Playoff Solutions Assuming they don’t replay the Bengals game.

[What a Tuel]

39 minutes ago, The Red King said:

 

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

 

I don't think the reason for a coin flip should be because they can't revisit the field, it should only be to prevent scheduling changes or forcing the Bills/Bengals to play 2 games in 6 days right before playoffs.

 

If they cant revisit the field again then they should just forfeit the season. It is very likely Bills/Bengals see each other in the playoffs, will they need to coin flip that one too?

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by What a Tuel

[Thrivefourfive]

23 minutes ago, BillsFanSD said:

The problem with this argument is that you could make the exact same argument about any solution.  "How can you flip a coin while Hamlin is in the hospital?"  "How can you resume the game with Hamlin in the hospital?"  "How can you call it a tie with Hamlin in the hospital?"

 

What happened to Damar sucks.  It's tragic.  But life doesn't stop just because of a tragedy, and the NFL is under the gun because it's already Tuesday of Week 18.  It may feel gross, but they're going to have to make a decision and run with it. 

Emotions are still raw. But football will be played. And since football will be played, you do that instead of a coin toss. You figure out a schedule. It’s either a no contest, or they play the game, sometime.
 

My original schedule would’ve been Bills vs Bengals on Thursday, and these two teams get the remainder of their games pushed back a little until Conference Championship Sunday. But that’s obviously not on the table now.
 

By Thursday, we are going to know more about Hamlin’s status. The two teams already have their game plans set, and although it will SUCK, they play — because both teams are going to play eventually anyways. 
 

I still think Thursday should've (could have?) been discussed. What if Damar is headed in the right direction, God willing. These guys would focus and play. They pretty much have to. Stefon Diggs valiantly and soulfully tried to pull his teammates out of hell after the tragedy to get their heads into competing. But understandably, he was as overcome by the circumstances as millions are. I have so much respect for Diggs at this point. He’s the right teammate at the right time. I see a Super Bowl MVP Trophy this February on his mantle. 

[boyst]

3 hours ago, Big Blitz said:

I posted in the other thread:

 

 

This is what I think is the best solution and obviously outcome:

 

They pause the week.  
 

If Hamlin pulls thru in the next 24-48 hours - announce Bills-Bengals kick off Week 18 on Monday January 9 with the resumption of the game.  

 

Everyone plays this weeks schedule next weekend.
 

Bills-Patriots and Bengals-Ravens will be played Monday January 16.  

 

 

Playoffs proceed one week later maybe even have the teams that play Monday play Monday the 23rd if they can in this scenario.  

Everyone gets an extra week rest while the players risk injury?  NFLPA never let that happen. 

 

It's also ridiculous to give teams rest. The #1 seed gets no extra rest, they all get rest. And if we get #1 seed we just worked 15 weeks of football and no restwith KC or Cinci likely to rematch us.

 

The NFL hopes KC loses. Buffalo and Cinci are 1-2.

1 hour ago, What a Tuel said:

I've thought about it and this is my solution:

 

1-8-23 - Week 18 - Play normally

1-15-23 - Formerly Wildcard Weekend - Instead its just Bills vs Bengals

1-22-23 - Formerly Divisional Weekend - Instead it is Wildcard Weekend

1-29-23 - Formerly Conference Championships - Instead its Divisional Weekend

2-5-23 - Formerly Bye Week for SB Participants (Pro Bowl stuff) - Instead Conference Championships

2-12-23 - Super Bowl - Play normally

 

Sure some plane and hotel reservations will get messed up but at most for what? Just Wildcard weekend? Playing field for Divisional round can only possibly be known for 1st seeds which is up in the air for both conferences anyway so that is the risk you take.

 

Super Bowl remains the same. 

 

I just don't see how they don't replay this game but then the Bills happen to play the Bengals in the playoffs 2 weeks later maybe? And that they can do? Doesn't make sense.

 

To summarize this method messes up some plane and hotel reservations but is fair for all involved teams.

 

Its the only solution.

Woohoo. Buffalo gets to continue playing for #1 seed and ...

No bye week.  And Cinci at best gets #2 seed and... No bye week regardless.

