(01-03-2023, 10:18 AM)PDub80 Wrote: Disclaimer: Assuming the guy is ok. 100% #1, 2, 3, 4, 5 priority.

But this is professional sports and the league will continue. If it were any other kind of collegiant or amature league, 100% it's a no contest or a tie or is made up whenever they can fit it in.

But this is professional. My issue with the tie is that if, in any sport, a team or participant cannot continue due to injury the game is ruled in favor of the team or participant who can.... regardless of the score.

Bills had a catastrophic injury and could not continue.


The only way a tie makes sense and I would understand is if the Bengals agreed to or demanded it and the NFL abided by that wish.

the issue is there isnt time to play the game now Monday to Sunday already a short week.  Playing Tues-Wed    would have to delay their sunday games which puts thme at a disadvantage in playoffs..

Unless they finish the game today @ 1pm but players already returned to buffalo.

Both teams would have to agree on the Decision for it to happen i believe  If the Bills are forced to Foreit im fine with that.  I was just offering a solution that pushes everything forward.

(01-03-2023, 10:16 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Although it is not meaningless for the Bengals, especially if the Raiders (who looked good against the 49ers) could beat KC.  That would essentially give Cincy the #1 seed with a win against Buffalo and Baltimore.

However, I wonder if there could be an instance where the league (I read the rule and Goodell can pretty much do anything, he has that power...c'mon steeler fan, earn that $40 million per year) would allow the Bengals to forfeit the game to the Bills (who would still have to beat NE to get the 1 seed) and the Bengals would be all but stuck in the 3 seed.  But say the agreement is that the Bills, by accepting the win, say that if the Bengals and Bills meet in the AFC Championship, it would be played in Cincinnati.

Now, Cincy would still have to win on the road at KC (again) most likely, but the ability to host the AFC championship at home would be a nice carrot.  

Before everyone craps on it, remember, Goodell can do whatever he chooses.  It is pretty black and white that he can do anything.  

Yeah it's not literally meaningless, it's of course a very meaningful game, that's why the NFL has such a tough job figuring this out. It's probably the most important regular season game this year. I just meant it's 'meaningless' in perspective.

Actually really like that idea, even if I can't see it happening. A little give and take for both teams in that scenario. Means the Ravens don't watch us get handed the AFCN, means we don't give up the chance of hosting Buffalo if we'd have won, but also doesn't just hand KC the #1 seed. I think KC would be the unhappiest with that scenario, but whatever happens it'll require good will.

(01-03-2023, 10:18 AM)Atomic Orange Wrote: Tie or have a field goal contest or just flip a coin.

Why a tie? The other team could not continue due to injury. What's the justification behind the Bills being awarded a tie in professional sports? They were on the road, losing, and the Bengals were in their territory... and the Bills are given a tie?

If the Bengals do so as an "I'm sorry" gift. Or because they say it's in the interest of fairness, OK.... 100% behind that. But if the NFL awards a tie to the Bills that makes no sense to me... in professional sports.

(01-03-2023, 10:21 AM)XenoMorph Wrote: the issue is there isnt time to play the game now Monday to Sunday already a short week.  Playing Tues-Wed    would have to delay their sunday games which puts thme at a disadvantage in playoffs..

Unless they finish the game today @ 1pm but players already returned to buffalo.

Both teams would have to agree on the Decision for it to happen i believe  If the Bills are forced to Foreit im fine with that.  I was just offering a solution that pushes everything forward.

I am 100% with you on the Bengals having to agree with it for there to be a tie. It is a horrible situation for the Bulls org and Hamlin/Hamlin family.

(01-03-2023, 08:52 AM)Browns Town Bengal Wrote: Or a no contest.  As if the game never happened.  That might be the only way they can solve this with no teams looking like the victim or villain.  

No Contest is the only solution.  It is not a Tie. It certainly is not a Bengals loss.  Bills are back in Buffalo, there will be no game quickly made up.  This game will be cancelled and a No Contest.  Bills win the AFC EAST.  Bengals win the AFC North with Ravens having 2 losses more and 1 game left.  Plus will Bills or Bengals even be up for playing this weekend.  Bills and Bengals win their divisions in a No Contest ruling, and both teams will at least get some time to recover emotionally a little before play-offs.  

This concept that Bengals are the villains and should offer the Bills the win is nonsense. There are no villains here, this is not TV Wrestling. 

The main thing is this player at Cincinnati Hospital in critical condition.  The Bills are back in Buffalo, so everybody can forget a game being played.  They will be lucky if these teams want to play their last games this weekend.  The good new is neither the Bills or Bengals have to win the last game of the season.  They have won their divisions.  

