We're 12 weeks in and we are starting to have eliminations, divisions have been won and some playoff spots secure. Who's in? Who's close?

American Conference

Clinched Division: San Jose

Clinched Playoff Spot: Oklahoma, San Antonio

In the Hunt: Cleveland, Portland, Michigan, Oakland, Memphis, Honolulu, Denver, Houston

Oklahoma is in the lead for #1 seed while San Antonio is 1 game behind in the Southwest. Oklahoma swept San Antonio so the Outlaws would have to lose 2 of the last 4 to open the door for the Gunslingers.

Should the Southwest tighten further, San Jose could be in line for the #1 seed along with San Antonio. Seedings will sort themselves out, but for now all three teams will play in January.

Cleveland and Michigan are now tied atop the Midwest at 9-3. Michigan has the easier schedule but it looks like both teams should play in January with one being a wildcard.

Portland has a one game lead on Oakland in the West and a sweep of the Invaders. The Storm also have an easier schedule and appear on track to win the division.

Oakland is 7-5 and they have to worry about Honolulu and/or Memphis catching them for a wildcard all while Oakland tries to catch Portland.

Honolulu and Memphis are both 6-6, one game behind Oakland for #7 seed. Honolulu has an easier remaining schedule than Oakland and Memphis.

Denver and Houston are mathematically alive but at 4-8, they need to win out and get lots of help to play in January.
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National Conference

Clinched Division: New Orleans, Pittsburgh

Clinched Playoff Spot: None yet

In the Hunt: Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Orlando, Birmingham, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Tampa Bay, Boston, Baltimore

New Orleans is 12-0 and have a 2 game lead for the #1 seed.

Pittsburgh has clinched the Atlantic and looks to be the #4 seed.

Jacksonville and Philadelphia are 10-2 yet have not clinched a playoff spot yet. Both teams have solid division leads so these are the likely #2 and #3 seeds.

Orlando is 8-4, winners of 7 straight after a 1-4 start. The Renegades are the top wildcard right now.

Birmingham and New York are 7-5 and would be the final wildcard teams if the playoffs started now.

New Jersey is 6-6 and is already playing playoff games in a way. Orlando is up next and if the Generals pull off the upset then perhaps they might sneak into a wildcard spot. Then again a pair of 10 win teams await them after the Orlando game so they likely don't make it.

The final 4 teams in the hunt I'll lump together. Tampa Bay, Georgia, Boston and Baltimore all have 4 or 5 wins and will need to either win out or finish 3-1 while getting lots of help.

Week 13 Playoff Picture

American Conference

Clinched Division: San Jose

Clinched Playoff Spot: Oklahoma, San Antonio, Michigan

In the Hunt: Portland, Cleveland, Oakland, Memphis, Honolulu, Houston

San Jose has clinched the Pacific and is in a battle with the Southwest winner for the #1 seed.

Oklahoma and San Antonio are tied in the Southwest but the Outlaws own the tiebreaker thanks to a sweep. Both teams are in the playoffs.

Michigan has clinched a playoff spot and have a 1 game lead on Cleveland in the Midwest.

The Thunderbolts are on the verge of a playoff spot at 9-4. One more win or the right combination of losses should clinch it.

Portland leads the West by a game over Oakland. The Invaders are the current #7 seed but that will be decided on the field Week 14 when Oakland plays Memphis.

If Memphis wins, they will move into the #7 spot. If they lose, they'll need to win out and get help.

Honolulu and Houston are currently on the outside looking in and need wins and outside help.
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National Conference

Clinched Division: New Orleans, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh

Clinched Playoff Spot: Philadelphia

In the Hunt: Birmingham, New York, Orlando, New Jersey, Tampa Bay

New Orleans would need to lose 2 of their final 3 to get into a possible tiebreaker for #1 seed so they're almost a lock.

Jacksonville looks like a #2 or #3 seed while Pittsburgh will likely be #4.

Philadelphia's magic number is 1 to clinch the East, one win or one New York loss and they'll be the #2 or #3.

Two games ago it seemed likely the wildcards would be Birmingham, New York and Orlando, and while that's still true, it's not as much of a certainty now. All three teams are 8-5 with a one game lead on New Jersey.

The Generals are back in the conversation after back to back wins over Philadelphia and Orlando. They still have to play Philadelphia again and Jacksonville, but if they can keep getting upsets they could get in.

Tampa Bay is 6-7, 2 games behind. They need to win out and hope teams above them choke down the stretch.

I wanted to have this done before work but I ran out of time. The W-L record after the team name is the cumulative record of remaining opponents.

