Tank Watch - Week 18

[MHS831]

TAMPA BAY MOTIVATION FOR WINNING SUNDAY:

I think we should include the motivation for Tampa Bay to play its starters to assure that some team with a SOS like the Seahawks do not mathematically push the Panthers to #7 in the draft.  This is the way I see it, based on tie-breaking rules:

A Rams win vs. SF would lock up the #2 seed for LA because they beat Tampa Bay during the regular season.  The Rams-Niners and Bucs-Panthers play at 4:25.

A Dallas win and Bucs loss would not impact the Bucs' standing because they beat Dallas week 1.   So the Dallas game is not a factor for Tampa Bay. 

If Arizona wins vs. Seattle, the Rams lose to San Francisco, and Tampa Loses to the mighty Panthers, the Cardinals would earn the #2 seed, based on a their record within the conference.  The Bucs would get the #3 seed, Rams would get #5.

So a Tampa Bay win and Rams' loss is their only chance at the #2 seed, and if they lose, they are no worse than the #3 seed.  I imagine there will be some scoreboard watching, but I expect to see at least a half with the Tampa Bay starters.

The Rams are playing the Niners, who need this win to make the playoffs if New Orleans beats Atlanta. 

• A 49ers loss to the Rams and a New Orleans defeat of Atlanta, however, would knock the 49ers out of the postseason; with both teams at 9-8, New Orleans would own the conference-record tiebreaker.  So the Niners control their own destiny vs. a team that has locked up a playoff birth and  #2 seed with a win. Look for the Niners to give LA a game.

 

 

[chknwing]

[trueblade]

11 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

TAMPA BAY MOTIVATION FOR WINNING SUNDAY:

So a Tampa Bay win and Rams' loss is their only chance at the #2 seed, and if they lose, they are no worse than the #3 seed.  I imagine there will be some scoreboard watching, but I expect to see at least a half with the Tampa Bay starters.

The Rams are playing the Niners, who need this win to make the playoffs if New Orleans beats Atlanta. 

• A 49ers loss to the Rams and a New Orleans defeat of Atlanta, however, would knock the 49ers out of the postseason; with both teams at 9-8, New Orleans would own the conference-record tiebreaker.  So the Niners control their own destiny vs. a team that has locked up a playoff birth and  #2 seed with a win. Look for the Niners to give LA a game.

 

 

Tampa could fall as far as the 4th seed with a loss to the Panthers:

Edited January 3, 2022 by trueblade

[MHS831]

3 minutes ago, trueblade said:

Tampa could fall as far as the 4th seed with a loss to the Panthers:

So if LA loses, Tampa Loses, Dallas wins---then Tampa would be in a 3-way situation and the head-to-head would be invalid.  TY-