Rochesterfan

I agree with so many of these comments. With the weight this took off my spirits - I can only imagine how the team feels. Just the boost they need right now. Love you guys! 💙♥️🏈

Terrible - the league should not rush a decision when there is no need. They are in contact with the Bills and Bengals and are looking at options, but until they have some indication of the Hamlin outcome as we are starting to hear - they need to wait. What happens if they made a decision and then Hamlin had gotten worse and the Bills and Bengals didn’t or could play this weekend - now they have to go back and make adjustments and everyone gives them crap. Give it time - the info will come out - the league has handled this very well so far - let them continue. This is not a time to rush a decision- as news comes out - it will impact the Bills and Bengals mental outlook and will impact what they are willing and able to do. Getting a decision out impacts nothing for the league at the moment as they are working many different angles - it might make you feel better, but it is not impacting the league. With todays info you will probably get follow-up later today or tomorrow on the plan.

I believe Eric Wood did a talk on Jim Rome and offered himself up to speak so other players do not have to until they have processed and are ready to talk. At this point - I have not heard of any others besides those 2.

Apparently that is in bold starting every rule. 😂

You are correct, but the rule really lists 2 options for the Commissioner in case of unplayable games: Find a way to complete the game or cancel the game. It gives the Commissioner leeway to decide and of course the Commissioner has the ability to act in the best interests of football at all times, but since the specific rule gives 2 options and the game was so close to the beginning and since canceling games was discussed during Covid and how the league would handle unplayed games. I believe the safe bet is that they will follow the established guidelines they had previously discussed.

Those are not options in the NFL rule book. Only options are complete the game or call it a no contest and move to winning percentage. It will be one of those 2 options and my guess is even though it lessens their overall chances - I think both the Bills and Bengals want that game gone. I think for this reason alone they would have to restart the game and treat it as a fully new game.

Terrible. The league has stated they are working through scenarios, but are more concerned with Hamlin at this time - they have also been in discussion with the Bills about the mental health of the team and how they want to proceed. There is absolutely no scenario that the Bills/Bengals game doesn’t have impact. The one you suggested then impacts both the Ravens and Bengals for the division. The fact that the NFL is considering allowing the game to be a potential no contest tells me exactly how shaken up both the Bills and Bengals are. I don’t think the league has the least bit of care whether KC is the #1 seed and I doubt that factors in at all - as a matter of fact I would 100% bet the NFL would prefer the Bills/Bengals game get played, but they recognize that logistically and mentally that can not happen at this time so they are choosing the other alternative. No decision was perfect and someone got the short end and someone got a slight benefit in EVERY scenario- so I will be fine when this part of the saga is over and hopefully we get some good news on Hamlin and everything can return to some semblance of normal for these guys.

Not really - I think 100% it is what both the Bills and Bengals would prefer over having to shoehorn the game in. This fits well within the NFL rules that are established and logistically makes the most sense. Yep KC gets a small benefit potentially and Baltimore gets slightly screwed, but it does not change the playoff teams and I imagine both the Bills and Bengals would sign off on this in a minute to prevent every other scenario presented - where they have to make up the game. There is not an option/rule that allows for or makes any sense to award a victory in a game in the 1st quarter that can not be completed. The NFL was not and should not consider coin toss/lottery ball or any other method of creating a false victor in the game. There has always been exactly 2 choices in the outcome: complete the game or declare it a no contest as those are the options in the NFL rulebook for this situation. If they go no contest - then it was always going to move to winning percentage as that is what they established and what was talked about and agreed to during Covid if any games were cancelled.

Yep - it is one of the worst ideas and I do not seen Buffalo or Cincinnati going for it.

Plus that fits with the established rules and would be repeatable in the future for other unseen issues of this nature.

I don’t know - I was listening to one of the national radio shows this morning talking to some former Super Bowl Champ linemen and one of the questions was would you prefer home field or getting a bye week as part of a suggested KC gets #1 seed and the bye, but would have to go to Buffalo and both players said they would take the bye. The rest and pass to the next round was better and allowed more of the team to be healthy and playing one less game to get to the Super Bowl was a huge advantage in their mind. Although they did concede that they got byes and home games which ultimately is what got them the win, but they both felt rest and recouping was key to a 3 game streak. I am sure that other would like home field also - resting in your bed etc.

