Tennessee Titans Playoff Hopes Rooting Guide: Week 12 Edition

by hartley on Nov 25, 2009 4:11 PM CST Comment 41 comments

Current AFC Standings:
1. Colts (10-0)
2. Bengals (7-3)
3. Chargers (7-3)
4. Patriots (7-3)

5. Jaguars (6-4)
6. Steelers (6-4)
7. Broncos (6-4)
8. Ravens (5-5)
9. Texans (5-5)
10. Dolphins (5-5)
11. Jets (4-6)
12. Titans (4-6)

Look, we started off in a big hole by starting off the season 0-6. Even if the Titans win out, they ned some help if they want to have any chance of making the playoffs.

So here are the games this week with an impact on our playoff chances, with who we shoot be rooting for and why:

NY Giants @ Denver: Giants. The Broncos are now a game behind San Diego and don't play the Chargers again, and also have games against the Colts and Eagles left on the schedule. San Diego will take the division and we can pass the Broncos for the Wild Card.

Miami @ Buffalo: Bills. We feel bad that our owner flipped their fans off. If that doesn't do it for you, how about we're only a game behind Miami with a game left to play against them, and the Bills can help us play spoiler?

Carolina @ NY Jets: Panthers. The Jets are only ahead of us on tiebreakers. One more loss for them, and we pass them.

Cleveland @ Cincinnati: Bengals. All aboard the tiger train! We want the Bengals to take their first division title in quite some time. We've got enough problems fighting with the Steelers and Ravens to have to worry about 3 AFC North teams in the Wild Card hunt.

Indianapolis @ Houston: ::wincing:: Colts. While one more Colts win eliminates us from contention for the division title, I think it's safe to say that Peyton & co. aren't dropping 6 anyway. A win here and the Colts stay undefeated while the Texans drop to our level. They still have us on tiebreakers, but we can worry about that later.

Kansas City @ San Diego: Superchargers! We actually need them to lose one later this season (the one against us), so let them feast on what should be a cupcake game to expand their lead on their division.

Jacksonville @ San Francisco: 49ers. Of the 6-4 teams in the wild card hunt, the Jags have the best conference record. This one is probably going down to the wire, but any losses they can get certainly won't hurt.

Arizona @ Tennessee: Titans. Duh.

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore: Hope for a 0-0 tie. Failing that, root for Pittsburgh. That will put us closer to passing Baltimore. It might also necessitate rooting for Baltimore in these teams' December rematch, but we can cross that bridge when we get to it.

New England @ New Orleans: This one depends. If Miami lost on Sunday like we want them to, then let your hate fly and root for the Saints to crush the Patriots. If Miami won, then alas, we need the Patriots to win to keep their grip on the division.

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Awesome stuff hartley

I believe Tuna Boss will agree that you have gotten yourself roped into a weekly gig here.

I am sure this will be front and center very soon.

Rec’d.

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Retire #9!

by gramsey712 on Nov 25, 2009 4:16 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks!

by hartley on Nov 25, 2009 4:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice post

Straightens out a pretty confusing situation. This should be regular material every week.

by madhjsp on Nov 25, 2009 4:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

But not every season

because I dont want another 0 -6 start

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by Pride of the Southland on Nov 25, 2009 11:15 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

The Jaguars seem to be the most problematic...

…..unless the Steelers experience an unexpected free-fall.

They have the best AFC record, and with these games remaining (in addition to games vs. the Colts and @ the Patriots):

@ San Francisco
Houston
Miami
@ Cleveland

…you would expect, on paper, the Jaguars to go 10-6, with a better AFC record than we can achieve. That would give them the #6 seed, even if we won out.

So we need someone to upset the Jaguars who, on paper, would be expected to lose. This weekend is one of those chances, as the Jaguars go to San Francisco.

I see the Jaguars as the biggest obstacle right now, aside from the obvious obstacle of needing to win-out or lose only one game………

"Bite my shiny metal ass!" -- Bender Bending Rodriguez

"Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead."

by The Jade Scorpion on Nov 25, 2009 4:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Look at the games the Jags have already played and I think it is safe to assume they are not as good as their record

There is no way they sweep SF Hou Mia and Cle. Assuming the Steelers are the 1st wild card I would be more worried about the Ravens, who have an easier remaining schedule and been playing much better football then the jags.

Good work hartley!

Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.

by noontide on Nov 25, 2009 4:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You're probably right about us not sweeping those 4 teams

Most of us think we split or win 3 out 4.

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by TheTealDeal on Nov 26, 2009 8:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

They are the most worrisome.

I can see them getting the 5 seed, though, leaving us to worry about the 6.

by hartley on Nov 25, 2009 4:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Excellent post; agree that you need to do this weekly

Do you have a link to all the tie breaker rules? Most are obvious, but some of the lower level ones are obscure.
Thanks again. This is great stuff.

by JimR on Nov 25, 2009 5:01 PM CST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

This is a good site for things dealing with the playoff race.
There’s a link to the tiebreaker rules at the top.

