Friday, December 20, 2002
Playoff scenarios
AFC
East
Miami can clinch division with a win and a New England loss or tie; OR a tie and a New England loss.
Miami can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a Indianapolis loss; OR a win, a Denver loss or tie and a San Diego loss or tie.
North
Pittsburgh can clinch the division with a win or tie; OR the Cleveland-Baltimore game ends in a tie.
South
Tennessee can clinch division with a win and an Indianapolis loss.
Tennessee can clinch a playoff spot with a win; OR a Miami win or tie, a New England loss, a Denver loss and the Cleveland-Baltimore game ends in a tie; OR a Miami win or tie, a New England loss, a Denver loss, a Cleveland loss and a Baltimore loss.
Indianapolis can clinch a playoff spot with a win and Miami loss or tie; OR a win and a New England loss or tie; OR a win and a Denver loss or tie and a San Diego loss or tie; OR a Miami win or tie, a New England loss and a Denver loss; OR a Miami win or tie, a New England loss, a San Diego loss and a Baltimore loss or tie; OR a Miami win or tie, a Denver loss, a San Diego loss and a Baltimore loss or tie; OR a Miami win or tie, a New England loss, a San Diego loss and a Pittsburgh loss; OR a Miami win or tie, a Denver loss, a San Diego loss and a Pittsburgh loss.
Note: There are other scenarios in which Tennessee or Indianapolis can clinch a playoff spot this week if it has been determined that after this weeks games they will own the strength of victory tiebreaker over teams they are tied with. ''Strength of victory'' is the season-ending winning percentage of all the opponents a team has defeated.
West
Oakland can clinch the division with a win and a San Diego loss or tie; OR a tie and a San Diego loss.
Oakland can clinch a first-round bye with a win, a San Diego loss or tie, a Miami win, a Pittsburgh loss, a Tennessee loss and an Indianapolis loss; OR a win, a San Diego loss or tie, a Miami loss, a Pittsburgh loss, a Tennessee loss and an Indianapolis loss and it is determined that either Oakland or Miami will own the strength of victory tiebreaker over Tennessee at the end of the season.
Oakland can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a Miami loss or tie; OR a win a New England loss or tie; OR a win and a Tennessee loss; OR a win and an Indianapolis loss.
NFC
East
Philadelphia has clinched the division title.
Philadelphia can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win and losses by Green Bay and Tampa Bay.
Philadelphia can clinch a first-round bye with a win and a Green Bay or Tampa Bay loss.
North
Green Bay has clinched division title.
South
Tampa Bay has clinched a playoff berth.
Tamp Bay can clinch the division with a win or tie; OR a New Orleans loss or tie.
Tampa Bay can clinch a first-round bye with a win and a Green Bay loss.
New Orleans can clinch playoff berth with a win and a N.Y. Giants loss or tie, OR a win and an Atlanta loss; OR a tie and a N.Y. Giants loss.
Atlanta can clinch playoff berth with a win and a N.Y. Giants loss or tie; OR a tie and a N.Y. Giants loss.
West
San Francisco has clinched the division.
Arizona, Carolina, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Minnesota, St. Louis, Seattle and Washington have been eliminated from playoff contention.
BENGALS
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No sellout, no TV for Bengals
NFL
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Bledsoe credits teammates for Pro Bowl selection
Colts' Harrison deserves MVP consideration
Sunday's best bets
Playoff scenarios
REDS
Larkin willing to try his glove at second
Rijo, Hamilton reject arbitration
BASEBALL
Maddux's pick: Stay in Atlanta
Yankees sign Japanese slugger
XAVIER
Muskies hope Cintas streak remains intact
Lacking playing time, Coleman leaves XU
UC BEARCATS
Huggins gives up on center Grove
UC women rally to tip Rice by 14
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Fiesta Bowl means big bucks for businesses
Florida State's Bowden deserves better
Louisville's Smith takes Michigan State job
Dorrell believes color had little to do with his hiring
BASKETBALL
NKU hoops gets top ranking
Longhorns romp in return home
Ex-Bearcat Satterfield waived by Nuggets
What goes around comes around, Pat
TITLE IX
Women's advocates warn against weakening Title IX
PREP FOOTBALL
Ohio football All-Star teams
Kentucky football All-Star teams
PREP HOOPS
Golden Eagles soar to Landmark start
Simon Kenton's Stowers towers over opponents in two sports
Holmes senior Patterson rounding into form
Enquirer/Channel 9 Players of the Year
Weekend play could shake up boys polls
Kentucky schedule filled by tourneys
THURSDAY'S PREP SPORTS
Mercy junior Simendinger saves best for overtime
Shuller's layup saves day for Aviators
No. 5 Highlands overcomes Simon Kenton
F.Y.I.
Prep schedules and results
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