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Lots of Cinci fans went from being sympathetic to mad after this press release. They feel they are being screwed. The thing is, Buffalo actually had control of the #1 seed destiny heading into the Bengals game. Then Cinci took a 7-3 lead and got to the Bills 48 before disaster struck. Plus Buffalo was down 2 defensive backs. So by Bengals fans rationale they were going to win, which you definitely cannot say for sure.

Now that Damar is improving, the kid gloves are coming off. Bengals fans on their message board and social media are fairly pissed off. Claiming the Bills are using sympathy to drive themselves into the best seed position. Their feeling is Cinci would’ve beaten Buffalo and get the 2 seed maybe the 1.

I feel bad for Tre. He used to be a big personality on the team,,,loud, funny...at the front and center of all the laughs on Bills social media. Since the injury he's been away from it, obviously lost his confidence and mojo. We don't hear much from him anymore. He's not happy with his performance, and the last we saw of him the other night he was emotionally broken after watching Hamlin go down. Just feel bad for the guy and hope he gets his game back and his confidence back someday.

I really don't think they are fuming. It's pretty clear from some of the media insider stories that the NFL allowed Buffalo to take the lead and the Bills put the kibosh on resuming that game and Cincinnati was right there supporting any decision. Maybe even quietly, the NFL is relieved that THEY didn't have to make all the decisions to reshuffle the playoff weekends and somehow flex in the Bills/Bengals while trying to make the time between all the playoff games equitable. This gives them a chance to float some new ideas out there on how to proceed and no one can bash the NFL for it. They are doing their best.

So if 8 teams, is it possible we beat New England this weekend and then have to play them again next weekend?

I saw some clips from Saleh's press conference. He goes on to talk about how Zach needs to step away from football for a while and figure things out. Then says the Jets have "all the confidence in the world" in him. Yeah right. I had to LOL. No they don't. they are done with Zach. It's obvious.

Shefter was on ESPN just now talking about all the scenarios in the thread above. He said any playoff changes will take a vote of all 32 owners, but ultimately the Commish will do whatever is in the best interest of the league. He is almost certain now that the Bills/Bengals game from Monday night will never be played. As a league source has indicated to him, the game has "bad mojo" and they just want to move on,,, move ahead, keep to the schedule, get Damar healthy and not look back at that game.

Any of the scenarios are pretty wild but adding an 8 seed to the AFC side seems like the whackiest.

Well something has to give. but at least if the neutral site option is chosen, a Bills game vs KC would not be at Arrowhead.

Yeah. i mean it’s fair if you think about it. KC did not have control of their own destiny so they aren’t rewarded because of others misfortune. Cincinnati isn’t penalized for not being able to finish a game, and possibly earning the 1 seed…that was through no fault of their own. Buffalo had control of their own destiny but isn’t penalized by having to play a true road game through sheer misfortune.

Would be very interesting, as Shefter reported that any AFC conference championship game involving teams that played fewer than 17 games would take place on a neutral field. That might be the likeliest scenario in play right now.

Yes, IF the Bengals won they could have leapfrogged the Bills. No doubt about it, that is a negative. But there is a reasonable chance had the Hamlin situation had not occurred, the Bills could have won. We see it all the time where one team comes out hot and eventually the other team comes back (especially a very good team like Buffalo). So the positive for the Bengals is that they are given the AFC North in the scenario discussed. Baltimore is not given the chance to win that division so Cincinnati could change their in game strategy if they so choose, depending on how the KC game unfolded and how the Bills game is going.

The likeliest outcome, that many of us thought from Tuesday morning is that the game will not be made up. If this happened in weeks 1-14 they may have found a way, but they are up against the end of season. It sucks but the Bills are probably going to be the team that has to take a negative outcome on top of already dealing with Damar's awful situation. But that's life and we all know everything is not always fair. 1) KC will get the #1 seed if they beat the Raiders (I still think LV is going to ball out and have a chance here). 2) Buf will get the #2 seed if they beat NE, and could get #1 seed if they win and KC loses. 3) Cinci - The Ravens have no shot at the AFC North now. Bengals get the Division title. Cinci can still move up the seeding if KC and/or Buf loses.

