NFL 2002 Week 17
12 Teams Fight for Final 5 Playoff Spots

NFL 2002 Week 17

NFL National Football League News

NFL FACTOID: ANOTHER SEASON OF TEN 10-WIN TEAMS?

Twelve clubs could finish the 2002 season with at least 10 wins, which would give the NFL four out of the past five seasons with at least ten 10-win teams (1998, 10; 1999, 8; 2000, 12; 2001, 11). There are six 10-win teams as the NFL enters Week 17.

 

One week . . . five spots . . . 12 teams.

That’s the equation as the NFL plays the 17th and final week of its 2002 season with the bedlam that has reigned throughout the first 16 weeks ratcheted up -- if that’s possible -- even higher.

Every player on the 12 clubs that are vying for the final five playoff berths agrees with the only rookie to be selected this year to the Pro Bowl, New York Giants tight end JEREMY SHOCKEY.

"We’ve got to take care of our business," says Shockey, "and we’ll be on our way to something special."

The uniqueness and complexity of the 2002 playoff race is shown by the following:

The five playoff spots open with a week to go equal the combined final-week total of the two previous seasons (three in 2000; two in 2001).

The 19 teams still in contention for Super Bowl XXXVI with one week to go are the most ever at that point since the 16-game schedule was instituted in 1978.

Twelve of the 16 games played this weekend have playoff implications.

It all starts off early, on Saturday with two playoff-implication games on national television -- the Philadelphia Eagles at the New York Giants (FOX, 1:30 PM ET), and Kansas City Chiefs at the Oakland Raiders (CBS, 5:00 PM ET).

"We’re still in the hunt," says Chiefs head coach DICK VERMEIL. "Yes, it will take some help, but the No. 1 thing it will take is the best game we can put together."

What their "best game" can do for all 12 teams scrambling for the playoffs: 

AFC EAST

No one has won the division yet and three teams can do so. Two play each other this week.

The Miami Dolphins (9-6), who play in New England, can win their second division title in the past three years with:

 

MIA win or tie.

 

The Dolphins can earn homefield advantage with:

 

MIA win + OAK loss + TEN loss + PIT loss or tie + MIA wins strength of victory tiebreaker over OAK and TEN. Note:  "Strength of victory" is the season-ending winning percentage of all the opponents a team has defeated. 

 

Miami clinches a first-round bye with:

1. MIA win + PIT loss or tie + OAK loss, OR

2. MIA win + PIT loss or tie + TEN loss, OR

3. MIA win + TEN loss + OAK loss + MIA wins strength of victory tiebreaker over OAK and TEN.

 

The Dolphins take a playoff berth with:

1. NYJ loss or tie + DEN win, OR

2. NYJ loss or tie + KC loss or tie.

There are other scenarios in which Miami can clinch a playoff berth based on strength of victory.

 

The New England Patriots (8-7) can capture their second consecutive division crown with:

NE win + NYJ loss or tie.

 

The Patriots can clinch a playoff spot with:

1. NE win + CLE loss or tie + DEN loss or tie + KC win, OR

2. NE win + CLE loss or tie + DEN loss or tie + SD loss or tie, OR

3. NE tie + NYJ loss + CLE loss + DEN loss + SD loss + KC loss or tie.

The New York Jets (8-7) can win their first division championship since 1998 with:

NYJ win + MIA loss.

The Jets can clinch a playoff berth with:

1. NYJ win + CLE loss or tie + DEN win, OR

2. NYJ win + CLE loss or tie + KC loss or tie, OR

3. NYJ tie + NE loss or tie + CLE loss + DEN loss or tie + KC loss + SD loss or tie.

Buffalo has been eliminated from playoff contention.

AFC NORTH

The Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5-1) have won the seventh division title in the 11-year tenure of head coach BILL COWHER.

Cleveland and Baltimore can clinch playoff berths.

The Steelers can earn homefield advantage with:

PIT win + TEN loss + OAK loss.

Pittsburgh can clinch a first-round bye with:

1. PIT win + TEN loss, OR

2. PIT win + OAK loss.

The Cleveland Browns (8-7) can clinch their first playoff spot since their return to the NFL with:

1. CLE win + DEN win + NYJ win, OR

2. CLE win + KC loss or tie + NYJ win, OR

3. CLE win + DEN win + MIA win or tie, OR

4. CLE win + KC loss or tie + MIA win or tie, OR

5. CLE tie + NYJ loss or tie + NE loss or tie + DEN loss or tie + SD loss or tie + KC loss, OR

6.  NE loss + NYJ loss + BAL loss or tie + DEN loss + SD loss + KC loss.

There are other scenarios in which Cleveland can clinch a playoff berth based on strength of victory.

