I the (;Oufg .kDQ Page 12--Friday, December 7, 1979-The Michigan Daily STEELERS, EAGLES ALREADY IN 13 teams left in NFL playoff fight a s r\, U NO COVR X40Smith U n iers i F M r By SCOTT M. LEWIS Pennsylvania pro football fans can afford to relax just a bit as the National Football League enters its second last regular season week. However, folks in Cleveland, Denver, Washington, and 10 other cities whose teams are battling for eight playoff spots will have to cross their fingers and hope - and wait. The Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles are the only teams which have clinched berths in the post-season showcase which opens Dec. 23. The Steelers hum- bled Cincinnati, 37-17 last Sunday in raising their mark to 11-3, assuring an eighth straight playoff appearance for Coach Chuck Noll's squad. The Eagles, 10-4, feasted upon the Detroit Lions 44-7 last weekend, guaranteeing themselves some playoff dough for the second year in a row, and only the second time since 1960. WHO, WHEN and where the two teams will play in the 10-team tour- nament is beyond even Howard Cosell's clairvoyance. But at least the Steelers and Eagles can tell their families they (probably) won't be home for Christ- mas. Determining who plays who irr the playoffs is one of the great unexplained mysteries for NFL fans. The qualifying rules are these: ............. ... r:;:?:;.yr :..;..:;r:;::".:::.:: %:..: ::..:.:.:,r,,.ve.....[..... .f":r::::::?,5 ?i;t : :ytjj'.Si?.£?..,..,..,? ,.d:.,,.;:..;:.t ::,2..,>:it:.r. ::. :"::"::::: The winners of the six divisions qualify, as do four wild card teams. These wild card teams do not necessarily have to be divisional run- ners-up; they simply are the two from each conference with the best records among the divisional non-winners. AMERICAN CONFERENCE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ter off losing a game than winning. (Recall, for instance, Baltimore's 13-10 "blocked punt" loss to the Lions in 1977.) TIES ARE broken through the following means: (1) Games played between the teams involved, (2) com- Divisibn W L Div. a - Pittsburgh Central San Diego Western Denver Western Houston Central Cleveland Central Miami Eastern New England Eastern Oakland Western 11 10 10 10 9 9 8 8 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 4-1 5-2 4-2 3-2 2-3 5-2 4-3 3-4 Conf. 8-2 8-3 7-3 8-3 6-4 6-5 6-5 4-6 Philadelphia Dallas Tampa Bay Washington Los Angeles Chicago New Orleans Eastern Eastern Central Eastern Western Central Western 10 9 9 9 8 8 7 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 6-1 4-2 6-2 5-2 4-0 4-3 3-2 Division W L Div. Conf. 9-2 8-2 8-5 8-3 6-4 6-4 7-4 Sugarloafers ./ 4; f0 C-? /) 4 Look what just blew into your Bass Shoe Store- BASS SUGARLOAFERS. Step out of the cold and into the warmth and down-to-earth good com- fort of Bass Sugarloafers. Get your feet into what's hot at your.,.. P p CIA V, C-4 L1 (-4 9- V* GO t0 Complications arise when two or parative won-lost records within the more teams end in a tie. The league has division, (3) comparative records developed a tie-breaking system which, within the conference, (4) net point while equitable, has also created margin in divisional games (points situations in which a team would be bet- scored minus points allowed), (5) net Get Better Mileage Out Of Your Dollar TO RIC Y CLE JIMS point margin in conference games, (6) net point margin in all games, (7) coin flip. A look at the standings, including division and conference records, may help fans decide who to - and who NOT to - root for this weekend. In the American Conference, Miami (which plays Detroit in the Silverdome Sunday) can clinch the Eastern Division crown if New England loses on the road to the New York Jets. If both teams win, or even if Miami loses, the race would be decided next week, when the Patriots host Minnesota and. the Dolphins entertain the Jets. The AFC Central finds Pittsburghin a position to win the division and gain a home field advantage in the playoffs if it defeats Houston Monday night in the Astrodome. If Houston wins, the teams' season finales will determine the Cen- tral victor. The Steelers play at home against Buffalo and the Oilers host Philadelphia. CLEVELAND, WHICH defeated Houston last Sunday, must win at Oakland this week to remain in the wild card race. The Browns close their season against Cincinnati. Even a pair of victories and an 11-5 record might not be enough for Coach Sam Rutigliano's team, called by one observer "the NBA's answer to the NFL." San Diego could have put :a stronghold on the Western title by knocking off Atlanta at home. But the Chargers didn't, leaving the door ajar for Denver. The two Western powers square off in San Diego Dec. 17 in what should be the deciding contest. Oakland's comeback win over New Orleans last Monday kept the Raidets alive (albeit barely) for a wild card spot. They need home wins over Cleveland and Seattle - and a collapse from Houston and San Diego. In the National Conference's Eastern Division, the no-longer-surprisiuig Eagles can capture the title by beating the visiting Dallas Cowboys Saturday. A Cowboy victory, on the other hand, would clinch at least a wild card spot and pave the way for an outright Dallas divisional crown. If the Cowboys beat the Eagles and win at home against Washington next week, the division is theirs because their conference record would be superior to the Eagles'. WASHINGTON NEEDS a home win over Cincinnati, an upset of Dallas and two Philadelphia losses to gain division honors. Any Tampa Bay victory or Chicago defeat gives the Central Division- leading Buccaneers their first.title ever. The Bears, who close against lowly Green Bay and St. Louis, can still shoot for a wild card spot even if they don't win the division. In the West, it appears ; that Los Angeles is going to win the division in spite of itself. A victory in Atlanta Sun- day would clinch a Ram title,. New Orleans needs a Falcon victory and its own triumph over the Rams next week in the Coliseum. Pedal. On Over' PEPSI 5C FRENCH FRIES RESTAURANT 1301 S. University at Forest 25< The Shoe Store HOT CHOCOLATE" Gift certificates available 204 529 E. Liberty Street Ann Arbor 665-9797 hours: M-F 9:30-8:00 SAT 9:30-6:00 SUN 1:00-5:00 with any $2.00 purchase per person All day Monday thru Thursday Only Offer expires Dec. 24, 1979 OPEN 7 DAYS Weeknight Happy Hour 8:00 PM til Closing N-1 INM -\ C-A 69- 0\1 f-,N \00 V LAI. S, ,. 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