No Contest.....NFL gives ticket holders their money back. It would not be very Caring of NFL to keep the money.  NFL needs to eat the loss and give fans their ticket money back, and I am not a ticket holder saying this. .....The main thing is Prayers or Good Wishes for this player and his family.....This game is over. It is a No Contest.....Prayers for this player and his family. 

(01-03-2023, 08:52 AM)Browns Town Bengal Wrote: Or a no contest.  As if the game never happened.  That might be the only way they can solve this with no teams looking like the victim or villain.  

No Contest is the only solution.  It is not a Tie. It certainly is not a Bengals loss.  Bills are back in Buffalo, there will be no game quickly made up.  This game will be cancelled and a No Contest.  Bills win the AFC EAST.  Bengals win the AFC North with Ravens having 2 losses more and 1 game left.  Plus will Bills or Bengals even be up for playing this weekend.  Bills and Bengals win their divisions in a No Contest ruling, and both teams will at least get some time to recover emotionally a little before play-offs.  

This concept that Bengals are the villains and should offer the Bills the win is nonsense. There are no villains here, this is not TV Wrestling. 

The main thing is this player at Cincinnati Hospital in critical condition.  The Bills are back in Buffalo, so everybody can forget a game being played.  They will be lucky if these teams want to play their last games this weekend.  The good new is neither the Bills or Bengals have to win the last game of the season.  They have won their divisions.  

No Contest.....NFL gives ticket holders their money back. It would not be very Caring of NFL to keep the money.  NFL needs to eat the loss and give fans their ticket money back, and I am not a ticket holder saying this. .....The main thing is Prayers or Good Wishes for this player and his family.....This game is over. It is a No Contest.....Prayers for this player and his family. 

(01-03-2023, 08:56 AM)QueenCity Wrote: Penalizes the Bengals the most in this scenario.  

No chance at the #1 seed.
Buffalo wins the #2 seed with a W vs. Pats
Bengals can still lose the North I think and do not get a home playoff game. 

leading to the Bengals facinge Chargers potentially getting walloped in the Wildcard, and listening the Charger fans talk about Herbert being better than Burrow... 

Outside of the obvious horrific situation from last night, this has shaken up the Post season in ways we've never witnessed in this league. 

I agree with the posters who pointed out the Bills have left the city and their will be no makeup game. This situation is significant from a football sense (just think if we needed 2 wins to get in the playoffs - which we don't but the seeding is significant as one of the reasons we made the SB is we got to take the Raiders/Titans route to KC and not having to go through the Bills and Chiefs)...

(01-03-2023, 10:00 AM)Nepa Wrote: Absolute nonsense. The Bengals would not be giving up a Super Bowl run. They are in the playoffs and they can win whether the home team or the away team. They beat the Ravens and they are the 3rd seed at worse. No one is advocating a solution where the Bengals give up a Super Bowl run. Just advocating demonstrating good sportsmanship, which is something severely lacking to see these days.

Just stop. 

As someone else said, I am guessing the Bills fly back for Wednesday, and then there is a very short week. That isn't ideal of course. It is hard on the players and I'm not just talking about with respect to their ability to play football. It is what I think will likely happen though.

There is a bye week between conference championship games and the SB. Eliminate it. Push the start of the playoffs back one week and make up the Bengals/Bills game on the original wild card weekend. It gets all games in and would be fair to everyone.

(01-03-2023, 09:59 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That's not the point.  It was a competitive event, someone was supposed to win, someone was supposed to lose.  The game should be picked back up where it left off, and if one team wishes not to continue, they forfeit.

Some might feel like I'm just being an old curmudgeon, but it wasn't all that long ago that Ryan Shazier had his neck broken, laid on the field for 45 minutes, and they STILL finished the game.  Football is a dangerous sport with inherent physical risks that every man who plays the game is made fully aware of, prior to snapping on that chin strap.  I feel terrible for the player and his family, but life still must go on.

This is the only option in my eyes. Finish the game or forfeit. If we finish the game, it needs to be Tue night or Wed we cannot expect the other 30 teams to push things back a week. You cannot expect the Bengals to go into the playoffs with a week less recovery time as everyone else. The Bills should concede the victory it is their players that could not continue. It is a tragedy, but you have to have a win or a loss a tie is only going to hurt us in seeding which none of this was our fault. 

Some teams play on 4 days rest on short weeks rather have a full week to prepare for the Ravens, but I really see no other options.

