattle would be our 2nd playoff game, maybe they're rusty after the layoff and we might be fresher.

Hard to say.

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

Just get in the dance! Don't care who we play or where.

 

[Jikkle]

I think it's a difficult choice. On the one hand if we're the 5th seed, it's possible that another team could knock off Seattle at home and then we wouldn't have to go to Seattle, but I don't think either Carolina or New Orleans can go into Seattle and win. That means that Seattle would be our 3rd road playoff game --we'd be beat up by then.

On the other hand if we're the 6th seed Seattle would be our 2nd playoff game, maybe they're rusty after the layoff and we might be fresher.

Hard to say.

I wouldn't bet the farm on either team going to Seattle to win but I would give them a fighting chance.

Carolina's defense is capable of matching Seattle's offense but I will say I have little faith in Carolina's offense being able to score enough points.

New Orleans getting blown out by them earlier in Seattle and getting blown out against the Rams I think could help them in the rematch. Because of that blow out you have plenty of film on how you got crushed which means you know what you can't do and you can work on fixing those issues.

On the flip side for Seattle since you crushed the team earlier you have less to go on when it comes to what you need to change.

So there is an aspect where New Orleans could throw Seattle some curves balls because Seattle is likely to do what they did in the first match up.

 

[purguy12]

It should be fun to watch.

 

[calsnowskier]

Who would hold the tie breaker if we win out and the Hawks lose out?

 

[h0ckeysk83r]

Who would hold the tie breaker if we win out and the Hawks lose out?

We would. Having a 5-1 division record and if Seattle loses out they would be 3--3. Since they play az and STL

 

[purguy12]

We would. Having a 5-1 division record and if Seattle loses out they would be 3--3. Since they play az and STL

No chance of this happening. We can hope but I just don't see it. We really needed the saints to beat seattle.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

This would be great news for the 49ers and it would give seattle a tough game against the Saints and say the saints win and we win we would get a home game for the NFC Championship game. That would be a great way to send off candlestick Park.

How'd that work out last time the Saints went to Seattle? I think Carolina has a better chance of upsetting Seattle at home in January. Even without considering the elements, the Saints aren't all that good on the road.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Points on the road for the Saints this year: 16, 26, 27 (lost to Pats), 20 (lost to Jets), 17, 7 (lost to Hawks), 16 (lost to Rams). At home, their lowest output was 23 against us and Atlanta in the opener. Every other game they've scored at least 31.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Who would hold the tie breaker if we win out and the Hawks lose out?

We would. Better record within the division is the second tie-breaker.

 

[calsnowskier]

How'd that work out last time the Saints went to Seattle? I think Carolina has a better chance of upsetting Seattle at home in January. Even without considering the elements, the Saints aren't all that good on the road.

So what would we prefer...

SF (5) @ NO (2)
Car (6) @ Sea (1)

or

SF (5) @ Car (2)
NO (6) @ Sea (1)


Option #1 gives us a tough round 2 opponent, but also gives Seattle the tougher road to the NFCCG.

Option #2 gives us the easier round 2 game, but a higher likelihood of having to go to Sea for the NFCCG.


Personally, I think we need to avoid going to Seattle at all costs. The best chance for that is to have NO win this week.

 

[purguy12]

I would like to avoid Seattle and have a chance to play a home game so I go with option 2. Saints have a better chance then Carolina to beat Seattle.

 

[Jikkle]

One thing I believe needs to be factored in this is the overall health of the team.

If we clinch next week it might be better to rest guys against the Cardinals and fully go into preparations for the playoffs rather than worry about which seed we get.

I mean I would rather have a rested Gore, Justin Smith, and other guys with dings like Iupati then the 5th seed since odds are we're going to have to play Seattle one way or another.

But that all depends on how beat up guys are. If they are generally healthy we should by all means go for the 5th seed.

 

[poewelch84]

I'm still hoping Arizona and St. Louis can beat Seattle giving the Niners a shot at the division.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

So what would we prefer...

SF (5) @ NO (2)
Car (6) @ Sea (1)

or

SF (5) @ Car (2)
NO (6) @ Sea (1)


Option #1 gives us a tough round 2 opponent, but also gives Seattle the tougher road to the NFCCG.

Option #2 gives us the easier round 2 game, but a higher likelihood of having to go to Sea for the NFCCG.


Personally, I think we need to avoid going to Seattle at all costs. The best chance for that is to have NO win this week.

That's my view.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I would like to avoid Seattle and have a chance to play a home game so I go with option 2. Saints have a better chance then Carolina to beat Seattle.

I disagree. Strongly. I don't have any faith whatsoever that the Saints can beat Seattle at home. I don't have much faith in Carolina, but their D matches up pretty well with Seattle.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

One thing I believe needs to be factored in this is the overall health of the team.

If we clinch next week it might be better to rest guys against the Cardinals and fully go into preparations for the playoffs rather than worry about which seed we get.

I mean I would rather have a rested Gore, Justin Smith, and other guys with dings like Iupati then the 5th seed since odds are we're going to have to play Seattle one way or another.

But that all depends on how beat up guys are. If they are generally healthy we should by all means go for the 5th seed.

That's not a bad approach. Though things get a little funky if that Cards win the last two. Let's say the Cards win the final two games, and Carolina loses to NO, but wins the last game. Who are the wild card teams? All three teams would be 11-5. The Cards have the tie-breaker against the Panthers due to head-to-head. The Panthers have the tie-breaker against us due to the head-to-head. And we have the tie-breaker over the Cards due to division record. What happens in this scenario? I'm going to look it up.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Ok, nvm. Apparently the division tie-breaker is applied first if more than two teams are tied. As such, it would be us and Carolina.