NFC East and AFC West Still Up For Grabs
Written by Bob Whalon, Monday December 19 2011
I thought it was amazing that the Washington Redskins were the only team in the NFC East that didn't have a chance to win the division with only two weeks left in the regular season. Then I realized that all four teams are still alive in the AFC West.
The Dallas Cowboys control their own destiny in the NFC East with an 8-6 record. If they can beat the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants, they will win the division title. They could even win the division if they lose to the Eagles as long as they still beat the Giants. The Giants (7-7) can win the division if they beat New York Jets on Saturday and then beat the Cowboys in Week 17. They would beat the Cowboys in a tiebreaker if both teams finish 9-7, since they already beat the Cowboys this season. The Eagles (6-8), who were 4-8 two weeks ago, can win the division if the Cowboys lose both games, including that loss to the Giants, the Giants lose to the Jets on Christmas Eve and the Eagles beat the Redskins in Week 17.
That final scenario would leave all three teams with an 8-8 record and the Eagles would win the tiebreaker based on best division record.
As crazy as all that sounds, all four teams are still alive for the AFC West division crown.
The Denver Broncos are obviously in the driver's seat with an 8-8 record. Denver plays a Buffalo team that has lost seven in a row, before closing out the season by hosting the Kansas City Chiefs (6-8). The Chiefs need to have the Broncos lose to the Bills, beat the Broncos and have both the San Diego Chargers (7-7) and Oakland Raiders (7-7) lose at least one of their remaining games. That would leave all four teams in the division with an 8-8 record and the Chiefs would win the tiebreaker based on the best division record.
The most amazing part about that scenario is that the Chiefs quarterback is now Kyle Orton, who started the season as Denver's starting quarterback. I don't think all the Tim Tebow fans out there would appreciate the irony of Orton and the Chiefs coming into Denver and taking the division crown away from the Broncos. "We play Oakland next," Orton said, not wanting to get dragged into any controversy. "That's the only thing you think about."
The Oakland Raiders are on a three-game losing streak after losing to the Detroit Lions 28-27 in the final minute on Sunday and finish with a visit to Kansas City and a home game against the Chargers. "We've got two big games left and who knows what happens," Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer said. "We need help, obviously."
The San Diego Chargers are on a three-game winning streak and finish the season with two road games at Detroit on Christmas Eve and at Oakland.
As strange as this all seems, it is not a rare occurrence in today's NFL. The Seattle Seahawks won the NFC West crown last year on the last day of the season with a 7-9 record. And the Chargers won the AFC West in 2008 with an 8-8 record, as they won their last four games while Denver lost their final four games of the season.
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