 

Not enough incentive for the players and the league to juggle all of that for the risk of injury, logistics, and common sense. 

 

The only thing the NFL can do is kick Mahomes and Kelce in the nuts. Then tell them they're still #3 seed. 

11 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

KC can argue this would be unfair to them.

Tell KC not to lose to both teams. And if they're so good to win elregardless

[Seventeen]

1 hour ago, What a Tuel said:

I've thought about it and this is my solution:

 

1-8-23 - Week 18 - Play normally

1-15-23 - Formerly Wildcard Weekend - Instead its just Bills vs Bengals

1-22-23 - Formerly Divisional Weekend - Instead it is Wildcard Weekend

1-29-23 - Formerly Conference Championships - Instead its Divisional Weekend

2-5-23 - Formerly Bye Week for SB Participants (Pro Bowl stuff) - Instead Conference Championships

2-12-23 - Super Bowl - Play normally

 

Sure some plane and hotel reservations will get messed up but at most for what? Just Wildcard weekend? Playing field for Divisional round can only possibly be known for 1st seeds which is up in the air for both conferences anyway so that is the risk you take.

 

Super Bowl remains the same. 

 

I just don't see how they don't replay this game but then the Bills happen to play the Bengals in the playoffs 2 weeks later maybe? And that they can do? Doesn't make sense.

 

To summarize this method messes up some plane and hotel reservations but is fair for all involved teams.

 

Its the only solution.

 

Agreed - I posted the same solution a few pages back. The counter was the sponsor activities that go on 1st week leading up to the Super Bowl.

[What a Tuel]

16 minutes ago, boyst said:

Everyone gets an extra week rest while the players risk injury?  NFLPA never let that happen. 

 

It's also ridiculous to give teams rest. The #1 seed gets no extra rest, they all get rest. And if we get #1 seed we just worked 15 weeks of football and no restwith KC or Cinci likely to rematch us.

 

The NFL hopes KC loses. Buffalo and Cinci are 1-2.

Woohoo. Buffalo gets to continue playing for #1 seed and ...

No bye week.  And Cinci at best gets #2 seed and... No bye week regardless.

 

Not enough incentive for the players and the league to juggle all of that for the risk of injury, logistics, and common sense. 

 

The only thing the NFL can do is kick Mahomes and Kelce in the nuts. Then tell them they're still #3 seed. 

Tell KC not to lose to both teams. And if they're so good to win elregardless

 

Buffalo would get a bye week 1-22-23 if they get #1 seed.

 

Yes if the Chiefs get #1 seed they and NFC #1 seed would get 2 weeks. So what. It is so much less fair than #1 seed getting 1 week when every other seed gets none? Meh.

 

Also what logistics? The NFL doesn't even know who is playing who yet, let alone who is traveling to what stadium.

 

1-15-23 - Formerly Wildcard Weekend - Instead its just Bills vs Bengals

1-22-23 - Formerly Divisional Weekend - Instead it is Wildcard Weekend

1-29-23 - Formerly Conference Championships - Instead its Divisional Weekend

Edited January 3, 2023 by What a Tuel

[TheBrownBear]

Just have the refs call 37 penalties against the Chiefs on Sunday.  Problem solved.

[What a Tuel]

7 minutes ago, Roy Hobbs said:

Agreed - I posted the same solution a few pages back. The counter was the sponsor activities that go on 1st week leading up to the Super Bowl.

 

Sponsor activities? Like ad space? 

 

Honestly in my opinion this is where the NFL makes a bold statement that it is willing to take a few hits to get this done right. If a sponsor cancels or is unhappy they should show they will take care of that side without issue.

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBear said:

Just have the refs call 37 penalties against the Chiefs on Sunday.  Problem solved.

 If they just call Kelce for holding/OPI 37 times, no one would even be able to argue it was unfair. 😂

Edited January 3, 2023 by What a Tuel

[Drew21PA]

Homerism - don’t count it and hope KC blows against the Raiders

 

fairness ?

 

buffalo takes the forfeit because we just can’t play 

 

buffalo also chooses to rest their guys against the patriots or just say screw that too

 

get emotionally and physically easy and kick ass come wildcard week at home 

[Seventeen]

8 minutes ago, What a Tuel said:

 

Sponsor activities? Like ad space? 

