Both Rams, Raiders Are Still in Running for Division Titles

After the ups and downs the Rams and Raiders have gone through this season, it’s astounding that both can wind up in the playoffs as division champions after the smoke clears next week.

It all comes down to the Rams playing at San Francisco for the NFC West title and Seattle facing the Raiders at the Coliseum in a winner-take-all finale for the AFC West title next Sunday.

The 49ers wrapped up at least a wild-card spot by beating New Orleans Sunday.

The Rams (9-6) need a victory not only to win the division but also to retain a realistic chance to make the playoffs as a wild-card team because there could be four teams in the NFC with 10-6 records who are not division champions.

However, the Rams are not guaranteed the NFC West title by beating the 49ers because San Francisco (10-5) would win the division in a 3-way tie with L.A. and New Orleans (9-6) because of a 3-1 record against the Rams (2-2) and Saints (1-3).

The Rams must hope Atlanta (5-10) upsets the Saints and leaves L.A. in a tie with only San Francisco. In that case, the Rams win based on a better record (8-4) than the 49ers (7-5) against common opponents.

The wild-card possibilities for the Rams are more complicated because they are tied to several other teams.

The Rams could wind up in a 4-way tie at 10-6 with Minnesota, New Orleans and Philadelphia or the New York Giants for the two NFC wild-card berths. The Saints would be eliminated with a 6-6 NFC record to 8-4 for the others. The Rams and Vikings would eventually end up in the playoffs on net points within conference games, the fourth tie-breaker.

If the Rams, Saints and Eagles all lose to finish at 9-7, Minnesota gets one wild-card berth even with a loss to Chicago. The Saints are eliminated from the 3-way tie because of their conference record and the Rams are out because of their 30-24 loss to the Eagles. The Rams are in if matched up against the Giants because of a 45-31 victory over New York.

Breaking it down further, at 10-6, the Rams will go as a wild-card if Dallas beats Philadelphia, the New York Jets beat the New York Giants, Atlanta beats New Orleans or Chicago beats Minnesota.

The Rams win in a 3-way tie with the Saints and Vikings. The Saints can gain a wild card only if they beat Atlanta and the Rams and Eagles both lose.

Minnesota (10-5) is the only contender that can secure a spot just by winning next week. The only way the Vikings can lose out is if they lose to Chicago, the Rams and Eagles both win while the Giants and Saints both lose.

The Raiders’ picture is more clear-cut because they can only make the playoffs as division champions.

With a victory over Seattle (8-7) Sunday, the Raiders (7-8) would win in a 3-way tie for the division title or a tie with just Seattle because of a 7-1 record within the division.

Seattle eliminated Denver from playoff contention Sunday night.

Those scenarios, of course, are based on the Raiders beating Seattle.

The Chicago Bears (12-3) are the only team in football that knows exactly what its playoff situation is. The Bears are the NFC Central champions and will have the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

In the NFC East, the New York Giants (10-5) can win the division with a victory over the New York Jets. But if the Giants lose and wind up in a tie with Philadelphia, the Eagles win the division with a 2-game sweep over New York.

The only way the Giants miss out altogether is with a loss to the Jets while the Eagles win to take the division, the Rams beat the 49ers, Minnesota beats Chicago and Atlanta beats New Orleans.

The Buffalo Bills (12-3) clinched the AFC East weeks ago and can clinch the home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a victory at Indianapolis next Sunday. However, if the Bills lose, Cincinnati (11-4) can claim the home-field advantage and the AFC Central title with a victory over Washington because the Bengals beat Buffalo, 35-21.

Only Houston, Cleveland, New England and Indianapolis are in the running in the AFC wild-card race.

If Houston (10-5) beats Cleveland (9-5 going into tonight’s game with Miami) next Sunday, the Oilers get a wild card, unless Cincinnati loses and Houston wins the division. In that case, Cincinnati gets a wild card.

Cleveland can eliminate the Colts by beating Miami. The Browns, who can’t win the AFC Central, would get a wild-card spot by winning their final 2 games. At 10-6, Houston would be the other wild card, regardless of what the Patriots (9-6) do.

New England can clinch a wild-card berth by beating Denver, coupled with Cleveland losing to Miami or Houston. The Patriots would beat out the Browns with a better conference record.

If Cleveland loses to Miami and beats Houston, and the Patriots defeat the Broncos, all three finish at 10-6. The Patriots win a 3-way tiebreaker with a better conference record.

Should Cleveland lose both games, the Patriots lose to Denver and Indianapolis beat Buffalo, all three would finish 9-7 and Houston would be 10-6. Either Houston or Cincinnati (whichever doesn’t win the division) would get a wild card. Indianapolis gets the other spot, the Colts and Patriots eliminating the Browns with better conference records and the Colts eliminating the Patriots with a better record against common opponents.