"We really feel like we can go 10-0 in these last ten games...we’re trying to do something nobody has ever done." Chris Johnson
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by Aditya T (smashville) on Nov 25, 2009 5:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Here.

Yeah, once it gets past record among common opponents, it gets pretty obscure.

I’m curious to know if it’s ever actually gone to a coin flip.

by hartley on Nov 25, 2009 5:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's what I needed; thanks to both of you

by JimR on Nov 25, 2009 6:09 PM CST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Not related,

but if the season ended today, there would be a coin flip to decide the draft position between the 49ers and us.

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by Aditya T (smashville) on Nov 25, 2009 9:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

And there was one for last year's draft, I think,

But I don’t know if it has ever happened for playoff seeding.

by hartley on Nov 27, 2009 1:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

awesome!

weekly would be great :) (as long as there’s a chance!)

by oilertitan on Nov 25, 2009 9:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

As a lifelong 49er fan,

I’d just like to wish the Tennessee Titans the best the rest of the season. We’ll do our best to slow down the Jags this Sunday. I’ve always had a lot of respect and admiration for the Titans and Jeff Fisher is an ex-49er assistant. You went back to Young just in time. He and Chris Johnson make a helluva 1-2 punch.

Four (4) down and just six (6) more to go. Pressure Warner this weekend and AZ will fall.

Kezarvet

by kezarvet on Nov 26, 2009 8:11 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

please please please

beat the jags

The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.

by hal41605 on Nov 26, 2009 8:12 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

See you Sunday :P

"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
The Flavour of the Day is Turf. - Courtesy of the Jacksonville Jaguars
Keeper of the "That's what she said"

by TheTealDeal on Nov 26, 2009 8:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

heres to rooting for in titans favor.

titans will be the first team to go 0 and 6 and still make it to the playoffs. then go and win the superbowl. likely wont happen. but, here is to hoping.

by TitansFanForever on Nov 26, 2009 10:49 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

this weeks games

I agree on everyone we need to win except shouldn’t we root for the Ravens to beat steelers? “46”

by oilzwell on Nov 26, 2009 2:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

so...

when the comeback is complete, does that mean we get our own disney movie? remember the OTHER titans? just a thought…

however i do have to disagree with a couple of your rooting criteria, specifically the bengals, san diego, and new england. i understand the logic that you want the divisions to get wrapped up, BUT no matter what, you want the teams ahead of you to lose. all three play vs. teams that wouldnt affect us if they won, whereas if those teams (cincy, sd, pats) lost, it would put us closer to them SHOULD they give up their division leads and we had to compete with them for the wildcard.

either way great post, i agree it should be done weekly!

by zap93 on Nov 26, 2009 2:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

i dont get your cheering for cinci

how does them help us at all? whether they win the division going 16-0 or 8-8 it doesnt make a difference to us. Might as well hope for all three AFC North teams to lose, incase one goes on a roll, the 2 losers will have the worst records possible.

also jags lost 41-0 to seattle, im not all that worried aout them. pittsburgh and baltimore are the best teams left.

by mattd97 on Nov 26, 2009 5:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

well im not worried about the jags either...

but that seattle loss is only one game, and they can say the same about us with losing so badly 3 weeks in a row. especially cuz the jags started that blow out streak. any team can win on any given week. the browns or lions could even beat the colts or saints realistically.

by TitansFanForever on Nov 27, 2009 9:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well,

first game didn’t work out.

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by Aditya T (smashville) on Nov 26, 2009 10:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Not every one will.

Although the Broncos become one of the more worrisome teams ahead of us, if they get it together again.

by hartley on Nov 27, 2009 1:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Chiefs game

I hope the Chiefs give the Chargers a game….. I mean they can handle the Steelers… it shouldnt be such a cupcake game.

by TitanChiefsFan on Nov 26, 2009 10:37 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'm hoping for a shootout.

Then again, I have Vincent Jackson and Jamaal Charles on my fantasy team.

by hartley on Nov 27, 2009 1:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

To oilzwell, zap93, mattd97, others; my reasoning

Here’s my reasoning: We’re playing for the 6th seed. There is no way we win the division, and our chances of passing EVERY team ahead of us to take the top wild card slot are very slim.

As such, we want to pass as many teams as we can, but the teams we cannot pass (the current division leaders) need to stay where they are.

By rooting for the current division leaders, we’re hoping they lock up their division so we don’t have to contend with them for a wild card slot; we’re also hoping that the act of their clinching has a demoralizing affect on the teams behind them in the division that we can contend with for a wild card spot.

In this week’s Steelers-Ravens game, our best outcome is a 0-0 tie, followed by a tie of any score (points scored comes into play in the later tiebreakers). Failing that, one of them has to win, and we’re closer to passing the Ravens than we are to passing the Steelers. I figure we worry about passing the Ravens now, then worry about passing the Steelers later. They still play each other again, so we can root for them to split the series.

by hartley on Nov 27, 2009 1:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs