(01-05-2023, 10:19 AM)Big Boss Wrote: Sounds like the extent of the damage from a "No Contest" is ultimately this:

1) Bengals have no shot at the #1 seed.
2) Ravens have no shot at the division.

With the #2 seed still in play, I think I can come to terms with that.  Kinda sucks for the Ravens, but if that fanbase is being honest with itself that team has hardly looked like a division winner since like Week 6.

Now, if the Bills held onto the #2 seed this weekend, I do think it'd be a gesture of good faith by the NFL to arrange a Bills/Bengals matchup in the post-season to be played at a neutral site with both teams receiving 50% of tickets.  But I don't know what the logistics of that would look like.    

Going back to Arrowhead in a potential AFCC game is hardly ideal, but you never know.  Chiefs could get knocked out in their first game and then the path to the Super Bowl runs through Paycor.

If the no contest happens, they also need to have the Bills play BEFORE the Bengals on Sunday out of good faith. That way the Bengals have an idea if they are playing for anything or not. 

I don't think anyone is really concerned about the Bengals seeding. I keep hearing about how the Bills may miss out on the #1 seed. Nobody mentions the Bengals missing out on a potential #1 but more likely a #2. It's really a no win situation anyway so I'm not going to fret too much.

Alternatively, maybe it could be agreed upon between the NFL and the clubs that even if the Bills hold onto the #2 seed, a Bills/Bengals playoff game would be held in Cincinnati despite seeding.

(01-05-2023, 10:25 AM)michaelsean Wrote: I don't think anyone is really concerned about the Bengals seeding.  I keep hearing about how the Bills may miss out on the #1 seed.  Nobody mentions the Bengals missing out on a potential #1 but more likely a #2.  It's really a no win situation anyway so I'm not going to fret too much.

All they have to do is finish the damn game. 

(01-05-2023, 10:25 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: If the no contest happens, they also need to have the Bills play BEFORE the Bengals on Sunday out of good faith. That way the Bengals have an idea if they are playing for anything or not. 

We'd still be playing for the division wouldn't we? 

(01-05-2023, 11:28 AM)TheFan Wrote: We'd still be playing for the division wouldn't we? 

No we'd win the division based on winning percentage even if we lost Sunday 11-5 us vs 11-6 Ravens

#1 has a bye and home field throughout, right? Someone explain the difference between 2&3 for me?

(01-05-2023, 11:41 AM)Sled21 Wrote: #1 has a bye and home field throughout, right? Someone explain the difference between 2&3 for me?

#3 would host games until they had to play #2 and/or #1. Potentially two away games.  
#2 would host games until they had to play #1.  Potentially one away game.

That's basically it.

(01-05-2023, 11:46 AM)Big Boss Wrote: #3 would host games until they had to play #2 and/or #1.  Potentially two away games.   
#2 would host games until they had to play #1.  Potentially one away game.  

That's basically it.

Not having to travel to both Buffalo and Kansas city in back-to-back weeks is a pretty huge deal, IMO.  

(01-05-2023, 11:52 AM)GAWhoDey Wrote: Not having to travel to both Buffalo and Kansas city in back-to-back weeks is a pretty huge deal, IMO.  

I'd say!  And KC could still lose, then what?  Just give up the one seed?  That would be some bs.

(01-05-2023, 11:46 AM)Big Boss Wrote: #3 would host games until they had to play #2 and/or #1.  Potentially two away games.   
#2 would host games until they had to play #1.  Potentially one away game.  

That's basically it.

I have seen a few scenarios in this thread and talked of elsewhere. 

The reality is, it's going to be messy in any scenario.

The Bengals play the Ravens this week and very likely could play them again if given the 3 seed.  I think this is a decision that is very scary in lines to who do we play this week in regards to personnel.  So long and short, if the game is cancelled (Bengals/Bills), the Ravens get shafted in that there's no chance for a AFC North title- the Bengals can limit the play of their starters and worry about the playoff game vs the Ratbirds in Cincy.  Whether we believe they would win or not is irrelevant- see Steelers/Bengals week 1.  The only fair decision is all the games get played, but there's obviously more to the scenario than a simple, no emotions landscape of forcing that through and not to mention the availability of the venues etc. 