(01-03-2023, 10:44 AM)BoomerFan Wrote: As someone else said, I am guessing the Bills fly back for Wednesday, and then there is a very short week. That isn't ideal of course. It is hard on the players and I'm not just talking about with respect to their ability to play football. It is what I think will likely happen though.

I just don't see it happening after such an Event with a players health that this won't Raise a lot of Player safety issues.

(01-03-2023, 10:29 AM)PDub80 Wrote: Why a tie? The other team could not continue due to injury. What's the justification behind the Bills being awarded a tie in professional sports? They were on the road, losing, and the Bengals were in their territory... and the Bills are given a tie?

If the Bengals do so as an "I'm sorry" gift. Or because they say it's in the interest of fairness, OK.... 100% behind that. But if the NFL awards a tie to the Bills that makes no sense to me... in professional sports.

Sorry for what, and how is that fair? The Bengals did nothing to be sorry for, and the Bills were behind on the scoreboard. This isn't Pop Warner guys, this is professional sports. Nothing they do about his game has any bearing on Hamlin's recovery, so there is no reason why they Bengals should accept anything less than a win or replay the game.

They are going to 100% have to finish the game.

There are just too many things on the line and implications to call it a "no contest". Division titles, seeding, home field, MONEY, etc.

When and how they replay it is the big question. I am a little confused on why the Bills were so quick to get out of dodge last night. That seemed like a rash decision while things were trying to be worked out.

(01-03-2023, 10:44 AM)BoomerFan Wrote: As someone else said, I am guessing the Bills fly back for Wednesday, and then there is a very short week. That isn't ideal of course. It is hard on the players and I'm not just talking about with respect to their ability to play football. It is what I think will likely happen though.

Wednesday as in tomorrow? Bengals would have worked with them to allow them to remain in the city (and practice somewhere) if they had to come back in a little over 24 hours anyway.

(01-03-2023, 10:50 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: They are going to 100% have to finish the game.

There are just too many things on the line and implications to call it a "no contest". Division titles, seeding, home field, MONEY, etc.

When and how they replay it is the big question. I am a little confused on why the Bills were so quick to get out of dodge last night. That seemed like a rash decision while things were trying to be worked out.

They check out of their hotel prior to going to the stadium. I'm guessing the team needs well over 100-150 rooms. Hard to rebook that many at the last moment. They would have had to spread the Bills all over the city.

(01-03-2023, 10:55 AM)jj22 Wrote: Wednesday as in tomorrow? Bengals would have worked with them to allow them to remain in the city (and practice somewhere) if they had to come back in a little over 24 hours anyway.

It ain't happening.  The players do not want to come back Wednesday and play this thing.  It ain't happening.  The Players Union will back them up.  All concern now is with the injured player and family. There will be no restarting this game.  Buffalo is not going to fly back from Buffalo to Cincy.

If you can’t award a win/loss, you can’t award a tie. A tie is a result of a final score, just like a win or loss.

You could do no contest, and bills/bengals would only have 16 games. But the fallout is terrible.

Chiefs - good, likely the one seed.
Bills- bad, likely the two seed.
Bengals - good in the sense that you get the AFCN, bad that you likely cant get the 2 seed.

Ravens - irate. No chance of winning the division.

I feel like they, NFL, have to at least set a game time, and then the teams can do what they want regarding play/don’t play.

(01-03-2023, 11:07 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: If you can’t award a win/loss, you can’t award a tie.  A tie is a result of a final score, just like a win or loss.

You could do no contest, and bills/bengals would only have 16 games.  But the fallout is terrible.

Chiefs - good, likely the one seed.
Bills- bad, likely the two seed.
Bengals - good in the sense that you get the AFCN, bad that you likely cant get the 2 seed.

Ravens - irate.  No chance of winning the division.  

I feel like they, NFL, have to at least set a game time, and then the teams can do what they want regarding play/don’t play.

You'll need good will from somebody, but yes the distinctions between a tie and an no-contest are important here.

I think a no-contest works if we base the AFCN only on wins. They could then win the division if they beat us. That's why the game can't be called a tie, it just ruins the division title. 

There isn't really a fair way to keep both the #1 seed and AFCN in play at the same time, short of replaying the game. And it's very questionable to say if that'd be a 'fair measure' either.

The League will have to dictate a result/NC I think.

The only real solution to this that does not effect the rest of the league is for Buffalo to forfeit. Sucks for them and I hate it (If Cincy loses in the playoffs, I will be pulling for Buffalo), but they could not finish the game and Cincy could. All it costs Buffalo is the #1 seed, they are still Division Champs. KC is happy, Baltimore can suck it.