 

Honestly in my opinion this is where the NFL makes a bold statement that it is willing to take a few hits to get this done right. If a sponsor cancels or is unhappy they should show they will take care of that side without issue.

 If they just call Kelce for holding/OPI 37 times, no one would even be able to argue it was unfair. 😂

 

You've also got airline reservations, hotel rooms, rental cars and a loss of a week's revenue to the Phoenix/Glendale area if you chop a week off between the conference champs and the SB. Should the NFL step up ? You bet ... Will they ? Who knows ? 

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, davspo said:

There is no fair in this.  There is only class and character.  I think the right thing to do is to forfeit the game.  It really is meaningless to these guys.  Cincy was the epitome of class last night.  The coach, organization, fans and community.  Not putting them in a worse position would show sportsmanship back.

 

Cincy was the epitome of class last night AFTER his injury.  Before it there attempts to deliberately hurt players likely to improve chances of winning game.

As I said in another thread it is unlikely NFL will punish players because they have enough contribution on their side telling teams to be ready to play in 5 minutes but both teams did not (passive resistance).

13 minutes ago, Roy Hobbs said:

 

You've also got airline reservations, hotel rooms, rental cars and a loss of a week's revenue to the Phoenix/Glendale area if you chop a week off between the conference champs and the SB. Should the NFL step up ? You bet ... Will they ? Who knows ? 

 

They have not in past.  For Katrina rescheduled game which was cancelled they depended upon hotels and airlines to repay for cancellations.  USAir only gave vouchers good for a year but only when you tried to use it you were told that voucher was good only one year since Date of Purchase NOT date to be used.  If you bought your ticket when schedule was announced you were screwed.  I used to fly regularly for work and told them I am not flying on USAir even if airline is cheaper.

[thewookie1]

The NFL likely hopes the Chiefs and Bengals lose next week and the Bills win. In that scenario the game is completely unneeded as it would’t change seeding whatsoever. 
 

Plus it then gives Buffalo another week off to recover and for the media to do their thing about the Bills fighting on for their brother in the hospital or hopefully good enough to go home by Divisional week games.

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by thewookie1

[What a Tuel]

5 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

The NFL likely hopes the Chiefs and Bengals lose next week and the Bills win. In that scenario the game is completely unneeded as it would’t change seeding whatsoever. 
 

Plus it then gives Buffalo another week off to recover and for the media to do their thing about the Bills fighting on for their brother in the hospital or hopefully good enough to go home by Divisional week games.

 

The problem is that a Bengals loss against the Ravens puts them at 11-5 and the Ravens at 11-6 technically giving the Bengals the division unless the Bills vs Bengals game resolves. Ravens will have beaten the Bengals twice, so a Bengals loss to the Bills and a tied 11-6 record would give the Ravens the division.

Edited January 3, 2023 by What a Tuel

[UKBillFan]

9 minutes ago, What a Tuel said:

 

The problem is that a Bengals loss against the Ravens puts them at 11-5 and the Ravens at 11-6 technically giving the Bengals the division unless the Bills vs Bengals game resolves. Ravens will have beaten the Bengals twice, so a Bengals loss to the Bills and a tied 11-6 record would give the Ravens the division.

 

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.

[saundena]

Assuming the Bills Bengals game is cancelled and also assuming the Bills and Chiefs win their Week 18 games, one could easily make the claim that Bills should get the #1 seed since have a head to head advantage over the Chiefs and simply weren't able to play the 18 games due to the tragic events.

 

What's more is if the Bengals and Bills win in week 18 and the Chiefs lose, all three teams would have 4 losses, but Buffalo and Cincy would BOTH have head to head tiebreaker advantage over KC!  There would literally be a 3 way claim for the number 1 seed!

[Kiva]

5 minutes ago, UKBillFan said:

 

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.

Stop with the forfeit talk.  It’s not going to happen. 

