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Shutdown Corner

Wed Oct 14, 2009 3:57 pm EDT

The absurdly premature playoff picture: Week 5

By MJD

AFC First-Round Byes:
Indianapolis Colts
Denver Broncos

Other AFC Divisional Champions:
Cincinnati Bengals
New York Jets

AFC Wild Cards:
Pittsburgh Steelers
New England Patriots

NFC First-Round Byes:
New York Giants
New Orleans Saints

Other NFC Divisional Champions:
Minnesota Vikings
San Francisco 49ers

NFC Wild Cards:
Philadelphia Eagles
Chicago Bears

See last week's absurdly premature playoff picture here.

• Once again, the NFC side of things remains completely stationary. Not a single thing has changed. The AFC, though, remains as volatile as the world's oil prices.

• The one change I considered making on the NFC side was to stick the Atlanta Falcons into Chicago's place for that last wild-card spot. I agonized over it for a while, and then eventually said to hell with it, because you know what? They play each other on Sunday night. We'll get it all sorted out then.

• Over the course of the last two weeks, Denver's gone from out of the picture completely to a first-round bye. The Broncos' record of 5-0 paints a convincing picture, plus, there's just no one else to give it to. Pittsburgh's behind in its own division, wasn't convincing against Detroit and just suffered a huge loss with Aaron Smith's(notes) season-ender. The Jets dropped one to the Dolphins, which I did not see coming. I'm not ready to put the Bengals on that level, and I couldn't give it to New England after Denver just whooped them.

• I am ready to put the Bengals on the level of division champion, though. How could I not, since they're 3-0 against their AFC North co-horts? On top of that, between the Bengals, Ravens and Steelers, the Bengals have the most room to get better between now and the end of the season, too.

Related: Playoff Picture

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123 Comments

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  1. nate
    1. Posted by nate Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:14 pm EDT

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    lmao.... i LITERALLY just about laughed my 4$$ off...
  2. Stephen S
    2. Posted by Stephen S Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:16 pm EDT

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    New England, New York Jets, 49Niners, and Da bears wont make the playoffs
  3. Derrk
    3. Posted by Derrk Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:20 pm EDT

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    Can't believe u left da Falcons out....again....well dat's cool because once again da Falcons will prove da doubters wrong....afterwards we don't need da bandwagon jumpers....because we our at max capacity....Go Falcons!!!!!
  4. Hi MOM!
    4. Posted by Hi MOM! Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:21 pm EDT

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    Go colts!
  5. cjs
    5. Posted by cjs Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:22 pm EDT

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    #1...You could've sent your $4 to me!
    I see that now the Broncos go from a wild-card to a first round bye division champ. How odd!?!
    And the Vikings are still w/o a bye? When the Saints & Giants play this week...one of them is going to have a loss, does that give the Vikings their first round bye, or do they have to actually play teams like the Raiders (a la Giants?)??
  6. e-a-g-l-e-s
    6. Posted by e-a-g-l-e-s Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:23 pm EDT

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    looks good
  7. Max_Powers
    7. Posted by Max_Powers Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    Bungals as div champs and Steelers in the wildcard? I like that setup. Worked great the last time.
  8. gavotte2meter
    8. Posted by gavotte2meter Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    The Broncos whooped the Pats huh? Last time I checked, they lost in OT. Sounds like a close game to me.
  9. Kathi A
    9. Posted by Kathi A Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:27 pm EDT

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    what a joke
  10. Will
    10. Posted by Will Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    I agree with most of these but I don't see the 49ers, the Bears or the Eagles making it in... I do agree with your opinion on the Bengals though. Being from Cincy I'm stoked to have them winning games... but they haven't been convincing wings. True they are one fluke play from 5-0 but they were also given two or three seconds changes against Baltimore. If they can start playing like they do in the 4th quarter the entire game, they could be scary. I'm finally chanting "WHO DEY" once again but am still skeptical that this could only be the beginning... or the end. It's up for the team to decide which route they want to take.
  11. Stephen M
    11. Posted by Stephen M Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

