The Red King

That team is gonna come out of the tunnel Sunday like they were shot out of a cannon. Amazing news!

I actually suggested just that in the other thread about this.

I have a strange feeling, highly unlikely but... If Buffalo, Cincy and KC win, Cincy will forfeit the BUF/CIN game and take the #3 seed. If KC wins, CIN can't catch them, so it comes down to #2 or #3 seed. Cincy made it from the #3 seed last season, and while there isn't as much different from #2 to #3, there is a lot riding on top seed. This would deny KC home-field and assures any Bills/Bengals playoff matchup would not be in the stadium where the trauma went down. I realize it's highly, highly unlikely. I don't even know if it would be right for something like that to occur. It's just an odd hunch. And if true, they may have already communicated this desire to the NFL, which is why they've been silent about what to do about the suspended game.

I'm of the opinion that if the NFL requires the Bills to resume this game in Cincy, the Bills will forfeit. I won't even hazard a guess as to Cincy's reaction as they still do have traumatized players as well.

Instead of a full game, have the two play an OT using college rules?

If a coin toss, I'd still like to see a CIN player flip it and a BUF player call it. Put it in the players' hands.

In that scenario the winner of the suspened game would get the #1 seed, the loser the #2.

How did it get back in, in the first place? Did I miss a memo?

There is no scenario this weekend that makes the suspended game irrelevant. I've looked for one. I've looked.

In a mad, uncaring rush to relevance they allowed their QB to be annihilated multiple times. Poor guy's brain is like a marble in a dryer this season and the 'phins didn't care.

That's what I'm thinking. Though even should BUF win and KC lose, they may still have to do this anyway to settle 2nd seed should CIN win.

Wait. If they keep all the games as possible throw-outs that still gives Buf a 14/17 chance of winning 1st seed. Still heavily in our favor. All I'd want is someone from the Bills making the random pick. That way if it goes to KC we know it was our fault. At the same time, should BUF win and KC lose, this will all be academic.

I'm glad I don't. I loved playing high school football, and I was Tasker-esqe in that I was smaller but absolutely crushed people. In other words, it was all hard contact and I'm lucky I made it out without any injuries at all, nonetheless bad ones. My son (20) showed no interest in football. My daughter (15) likely would want to, but there's no WNFL or such, so I don't have to worry. That, and she's petite, like one of the smallest for her age group, so aside from kicker I can't see her playing it anyway. That being said, she is smol but fierce and I could see her destroying someone that looked like they were going to return one of her kicks for a score. Still, I do have to wonder about this. I don't have to face it, but other parents do. Is there going to be a reduction of kids in football, trickling up to the point where the pool of prospective NFL players will suffer?

What other way gives players control of their own destinies without forcing them to revisit the trauma or give KC the 1 seed?

Do you think they'd prefer an arbitrary decision from the NFL that they have no influence at all over? One that could hurt both teams?

Not true. If Buf loses/lost they would be tied with Cincy. If the Bills beat the Pats and Cincy loses to BAL, CIN drops to #3 seed and BUF gets #1 or 2 depending on the KC game. If the Bills lose to the Pats they are locked into #3 no matter what.

Cincy wouldn't want to win the division this way.

Have the coin toss before this Sunday. That way teams know where they stand going into the final week. There is literally no combinations of wins and losses that renders yesterday's game irrelevant.

Coin toss. One W, one L, just as if the game was played. Players determine the outcome (One team flips, one calls it in the air), nothing standings-wise is altered and nobody needs to relive the trauma.

Oh, I agree. It's off the wall, but it is fair, and one team at least gets a full W. And technically the players decide the outcome. I'd be more comfortable with this then if the league arbitrarily kneecaps both teams without them having any chance to influence the outcome.

Coin toss. Both teams are evenly matched. One team gets the W, one the L as what would have happened (tie if it lands on edge). The rest of the league's seeding doesn't get scrambled and they do not need to resume/replay the game. Sounds odd, but really the fairest and least disruptive for the league. And neither team has to relive the trauma.

No surprise. And I figured they'd consult with both teams for their opinions over what should be done.

I'm proud of the reaction all around. It might be obvious but remember yesterday was a critical game. It had playoff implications for not just seeding, but for the division as Cincy has yet to clinch. It was two powerhouses looking to slug it out. It had everything. The fallout of postponing it and most any solution could hurt both teams, teams that fought hard to get here. Fans and players were deeply vested in this game. ...and none of that mattered. Everyone, fans, players recognized the life of a single player meant more then all of that. That is all that was important. The game, it was just a game and would be dealt with later. Fans didn't care if this cost the Bills the top seed. He was (and is) all that mattered. And there was an outpouring of support, even from rivals. It's heartwarming to see.

I asked nicely. I begged. And right now can't handle this. Keep attacking each other, if you think that is what is important right now. I'm going to try and sleep because I don't want to see Bills' fans acting like this any more.

Guys...please. This is not the time to argue with one another. Tough as it might be, let it go. I'm begging you.