As I keep saying there is a rule and it has been discussed. It gives the commissioner the leeway, but the first part of the rule is if possible to try every way to reschedule- especially if it has an impact on other teams (positive or negative). The rule also states that the alternative if it can not be played for whatever reason is a no contest. There are no rules for coin toss or tie or assigning a victory, but does give the commission leeway - so my guess is in you example of 47-3 - he could rule the game official and give the team with 47 the victory. I do not think he would do that in the middle of the first quarter.

Because if they can not get the #1 seed (and the Bills win) they would be the only playoff team that did not get a bye. All of the other teams they are playing would get a bye and if the Bills won and got the #1 seed we would get a bye, but Cincinnati the team that was looking out for us - would be forced to play the extra game and would miss the bye hence risking injury and not getting the rest like heir opponents.

That does not work out though. Week 19 1/15 Bills Bengals and NFC wild card (AFC Bye) Week 20 1/22 AFC wild card and NFC Bye Week 21 1/29 AFC and NFC divisional rounds Week 22 2/5 AFC/NFC championship games (Maybe ProBowl also) Week 23 2/12 SuperBowl So the bye week is eliminated before the SB and the Bengals/Bills (one or maybe both) are the only teams to not get a bye. Rest of the AFC gets a bye while we play - NFC gets a bye elsewhere. And based upon the original question which was would there still be a week before the SuperBowl- that is gone which is what I am referring to. Additionally potentially KC ends up with 2 straight weeks off if the Bills lose, but it really screws the Bills and the Bengals as they get no break at all and are both emotionally invested and will be forced to talk about the Hamlin play a ton leading up to the game.

Even then Cincinnati gets screwed just because they understood what we were going through and decided to postpone. Would it be good for the Bills maybe, but I can not see the Bills accepting seeing the Bengals get screwed over after being so accommodating.

Nope the bye weeks eliminate the extra week before the SB. So now either the Bills or the Bengals or both get totally screwed as their opponents get rest and time to prepare with limited outcomes - while they play a huge and emotional game. It is the absolute worst thing the NFL could do to screw both of these teams, but if they must get the game in - they might try this. 🤮 Yes but you are playing the Ravens Chargers after they played week 18 or after they get a weeks rest and healed up while you are playing and emotional game and then playing those same teams.

Or it could be they know Rhodes isn’t going to sign anywhere and can be available and they want to get in to get a look and talk to him for a potential signing for next year. Beane is always looking at bottom end roster guys.

They do have rules that have been posted in this thread. The issue is the rules state they need to do everything to play the game if possible if it could provide an advantage to other teams. Hence why the NFL is looking at various options. They must explore options before working with everyone on a solution that per Vincent may not be equitable. Additionally - they adopted Covid rules to deal with unequal number of games played - switching from record to winning percentage to determine seeding. None of these have been used, but they are part of the discussion on figuring this out. Ideally for the NFL is to get the game in, but they will get a huge amount of pushback from the NFLPA and the 2 teams trying to shoehorn in a Bills Bengals game.

This is what is going to happen and it is exactly what Troy Vincent meant by it might not be 100% equitable. I know many Bills fans keep complaining about KC being potentially handed the #1 seed, but it is still significantly better than the league trying to find a way to squeeze in the Bills/Bengals game. Yes it slightly hurts Buffalo, potentially slightly hurts Cincinnati in a bid for the #1 seed and slightly hurts Baltimore in a quest for the division hence the inequity. I still think long term both the Bills and the Bengals will take this solution over the 2 of them having to squeeze a hard fought game in while their potential opponents rest. It also mirrors their plan talked about during Covid - where if unequal numbers of games happened to be played - winning % would drive the decisions. The final thing is that there is no way they are doing any of the other suggestions like a coin toss, lotto balls, calling the game a tie, or creating a new rule where someone gets the #1 seed, but the other team gets home field. They just are not going to create something extraordinary and new for this situation. They will work within the confines of the rules they have - which does allow for a no contest (ideally they must try to get the game played and it should have minimal impact per the rule) and their Covid protocols of utilizing win % if unequal games played. In the meantime- for everyone wanting a decision - the NFL is correctly working with the Bills to ensure they are ok and getting what they need and then they will begin to address the options with Bills/Bengals/League. My guess is there will be 2: No contest and winning % or How can you guys get the game in and potentially play 3 games in 2 weeks or 3 games in 3 weeks - while all other teams play 2 games in 3 weeks. Agreed 100% wish I could give 1000 👍

