Total Pro Sports
As the NFL season heads toward the playoffs, teams start to get caught in ties for playoff spots. Understanding how tiebreakers work becomes crucial, especially when records are closed. The NFL has a system in place to determine which teams move forward when teams finish with the same record, whether they’re fighting for a divisional title or a Wild Card spot. The rules might seem complicated at first, but they are meant to ensure the best teams make it to the postseason.
Most of the time, tiebreakers are straightforward, but as teams battle for those final spots, the process can get more detailed. Divisional and Wild Card tiebreakers are applied differently, depending on whether the teams are in the same division or not. These rules ensure that the most deserving teams make it to the playoffs. Here’s a breakdown of how the NFL decides who makes it to the postseason when teams finish tied.
When two or more teams are tied within the same division, the NFL first looks at head-to-head records. If one team has beaten the other more times, that team will win the division. If the head-to-head record doesn’t break the tie, the next factor is the win percentage within the division. Teams with better records against divisional opponents get an edge.
If that doesn’t do it, the NFL moves to conference records, then common games, and even strength of schedule. These deeper tiebreakers look at how teams performed against other teams across the league. If teams are still tied after all this, it can even come down to the strength of victory or combined rankings in points scored and points allowed. And if it still can’t be decided, a coin toss might be the final solution.
Also Read: Which Team Holds The NFC North Tiebreaker For The Division Title In The NFL Playoffs?
The division tiebreaker process is especially important for teams trying to win a division title. Division winners automatically get a playoff spot, which means tiebreakers are often the difference between making it or not. In cases where teams are tied for different playoff spots within the division, the division tiebreakers will still apply first, and then Wild Card tiebreakers are used to rank the teams.
Also Read: Which Team Holds The NFC North Tiebreaker For The Division Title In The NFL Playoffs?
When teams are fighting for a Wild Card spot but haven’t won their division, tiebreakers come into play. These tiebreakers follow a similar process to division tiebreakers, starting with head-to-head records. If one team has the advantage here, that team will take the Wild Card spot, and if not, the NFL moves to conference record to see how well the teams performed within their own conference.
If teams are still tied, the next step is to win percentage in common games. From there, the NFL looks at the strength of victory and the strength...
