Margin of victory appears to be the 5th tie breaker.
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

The above list is for 2 teams in the same division. There are variations for 3 or more teams and for teams in different divisions.

I am not sure that the league could actually find a way to mandate any changes to make these last games more meaningful. Just how do you go about telling a coach who he is to play or not to play or for how long. But maybe that is just what they will have to do. There is no reason for why the situation with the Jets should ever have taken place. They happened to find themselves in a great spot of only needing to win the last to games and they are in the playoff hunt. Then the two teams they play decided for reasons of their own to take a dive and hand the games to the Jets. Good for them....bad for the league.

This is football competition and the whole idea is to compete with one another. When several teams at the conclusion of a season just decide not to compete anymore, how can that be good for the game?

While I am for doing anything that would make the last few weeks more competitive, I would not favor anything along the lines of margin of victory to determine anything. A win is win and I would prefer to see a strength of schedule setup instead. You beat someone you get two points, every time they win a game you get another point sort of thing. Then maybe throw in a penalty of some kind for tossing the game, loose a couple of points if you take the dive.

They could do something and they need to. With only 16 games to the season and how expensive tickets are it is the right thing to do.

Since THEY are the ones that got them there, it should be up to the players and team captains to decide if they want to play the games out with starters. I wonder if Manning was even offered that option?

Doubtful, he has been sounding very politically correct in his answers for the media down there, but as I have said before when you saw him on the sideline you could tell he and the rest wanted in. The Colts situation is a bit different from the rest in that that had a chance to chance a big part of history and chose not too. They can spin it anyway they want, but they were wrong. As a sports writer in the Indianapolis Star was asking, why was it more important to leave them all in to gain a few stats for individuals that have been done before and will be done again, but pull them and give up a chance to do something that only one team in league history has done? Then of course there is the even more serious question of letting a team walk into the playoffs as the Jets were allowed to do. Could they have done it if both the Colts and Bengals don't take a dive? Sure it is possible, but we will never know.

I do agree something must be done before next year.

I don't think forcing coaches to play the regulars is the answer. But perhaps an incentive along the lines of a bonus draft pick if you compete. If you deliberately tank a game, you forfeit a pick for each team knocked out of the playoff hunt because you laid down for a team that otherwise had no chance.
In a way, what the Colts did could be seen as manipulating the matchups. After all, if the Jets win Saturday, wouldn't they go to Indianapolis?

I would love for the Jets to beat both the Bengals and Colts to make it to the AFC championship. If the Colts tried to manipulate the matchup, I don't think it works in their favor because the Jets have a pretty good defense.

Somebody should have never let them in!

Dallas fell for the rope-a-dope! The Eagles know how they will respond on certain plays so they can counter anything Dallas brings. Dallas is stuck with Wade.

Hopefully, Mike Shanahan will be able to make the Redskins competitive!

The problem with that is you are making the stronger teams stronger while the weaker teams remain weak. I'm sure Goodell prefers more parity and competitiveness among more teams.

I expect the Cowboys to destroy the Eagles.

Jet's offense is embarrasing. One and done....

The Jets possess the top rated run offense and defense in the NFL. They also have wins over the Colts and Bengals. In fact, their defense shut down the Bengals and scared the Colts into pulling their starters. The Jets shouldn't fear anyone!

Dallas is done!

Here we go. Okay, it's the playoffs so all previous bets are off.
We did not see the Eagles' best game Sunday, but I still say they're a one-dimensional team. Without the big play, they're not that good. Dallas' offense still has issues (penalties), but the defense is healthy and playing very well. Advantage Dallas: 24-10.
Shanahan will make the Redskins better, if his coaching is all that counts. And for the sake of making the division more competitive and heating up rivalries, I'd love to see that. But the thinking outside of Washington is that Shanahan's personnel decisions in his final seasons at Denver were self-destructive. But even if that turns out to be the case, it's a good move for the Redskins.