But here's a nightmare scenario for you: Say the Cowboys lose to the Saints but win their next two games. The Eagles did a good job of beating NFC teams, and their 4-1 division record puts them in good shape. Tanier: Has the NFC East picture cleared up for you? If the Colts keep battling for a 16-0 record, they can knock both the Jets and Jaguars off the pace, paving the way for a team like the Ravens to sneak in. The Jets hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Titans and Texans, but those are crazy scenarios.

If you give the Jaguars wins over the Browns and either the Colts or Patriots, that's an 8-4 conference record, which will help if the wind up battling a team they haven't played, like the Ravens or Broncos.ДЄs for the Jets, all of those tight losses are deadly: the Jaguars loss, the Dolphins losses. Remember that it's not just the Jets, Ravens, Dolphins, Titans, or Texans: The Broncos or the Patriots could also be there. If the Jaguars win, they go 9-7 at least, with Cleveland facing them in Week 17. Hermey: They have the Jaguars Thursday night and the Jets in two weeks, so by the end of the week we will know how they did against the Jaguars. Tanier: Even though the Colts clinched, they can have a major effect on the AFC race. They have a head-to-head win against the Jaguars and a sweep of the Jets on their resume, so they are in great position to rise above the other mediocre teams. That should put them in such a good position that they can even lose to the Steelers and make the playoffs at 9-7. They can knock the Titans out this week, then take care of the Texans (who play the Rams on Sunday) the following week. They are 7-6 and have three 6-7 teams on the upcoming schedule. Tanier: Let's talk about those 7-6 and 6-7 teams in the AFC. Thank goodness there are ten 6-7 and 7-6 teams running around. No one needs an elf to explain that to them. The Chargers and Broncos will probably both make the playoffs, the Chargers as the champ and the Broncos as a Wild Card. Two-team races also provide very little jingle for me. They swept the Cardinals -вЂ“ everybody understands a sweep. Sure, the 49ers are making a little run, but they aren't doing anything interesting, tiebreaker-wise. Three years out of the last four, you could pencil the division winner into a playoff berth in October and write everybody else off. The NFC West has been an annual source of frustration. Hermey: When the Colts and Saints clinched early, it spoiled my dreams of paying off that 2005 Nissan in the parking lot. Tanier: Have this season's playoff scenarios hurt you financially? We can all survive the economic downturn. Nowadays, there are Draft Day Elves and Injury Report Elves. Hermey: How did you know? Anyway, I talk to Rudolph once in a while, and he says he's reformed. I was so scared that I signed in under an assumed name. Hermey: You remember that gun he kept in the front of his belt? He shot himself in the leg accidentally at a nightclub. Then Clarise was spotted in Cabo with Fireball and the tabloids went nuts. It was inevitable that he would wind up face down in the driveway like he did. And Rudolph was the star, between the red nose and the deep, throaty groans he could emit from his throat sack. But Dasher and the others threw very wild, very literal stag parties. Rudolph married Clarise, and they were happy for a while. Then it all went south, not that there a lot of directional options up there. Hermey: Oh, for a while Rudolph's droppings didn't stink, so to speak. Tanier: Really? I thought after you, Rudolph, and Yukon Cornelius saved Christmas, it was all smooth sailing. Hermey: I'm not really welcome there anymore. Tanier: Ever thought of going back to the North Pole? The poor guy has lost a lot of credibility. I feel sorry for my friend Jangle, whose been touting Colt McCoy for three months. The Heisman Prognosticator Elves have the same problem. It's no different than being a Santa Elf, though the pay is worse. As a Playoff Scenarios Elf, I am only relevant in mid to late December. It's a shame I can't use you during the rest of the season. Tanier: It's good to have you back, Hermey. This year, unfortunately, is no exception. Every year, Tanier enlists the help of Hermey the Playoff Scenarios Elf to explain tiebreaker procedures.

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