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    denver whooped the patriots? pats lost by 3 at denver, one of the hardest places to play. and they won the coin toss (not to say the pats woulda scored if they had won the coin toss cuz they hadnt scored in 30 minutes) but think before you talk
  12. Carlos
    12. Posted by Carlos Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    I'm just trying enjoy football while its here!! its short enough and soon it'll be gone and all football fans will be miserable. this guy is already talking about the playoffs!!
  13. Bryan
    13. Posted by Bryan Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    Jets should make the playoffs fairly easy, they have a really easy schedule the rest of the way (aside from the last three and NE), I think the AFC is dead on though (aside from the Broncos placement), unless the Chargers can actually wake up and over take the Broncos like they should. Miami will be no better than 8-8, and the Pats and Jets will finish at least 9-7/10-6, Baltimore has the talent for the WC, but their schedule will be too tough compared to who ever doesn't win the east.
    Now for the NFC, Falcons have a better shot than the Bears or Eagles for the WC, second spot is between the Eagles and GB. Bears don't make the playoffs.
  14. richard j
    14. Posted by richard j Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    hey the giants can only play whoever is on the schedule... yes, the oppenents have been poor, but they have been smoking them... that's what really good teams do... they don't just win 20-17... they put up 40+ and hold opponents to single digits... giants will beat the saints this week... and shockey will be layed out by AP.
  15. ryan b
    15. Posted by ryan b Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

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    Looks about right, but i would either put the Cards or Seahawks in the 49ers spot. And I would kick Chitown to the curb and put Atlanta in there.
  16. Daniel
    16. Posted by Daniel Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:00 pm EDT

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    Did you seriously just refer to Denver's OT win as "whooping" the New England Patriots? Wow, you really don't know much about the game do you?
  17. Kevin M
    17. Posted by Kevin M Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:03 pm EDT

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    I know they don't really have the record to show it, but I think if Matt Hasslebeck stays healthy, the Seahawks could win the NFC West.
    And the Falcons could def take a wild card.
    Only to iffy choices i see up there.
    Steelers = over-rated.
    And I think Baltimore will bounce back.
  18. me
    18. Posted by me Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:04 pm EDT

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    Bronco's a first round bye??? ehh maybe. But I am still waiting for Orton's near miss INT's to turn into full blown INT's.
    But I am still sticking with the AFC West will be won by an 8-8 team (being a bronco fan ...maybe 9-7 if the scotch is working) thus the Broncos need to go 3-8 with one of the wins against SD. And they will be a first round... loser (too early for the scotch ---- or is it??? whoo hoo Superbowl!!!!)
  19. Kevin M
    19. Posted by Kevin M Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:04 pm EDT

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    Awww... two*
  20. me
    20. Posted by me Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:07 pm EDT

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    I would not call it an old fashioned beat down, but the Bronco's whooped NE in the second half.... 10-0 plus moved the ball well in OT. (13-0)
  21. Jorden
    21. Posted by Jorden Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:08 pm EDT

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    Playoffs??? You wanna talk about playoffs??? Don't talk about playoffs.... Playoffs?
  22. David H
    22. Posted by David H Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:09 pm EDT

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    I don't see how anyone could really question the Eagles making the playoffs at this point.......
  23. Mohamed
    23. Posted by Mohamed Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:11 pm EDT

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    one thing ive always said and its cliche: offense wins games, defense wins championships and to prove my point, check out the 2006 colts. my point being is that our offense is decent as of right now and our defense is playing spectacular.... i dont want to jinx my team which is the broncos but if the defense keeps this up, we're gonna do serious damage this year, not that we already havent done any
  24. Anton
    24. Posted by Anton Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:22 pm EDT

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    Let;s go Colts!!! Yeah, Manning dominating everyone. Manning bowl!!!
  25. DCwhiteowl
    25. Posted by DCwhiteowl Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:25 pm EDT

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    As a huge Bengals fan i'm excited to see you finally put them in BUT against the Steelers? in the 1st round? Thats not cool bro. Palmer would either be paranoid as hell. Or throw another bomb to Henry and finish them off like we would have last time. But just the thought of it brings back painful painful memories.

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