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

[Cheektowaga Chad]

17 minutes ago, BillyBilliams said:

 

What are they going to do, though?  If they have a standalone game, the Bills and Bengals are at a disadvantage.  If the Chiefs get the bye, they are now afforded TWO weeks off.  The 6 and 7 seeds get a bye week because of the standalone game while they watch the Bills/Bengals slug it out.  How is that fair that the 2 or 3 seed has to play the 6 or 7 seed while they are fully rested?

If the league goes that route, the game that everyone was excited to watch Monday and the game that would be played will look vastly different

 

In my opinion it would look a lot more like a pre season game combined with the pro bowl

 

When it comes to the playoffs every team wants home field but home field takes a back seat to health

[BillsFanSD]

19 minutes ago, BillyBilliams said:

But why give Cincy the W?  What did they do to win the game?  

What if Josh Allen had torn his knee instead of just tweaking it a little?  Teams win games due to other players' injuries all the time.  It's part of sports.  If the league sticks the Bills with a L, in my mind it's just going to go directly into the "losses caused by injury" bucket, much like the Miami game.  

 

(To be clear, this isn't my preferred outcome.  I'm just saying that it's not some kind of miscarriage of justice or anything). 

Edited January 4, 2023 by BillsFanSD

[Not Applicable]

If the Chiefs and Bengals win this week, and the Bills lose, that essentially takes care of the seeding dilemma for the most part, right? NFL is probably holding out on that possible outcome before making any decision.

[What a Tuel]

21 minutes ago, BillyBilliams said:

Or, just act as if the game never happened.  It's not that big of a deal.  Cincy just simply clinches the division, which is unfortunate for the Ravens, but I'm going to be real, they wouldn't beat Cincy without Jackson anyways.  Cincy still has the opportunity for the 2 seed.  Buffalo still has the opportunity for the 1 seed barring a KC loss.

 

Its not that big of deal but shaft a team that has nothing to do with this from 1) a chance to win their division and 2) home field advantage for the playoffs. Sure not that big of a deal haha.

 

In the mean time a team getting an extra week of rest before playing a playoff game is off limits because it is such a big deal. I mean....come on.

18 minutes ago, BillyBilliams said:

 

Like what was said earlier, this damages the NFL's money making venturs for Super Bowl Sunday.  You guys might not like it, but the NFL is here to make money.  The SB means way more than some regular season game.  The game on Monday does nothing to decide the outcome of the eventual Super Bowl winners.  

 

We are going in circles. The NFL doesn't actually lose a ton moving wildcard weekend games back a week. The rest of the playoffs (besides SB which wouldn't be moved) no one has any idea where they would be played so how much planning could they have done?

 

Screw wild card weekend plans and do this right instead of makeshift altering seeding rules and drawing numbers.

[TH3]

3 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

It’s been said in another thread:

 

If you resume the game as a stand alone Week 19 matchup, nobody is penalized. 

 

And we all avoid sitting through the stupid Pro Bowl week. 

I don’t think they will do that…shift the entire slate the playoffs? Can’t see it…I think the NFL is likely negotiating between the Chiefs Bills and Bengals right now…to present the outcome

Sunday evening

i would the those 3 also deserve to know what they are exactly playing for this weekend

Edited January 4, 2023 by TH3

[Warriorspikes51]

17 minutes ago, What a Tuel said:

 

Its not that big of deal but shaft a team that has nothing to do with this from 1) a chance to win their division and 2) home field advantage for the playoffs. Sure not that big of a deal haha.

 

In the mean time a team getting an extra week of rest before playing a playoff game is off limits because it is such a big deal. I mean....come on.

 

We are going in circles. The NFL doesn't actually lose a ton moving wildcard weekend games back a week. The rest of the playoffs (besides SB which wouldn't be moved) no one has any idea where they would be played so how much planning could they have done?

 

Screw wild card weekend plans and do this right instead of makeshift altering seeding rules and drawing numbers.

Well one thing is for sure, a Bills Bengals only game of the weekend would have insane ratings.

