(01-03-2023, 03:37 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: If they just skip the game, I will be angry. Don't get that at all, this game is huge in Playoff implications.

At the end of the day, the show must go on. 

(01-03-2023, 03:45 PM)bengaloo Wrote: At the end of the day, the show must go on. 

Yeah, but you don't just skip the show lol

(01-03-2023, 03:36 PM)Mickeypoo Wrote: Oh I completely agree and if the game were reversed I wouldn't want the win.  That would feel icky.

You could reference the Colts/Vikings game also.

I honestly think my OCD mind can process someone getting a win and someone getting a loss much easier than a tie or a no contest. Even it it means an *.  It keeps everything "normal" and I am a creature of regiment and habit.  lol.

That's fair enough may dude. While I think this is just such an unfortunately and unusual situation that I'm happy enough with an 'unusual' resolution, I don't think it's easy to resolve this one. I see solutions I like more than others, but can't say I've seen one I think ticks all boxes. There probably just isn't one. 

Sounds like they are going to kick the can down the road and see what happens after the outcome of Sunday's games.

I'm glad we have such a likable team and players now, because I still expect the Bengals to win the AFC and that's likely to require beating the Bills in the playoffs and the feel good narrative of them winning it all is going to be rather pervasive.

(01-03-2023, 03:39 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Nah, couldn't call it either way but you definitely don't call it a tie and you definitely don't just skip the game entirely like it 
looks like they are going to do. This is bogus if that is what they are doing, this was the biggest game of the season so far.

They may have to if they can't fit it in. I think we're all aligned in preferring the game is replayed, but I think calling it a Bengals win would be more ridiculous than writing the game off, if it can't be replayed. The 7-3 lead in a game like this one, was not close to meaningful in determining a result.

I personally think you move the playoffs to allow for this game to be played. Nothing's ideal here though.

(01-03-2023, 03:47 PM)Vas Deferens Wrote: Sounds like they are going to kick the can down the road and see what happens after the outcome of Sunday's games.

So do you think we need to beat the ravens to win the AFCN?

If we beat the ravens, we can’t claim the number one seed.

This is really kind of crazy… (obviously)

I felt like they would make a decision on this (even rescheduling it after week 18) before moving on to week 18.

They can’t just leave this game in la la land.

(01-03-2023, 03:50 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: They may have to if they can't fit it in. I think we're all aligned in preferring the game is replayed, but I think calling it a Bengals win would be more ridiculous than writing the game off, if it can't be replayed. The 7-3 lead in a game like this one, was not close to meaningful in determining a result.

I personally think you move the playoffs to allow for this game to be played. Nothing's ideal here though.

I’d prefer to play the game. But they need to make a decision one way or the other. If we are locked in as the 3 seed (which would happen if the game was cancelled), let’s rest our starters this week. If we still have a chance at the one or two seed, we play to win the game. If we are playing to win the AFCN… that is another scenario.

(01-03-2023, 03:33 PM)KillerGoose Wrote:

NFL announces that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week. No further updates as of now, no changes to Week 18 schedule as of now.

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) January 3, 2023

Saying it won’t be played this week while giving us no other info leads me to believe they are hoping the week 18 games resolve the seeding issues on their own and then they could call week 17 a tie or forfeit or no contest without it really meaning anything. Hoping they get lucky and get let off the hook from having to make an unpopular decision.

On one hand, I get it. On the other hand it probably won’t work out that way and it’s a sad tactic vs just making a plan and announcing it.

I guess if they did announce it now they’d probably be bashed for being insensitive though so maybe it’s just a PR delay.

(01-03-2023, 03:45 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Yeah, but you don't just skip the show lol

Agreed, they will have to play the game some how despite that a lot of peoples hearts arent in it. I dont like Goodell much, but I kind of feel sorry for him right now having to figure out how to deal with the business part of the situation. They will have to fit it in before the playoffs. 

So any info on what time kick off will be on Sunday then?

(01-03-2023, 03:53 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Saying it won’t be played this week while giving us no other info leads me to believe they are hoping the week 18 games resolve the seeding issues on their own and then they could call week 17 a tie or forfeit or no contest without it really meaning anything. Hoping they get lucky and get let off the hook from having to make an unpopular decision.

On one hand, I get it. On the other hand it probably won’t work out that way and it’s a sad tactic vs just making a plan and announcing it.

I guess if they did announce it now they’d probably be bashed for being insensitive though so maybe it’s just a PR delay.

I agree but with the uncertainty of this situation still at hand that they had to say something even though it did not resolve anything revolving the worst case scenario should the games/division/seeding not pan out the way they're hoping.

(01-03-2023, 03:53 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Saying it won’t be played this week while giving us no other info leads me to believe they are hoping the week 18 games resolve the seeding issues on their own and then they could call week 17 a tie or forfeit or no contest without it really meaning anything. Hoping they get lucky and get let off the hook from having to make an unpopular decision.

