(01-04-2023, 05:09 PM)Doin the Shuffle Wrote: Well, among saying all the right things regarding Hamlin, the Bills, the doctors, the fans, and players, Taylor made it known that when it came time to possibly resume the game, after the ambulance left, that McDermott said he just had to be with his player at the hospital.  
It matches what I thought at the time, watching Burrow warming back up, throwing passes, that the Bengals would have continued the game, but the Bills made it clear they would not.  Given this new info, I think the Bills should have forfeited, rather than put the Bengals in an impossible situation of having to defer to a team that were all crying and had no intention if not ability, strictly speaking, to continue play.  I think, given what McDermott said, the honorable thing would have been to accept that the Bills must forfeit, rather than try to have it both ways, that is, taking the stand to not continue, but also not accepting the consequences.

Nothing in the interview did i hear Taylor say they were going to resume the game, it really is a mute point since the NFL had confirmed they were in the process of suspending this game , this game was not going to resume not sure why we continue down this rabbit hole

(01-04-2023, 05:47 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Nothing in the interview did i hear Taylor say they were going to resume the game, it really is a mute point since the NFL had confirmed they were in the process of suspending this game , this game was not going to resume not sure why we continue down this rabbit hole

You mean it's moo point? It's like a cows opinion,  you know, it just doesn't matter. 

(01-04-2023, 05:47 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Nothing in the interview did i hear Taylor say they were going to resume the game, it really is a mute point since the NFL had confirmed they were in the process of suspending this game , this game was not going to resume not sure why we continue down this rabbit hole

Zac said there was no directive from the NFL or referees to warmup or resume

(01-04-2023, 05:09 PM)Doin the Shuffle Wrote: Well, among saying all the right things regarding Hamlin, the Bills, the doctors, the fans, and players, Taylor made it known that when it came time to possibly resume the game, after the ambulance left, that McDermott said he just had to be with his player at the hospital.  
It matches what I thought at the time, watching Burrow warming back up, throwing passes, that the Bengals would have continued the game, but the Bills made it clear they would not.  Given this new info, I think the Bills should have forfeited, rather than put the Bengals in an impossible situation of having to defer to a team that were all crying and had no intention if not ability, strictly speaking, to continue play.  I think, given what McDermott said, the honorable thing would have been to accept that the Bills must forfeit, rather than try to have it both ways, that is, taking the stand to not continue, but also not accepting the consequences.

100% disagree.  When McDermott said he needed to be with his player, Zac immediately agreed.  That's a joint decision.  And the right one.  Making the Bills forfeit would be insensitive and inappropriate.  It's the worst way for the league to handle it.

(01-04-2023, 05:47 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Nothing in the interview did i hear Taylor say they were going to resume the game, it really is a mute point since the NFL had confirmed they were in the process of suspending this game , this game was not going to resume not sure why we continue down this rabbit hole

Yeah I don't think they should feel obligated to forfeit.  I don't know what's going to happen, and most likely the Bengals will lose a chance at a higher seed, but there's just no way of making everyone happy short of finishing the game, and I don't know how that would happen.

One more thing, I believe Hamlin would be mortified when he wakes up if he hears the entire NFL schedule has been rearranged due to this incident.  Much like Tee, not his fault, but sometimes it's hard to convince someone of that.

(01-04-2023, 05:49 PM)TheFan Wrote: You mean it's moo point? It's like a cows opinion,  you know, it just doesn't matter. 

(01-04-2023, 05:42 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Most think it will be no contest and the Bengals will win the conference

If it is no contest, we cannot catch KC even if they lose. 

(01-04-2023, 06:07 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: If it is no contest, we cannot catch KC even if they lose. 

Sad but true

The only reason people are debating this is because the NFL and Commish is not giving any clear solution. Which should have been released already the Bills are playing this weekend we are playing this weekend so no reason not to give a timetable for the rematch or if the game will not be played at all. You cannot wait till after these next games are played to say what is going to happen that is very unfair and shady.

If KC loses this weekend and they call our game with the Bills a no contest after that, then we cannot catch KC shady.

(01-04-2023, 05:47 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Nothing in the interview did i hear Taylor say they were going to resume the game, it really is a mute point since the NFL had confirmed they were in the process of suspending this game , this game was not going to resume not sure why we continue down this rabbit hole

(01-04-2023, 05:49 PM)TheFan Wrote: You mean it's moo point? It's like a cows opinion,  you know, it just doesn't matter. 

Did you guys both mean moot point?