Remaining Schedules

San Jose (25-14): vs Cle (9-4), @ NY (8-5), vs Port (8-5)

Oklahoma (16-22-1): @ LA (4-8-1), vs Mem (7-6), @ Hou (5-8)
San Antonio (25-14): vs GA (5-8), vs Oak (7-6), @ NO (13-0)

Michigan (12-26-1): vs Balt (5-8), @ Chi (4-8-1), vs So. Cal. (3-10)
Cleveland (24-14-1): @ SJ (11-2), vs LA (4-8-1), @ Pitt (9-4)

Portland (18-21): vs Ari (2-11), @ Hou (5-8), @ SJ (11-2)
Oakland (20-19): @ Memphis (7-6), @ San Antonio (11-2), vs Ari (2-11)

Memphis (26-13): vs Oak (7-6), @ Okl (11-2), vs Birm (8-5)
Honolulu (11-26-2): @ Chi (4-8-1), vs So. Cal. (3-10), vs LA (4-8-1)
Houston (23-16): @ Den (4-9), vs Port (8-5), vs Okl (11-2)
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New Orleans (24-15): vs Birm (8-5), @ GA (5-8), vs SA (11-2)
Jacksonville (19-20): vs Orl (8-5), @ NJ (7-6), @ Den (4-9)
Philadelphia (19-20): vs NJ (7-6), @ Bos (4-9), vs NY (8-5)

Those 3 teams are fighting for the #1 seed with New Orleans holding a tiebreaker edge over Jacksonville based on a head to head win. Philadelphia has yet to clinch their division but will do so with one more win or one more NY loss. Next I will do the remaining schedule of the wildcard contenders.

New York (28-11): vs TB (6-7), vs SJ (11-2), @ Phil (11-2)
Orlando (14-25): @ Jax (11-2), vs Wash (1-12), @ Fla (2-11)
Birmingham (23-16): @ NO (13-0), vs Shr (3-10), @ Mem (7-6)
New Jersey (26-13): @ Phil (11-2), vs Jax (11-2), vs Bos (4-9)
Tampa Bay (13-26): @ NY (8-5), vs Fla (2-11), vs Cha (3-10)

Pittsburgh will most likely be the #4 seed but it's still possible to move up.

Pittsburgh (13-26): @ Wash (1-12), vs Cha (3-10), vs Cle (9-4)

Week 14 made the playoff picture a little clearer although there is still plenty yet to be decided. I do see one possible standings glitch as I'm not 100% sure Michigan has clinched yet since they split with Cleveland. It would only come into play if Michigan lost their last 2 while Cleveland wins their last 2, then it's on to tiebreakers. Michigan should be able to win one of their remaining games as their opponents are a combined 7-20-1.

American Conference

Clinched Division: San Jose, Michigan, Portland

Clinched Playoff Spot: Oklahoma, San Antonio

In the Hunt: Cleveland, Memphis, Oakland, Honolulu
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San Jose is listed as the current #1 seed. Honestly I haven't worked out the tiebreakers for #1 seed mainly because there are 3 teams to consider at the moment. Whatever happens, the SaberCats will host a playoff game at some point.

Portland clinches the West Week 14 as they have a 2 game lead plus the tiebreaker.

Oklahoma and San Antonio both won to stay tied atop the Southwest. As of now, the division winner will be #1 or #2 while the other team will be the #5 seed.

MFN says Michigan is the Midwest winner but I explained earlier why that may not be quite true yet. Regardless it seems a matter of time as their schedule is light.

Cleveland lost their 4th straight game but they are still likely to be a playoff team. One more win will do it, or losses by Oakland and Honolulu.

Memphis beat Oakland to give the Showboats the upper hand in the wildcard race for now, but their schedule is tough.

Oakland and Honolulu are on the outside looking in and need to win out and get help.

Remaining Schedules

San Jose: @ NY (9-5), vs Port (9-5)
Oklahoma: vs Mem (8-6), @ Hou (5-9)
San Antonio: vs Oak (7-7), @ NO (14-0)
Michigan: @ Chi (4-9-1), vs So. Cal. (3-11)
Cleveland: vs LA (4-9-1), @ Pitt (10-4)
Memphis: @ Okl (12-2), vs Birm (8-6)
Oakland: @ SA (12-2), vs Ari (12-2)
Honolulu: vs So. Cal (3-11), vs LA (4-9-1)

I did not include Portland's schedule because they're pretty much locked in as the #4 seed.

Time to look at the other conference now. New Orleans has in fact clinched the #1 seed. They own a head to head tiebreaker over Jacksonville while they are guaranteed to have a better conference record than Philadelphia should both teams finish 14-2.

