The draft tiebreaker is strength of schedule which hurt the Texans in past years because the AFC South was so strong but it isn't this year. The AFC North is stronger. While this is no sure thing, I am ranking the divisions from weakest to strongest and expecting the SOS to be roughly equivalent.
1. NFC West
2. AFC West
3. AFC South
4. NFC Central
5. NFC East
6. AFC North
7. AFC East
8. NFC South
It actually kicks bad teams in good divisions in the teeth twice - first by forcing them to endure a tough division and secondly by penalizing their draft position by giving them the shaft on draft tiebreakers because of their strength of schedule. I don't agree with the whole SOS tiebreaker (it ought to be the same tiebreakers as determining the playoffs except in reverse) but it often wounds the Texans but not this year.
|