Midseason records

With Cowboys fans worldwide panicking about the teams slipping playoff chances, I decided to break down some numbers and see which teams with that records at the half-way point make the playoffs. I broke NFL teams into three midseason categories: those with a 6-2 record or better, teams with a 5-3 or 4-4 record (where Dallas will be at midseason), and teams that were 3-5 or worse. From there, I wanted to see how many of those teams from each category made the postseason, the emphasis being on the 5-3/4-4 category as that's where the Cowboys will be after the Tampa Bay game this Sunday.

Over the past 10 NFL seasons, 112 teams have reached midseason at 5-3 or 4-4, and of those 112, 55 have made the playoffs, just under 50%. Most interesting stat I found from this is just how many teams that reached 6-2 or better failed to make the playoffs (11 out of 75). Anyway, enjoy these numbers.

Total Breakdown 1998-2007
6-2 or better teams: 75

Made playoffs: 64
Missed playoffs: 11

Final record breakdown:
16-0 (1)
15-1 (2)
14-2 (8)
13-3 (15)
12-4 (12)
11-5 (11)
10-6 (11)
9-7 (7)
8-8 (7)
7-9 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 112

Made playoffs: 55
Missed playoffs: 57

Final record breakdown:
12-4 (7)
11-5 (12)
10-5-1 (1)
10-6 (23)
9-6-1 (1)
9-7 (20)
8-8 (17)
7-9 (15)
6-10 (10)
5-11 (3)
4-12 (2)

3-5 or worse: 128

Made playoffs: 1 ('02 NYJ, AFC East champs at 9-7)
Missed playoffs: 127

YEAR BY YEAR BREAKDOWNS
2007 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 8

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 1

Final record breakdown:
16-0 (1)
13-3 (3)
10-6 (3)
7-9 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 11

Made playoffs: 5
Missed playoffs: 6

Final record breakdown:
11-5 (2)
10-6 (2)
9-7 (2)
7-9 (3)
5-11 (1)
4-12 (1)

3-5 or worse: 13

All 13 missed post-season

2007 Regular Season
team ... midseason ... final record (*playoff team)

DAL ... 7-1 ... 13-3*
NYG ... 6-2 ... 10-6*
WAS ... 5-3 ... 9-7*
PHI ... 3-5 ... 8-8

GB ... 7-1 ... 13-3*
MIN ... 3-5 ... 8-8
DET ... 6-2 ... 7-9
CHI ... 3-5 ... 7-9

TB ... 4-4 ... 9-7*
CAR ... 4-4 ... 7-9
NO ... 4-4 ... 7-9
ATL ... 2-6 ... 4-12

SEA ... 4-4 ... 10-6*
ARI ... 3-5 ... 8-8
SF ... 2-6 ... 5-11
STL ... 0-8 ... 3-13

NE ... 8-0 ... 16-0*
BUF ... 4-4 ... 7-9
NYJ ... 1-7 ... 4-12
MIA ... 0-8 ... 1-5

PIT ... 6-2 ... 10-6*
CLE ... 5-3 ... 10-6
CIN ... 2-6 ... 7-9
BAL ... 4-4 ... 5-11

IND ... 7-1 ... 13-3*
JAX ... 5-3 ... 11-5*
TEN ... 6-2 ... 10-6*
HOU ... 3-5 ... 8-8

SD ... 4-4 ... 11-5*
DEN ... 3-5 ... 7-9
OAK ... 2-6 ... 4-12
KC ... 4-4 ... 4-12

***if requested, I can post the regular seasons records like this for each of the past 10 seasons. Didn't have time to do it all this morning, so if it's something yall want to look over, let me know, and I'll post it.***

2006 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 8

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 1

Final record breakdown:
14-2 (1)
13-3 (2)
12-4 (2)
10-6 (1)
9-7 (1)
8-8 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 11

Made playoffs: 5
Missed playoffs: 6

Final record breakdown:
10-6 (2)
9-7 (3)
8-8 (4)
7-9 (1)
6-10 (1)

3-5 or worse: 13

All 13 missed post-season

2006 Regular Season
team ... midseason ... final record (*playoff team)

PHI ... 4-4 ... 10-6*
DAL ... 4-4 ... 9-7 *
NYG ... 6-2 ... 8-8 * -- just barely
WAS ... 3-5 ... 5-11

