Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The Colts, Chargers, and Dolphins were all 9-7. They all played each other that season. The three-way results went like this:

Colts: 2-1 (swept MIA, lost to SD)
Chargers: 1-1 (beat IND, lost to MIA)
Dolphins: 1-2 (swept by IND, beat SD)

I can understand the Dolphins being the 6 seed, but the Chargers were the 4 and the Colts were the 5, despite the Colts having the better record in the 3-way H2H results. Did the fact that the Chargers beat the Colts take precedent over the 3-way H2H?

If I'm not mistaken, tie breakers at the time (and may still be) break the ties in the division first, then break the ties outside of the division. The Colts sweep of the Dolphins settled the division tie breaker. Then the head to head between the Chargers and the Colts gave the Chargers the 4 seed and the Colts the 5. That left the Dolphins with the 6.

ChrisBabcock wrote: ↑Tue Jan 13, 2026 4:47 pm If I'm not mistaken, tie breakers at the time (and may still be) break the ties in the division first, then break the ties outside of the division. The Colts sweep of the Dolphins settled the division tie breaker. Then the head to head between the Chargers and the Colts gave the Chargers the 4 seed and the Colts the 5. That left the Dolphins with the 6.

You're absolutely right, thank you much.