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From: boucher@hsi.UUCP (Keith Boucher)
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Re: AFC Central tie breaker
Message-ID: <288@hsi.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Dec-85 12:03:51 EST
Article-I.D.: hsi.288
Posted: Fri Dec 20 12:03:51 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 23-Dec-85 04:42:24 EST
References: <19000005@hpcnoe.UUCP>
Organization: Health Systems Int., New Haven, CT.
Lines: 64

> 
> After week 15 in the NFL, an interesting playoff picture emerges in
> the AFC central:
> 
>   1.  If Cincinnati and Pittsburgh both win and Cleveland looses,
>       then all three teams are tied (with 8-8) and Cincinnati goes
>       to the playoffs (virtue of a three way tie breaking rules).
>   2.  If Cincinnati wins and Pittsburgh and Cleveland looses, then
>       Cleveland and Cincinnati will tie (with 8-8) and Cleveland 
>       will go to the playoffs (virtue of a two way tie breaking rules).
> 
> Does anyone know the details of these tie breaking rules which made
> this possible?  However the AFC Central is decided, it is going to
> be a shame to see someone with an 8-8 or 9-7 record go to the playoffs
> while a team with 10-6 or 11-5 record stays home.
> 
> -- Jeff Wu

The following steps are used to break division ties in the NFL:

	1. Head-to-head competition record among the clubs.

	2. Record in all division games.

	3. Record in all conference games.

	4. Record in games against common opponents.

	5. Best net point average in division games.

	6. Best net point average in conference games.

	7. Strength of schedule

	8. Best net touchdowns in all games.

	9. Coin Toss

	If two clubs remain after a third club is eliminated after any step,
	then the tiebreak procedure goes back to step 1.

For the AFC Central race this year, if Cincinnati, Cleveland, and
Pittsburgh all end up at 8-8 then Cincinnati wins based on their
3-1 record against Pittsburgh and Cleveland.  Cleveland was 2-2
and Pittsburgh was 1-3.
If Cincinnati and Cleveland tie at 8-8 and Pittsburgh ends up 7-9
then Cleveland wins based on better conference record of 7-5 vs.
6-6 for Cincinnati.  (Both have a 4-2 division record and they split
their two games).

I do not believe that steps 6-9 have ever been needed to break ties
and the only example of a division being decided by step 5 that I
can think of was the 1980 NFC East Title between Dallas and Philly
which Philly won based on a 4.25 net point advantage in division games.
It is interesting to note that Dallas and Philly ended up playing in
the NFC Championship Game that year.

As far as the fairness of allowing a 9-7 or 8-8 team go to the playoffs
while a 10-6 or 11-5 team goes home,  that is the way it is set up.  The
Broncos, Jets, and Patriots all knew this at the start of the season.  The
same situation exists in hockey for teams like the Hartford Whalers who had
more points than some of the teams in the playoffs last year.

				Keith Boucher HSI New Haven, CT