KC Loss + CIN Win + BUF Win = 

the game would literally be for the 1 seed. 



 

2 minutes ago, TH3 said:

I don’t think they will do that…shift the entire slate the playoffs? Can’t see it…I think the NFL is likely negotiating between the Chiefs Bills and Bengals right now…to present the outcome

Sunday evening

Include the Ravens. A no contest ruling means Baltimore can't win AFC North 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Warriorspikes51

[Fleezoid]

I think we should let Joshua decide the seeding....

 

[What a Tuel]

29 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Include the Ravens. A no contest ruling means Baltimore can't win AFC North 

 

To their credit, the Ravens fans on their forum are relatively calm about this possibility. Not sure if they would be different if Lamar was playing this weekend or if they happen to pull off the upset against the Bengals.

[Mango]

I think there is some confusion from two camps. 

One side is saying the Bills have to play this game because of seeding for other teams. The Bills don't have to do anything. Taylor and McDermott proved that to the league the other night. I don't agree with making two teams play who don't want to. Which we don't actually know one way or another.

But what I think a good portion of the board is saying isn't that the Bills should not play the game. Rather if both the Bills/Bengals feels compelled to replay that game they should. If they don't the league is capable of issuing losses, ties, etc. without rescheduling the entirety of the playoffs. 

 

 

 

[WotAGuy]

1 hour ago, ScottLaw said:

Again, why are we just giving Cincy the win?

It’s just a personal opinion based on my personal feeling that playoff seeding doesn’t matter given the more important issues involved. 

[BrooklynBills]

On 1/3/2023 at 5:52 AM, Buffalo Ballin said:

How are we doomed again? It's just a game.

 

Not trying to change the subject, but I have to mention this: Why did Roger Goodell extend the NFL season to 17 games? He had fears years ago that someone was going to get killed. Yet he extended it anyway.

 

Owners wanted it extended to 17 games. That wasn't a Goodell initiative.

[SoCal Deek]

11 minutes ago, Mango said:

I think there is some confusion from two camps. 

One side is saying the Bills have to play this game because of seeding for other teams. The Bills don't have to do anything. Taylor and McDermott proved that to the league the other night. I don't agree with making two teams play who don't want to. Which we don't actually know one way or another.

But what I think a good portion of the board is saying isn't that the Bills should not play the game. Rather if both the Bills/Bengals feels compelled to replay that game they should. If they don't the league is capable of issuing losses, ties, etc. without rescheduling the entirety of the playoffs. 

 

 

 

Nobody is saying they "have to" play the game. My point is that the Bills should "want to" play the game.  If they don't want to play the game, that is in essence a forfeit and they could do that today.

[blitzboy54]

I just hate the idea of the Chiefs backing into the 1 seed. They have never played a road game in the playoffs with Mahomes. We beat them, Cinci beat them. WTF. 

[SoCal Deek]

1 hour ago, Patrick Fitzryan said:

If the Chiefs and Bengals win this week, and the Bills lose, that essentially takes care of the seeding dilemma for the most part, right? NFL is probably holding out on that possible outcome before making any decision.

Does it?  If the Bengals and Bills end up with the same 12-4 record, do the Bengals get the #2 seed?  If so, you may be onto something. 

[Mango]

Just now, SoCal Deek said:

Nobody is saying they "have to" play the game. My point is that the Bills should "want to" play the game.  If they don't want to play the game, that is in essence a forfeit and they could do that today.

 

I mean, the bolded is silly at best. Most of us have likely been around when a parent, grandparent, etc. died. But this experience likely has little empathy from the standard population.

 

We shouldn't be saying what players should and should not want to do in this scenario. They may very well want to, and that is cool with me. They might be fired up. AWESOME! But they might not be, and that is OK too. 

SoCal Deek: Hey Josh, do you want to play the Bengals game again?
Josh Allen: Not, really. 
SoCal Deek: Well you should!



 

[BillsFanSD]

Just now, Mango said:

 

I mean, the bolded is silly at best. Most of us have likely been around when a parent, grandparent, etc. died. But this experience likely has little empathy from the standard population.

