UKBillFan

Except the Ravens who, in that scenario, would claim the third seed if the Bills beat the Bengals. Not that the Bills would, because they’d rest the starters.

Agreed. I think at least one of the Chiefs or Bengals will win at the weekend so the number one seed would still be up for grabs, as long as the Bills beat the Pats. But, should they both lose and the Bills win, then they’d as good as forfeit the Bengals game anyway. It would be pointless and I can understand the Ravens not being impressed (whilst acknowledging they’d do the same thing in the Bills position).

Not quite. If the Bills, Ravens and Raiders win, then the AFC North and the number three seed is still up for grabs. If the Bengals beat the Bills they take it; if the Bills beat the Bengals then the Ravens do.

If the Bills beat the Pats whilst the Chiefs/Bengals both lose then the number one seed is sewn up. The Bengals game would not matter to us. I said we may as well forfeit as we’ll field the back up players at Paycor in this scenario to protect the first team players for the play offs. If the Bengals lose to the Ravens then us forfeiting the Cincinnati game would mean Baltimore miss out on the chance of the third seed.

The only chance is if Bengals-Bills is played on Thursday 12th January. Both teams will then get a mini bye heading into the following wildcard weekend. It’s not perfect in the slightest but nothing is in this situation. Of course, if the Bills beat the Pats whilst the Chiefs and Bengals both lose in week 18 (unlikely IMO) then the game becomes pointless for the Bills, though will still have something riding on it for the Bengals.

And if the game is then played again the Bills will field a weakened side in that scenario anyway. So they may as well forfeit and be done with it for all the good it would do the Ravens.

Is he? Can’t see anything of the sort on his Twitter account. Or do you mean Darren Revell?

The Ravens won’t have a chance of winning the division; they would if we beat the Bengals. It also means the Chiefs hold the number one spot. If the Bills had beaten the Bengals, they would be heading he conference going into the game against the Pats.

Yes. For the Patriots it’s a case of win and in.

In fairness, I wish the Vikings had in that scenario…

If KC and the Bengals win then we still get the number one seed by beating the Bengals. Of course, they may rest a bunch of starters against us in that scenario as they won’t be in the fight for first seed.

Yes, we had definitely lost. Have no idea why the Vikings didn’t pack up and leave halfway through the game against the Colts either.

Yes. Everyone gets a bye (a mini bye in the case of Bills and Bengals, if neither get the number one seed) before the play offs rather than before the Super Bowl.

Not as big as the one you’re making, saying the Bills were going to lose a game 7-3 down in the first quarter.

Oh well, we shouldn’t have bothered turning up then. And we should have gifted the Chiefs a win at Arrowhead earlier in the season too rather than playing the game.

How do you know Burrow wasn’t going to have a bad night and start throwing interceptions? Or their players begin to fumble the ball? Or their offense make hay and we win a shootout?

Speaking with all emotion removed, I’m not sure why Goodall is obsessed with finishing the game within two days, if that tweet is correct. Let week 18 play out as normal. Bills-Bengals then finish their game on 12th January. The wildcard weekend is pushed back to weekend of 21st January and the week’s gap between the Conference Championships and the Super Bowl is removed. Of course, whether the Bills will be ready to play Sunday is another question altogether at the moment.

Weren’t the Bengals 22-0 up against the Pats last week, yet were a Stevenson fumble away from losing the game come the end of the fourth quarter? And look at Colts-Vikings. How anyone can say we were bound to lose down 7-3 in the first quarter beats me.

Hendrickson, I think.

They may not be important to you. Just like the other 31 teams, they are important to the NFL. And in some ways the seventh seed is more important than the first. Whatever happens, the Chiefs, Bills and Bengals are in the post season. The Pats, Dolphins, Steelers and Titans are not.

Patriots-Bills has a bearing on the seventh seed - if the Patriots win they’re in. If not, and one of the Dolphins, Steelers or Titans win, then they’re out.

Extend the number of play off teams to eight in the NFC and AFC, and remove the bye for the number one seed. The Chiefs, Bengals and Bills will face each other on a neutral field if/when a match up comes to pass. Then the Bills-Bengals game can be decided on a coin toss without an impact on the bye and home field advantage.

I posted a thread on this but it was merged with the injury one - thoughts and prayers with Tee Higgins too right now. Goodness knows how he is feeling but hope he is able to not blame himself at all. After Hurst’s tackle and the roll up on Josh I posted that I’d even prefer to see the Chiefs win the SB over the Bengals, as I thought they were playing dirty. But the response of their players, staff and fans after Hamar’s credit does them absolute credit and shows complete class.

Cynically, can’t help but think what else would he say? Feel bad for wondering it but the NFL and player safety protocols have not been the best of bedfellows this year.

I agree, I don’t think the Bills will readily forfeit but I do wonder when we will take the field again. The important thing is Damar pulling through, though.