[saundena]

Just now, saundena said:

Assuming the Bills Bengals game is cancelled and also assuming the Bills and Chiefs win their Week 18 games, one could easily make the claim that Bills should get the #1 seed since have a head to head advantage over the Chiefs and simply weren't able to play the 18 games due to the tragic events.

 

What's more is if the Bengals and Bills win in week 18 and the Chiefs lose, all three teams would have 4 losses, but Buffalo and Cincy would BOTH have head to head tiebreaker advantage over KC!  There would literally be a 3 way claim for the number 1 seed with Cincy and Buffalo seemingly stronger than the chiefs, but with a lower win percentage due to playing one less game.

 

No idea how this gets fixed, but hopefully point differential is considered   

 

[boyst]

13 minutes ago, saundena said:

Assuming the Bills Bengals game is cancelled and also assuming the Bills and Chiefs win their Week 18 games, one could easily make the claim that Bills should get the #1 seed since have a head to head advantage over the Chiefs and simply weren't able to play the 18 games due to the tragic events.

 

What's more is if the Bengals and Bills win in week 18 and the Chiefs lose, all three teams would have 4 losses, but Buffalo and Cincy would BOTH have head to head tiebreaker advantage over KC!  There would literally be a 3 way claim for the number 1 seed!

No, it would boil down to head to head record, division record, common opponents...

 

So... Buf and cin beat KC so KC is 3.

Buffalo is 3-2 in division. Cin is 2-3.

 

Buf winning puts them at 4-2 and cin wins they're 3-3.

 

Buf 1

Cin 2

KC 3

 

I dread any results going to KC and their arrogance of feeling bad for us and fake empathy. Part of me wants to let that happen then go in there and beat the tar off them. 

Edited January 4, 2023 by boyst

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, What a Tuel said:

 

Buffalo would get a bye week 1-22-23 if they get #1 seed.

 

Yes if the Chiefs get #1 seed they and NFC #1 seed would get 2 weeks. So what. It is so much less fair than #1 seed getting 1 week when every other seed gets none? Meh.

 

Also what logistics? The NFL doesn't even know who is playing who yet, let alone who is traveling to what stadium.

 

1-15-23 - Formerly Wildcard Weekend - Instead its just Bills vs Bengals

1-22-23 - Formerly Divisional Weekend - Instead it is Wildcard Weekend

1-29-23 - Formerly Conference Championships - Instead its Divisional Weekend

The one team this is unfair to is the Bengals and to a lesser degree Bills as every other team gets a bye the week before first round, but they have to play.

 

For those reasons I'd rather bag the game. Don't know if this has been suggested yet, but here's my idea.

 

Assuming KC, Bengals, and Bills don't lose this coming weekend, based on win percentage and which team didn't want to play, give KC #1 seed, Bengals #2, and Bills the 3 purely for seeding purposes only.

 

IF in 2nd round Bills Bengals meet, flip a coin for home field.  But would also be OK playing game in Cinnci.

 

IF Bills KC meet next round conference championship round, since KC got #1 seed based on one more game played, play the game on neutral site, the dome in Indy would be a nice half way point.

 

But if there is this rule that a game can't be canceled if it impacts another team, likely will end up playing it, though would still unfairly effect Bills and Bengals if everyone else has a bye.

[bostonadguy]

Here is a possible, fair, common sense approach and one that if Zac Taylor, Andy Reid, and Sean McDermott were to make if all things ended equal: (this would not happen). These would be matchup specific. Give the bye to the Bengals. They beat KC and they didn’t get the game with Buffalo in. 
Now, Cincy is gifted the bye. 

Cincy travels to Chiefs if they meet up due to Chiefs better record.

Bills travel to Cincy if they meet up due to Cincy not getting to play the Monday night. I’m sure the Bills would agree to this. (Goodwill.). NFL ensures 50 percent of tickets go to Bills fans.

Chiefs travel to Buffalo if they meet up. (Head to Head.)

 

This to me would be a fair and common sense way to do it because it gives each team an opportunity to host. 
 

Flame away!

[ehfeuh57]

18 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

Get rid of the bye week before the Super Bowl and Buffalo and Cincy have their game in 2 weeks. Only playoff games are pushed back a week and who cares about the Pro Bowl.

