NFL Wild Card Tie Breaker Rules

[SpinalTapp]

If three teams are fighting for the final Wild Card Spot in the NFL, and two are from the same division, do NFL rules stipulate that :

 

1. First, one of the two teams from the same division are eliminated based on divisional tie breaker rules, regardless of how each team did against the non divisional team head-to-head

2. Next, the head to head record of the two remaining teams determines the wild card winner

 

For example, let's assume the following scenario was true:

 

The Cowboys, Redskins, and 49ers are 10-6

The Skins beat the 49ers

The Cowboys lost to the 49ers

Skins and Cowboys split their season series

Cowboys are 5-1 in the division

Skins are 3-3 in the division

 

Based on how I am interpreting the NFL wild card rules, the Skins would immediately be eliminated because they lose out to the Cowboys in the divisional tie breaker....and the 49ers would get the wild card because they head to head beat the Cowboys.

 

Do I have this right? I ask because we follow the NFL tie breaker rules in our league and things are pretty close at the top.

 

Lastly, would the same process hold true if there were four teams in the hunt for two wild card spots..

 

Thanks.

[stevegrab]

NFL Tie breaking procedures

 

You're basically right, I'll let you read the full rules (from a link on NFL standings page) and figure it out. Yes one team from each division is selected and then compared to the other teams from other divisions.