Brett Favre started a game the day after his dad died, and he was universally lionized for having done so.

[SoCal Deek]

1 minute ago, Mango said:

 

I mean, the bolded is silly at best. Most of us have likely been around when a parent, grandparent, etc. died. But this experience likely has little empathy from the standard population.

 

We shouldn't be saying what players should and should not want to do in this scenario. They may very well want to, and that is cool with me. They might be fired up. AWESOME! But they might not be, and that is OK too. 

SoCal Deek: Hey Josh, do you want to play the Bengals game again?
Josh Allen: Not, really. 
SoCal Deek: Well you should!



 

Then just forfeit ....now. I have no idea what you want here? 

[Mango]

Just now, SoCal Deek said:

Does it?  If the Bengals and Bills end up with the same 12-4 record, do the Bengals get the #2 seed?  If so, you may be onto something. 

 

I have a thought on this. In this scenario the Bills should keep the 2 seed with the contingency that if they meet in the playoffs this year the Bengals are owed home field due to the missed game. 

1 minute ago, BillsFanSD said:

Brett Favre started a game the day after his dad died, and he was universally lionized for having done so.

 

OK...

 

Good for Favre...

[SoCal Deek]

Just now, Mango said:

 

I have a thought on this. In this scenario the Bills should keep the 2 seed with the contingency that if they meet in the playoffs this year the Bengals are owed home field due to the missed game. 

Here's where you and I differ.  Nobody owes the Bills anything. If they choose not to play, then they live with the consequences of that decision...and that's OK.  It is there choice. Use it as motivation, or not. 

[Lothar]

12 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Does it?  If the Bengals and Bills end up with the same 12-4 record, do the Bengals get the #2 seed?  If so, you may be onto something. 

Well then you'd have to either play the game or allow the teams to decide whether being the 2 or 3 seed is worth playing. I'd gather at that point the Bills would be ok  playing a potential 2/3  matchup in Cincy in 2 weeks for the actual playoff game. Rather than twice in 3 games with an abbreviated schedule. 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Lothar

[BrooklynBills]

9 minutes ago, Mango said:

I think there is some confusion from two camps. 

One side is saying the Bills have to play this game because of seeding for other teams. The Bills don't have to do anything. Taylor and McDermott proved that to the league the other night. I don't agree with making two teams play who don't want to. Which we don't actually know one way or another.

But what I think a good portion of the board is saying isn't that the Bills should not play the game. Rather if both the Bills/Bengals feels compelled to replay that game they should. If they don't the league is capable of issuing losses, ties, etc. without rescheduling the entirety of the playoffs. 

 

 

 

Playing the game to POSSIBLY get the 1 seed and the extra bye week makes zero sense.

Scenario 1 (week 19 game):

week 18 - game

"week 19" - game (every other team gets a bye)

WC - bye or game

DIV - game

Champ - game

 

If you win both week 18 and 19(which is going to be both mentally taxing and just hard because CIN is good), to get to SB - Game, Game, BYE, Game, Game

If you lose either week 18 or 19, to get to SB - Game, Game, Game, Game, Game

 

So you either need to win 4 games with a bye in between weeks 2 and 3 OR win 5 in a row.

 

IMO - from the Bills perspective - you forfeit the game this weekend against NE and take your bye week right now and then go win 3 games to get to the SB.

 

There is not a fair way to do the seeding without playing the CIN game, but playing that game makes zero sense for the Bills on so many levels.  If I'm the Bills, at this point I'm only concerned with my own team and what is best for them. Is it fair to whoever is fighting for that last playoff spot? NO, but I am not concerned with that in the least. They had all season to get in a better position.

 

Everyone is saying to let the Bills have the most control in the process for themselves - well, that is how you do that.  Unless the NFL has a way for the Bills to get the 1 seed by beating NE this weekend AND not having to re-play the CIN game, the NE forfeit scenario outlined above is the most fair way to do that.