 

Seems about the most competitively fair thing they can do at this point 

 

The Pro Bowl can even be moved to Saturday during the day or Monday night without disrupting existing travel plans for many. both the CCG's will be on Sunday.

[thewookie1]

54 minutes ago, What a Tuel said:

 

The problem is that a Bengals loss against the Ravens puts them at 11-5 and the Ravens at 11-6 technically giving the Bengals the division unless the Bills vs Bengals game resolves. Ravens will have beaten the Bengals twice, so a Bengals loss to the Bills and a tied 11-6 record would give the Ravens the division.

If that plays out, Buffalo can forfeit the game. 
 

Buffalo 13-4

Chiefs 13-4

Bengals 12-5

[EmotionallyUnstable]

A chiefs loss this Sunday, paired with a Bills win would make this mess a whole lot easier. 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Serious question, have players died on the field and the game continued ?

 

 

[mannc]

One way to look at is that, if the Bengals game is not replayed and the Chiefs thereby end up with the first seed, the Bills (and Bengals) still got an extra bye week since they did not have to play a full week 17 game.  That alleviates some of the potential unfairness...   

[billvernsays]

This is obviously unprecedented and the only thing that matters is the health of D Hamlin.

 

Just a thought that the next game result for the Bills and the Bengals might count for this week and next week. If the Bills win vs the Pats they finish 14-3 and the Bengals will be 13-4 if we lose we’ll drop to 12-5 and the Bengals will be 11-6. 

 

It would only count as one game for the Pats and the Ravens. 
 

Probably stupid but it’s a thought as the schedule itself is pretty random as to strength of schedule and the Chiefs wouldn’t be able to claim it’s not fair as we both beat them. 
 

[HalftimeAdjustment]

10 minutes ago, Buffalo Barbarian said:

Serious question, have players died on the field and the game continued ?

 

 

 

Yes... in 1971. 

 

https://time.com/6244346/chuck-hughes-died-nfl-game-damar-hamlin/

 

[Mikie2times]

I think it's possible this decision comes before Saturday as to not inconvenience fans or travel, but to me it becomes almost probable once we get to the end of Saturday that a decision could be made.  Saturday we will most likely know how the NFL is handling the situation (I think). Perhaps the NFL is planning to wait for the Chiefs game to finish before they announce what the strategy is (Chiefs win could trigger a lot of other things). If the Chiefs win, I see little anybody could say about giving them homefield. Which then makes our game meaningless and a forfeit of the game logical for all involved. I don't think the Bills play in this scenario and question if they would even play if the Chiefs lost. We just need the rest physically and emotionally. 

[Success]

The game will not be meaningless.  Our game has huge implications for 4 cities hoping to get the 7 seed.

 

[Seventeen]

20 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

A chiefs loss this Sunday, paired with a Bills win would make this mess a whole lot easier. 

 

LFG Jarrett Stidham !!!

[Mikie2times]

1 minute ago, Success said:

The game will not be meaningless.  Our game has huge implications for 4 cities hoping to get the 7 seed.

 

If we forfeit the outcome is a loss which decides the fate of these teams in a consistent way  

[Success]

2 minutes ago, KzooMike said:

If we forfeit the outcome is a loss which decides the fate of these teams in a consistent way  

 

It would hand the Patriots the 7 seed.  I really don't think that would sit well w/ Miami, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, et al.

 

I just doubt they go that way. They'll try to make things as uncontroversial as possible. I could see the Cincy game being a forfeit, but not Sunday's game.

 

[Mikie2times]

1 minute ago, Success said:

 

It would hand the Patriots the 7 seed.  I really don't think that would sit well w/ Miami, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, et al.

 

I just doubt they go that way. They'll try to make things as uncontroversial as possible. I could see the Cincy game being a forfeit, but not Sunday's game.

 

We will forfeit Sunday most likely prior to the Chiefs game, certainly 100% if they win. The likelihood we play Sunday is very low IMO. 

[boilertiger]

9 minutes ago, HalftimeAdjustment said:

 

Yes... in 1971. 