That was one of the options on the table but never agreed to. There could have been 20 options and that one may have been last. Ultimately the Bills will have the main input in how this will be determined...and the Bengals said they will be fine with whatever Buffalo wants to do.

I'm glad to hear this. Yesterday there seemed to be momemtum from National media and fans to play the game for the "integrity of the league". Right from the beginning there did not seem to be any reasonable way to flex in the Cincinnati game and it doesn't seem like the right thing to do anyway. It's another unprecedented situation (like the Covid year), and will have to be an unprecedented response ( no makeup). It sucks that the Chiefs may end up with the #1 seed when it was Buffalo who had control of the seeding but that's life. As i mentioned in other threads, I don't think either Buffalo or Cincinnati would be intimidated to play at Arrowhead.

I think the big differences are that the Bills players actually watched their teammate and friend heart stop in person, right there during their jobs. and it was very traumatic, definitely extremely traumatic for some of the guys. We know how we all felt just sitting on our couches not knowing any of those guys. Plus you have the event happen in a stand alone prime time game for the world to see. And we now live in a social media world where a big event like this is magnified times a billion…and mental health is more important and more publicized than ever.

As one NFL player said today from another team… “Unfortunately we don’t get any PTO” I think it will obviously be a huge lift if the team gets any inside info that Damar is improving, not out of the woods, but improving. I think the team will ultimately play this weekend. It won’t be easy, but that’s what these guys do, they play football.. and frankly i don’t think they will play all that well. Just think about the physicality New England will bring here with their playoffs on the line. I just hope everyone is mentally ready if they do play so no one gets hurt badly out there.

I was listening to Booger on TV, and he was saying that if he was a current teammate, he would not suit up for an NFL football game again until there was 100% assurance that Damar was going to be fine. He said it’s too much emotion in a game and he would not be in the mindset to play now. So if we assume even a fraction of the current Bills feel like this, they legitimately could decide not to play. And Troy Vincent i believe indicated that McDermott was having a very difficult time too.

I agree with you but they’d probably give it to Daboll or Doug Pederson.

If the league mandates that the Bills go back to Cincinnati and resume this game, say next Thursday or Sunday… do we even know if Damar would be out of the hospital? Of course the answer is we don’t know. He could be there for a few more days if improving, a week or a few weeks. I mean there’s just no way the league would send the Bills back to that stadium with our guy still in the hospital a few miles away. Maybe that’s too dramatic of me, i don’t know. As others have said, i think the Bills will have the loudest voice in the room on how they best feel this should be resolved.

Yep, the outpouring from other NFL players is what gets me. Not only the Bengals… Just so much love and generosity from every corner of the league. Sauce Garder put out a tweet earlier. He’s asking anyone to hook him up with a Hamlin jersey, he wants to wear it during warm ups this Sunday at his game. I mean, as a Jets player i really didn’t like that guy and now i have no choice but to think he’s a really great dude. I didn’t expect that. Lots of examples like that.

I mean let’s face it. That game left a deep scar. and both Buffalo and Cincinnati probably don’t really want to bash each others heads in, during a stand-alone regular season game after week 18. I’m sure if Buffalo respectfully asks for a no contest, even if it means a lower seed, i agree, Cincinnati would likely support it. I really don’t think either club is all that worried about playing at Arrowhead if that’s what ultimately happens for one of them.

And i think they would have 100% found a way to fit this game in, if the event didn’t happen in week 17. They just can’t flex this game into a time slot with massive upheaval of the entire playoff schedule..and all the behind the scenes logistical aspects of it. I heard some report (can’t remember where) that the Bills are not fond of going back to the Jungle to play this specific game. Call it bad mojo, or just too soon emotionally, but that could be the deciding factor to not playing the game. If the playoff path leads them back to Cincinnati then so be it.

The pressure from the NFL talk shows (and general fans) really ramped up today. Like 99% of what i listened to and watched said they HAVE to play this game… even if it means massive inconvenience for the overall playoff dates. There does not seem to be any national support to make it a no-contest or whatever. I’m surprised. I really thought we could put this game in the rear view mirror and move on. it’s a sport not such a serious thing to HAVE to make up the game.