[SoCal Deek]

Just now, Lothar said:

Well then you'd have to either play the game or allow the teams to decideb whether being the 2 or 3 seed is worth playing. I'd gather at that point the Bills would be ok  playing a potential 2/3  matchup in Cincy in 2 weeks for the actual playoff game. Rather than twice in 3 wow with an abbreviated schedule. 

Agreed. Since it looks like the 2 and 3 seed could face each other this year (although you never know) it comes down to how much the Bills want home field advantage for that one. 

 

,

[SoCal Deek]

2 minutes ago, BrooklynBills said:

Playing the game to POSSIBLY get the 1 seed and the extra bye week makes zero sense.

Scenario 1 (week 19 game):

week 18 - game

"week 19" - game (every other team gets a bye)

WC - bye or game

DIV - game

Champ - game

 

If you win both week 18 and 19(which is going to be both mentally taxing and just hard because CIN is good), to get to SB - Game, Game, BYE, Game, Game

If you lose either week 18 or 19, to get to SB - Game, Game, Game, Game, Game

 

So you either need to win 4 games with a bye in between weeks 2 and 3 OR win 5 in a row.

 

IMO - from the Bills perspective - you forfeit the game this weekend against NE and take your bye week right now and then go win 3 games to get to the SB.

 

There is not a fair way to do the seeding without playing the CIN game, but playing that game makes zero sense for the Bills on so many levels.  If I'm the Bills, at this point I'm only concerned with my own team and what is best for them. Is it fair to whoever is fighting for that last playoff spot? NO, but I am not concerned with that in the least. They had all season to get in a better position.

 

Everyone is saying to let the Bills have the most control in the process for themselves - well, that is how you do that.  Unless the NFL has a way for the Bills to get the 1 seed by beating NE this weekend AND not having to re-play the CIN game, the NE forfeit scenario outlined above is the most fair way to do that.

You and I agree here. If the Bills essentially want to pack it in, for right now at least, they can forfeit the New England game....today.

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

2 minutes ago, D. L. Hot-Flamethrower said:

This is most fair way to do it, I mean we use all kinds of technology, replays etc. Why not?

 

Bills -31 Bengals -17

 

DONE!

 

https://www.nflgamesim.com/nfl-game-simulator.asp?HomeTeam=nflBengals&HomeYear=2023&AwayTeam=nflBills&AwayYear=2023&hs=1&hSchedule=0

 

The score keeps changing, but Bills keep winning so all good!

Edited January 4, 2023 by D. L. Hot-Flamethrower

[stlbills13]

The NFL can't wait until to see how the weekend games turn out even if that's what they would rather do. I say don't play the game but I see good and fair arguments on either side. I just think every team in the NFL should know what is at stake when the games start on Saturday. If the NFL says they aren't going to play the game and they're gonna seed based on win %, then if KC wins on Saturday, I am in favor of resting almost everyone Sunday against NE. 

[PetermansRedemption]

I’m sure there are many layers to this, but the NFL is a multi-billion dollar corporation with thousands of employees. How have they not released what the plan is here? At a minimum, they need to suspend week 18 while they develop their plan. How do you expect the Bills, Bengals, Ravens, Chiefs, etc to play without even knowing what they are playing for. Doesn’t make any sense to continue with week 18 just to continue to fly by the seat of their pants. 

Edited January 4, 2023 by PetermansRedemption

[Greg S]

Just now, PetermansRedemption said:

I’m sure there are many layers to this, but the NFL is a multi-million dollar corporation with thousands of employees. How have they not released what the plan is here? At a minimum, they need to suspend week 18 while they develop their plan. How do you expect the Bills, Bengals, Ravens, Chiefs, etc to play without even knowing what they are playing for. Doesn’t make any sense to continue with week 18 just to continue to fly by the seat of their pants. 

 

Billion

[PetermansRedemption]

Just now, Greg S said:

 

Billion

Oops, that’s what I meant to put too. Guess my fingers wanted to type something different. 

[Airseven]

I agree the resolution of this game absolutely needs to be determined before Sat.

