Week 7 Playoff Scenarios

With 4 weeks left, the playoff picture is starting to shape up in both divisions. Every team is still mathematically alive, and some are dangerously close to clinching playoff births

Tiebreakers (for two teams):

* 1- Head-to-head

* 2- Best win/loss percentage in division games

**NORTH:**

1) DC Defenders 6-0 (5-0)

2) STL Battlehawks 4-2 (2-2)

3) SEA Dragons 4-2 (1-2)

4) LV Vipers 1-5 (0-4)

This week, as a result of already having a 5-0 division record, ~~DC can lock up a playoff spot with a win and either a STL or SEA loss. With a win and both STL and SEA losses, DC would clinch the North and a home playoff game.~~ **Correction: DC can clinch a playoff birth with a win this week. They can clinch the North with a win AND a SEA loss and STL loss**

STL remains ahead of SEA for the 2nd playoff spot by virtue of their Wk2 win in Seattle. They'll meet again in Wk9 in the Battledome. Neither of them can be eliminated this week, but with SEA visiting SA and STL going to HOU, it seems likely we come out of this week with a clearer picture in the North.

Vegas is still mathematically alive, but...

**SOUTH:**

1) HOU Roughnecks 4-2 (4-0)

2) ARL Renegades 3-3 (2-2)

3) SA Brahmas 2-4 (2-2)

4) ORL Guardians 0-6 (0-4)

HOU remains firmly in the drivers seat for the South in spite of their loss this past week. If they protect their home field this week against STL, they'll be one win away from clinching a playoff birth.

SA made the rest of the season interesting by beating ARL this past week. ARL is still a game ahead, but the remaining schedule favors SA:

SA: @LV, HOU, ORL, DC

ARL: SEA, @ORL, @DC, HOU

Both have to deal with HOU and DC, and both get to feed on ORL, but ARL will have to deal with a resurgent SEA team while SA gets to face LV. It seems entirely likely that both teams end with a similar record at which point the tie breakers get...more complicated.

That said, ORL is still technically alive. They host DC this week, then get ARL and SA, and close out by traveling to the Battledome to face STL. It's not at all probable, but given the difficulty of the Texas' teams schedules (and their general talent level), if ARL and SA win only 1 more game, and ORL wins out we're looking at ARL and ORL both being 4-6 with a split h2h series, so it would result in the division record tiebreaker.

It's fun to dream.