The Baltimore Ravens (7-8) can earn their third playoff spot in a row with:

BAL win + NE loss + NYJ loss + CLE loss + DEN loss + SD loss + KC loss.

Cincinnati has been eliminated from playoff contention.
 

AFC SOUTH

The Tennessee Titans (10-5) have won their second division championship in three years and can earn homefield advantage with:

1. TEN win + OAK loss or tie, OR

2. TEN tie + OAK loss, OR

3.  PIT loss or tie + Mia win + OAK loss + TEN wins strength of victory tiebreaker over MIA and OAK.

The Titans can earn a first-round bye with:

1. TEN win or tie, OR

2.  MIA loss + PIT loss or tie, OR

3.  OAK loss + MIA win + TEN wins strength of victory tiebreaker over MIA and OAK.

The Indianapolis Colts (9-6) can capture their third playoff berth in the past four years with:

1. IND win or tie, OR

2.  NE loss or tie, OR

3.  NYJ win, OR

4.  CLE loss or tie + KC loss or tie, OR

5.  CLE loss or tie + DEN win.

There are other scenarios in which Indianapolis can clinch a playoff berth based on strength of victory.

 

AFC WEST

The whole division is in the playoff scramble, led by the division-champion Oakland Raiders (10-5), who host Kansas City on Saturday.

The Raiders can earn homefield advantage with:

1. OAK win, OR

2. OAK tie + TEN loss or tie, OR

3. PIT loss or tie + TEN loss + MIA loss, OR

4. PIT loss or tie + TEN loss + OAK wins strength of victory tiebreaker over MIA and TEN.

Oakland can clinch a first-round bye with:

1. OAK tie, OR

2.  MIA loss or tie + PIT loss or tie, OR

3.  MIA loss or tie + TEN loss, OR

4.  TEN loss + OAK wins strength of victory tiebreaker over MIA and TEN.


The Denver Broncos (8-7) can clinch a playoff berth with:

1. DEN win + CLE loss or tie + NE loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie, OR

2. DEN win + CLE loss or tie + MIA loss + NYJ win, OR

3. DEN tie + NE loss or tie + NYJ loss + CLE loss + KC loss or tie + SD loss or tie.

 

The Kansas City Chiefs (8-7) can enter the playoffs with:

1. KC win + DEN loss or tie + NE loss or tie, OR

2. KC win + DEN loss or tie + IND win or tie + NYJ loss or tie, OR

3. KC win + DEN loss or tie + IND loss + NYJ win + CLE win, OR

4. KC tie + NE loss + NYJ loss or tie + CLE loss or tie + DEN loss + SD loss.

There are other scenarios in which Kansas City can clinch a playoff berth based on strength of victory.

 

The San Diego Chargers (8-7) can clinch a playoff spot with:

1. SD win + DEN loss or tie + KC loss or tie + NE loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie + CLE loss or tie, OR

2. SD win + DEN loss or tie + KC loss or tie + MIA loss + NYJ win + CLE loss or tie, OR

3. SD tie + DEN loss + KC loss + NE loss + NYJ loss + CLE loss.

 

NFC EAST

The Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) have earned their second division championship in a row and a first-round bye, and travel to the New York Giants on Saturday. The Eagles can clinch homefield advantage with:

1. PHI win, OR

2. PHI tie + GB loss or tie, OR

3.  GB loss.

The New York Giants (9-6) can earn a playoff spot with:

1. NYG win, OR

2. NYG tie + NO loss or tie, OR

3. NO loss.

Dallas and Washington have been eliminated from playoff contention.

 

NFC NORTH

The Green Bay Packers (12-3) have won their first division title since 1997. They can take homefield advantage with:

1. GB win + PHI loss or tie, OR

2. GB tie + PHI loss.

Green Bay earns a first-round bye with:

1. GB win or tie, OR

2.  TB loss or tie.

Chicago, Detroit and Minnesota have been eliminated from playoff contention.

 

NFC SOUTH

One team has clinched the division, two are vying for playoff berths.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) have won their first division crown since 1999. The Bucs can earn a first-round bye with:

TB win + GB loss.

 

The Atlanta Falcons (9-5-1) can capture their first playoff spot since their Super Bowl XXXIII season in 1998 with:

1. ATL win or tie, OR

2. NYG loss or tie, OR 

3.  NO loss or tie.

 

The New Orleans Saints (9-6) can earn their second playoff berth in the past three years with:

1. NO win + NYG loss or tie, OR

2. NO win + ATL loss, OR

3. NO tie + NYG loss.

 

Carolina has been eliminated from playoff contention.

 

NFC WEST

 

The San Francisco 49ers (10-5) have won their first division title since 1997.

Arizona, St. Louis and Seattle have been eliminated from playoff contention.

 

 

NFL 2002 Final Week 12 Teams Fight for Final 5 Playoff Spots