(01-04-2023, 05:53 PM)Speedy Thomas Wrote: 100% disagree.  When McDermott said he needed to be with his player, Zac immediately agreed.  That's a joint decision.  And the right one.  Making the Bills forfeit would be insensitive and inappropriate.  It's the worst way for the league to handle it.

The reason Taylor was checking in in the first place was to see if the game would resume.  It's also what the officials were checking on.  It may be the right decision, I agree it was the right decision, to not play on, but it's clear that the decision was initiated by McDermott.  

There is no other human response that Taylor or the officials could have made than to accept the answer that McDermott just wanted to be with his player.  But that means by necessity that the Bills chose not continue, so the Bengals must also not play.  It is commendable, by McDermott, if made solely in the interest of his injured players health, but not commendable if he later tries to shift the responsibility to the Bengals or the League, taking advantage of their sympathy, because, in effect he also gains the best chance that he could of preserving the number one seed from a game he was losing.  

It can be the right thing to defy protocol, or even the law, but not when it's done out of self interest, and at other teams expense.  McDermott can accept responsibility for his decision, or try to shift it, and keep his home playoff games.  But if he does the latter, I'll accept it as normal practice, but I'll view it cynically, and he'll get less sympathy from me.

Bottom line is this proves Goodell is not a leader and cannot make a decision on the fly. He's had since Monday night to figure this out. It shouldn't take a board room full of suits a week to make a decision. No decision is going to make everyone happy, so pick on already.

(01-04-2023, 05:09 PM)Doin the Shuffle Wrote: Well, among saying all the right things regarding Hamlin, the Bills, the doctors, the fans, and players, Taylor made it known that when it came time to possibly resume the game, after the ambulance left, that McDermott said he just had to be with his player at the hospital.
It matches what I thought at the time, watching Burrow warming back up, throwing passes, that the Bengals would have continued the game, but the Bills made it clear they would not. Given this new info, I think the Bills should have forfeited, rather than put the Bengals in an impossible situation of having to defer to a team that were all crying and had no intention if not ability, strictly speaking, to continue play. I think, given what McDermott said, the honorable thing would have been to accept that the Bills must forfeit, rather than try to have it both ways, that is, taking the stand to not continue, but also not accepting the consequences.

Absolutely not, as others have said it was a joint decision.

I do think it should have been scheduled to be restarted on Tuesday or Wednesday. At that point if they Bills still weren’t able to play then we could have talked about a forfeit. I’m not sure if Goodell ever really tried for that though. Never got the impression it was being seriously considered when the Bills flew home that night. If the NFL didn’t try for that then the Bills shouldn’t be punished for it. Either push back the playoffs a week and make the game up week 19 or find some other way to handle it.

(01-04-2023, 07:05 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Bottom line is this proves Goodell is not a leader and cannot make a decision on the fly. He's had since Monday night to figure this out. It shouldn't take a board room full of suits a week to make a decision. No decision is going to make everyone happy, so pick on already.

Agreed, I said early on that we should all try to accept whatever outcome the league decides on and move on. No need to criticize them for whatever they decided….Unfortunately we still have no freaking clue what the decision is or when it will even be decided. That is a failure on Goodell and the NFL and definitely deserves criticism.

Whatever they decide will have a huge impact on the games this weekend and what the games mean. They should have made a final call by now, really fumbling the ball here.

Burrow: I was proud in that moment to be playing for a guy like Zac. And I was proud of all the people who did what they did to save (Hamlin).

(01-04-2023, 05:45 PM)Mickeypoo Wrote: I don't think they can win the Conference with a no contest. Did you mean division?

I did you are correct

Robin and Jimmy Burrow raised their son right

Burrow on playing Buffalo: I think that would be tough. Just scheduling wise. Whatever Buffalo would want to do is what we would want to do. We're behind them 100 percent.

— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) January 4, 2023

Burrow: If you were to poll the locker room, there would be mixed feelings about playing this week.

I want to play. Getting back to as normal as you can as fast as you can is how I deal with things like that.

— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) January 4, 2023

Burrow: As unfortunate as it is, we've got a game to play Sunday. It's business as usual from a football standpoint, unfortunately. Don't what to say. It's a scary, emotional time. But it's our job to get out there and execute the way we need to in order to get a win.

— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH)

Burrow: Scary, emotional night.

On going to Bills locker room: We wanted to show our support. No decision made on the game. We wanted them to know how we felt. We didn't want to go back out there. They didn't want to go back out there either.

— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonATH) January 4, 2023

 
Winning makes believers of us all


They didn't win and we don't beleive