So the options are call it a non-game and go to winning percentage - which you don’t like or force the Bills and Bengals to play a game alone sometime after week 18 and before the playoffs that puts both teams at a huge competitive disadvantage and most likely still gives KC home field advantage. Which do you want - people need to pick their poison here. Is it find a way in the next to weeks for the Bills and Bengals to play 3 games? Call it a no contest and basis the playoffs on winning percentage? There are no rules to make up a fake tie, award both teams wins, flip a coin to decide - so none of those are options. There are only 2 and both suck, but calling it a no game keeps all the teams involved in the playoff and has minor negative impact. Trying to find a way to shoehorn in an extra game between Sunday and next weekends playoff is completely ludicrous and if they push the playoffs back and force a single Buffalo/Cincinnati game can you imagine how much bad press that will generate as the Bills have to return to the scene and every other playoff teams get byes to get ready and KC has to sit for 2 weeks. The easiest answer is what the Bills have already said they expect - the game will not be made up - moving the seeding to win% as discussed during Covid and keeping all of the schedules the same. Every choice has positive and negative impacts - that choice limits it as much as possible. Not really fair as it gives all of the wild card teams a week off and time to gameplan and prepare and the Bills and Bengals get screwed having to play with no rest for the 2 mentally scarred teams. My guess is if that becomes the proposal- the Bills go to the NFLPA and refuse and it gets scrapped and the Bills take the loss. The Bills do not want to screw Cincinnati and that plan more than any other screws Cincinnati for being right their and supporting the Bills.

They do - people are just complaining because the plan involves winning percentage and therefore KC becomes the #1 seed. I am not sure why you do not think they have a plan. I believe it was ESPN earlier that posted the specific rules stating that it lies with the commissioner in any game either started or prior to that is cancelled or postponed to review and see if it can be played and if it can not be played - it is a non game for the purposes of records. They will look at options - they will decide it has little bearing and they will call it a non contest and then similar to the Covid plan last year - if there are an uneven number of games it will go to win %. People are jumping through trying to creat rules - like the NFL will award both teams a win, or a tie, or a coin toss and no of those are in the rules and will not be used. The NFL will follow exactly as it is laid out and when the Bills and Bengals say they can’t play and need to focus on the playoffs - they will rule it a non-event and they will only have 16 games. It will have no impact on who makes the playoffs and will have minor impact of seeding, but they will get the right teams in without screwing up the schedule.

Agreed - especially since it impacts not just the Bills and NE, but potentially the Jets, Miami, and Pittsburgh and who plays when and who plays whom.

Except if they push the Bills/NE game and the Cincinnati/Baltimore game back to even Monday - logistically that means none of the AFC playoff schedules could be done until Monday evening and by then it is a short week if an AFC team is expected to play Sat and doesn’t find out an opponent or venue until late Monday. Seems like a very bad idea.

Agreed - I could see pad makers looking to make changes - especially if they can get the impact data from the sensors on everyone’s pads, but I see no changes to the rules for this.

If they didn’t have Rooms for Monday night to stay over what are the chances today or tomorrow they can book 100s of rooms to come back. Logistically they make these reservations as the schedule is being shared not at the last minute. If they end up trying to force the game to be played - Which I believe the NFLPA will nix do to player mental state - it will require Buffalo to fly in and out the same day and I can not imagine the mental state the Bills would be in having to quickly flip around like that and return to the field the incident happened on. Leadership on the team wouldn’t allow it - so the NFL will be forced to review other options and work with the teams and my guess is they will agree that canceling is best and that if it means KC has the #1 seed - the teams will deal with that.