A way to help snakebitten teams qualify for playoffs

Did you have one of those years? One of those years when no matter how many points you scored, it always seemed like your opponent scored more?

Did you finish 6-7 or 5-8 and out of the playoffs despite having the third-most points?

Almost every league has one of these hard-luck teams, and it's difficult not to feel sorry for them as the playoffs get under way.

But in one of my leagues, we found a way around this dilemma.

Instead of allowing teams in based solely on records, we give the last two spots to teams not already having qualified based on points.

This year, as it turns out, the six teams that made it would have qualified the old way as well. But look how it would have affected my other league:

• Seed 1: 10-3 (division winner)

• Seed 2: 8-5 (division winner)

• Seed 3: 9-4

• Seed 4: 8-5

• Seed 5: 7-6 (782 points)

• Seed 6: 7-6 (767 points)

Well, a 6-7 team with 799 points would have knocked out the No. 6 seed and bumped the 5 seed down to 6 if we used the same rules we use in the other league.

Really, this idea makes sense because the point of fantasy football is to score as much as possible. If you end up with the second-most points and go 4-9 because of a brutal schedule, it doesn't seem fair to miss out on the postseason.

I will also add that this method keeps nearly every team alive for playoff berths. Last year, nobody in our league was eliminated until the end, and this year nine of 10 teams had at least a decent chance to qualify.

If leagues wanted to be completely fair, they would advance the teams with the most points. But I'm hardly advocating that because it would take the fun of the head-to-head matchups out of the equation. The week-to-week ups and downs would be trashed.

Our system, though, seems like a nice compromise, and one worth considering when you start up again next season.

My teams: Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and Steve Slaton paved the way in my unit league (8-5) to an 87-59 victory and a first-round bye in the playoffs. In the regular league, I improved to 7-6 with a 124-109 victory behind big games from Chris Johnson, Michael Turner, Jason Witten and Devin Hester. The first playoff game looks tough, though, as my opponent has Aaron Rodgers, Brandon Jacobs, Joseph Addai and the Tennessee defense all with great matchups.

Good bets

• Vikings RB Chester Taylor at Detroit. This is for all of you with flex plays or really weak No. 2 RBs. The Lions allow the second-most points to tailbacks, and Taylor has put up good fantasy numbers three of the last five weeks.

• Falcons QB Matt Ryan at New Orleans. These two teams should score more than a red-hot pinball player, making Ryan a nice play.

• Giants WR Domenik Hixon vs. Philadelphia. With Plaxico Burress' season, ahem, shot, Hixon will give fantasy owners nice numbers down the stretch.

• Broncos WR Eddie Royal vs. Kansas City. The up-and-down Royal (9-104 last time vs. Kansas City) figures to be up this week.

• Chiefs RB Larry Johnson at Denver. All Johnson did last time he saw the Broncos was run for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns. Even half that production would be make his owners smile this week.

• Patriots QB Matt Cassel at Seattle. In the last three weeks, Tony Romo (331 yards, 3 TDs) and Kurt Warner (395 yards, TD) have absolutely abused the Seahawks secondary. Cassel could hit 400 for the third time in four weeks.

• Cardinals WR Steve Breaston vs. St. Louis. Keep Breaston in the lineup again. He's good for around 60-100 yards and a possible score.

• Indianapolis defense vs. Cincinnati. Somebody outbid me for the Colts defense this week, and I was furious. Huge points are forthcoming.

Bad bets

• Bears defense vs. Jacksonville. In my unit league, only nine teams have surrendered fewer fantasy points to defenses than the Jaguars.

• Bengals RB Cedric Benson at Indianapolis. Not many of you are relying on Benson at this point, but this is just a warning not to get cute just because you see what might be a decent matchup. There are much better options available.

• Eagles QB Donovan McNabb and WR DeSean Jackson at New York Giants. "Earth to McNabb owners. Earth to McNabb owners." I know some of you are so sky-high about McNabb's performance last week that you will blindly put him into your lineup this week, especially after seeing he threw 3 TD passes against the Giants a month ago. But that was only the second time a QB threw for multiple scores against the G-men, and McNabb was only 17 of 36 for 195 yards.

• Cowboys QB Tony Romo and WR Terrell Owens at Pittsburgh. Here's another instance where many of you will blindly throw these guys into your lineups, decrying, "I can't sit these two!" Well, only Peyton Manning has thrown for multiple TDs against the Steelers, and he was the only QB to throw for over 200 yards. Be careful.

• Browns WR Braylon Edwards at Tennessee. Start with the fact Edwards hasn't scored in four weeks, mix in a little Ken Dorsey and 4 cups of Titans defense, and Wa-la! You have a train wreck in the making.

• Niners RB Frank Gore vs. New York Jets. One rushing TD over the last seven weeks. That's what the Jets' D has allowed.

• Redskins RB Clinton Portis at Baltimore. Portis has taken teams on a nice ride this season, but use him this week and that ride could come to a screeching halt.

• Panthers WR Muhsin Muhammad vs. Tampa Bay. Moose has scored in two of the last four weeks, but he won't sniff the end zone against the Bucs.

jdietz@dailyherald.com

• Read more from John at ffmastermind.com and listen to him next week in the 11 a.m. hour with Mike Murphy on WSCR 670-AM.