 

https://time.com/6244346/chuck-hughes-died-nfl-game-damar-hamlin/

 

Also, not an on field death but in 2011, Jevon Belcher (Chiefs starting LB) murdered his girlfriend and mother of his 3 month old daughter.

 

Belcher then drove to Arrowhead stadium. Scott Pioli and Romeo Crennel in the parking lot tried to calm him down. Belcher asked Clark Hunt and Scott Pioli to take care of his daughter before shooting him self in the head. Chiefs had a game the next day.

 

 

[ArtVandalay]

Each team sends forth their best Madden player, they play with active rosters. Problem solved. 

[UKBillFan]

1 hour ago, Kiva said:

Stop with the forfeit talk.  It’s not going to happen. 

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.

10 minutes ago, Success said:

 

It would hand the Patriots the 7 seed.  I really don't think that would sit well w/ Miami, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, et al.

 

I just doubt they go that way. They'll try to make things as uncontroversial as possible. I could see the Cincy game being a forfeit, but not Sunday's game.

 

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.

[Alphadawg7]

Here is what I think is most likely going to happen:  The game is going to be ruled no contest and they will rank seeding on win %.  With the announcement of not resuming the game this week, it takes most scenarios off the board and I only really see 2 possible ways they have left to handle this.  Which is make the game no contest and seed on win % (this hurts a lot of teams though) or postpone the start of the playoffs one week to finish the game next week. 

 

Option 1:  No contest and win % used for seeding:  One of the biggest issues here is the handling of the #1 seed designation.  The reality is, there is nothing that can be done to offset the lost opportunity to 2 of the 3 teams in contention for the #1 seed who don't end up with it if this game is not resumed.  Then you have the disadvantage of losing out on home field opportunities when these teams face off in playoffs.

 

NOTE:  The one area though that can be adjusted to neutralize some of the disadvantage is with home field advantage.  Given that Buff, KC, and Cincy were all in direct contention for the #1 seed, the simple solution is to play any game where 2 of those teams are facing each other at a neutral site.  The only time it will come into play is if 2 of these teams play each other because if this is declared "no contest" and not resumed, they will be the top 3 seeds and division winners regardless and will have home field advantage against any other opponent in the playoffs.  So, the only time it becomes an issue is if they face each other, so simply move those games to a neutral site to offset any unfairness in final seeding if this game is not resumed.

 

Option 2:  Personally, I think the best solution is to play week 18, postpone playoffs one week and instead resume Bills vs Bengals game that following week.  But, that is a much more complex solution for the NFL to execute, so I am highly skeptical they would approach it that way.  

 

Outside of those 2 options, I don't think the NFL really has any other viable choices.  If they could have resumed the game tomorrow (which is impossible now) you could maybe get it all to work by moving Bills vs NE and Cincy vs Balt to like Tuesday next week.  But that ship has sailed, they would have had to decide that this morning.  The players union isn't going to allow any team to play 3 games in like a 10 day period.  So, the game would have had to resume today or tomorrow to have any chance of spacing the games out far enough without affecting starting the playoffs the same weekend as planned.  

 

 

[Captain Caveman]

It's pretty telling how many people are sure that one solution or another "can't / won't happen" and how someone is gonna have to be wrong.  This whole thing is pretty unprecedented - with that said, seeing as though no matter what someone is going to be unhappy with the solution (meaning some team), my best guess is they go with the simplest solution, which is probably not counting last night's game, or counting it as a tie for both teams, or counting it as a forfeit for the Bills. Any of those would make sense to me (keeping in mind that there is no great solution.) 

[Kiva]

26 minutes ago, KzooMike said:

We will forfeit Sunday most likely prior to the Chiefs game, certainly 100% if they win. The likelihood we play Sunday is very low IMO. 

This is just a terrible take…

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I have a feeling the NFL will wait and see what happens this week. I think if the bills, raiders, and ravens win this weekend, the bills-bengals game is meaningless for every purpose, and they can declare it a forfeit. 

[UKBillFan]

Just now, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

I have a feeling the NFL will wait and see what happens this week. I think if the bills, raiders, and ravens win this weekend, the bills-bengals game is meaningless for every purpose, and they can declare it a forfeit. 

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.