You can't give either team a Win as neither team won. It's not like baseball where if you played into the 6th inning and get rain they can cancel and award the team in the lead at the time the W. They were literally 6 minutes into a 60 minute contest so only 1/10 of the game had been completed.

I can't imagine any other outcome than declaring the game a tie.

(01-03-2023, 10:59 AM)Daddy-O Wrote: You can't give either team a Win as neither team won. It's not like baseball where if you played into the 6th inning and get rain they can cancel and award the team in the lead at the time the W. They were literally 6 minutes into a 60 minute contest so only 1/10 of the game had been completed.

I can't imagine any other outcome than declaring the game a tie.

It can’t be a tie… the score doesn’t allow for a tie.

If anything a no contest, meaning bengals and bills only played 16 games. But you can’t determine the outcome of the game. If you can’t award a win/loss, you can’t award a tie either.

Totally agree... either the game is resumed, or it becomes a "no contest."
No other outcome is acceptable, imho.

Declaring it a no contest and allowing Cincy and Buffalo to just play a 16 game season while every other team had to play 17 is also going to cause major headaches for the league.

(01-03-2023, 11:13 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Declaring it a no contest and allowing Cincy and Buffalo to just play a 16 game season while every other team had to play 17 is also going to cause major headaches for the league.

Tough luck, it’s the way the cookie might crumble.

Options:

Resume game.
Tomorrow - move bengals and bills week 18 game to the following Mon or Tuesday. Then, if bengals and/or bills play on WC weekend, move that to Monday as well. Then resume playoffs as normal

Bills/bengals play “week 17” on “week 18”. Pats and ravens get a bye week. Bills/Pats, Bengals/Ravens play on WC weekend. Then the playoffs resume with no off week before Super Bowl. This would result in a lot of lost revenue for the host city and really create problems for travel.

No Contest.
Chiefs Benefit. Bills/Bengals/Ravens are all losers in this situation.

(01-03-2023, 11:13 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Declaring it a no contest and allowing Cincy and Buffalo to just play a 16 game season while every other team had to play 17 is also going to cause major headaches for the league.

Right, the only correct outcome is to finish playing the game, or one of the teams forfeit.

(01-03-2023, 11:13 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Declaring it a no contest and allowing Cincy and Buffalo to just play a 16 game season while every other team had to play 17 is also going to cause major headaches for the league.

It's probably the easiest solution though... seeds would be determined by winning percentage.

(01-03-2023, 11:21 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Right, the only correct outcome is to finish playing the game, or one of the teams forfeit.

I think the league needs to set a game time for tomorrow and leave it up to the teams to decide to play/not play. The bengals PR team should already be drafting a response that allows us to 1) be sensitive to the situation but 2) let the league know we are ready to play.

We don’t want to catch blow back from the media as a team that “only” cares about football.

I don't think the teams can really be asked to play absent at least minimal clarity on Hamilin's situation, like being told he is in critical but stable condition. And the game, if it is to be played, has to happen by Wednesday at the latest. Pushing back the entire schedule a la 9/11 isn't realistic.

If the game isn't finished, there are only two real options: declare it a no-contest or a forfeiture by the Bills. I prefer the no-contest route.

(01-03-2023, 11:21 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Right, the only correct outcome is to finish playing the game, or one of the teams forfeit.

Not sure if this will happen, but I believe it is what should happen and will cause the least amount of issues overall for everyone involved (NFL, cities, broadcasts, fans, etc).

After sleeping in it and getting over the shock of the initial injury, it’s going to sound horrible but they have to find a way to finish the game.

It’s happened plenty of times in “soccer” several players have died on the pitch and even more have collapsed and the games completed.

Thoughts with Hamlin obviously and we are all praying he pulls through but life goes on people went to work after 9/11,guys in warehouses and factories had to go to work during covid.

It’s what the guys are paid to do it may only be a sport but it’s also a very highly paid profession.

(01-03-2023, 11:23 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: I think the league needs to set a game time for tomorrow and leave it up to the teams to decide to play/not play.  The bengals PR team should already be drafting a response that allows us to 1) be sensitive to the situation but 2) let the league know we are ready to play.  

We don’t want to catch blow back from the media as a team that “only” cares about football.

I believe that is what will happen.  You've got two teams that are in the thick of the race to compete for the World Championship.  Given a day to gestate, I can't see the Bills forfeiting this game.  They'll hold a team meeting, pull on their rally caps and adapt the motto of "Let's win the Super Bowl for Damar".

(01-03-2023, 11:31 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I believe that is what will happen.  You've got two teams that are in the thick of the race to compete for the World Championship.  Given a day to gestate, I can't see the Bills forfeiting this game.  They'll hold a team meeting, pull on their rally caps and adapt the motto of "Let's win the Super Bowl for Damar".

I agree, don’t see any nfl team not playing. Playing or not playing doesn’t help Damar here. Best they could do is play for Damar.

