From: nix@aslslc43.asl.dl.nec.com (David Nix)
Subject: NFL Tiebreakers
Organization: NEC America, Inc Irving TX
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 21:53:04 GMT

The following is a summary of NFL tie-breaking procedures as printed in the
Dallas Morning News.  FYI.  Based on that:

AFC Races: 
o If Miami and Buffalo tie then Miami would win the Division based on best
  Conference record (8-3 to 8-4 or 7-4 to 7-5).
o If Buffalo ties Pittsburgh or Miami ties Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh would
  gain homefield advantage based on best Conference record (the best Miami can
  do is 8-3, the best Buffalo can do is 8-4, and the worst Pittsburgh can do
  is 9-3).
o If San Diego and Kansas City tie, Kansas City wins based on head-to-head
o If Houston, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Denver are involved in a Wildcard
  tiebreaker, Denver has the best conference record (6-4), Houston and Cleveland
  are 5-5, and Indianapolis is 6-7.  There is still a possibility of having
  up to 6 teams tied at 9-7, three of which would receive wildcard berths.

NFC Races:
o If Dallas and Washington tie at 11-5, Dallas wins on best divisional record
  (6-2 vs 5-3)
o If Dallas and Philadelphia tie at 11-5, Philadelphia wins on best conference
  record (8-4 vs 7-5).
o If Washington and Philadelphia tie, Philadelphia will win based on head-to-
  head (if they beat Wash) or Washington will win based on conference record
  (if they beat Phil).
o If Green Bay and Minnesota tie, Minnesota wins on Divisional record
o If San Francisco and New Orleans tie, San Francisco wins on head-to-head
o If there is a three-way tie between Washington, Philadelphia, and Green
  Bay for the final two wildcard spots, it becomes messy, and upcoming
  games still have a hug bearing.

This is a simplified analysis.  Tie games have not been considered.


To Break a Tie Within a Division:

2 Teams:
1. Best Head-to-head record
2. Best Divisional record
3. Best Conference record
4. Best record against common opponents, if applicable
5. Best net points in Division games (net = points for minus points against)
6. Best net points in all games
7. Strength of schedule (which team's opponents had the cumulative best
   record)
8. Best net touchdowns in all games
9. Coin Toss

3 or More Teams:
* If one team wins multiple-team tiebreaker to advance to playoffs, then the
  remaining teams revert to step one of the applicable 2 team format or 
  multiple team format (Division tiebreaker or Wildcard tiebreaker):
1. Best head-to-head record among teams involved.
2. Best Divisional record
3. Best Conference record
4. Best record against common opponents, if applicable
5. Best net points in Division games (net = points for minus points against)
6. Best net points in all games
7. Strength of schedule (which team's opponents had the cumulative best
   record)
8. Best net touchdowns in all games
9. Coin Toss


To Break a Tie for Wildcard Positions:

1. If the tied clubs are from the same division, apply division tiebreaker 
   (2-team or multiple-team tiebreaker)
2. If the tied teams are from different divisions, apply the following:
   2 Teams:
     1. Best head-to-head record, if applicable
     2. Best Conference record
     3. Best winning percentage against common opponents, minimum of 4
        opponents
     4. Best average net points in Conference games
     5. Best net points in all games
     6. Strength of schedule
     7. Best net touchdowns in all games
     8. Coin toss
   3 or More Teams:
     If 2 teams remain tied after other teams are eliminated, tiebreaker
     reverts to step one of applicable 2-team format.