On one hand, I get it. On the other hand it probably won’t work out that way and it’s a sad tactic vs just making a plan and announcing it.

I guess if they did announce it now they’d probably be bashed for being insensitive though so maybe it’s just a PR delay.

Trying to figure out the way forward that gets them sued the least. I bet Hairball is fuming.

(01-03-2023, 03:51 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: So do you think we need to beat the ravens to win the AFCN?

If we beat the ravens, we can’t claim the number one seed.

This is really kind of crazy… (obviously)

I felt like they would make a decision on this (even rescheduling it after week 18) before moving on to week 18.  

They can’t just leave this game in la la land.

I think they'd wait to see if chiefs win, containing the bengals/bills decisions and making it more palatable.  Problem with that is if the chiefs loose, all hell breaks loose.

If they don't make a call before sunday, the money on KC in vegas will be astronomical.  

(01-03-2023, 03:52 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: I’d prefer to play the game.  But they need to make a decision one way or the other.  If we are locked in as the 3 seed (which would happen if the game was cancelled), let’s rest our starters this week.  If we still have a chance at the one or two seed, we play to win the game.  If we are playing to win the AFCN… that is another scenario.

I think they're just waiting on some news from the hospital before they make a concrete decision. The NFL can't put itself in a position where it makes a concrete decision on the game going ahead, and then get bad news about Hamlin. 

Chances are by the weekend more will be known and they can move forward with a bit more certainty about the rescheduled game/awarding a result. I think in terms of playoff implications, everything other than the #2 & #3 seedings could be sorted by the Week 18 games? We beat Baltimore (AFCN sorted), Buffalo lose and Kansas win (#1 seed sorted). That would mean the 'only' thing riding on the Bengals/Bills game would be #2 seed I think? Just trying to see if there's a way the NFL doesn't 'need' to play the game, but I don't think there is a scenario where it's meaningless.

(01-03-2023, 03:53 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Saying it won’t be played this week while giving us no other info leads me to believe they are hoping the week 18 games resolve the seeding issues on their own and then they could call week 17 a tie or forfeit or no contest without it really meaning anything. Hoping they get lucky and get let off the hook from having to make an unpopular decision.

On one hand, I get it. On the other hand it probably won’t work out that way and it’s a sad tactic vs just making a plan and announcing it.

I guess if they did announce it now they’d probably be bashed for being insensitive though so maybe it’s just a PR delay.

They can't complete resolve the #2/#3 seed though right? I think everything else 'could' be sorted, but I don't think there's a way to sort the AFCN, the #1 seed, and the #2 seed without a result in the Bengals-Bills game.

This decision feels like a cop out and also is more harmful than just determining a result. Basically, the Ravens now have to consider "will this game ever be played? If not, then we can't win the division, so we may as well rest Jackson for the playoffs." But if they do that, and then the Bengals are later told that they'll play the Bills in "week 19" and the playoffs are pushed back a week, imagine how the Ravens would feel if the Bengals end up losing.

The NFL is intentionally not making the hard decision and are instead doing nothing and just hoping no one has a problem with it. That rarely works out.

Anyone who's ever worked for a bad manager is familiar with this situation.

(01-03-2023, 03:50 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: They may have to if they can't fit it in. I think we're all aligned in preferring the game is replayed, but I think calling it a Bengals win would be more ridiculous than writing the game off, if it can't be replayed. The 7-3 lead in a game like this one, was not close to meaningful in determining a result.

I personally think you move the playoffs to allow for this game to be played. Nothing's ideal here though.

I would be embarrassed to be a Bengals fan if the league decided a 7-3 score, midway through the first quarter, was enough to call the game a win for the Bengals, thus kicking the Bills out of the first seed and putting the Bengals above them in seeding. And I think fans everywhere would take their disgust out on the Bengals. At the end of the day, I would like to hold my head up high as a Bengals fan.

(01-03-2023, 04:02 PM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: This decision feels like a cop out and also is more harmful than just determining a result. Basically, the Ravens now have to consider "will this game ever be played? If not, then we can't win the division, so we may as well rest Jackson for the playoffs." But if they do that, and then the Bengals are later told that they'll play the Bills in "week 19" and the playoffs are pushed back a week, imagine how the Ravens would feel if the Bengals end up losing.

The NFL is intentionally not making the hard decision and are instead doing nothing and just hoping no one has a problem with it. That rarely works out.

Anyone who's ever worked for a bad manager is familiar with this situation.

NFL stands to lose a lot of money on this contest not being played.  I doubt it was an easy decision to call this.  But likely the right one

(01-03-2023, 03:50 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: They may have to if they can't fit it in. I think we're all aligned in preferring the game is replayed, but I think calling it a Bengals win would be more ridiculous than writing the game off, if it can't be replayed. The 7-3 lead in a game like this one, was not close to meaningful in determining a result.

I personally think you move the playoffs to allow for this game to be played. Nothing's ideal here though.

if this was earlier in the year 100% gotta replay it.  But there just isnt time left to do so