I hope none of my posts are coming off as insensitive. I lost my brother in law at 33 due to a pulmonary embolism, which led to cardiac arrest. I saw them do CPR for 30 minutes, it was a nightmare, but I had to step up and be there for my family and his. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. My heart breaks for his family, friends, team mates.

(01-03-2023, 11:23 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: I think the league needs to set a game time for tomorrow and leave it up to the teams to decide to play/not play.  The bengals PR team should already be drafting a response that allows us to 1) be sensitive to the situation but 2) let the league know we are ready to play.  

We don’t want to catch blow back from the media as a team that “only” cares about football.

There's a real assumption in the whole 'Buffalo should forfeit if they can't play' argument... would we be ready to play?

Tee is unfortunately probably nowhere near in the right mind to play right now. He won't be the only one. Josh Allen was not the only guy who looked horrified yesterday.

I think it's assumptive to say 'well if Buffalo don't want to turn up, we understand but that's a forfeit'. I understand the technical logistics of that idea, but it's not just Buffalo who will be traumatised by this. Would the Bengals be ready to turn up if they announce a game tonight/tomorrow? 

(01-03-2023, 10:52 AM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: If the Bills forfeited next week, then KC would have to give up the #1 seed wouldn't they? Unless they flat out lose of course.

I like what another dude said, about us forfeiting but on the provision that we'd host any playoff game between the two of us. That would mean we don't just get handed the AFCN (keeps the Ravens happy). Means KC don't just get handed the #1 seed. Seeding would be mostly unaffected too, as in most likelihood, our game with Buffalo probably just decides who is #2 and #3. I know #1 is in play for us, but I personally think KC will win in Week 18. This scenario would also allow Buffalo to have a crack at #1 as it was still in play for them.

That would keep the playoff picture relatively honest, while being compassionate with both Buffalo/Cincinnati AND the schedule. I think KC would be the team most screwed by the above potentially.

It's tough to resolve in any case. 

KC controls the number 1 seed. If KC wins, they are the #1 seed. 

Frankly, I know it has to be discussed and the NFL needs an outcome, but to me a man's life is on the line and all that matters right now. The NFL outcome will upset someone, but I hope NFL fans and players value life more than a seeding for a playoff.

(01-03-2023, 11:37 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: I agree, don’t see any nfl team not playing.  Playing or not playing doesn’t help Damar here.  Best they could do is play for Damar.  

I hope none of my posts are coming off as insensitive.  I lost my brother in law at 33 due to a pulmonary embolism, which led to cardiac arrest.  I saw them do CPR for 30 minutes, it was a nightmare, but I had to step up and be there for my family and his.  It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  My heart breaks for his family, friends, team mates.

Not at all.  I also lost a cousin at a relatively young age due to heart issues.  He was always a good athlete, b-ball, track, baseball, etc.  Even as an adult he continued to be active in rec league bball and softball leagues.  One weekend he took his family camping and began to feel "not himself" and extremely tired.  Two days later he was dead from heart failure.  Turns out that he only had 3 heart valves.  Not sure how in this modern age a man makes it to his 40s, without that condition being discovered. 

(01-03-2023, 11:49 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: KC controls the number 1 seed. If KC wins, they are the #1 seed. 

Frankly, I know it has to be discussed and the NFL needs an outcome, but to me a man's life is on the line and all that matters right now. The NFL outcome will upset someone, but I hope NFL fans and players value life more than a seeding for a playoff.

Doesn't Buffalo control the #1 seed prior to their game with us?

Fully agree with the 2nd part in any case. 

(01-03-2023, 11:55 AM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: Doesn't Buffalo control the #1 seed prior to their game with us?

Fully agree with the 2nd part in any case. 

Buffalo was the #1 seed  KC only took if over due to their victory on Sunday and the bills having yet to play
(as bills have the Tie Breaker with KC)

The closest precedent we have to this is the NBA bubble season in 2020.

What did they do?

(01-03-2023, 10:33 AM)PhilHos Wrote: If the game IS resumed, this is exactly what will happen since last night's game was SUSPENDED.

That said, only way I can see them resume the game is to play tonight and it doesn't look like that's happening. Playing tomorrow leads to a very shortened week even if they move both teams' games to Monday (not to mention if that's even possible with stadiums being used by groups other than sports teams).

What would be nice, but again, will not happen based on the logistics, would be to resume play between the Bengals and Bills this sunday. That being the only game this weekend. Push the schedule back a week and make it up by moving/canceling the Pro Bowl so the Super Bowl will be the only future game to be played on its regularly scheduled date. 

Again, I know that's not going to happen but that is probably the only "fair" way to resolve things considering last night's game affects more than just the Bills and Bengals.

If you go this route then 60k plus fans at each stadium would need to change hotel and plane arrangements, job shifts , this goes on and on endlessly vendors , tv show schedules', on and on.