National Conference

Clinched #1 seed: New Orleans

Clinched Division: Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh

Clinched Wildcard: Nobody yet

In the Hunt: New York, Orlando, Birmingham, New Jersey

I'm only doing the schedules of the wildcard contenders because the top 4 seeds are pretty much set. New Orleans will be the #1, Jacksonville has the head to head tiebreaker over Philadelphia for #2 seed while Pittsburgh is pretty much locked in at #4.

New York is the closest to a wildcard berth and will get it Week 15 if they win or New Jersey loses.

Orlando is listed as the current #6 and they will get in Week 15 with a win and a New Jersey loss because the Generals own the head to head tiebreaker.

Birmingham is the current #7 but they beat New Jersey so they just need a win or a New Jersey loss.

New Jersey needs to win their last 2 and get help.

Remaining Schedules

New York: vs SJ (12-2), @ Phil (12-2)
Orlando: vs Wash (1-13), @ Fla (3-11)
Birmingham: vs Shr (3-11), @ Mem (8-6)
New Jersey: vs Jax (12-2), vs Bos (5-9)

Looks like we have a couple of standings glitches. In the American Conference, Oakland could end up in a 3 way tie for #7 seed with Honolulu and Memphis if they all end up 8-8. If this happens we go to the common games or total points tiebreaker, not sure which is after conference record in MFN. I do know how the NFL does it and we're supposed to use the same here but we don't.

In the National Conference New Jersey is not eliminated. If it comes down to tiebreakers this could get interesting. Birmingham, Orlando, and New York are all 9-6 and MFN says Birmingham is already in. They may actually be in as they do have the best conference record of the 4 teams.

Anyway if it's a 2 way tie, New Jersey loses a head to head tiebreaker with Birmingham but win a head to head tiebreaker with Orlando.

If New York loses and New Jersey wins, idk who wins the tiebreaker. We'd have the same division and conference records and we split our 2 games, so I guess it's common games or net points.

This would affect a 3 or 4 way tie as you take the highest team in each division so NY/NJ tie would need to be broken first to see which team is 2nd place in the East before we compare against any other 9-7 teams.

If New York, Birmingham, and Orlando all win, they're in. If any of them win they are in. Only New Jersey needs to win AND get help.

American Conference

Clinched Division: San Jose, Michigan, Portland

Clinched Playoff Spot: Oklahoma, San Antonio, Cleveland

IN the Hunt: Honolulu, Memphis, Oakland

San Jose looks to me like they just need to win and they are the #1 seed. If they are tied with Oklahoma I think they win on net points while if it's San Antonio then their better conference record wins.

Oklahoma needs to beat Houston to win the Southwest, or if they lose to also have San Antonio lose. If they lose while the Gunslingers win, it's #5 seed for the Outlaws.

San Antonio just needs to knock off the 15-0 defending champion New Orleans VooDoo and have Oklahoma lose to get the #2 seed. If all of that happens plus a San Jose loss, the Gunslingers would be the #1 seed.

I don't think Michigan can get the #1 seed even if SJ, Okl, and SA all lost to make everyone 13-3. They will be the #2 or the #3 depending on results and tiebreakers.

Portland is the #4 seed and will host San Antonio or Oklahoma.

Cleveland will be the #6 seed and travel to play either Michigan, San Jose or the Southwest winner.

Honolulu looks like a win to get in to me. They are tied with Memphis but if they beat LA, their conference record would be 7-5, better than the 6-6 of Memphis. With no head to head game, conference record is next.

Memphis needs to beat Birmingham and have Honolulu lose to get in for sure. I covered what happens if they both win above but if they both lose, than it goes to common games or net points. Honolulu has the edge in points.

Oakland needs to win and have both Honolulu and Memphis lose to get into a 3 team tiebreaker. I'm not sure they can win that tiebreaker but it's their only shot if they actually have one.

Will we host a game if we get #3 seed?

National Conference

#1 seed: New Orleans

Division Winners: Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh

In the Hunt: Birmingham, Orlando, New York, New Jersey

The top 4 seeds are set with the order yet to be determined for seeds 2 through 4. New Orleans will get the BYE with Philadelphia, Jacksonville, and Pittsburgh hosting playoff games.

Birmingham, Orlando, and New York are all win and get in. If any of them lose while New Jersey wins, then we'll have tiebreakers, which I covered earlier.

Yes, all division winners host at least 1 game.

Wildcard Weekend is always

7 @ 2
6 @ 3
5 @ 4