NFL Playoffs Question

[Tiger Growlin 0]

How is it that Oakland finished 6-0 in the division(AFC West) and finish 3rd? Kansas City finished 2-4 in the division but wins the division title and goes on to the playoffs and hosts a game. I get that the Chiefs have the better overall record at 10-6 compared to the Raiders 8-8. They have identical 6-6 records in the conference and their road records are the same to. This makes no sense to me at all that you can beat everyone in your division twice and not win the division to go to the playoffs. The No Fun League just took on a whole new meaning in my eyes.

[Tiger Growlin 0]

I guess nobody can help me out on this one or nobody cares. Oh well.

[triangletiger 1,599]

Off hand, without looking up the rules, I'd say that if they have identical conference records, then the team with the best overall record gets the divisional title.  I guess the record in the division doesn't matter.

[triangletiger 1,599]

Apparently, the regular season record is the first thing that's looked at for determining the division ranking.  If two teams in the same division have identical regular season records, there is a hierarchy of tie-breakers.  See link for detailed explanation.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_are_the_NFL_division_champions_determined 

Look at the AFC North, for an example:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/standings

Pittburgh and Baltimore both have identical regular season records, so they have to use the in-division record to 'break the tie'.  Since Pittburgh has a better record against other teams in the AFC North than Baltimore, they win the division title.

[Tiger Growlin 0]

Thanks! It just seems odd to me that you can finish undefeated in your division yet finish 3 in the division. I think the division races should come down to best record in the division and if a tie breaker is needed then go to the conference record or best overall record.

[Xylifrost 0]

I love seeing the Reds in the playoffs.  Get a good look...Philly will make quick work of them.  Halliday and Oswalt..can you say down 0-2 heading to Great American?

[triangletiger 1,599]

I love seeing the Reds in the playoffs.  Get a good look...Philly will make quick work of them.  Halliday and Oswalt..can you say down 0-2 heading to Great American?

Time warp much? 

[toomexy 0]

I love seeing the Reds in the playoffs.  Get a good look...Philly will make quick work of them.  Halliday and Oswalt..can you say down 0-2 heading to Great American?

Wow.  He isn't gonna figure out AU won the national title for 3 more months. 

[SCruzTiger 0]

Thanks! It just seems odd to me that you can finish undefeated in your division yet finish 3 in the division. I think the division races should come down to best record in the division and if a tie breaker is needed then go to the conference record or best overall record.

If you used division records first, you could potentially get a 6-10 team in the playoffs (and lets face it, the Raiders were pretty close to that).  It is just about getting the best teams to the playoffs, and overall records are the best way to do that.