CHI ... 7-1 ... 13-3 *
GB ... 3-5 ... 8-8
MIN ... 4-4 ... 6-10
DET ... 2-6 ... 3-13

NO ... 6-2 ... 10-6 *
CAR ... 4-4 ... 8-8
ATL ... 5-3 ... 7-9
TB ... 2-6 ... 4-12

SEA ... 5-3 ... 9-7 *
STL ... 4-4 ... 8-8
SF ... 3-5 ... 7-9
ARI ... 1-7 ... 5-11

NE ... 6-2 ... 12-4 *
NYJ ... 4-4 ... 10-6 *
BUF ... 3-5 ... 7-9
MIA ... 2-6 ... 6-10

BAL ... 6-2 ... 13-3 *
PIT ... 2-6 ... 8-8
CIN ... 4-4 ... 8-8
CLE ... 2-6 ... 4-12

IND ... 8-0 ... 12-4 *
JAX ... 5-3 ... 8-8
TEN ... 2-6 ... 8-8
HOU ... 2-6 ... 6-10

SD ... 6-2 ... 14-2 *
KC ... 5-3 ... 9-7 *
DEN ... 6-2 ... 9-7
OAK ... 2-6 ... 2-14

2005 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 8

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 1

Final record breakdown:
14-2 (1)
13-3 (2)
11-5 (4)
8-8 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 10

Made playoffs: 5
Missed playoffs: 5

Final record breakdown:
12-4 (1)
11-5 (2)
10-6 (3)
9-7 (2)
6-10 (2)

3-5 or worse: 14

All 14 missed post-season

2004 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 5

Made playoffs: 5
Missed playoffs: 0

Final record breakdown:
15-1 (1)
14-2 (1)
13-3 (1)
11-5 (1)
10-6 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 12

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 5

Final record breakdown:
12-4 (2)
10-6 (2)
9-7 (3)
8-8 (2)
7-9 (1)
6-10 (2)

3-5 or worse: 15

All 15 missed post-season

2003 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 8

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 1

Final record breakdown:
14-2 (1)
13-3 (1)
12-4 (2)
11-5 (1)
10-6 (2)
9-7 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 9

Made playoffs: 5
Missed playoffs: 4

Final record breakdown:
12-4 (2)
10-6 (4)
7-9 (1)
6-10 (1)
4-12 (1)

3-5 or worse: 15

All 15 missed post-season

2002 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 7

Made playoffs: 4
Missed playoffs: 3

Final record breakdown:
12-4 (3)
10-6 (1)
9-7 (2)
8-8 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 13

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 6

Final record breakdown:
11-5 (2)
10-5-1 (1)
10-6 (2)
9-6-1 (1)
9-7 (3)
8-8 (2)
7-9 (1)
5-11 (1)

3-5 or worse: 12

Made playoffs: 1
(NYJ went from 3-5 to 9-7 to win the AFC East, beating out NE and MIA which also finished 9-7)

Missed playoffs: 11

2001 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 7

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 0

Final record breakdown:
14-2 (1)
13-3 (2)
12-4 (2)
11-5 (1)
10-6 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 14

Made playoffs: 5
Missed playoffs: 9

Final record breakdown:
11-5 (2)
10-6 (2)
9-7 (2)
8-8 (1)
7-9 (4)
6-10 (2)
5-11 (1)

3-5 or worse: 10

All 10 missed post-season

2000 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 9

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 2

Final record breakdown:
13-3 (1)
12-4 (2)
11-5 (2)
10-6 (2)
9-7 (1)
8-8 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 9

Made playoffs: 5
Missed playoffs: 4

Final record breakdown:
12-4 (1)
11-5 (2)
10-6 (2)
9-7 (2)
8-8 (1)
7-9 (1)

3-5 or worse: 13

All 13 missed post-season

1999 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 8

Made playoffs: 7
Missed playoffs: 1

Final record breakdown:
14-2 (1)
13-3 (3)
9-7 (2)
8-8 (2)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 11

Made playoffs: 5
Missed playoffs: 6

Final record breakdown:
11-5 (2)
10-6 (2)
9-7 (1)
8-8 (4)
7-9 (1)
6-10 (1)

3-5 or worse: 12

All 12 missed post-season

1998 Breakdown
6-2 or better teams: 7

Made playoffs: 6
Missed playoffs: 1

Final record breakdown:
15-1 (1)
14-2 (2)
12-4 (1)
11-5 (2)
8-8 (1)

5-3 or 4-4 teams: 12

Made playoffs: 6
Missed playoffs: 6

Final record breakdown:
12-4 (1)
10-6 (3)
9-7 (2)
8-8 (3)
7-9 (2)
6-10 (1)

3-5 or worse: 15

All 15 missed post-season