 

I thought for sure an option to resume the game would be suggested for Thurs/Fri (and obviously this weekend’s Bills and Bengals games pushed to next Tues/Wed). Perhaps it was and the Bills declined, who knows. We’re in very curious territory now and really interested to hear what the NFL decides. There’s no easy way out.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Airseven

[SoCal Deek]

This isn't going to be popular post but you have to wonder what the Patriots are thinking. If the Bills don't want to play this weekend, then the Pats essentially back-into the last playoff spot....right? If so, you'd think New England management would want to know that as soon as possible. Otherwise they have a road game to get ready for.

 

[stlbills13]

The Bills don't owe anything to anybody to operate under a normal schedule/situation but I do think the NFL owes it to everyone to communicate a definitive plan well before this weekends games are played. The NFL is king of the Friday afternoon news dump though so I expect it Friday at 4:30

[Seventeen]

18 minutes ago, BrooklynBills said:

IMO - from the Bills perspective - you forfeit the game this weekend against NE and take your bye week right now and then go win 3 games to get to the SB.

 

Not happening with the Dolphins / Steelers / Titans / Jags still fighting for the #7 seed

[Greg S]

1 minute ago, Roy Hobbs said:

 

Not happening with the Dolphins / Steelers / Titans / Jags still fighting for the #7 seed

 

The Jags and Titans are fighting for the division. The loser can still make it in?

[LabattBlue]

The Bills aren’t forfeiting the NE game, the CIN game(if rescheduled), or any playoff games.  Not happening. 

[Seventeen]

4 minutes ago, Greg S said:

 

The Jags and Titans are fighting for the division. The loser can still make it in?

 

Only the Jags if the FIns / Pats & Steelers all lose

[BrooklynBills]

12 minutes ago, Roy Hobbs said:

 

Not happening with the Dolphins / Steelers / Titans / Jags still fighting for the #7 seed

They can't force them to play. As far as I know, the Bills can list all of their players as injured/unavailable and simply forfeit three game.

 

Again, if I'm the McDermott/Beane/Pegula, I care less than 0% about what that means for 31 other teams.

[Nextmanup]

25 minutes ago, stlbills13 said:

The Bills don't owe anything to anybody to operate under a normal schedule/situation but I do think the NFL owes it to everyone to communicate a definitive plan well before this weekends games are played. The NFL is king of the Friday afternoon news dump though so I expect it Friday at 4:30

Inconvenience to the people who actually attend the game will be the absolute least of the NFL's concerns through this.

 

 

[Seventeen]

2 minutes ago, BrooklynBills said:

They can't force them to play. As far as I know, the Bills can list all of their players as injured/unavailable and simply forfeit three game.

 

Again, if I'm the McDermott/Beane/Pegula, I care less than 0% about what that means for 31 other teams.

 

Awesome plan - give yourself an extra bye week by forfeiting a game. 

[Locomark]

On 1/3/2023 at 10:54 AM, BRH said:

I haven't read all the suggestions, but my son just said this:

 

- Don't play this game.

- Cancel the KC-Raiders game next Sunday because the Raiders are out of the playoffs and KC has already won their division.

- Let Cincinnati and Buffalo play their games because they involve a division title (in Cincinnati/Baltimore's case) and a playoff berth (in New England's case).

 

No playoff games are eliminated or moved.

 

I kind of like it.  It's completely unfair to give KC the 1 seed outright because of this game being canceled.  KC already played their game this week and won.  Let Cincinnati and Buffalo have their games next week.  Then all three teams have played 16 games and the 1 seed/bye can be more fairly decided.

This was a great suggestion but the NFL will never take revenue off the table. 

I heard someone today say let the top teams play at a neutral site. That’s a new one. 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

 So on the NFL Radio Murray/Gannon were just saying that in the end, life is not fair and therefore the Bills will suffer the most unfairness. They believe the NFL will call game a no contest, Chiefs win Sat and have a better winning % and get 1 seed.

 

Do you think the NFL would want to release this plan prior to the games? I'm not so sure