The layout is here, though I don't love the format.
Play off scenarios

The no emotions decision would be the Bills Bengals have to play their game for clear seeding.

The likely scenario is:  rescheduling everything is going to be a nightmare and the game gets cancelled and the Bengals get no shot at a 1 seed and a two seed is much more unlikely for that matter.

In any scenario, I agree- a decision has to be made promptly.

(01-05-2023, 02:11 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Nah, yours is a "what if". The Bengals have lost more games than the Chiefs, the Bills have not.

WTS, there's going to be no "right answer". I'm just happy we're talking about where we'll be seeded instead of who we should draft

True...we spent many years discussing draft in November.

I agree, if game not played, Bills are biggest loser if Chiefs and Bills win.

I also don't feel Ravens and others should be kept in limbo, NFL needs to determine fate of Bills/Bengals game sooner than later.

(01-05-2023, 08:45 AM)Nepa Wrote: I, and I am sure a lot of people and commentators, will be extremely pissed at the NFL if the NFL officials decide after the weekend whether or not to play the Bengals-Bills game. It means they are deciding what seedings they want. This cannot be emphasized enough. Numerous potential outcomes of the weekend lead to this criticism.

Example 1. KC and Buffalo win. If the league decides not to have the Bills-Bengals conclude their game, then they are fine with KC being the #1 seed. If they decide to play the game, they are saying they want the Bills to have a chance for the #1 seed. If KC and Buffalo lose and Cincinnati wins, then by some tie-breaker scenarios, the Bengals are #1 seed, Buffalo #2, and KC #3. If the league decides to finish the Bills-Bengals game then they signal they are not happy with that scenario. If they decide not to play the game, they signal the opposite. If the Ravens beat the Bengals, then what the league decides is whether or not they are happy with the Bengals winning the division. I can't think of a single scenario where it doesn't look like the NFL is choosing winners and losers after the fact if they don't tell the rules ahead of time.

The NFL will inescapably look like their rigging the results they want if they do not tell teams before Saturday whether or not the Bengals-Bills game will be played. You do not wait for the results to tell teams the rules. You tell the teams the rules before the weekend games.

All great points!!!

(01-05-2023, 10:26 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: All they have to do is finish the damn game. 

Truer words never spoken...   

I have another solution.

Move the Pats/Buffalo and Ravens/Bengals game to week 19 thus moving playoffs back one week.
Then, have Bills/Bengals resume and finish their game on Sunday. The Bills/Bengals did the pre-game prep so it should be doable.



This scenario to me makes a ton of sense since it appears Damar Hamlin is on the road to recovery.

(01-05-2023, 08:45 AM)Nepa Wrote: The NFL will inescapably look like their rigging the results they want if they do not tell teams before Saturday whether or not the Bengals-Bills game will be played.

I disagree but only if the Bengals-Bills game IS played. Can't complain the NFL is rigged if they still allow the game to be played. Any other option, though, yes, the NFL will definitely be accused of rigging the outcome.

(01-05-2023, 08:45 AM)Nepa Wrote: I, and I am sure a lot of people and commentators, will be extremely pissed at the NFL if the NFL officials decide after the weekend whether or not to play the Bengals-Bills game. It means they are deciding what seedings they want. This cannot be emphasized enough. Numerous potential outcomes of the weekend lead to this criticism.

Example 1. KC and Buffalo win. If the league decides not to have the Bills-Bengals conclude their game, then they are fine with KC being the #1 seed. If they decide to play the game, they are saying they want the Bills to have a chance for the #1 seed. If KC and Buffalo lose and Cincinnati wins, then by some tie-breaker scenarios, the Bengals are #1 seed, Buffalo #2, and KC #3. If the league decides to finish the Bills-Bengals game then they signal they are not happy with that scenario. If they decide not to play the game, they signal the opposite. If the Ravens beat the Bengals, then what the league decides is whether or not they are happy with the Bengals winning the division. I can't think of a single scenario where it doesn't look like the NFL is choosing winners and losers after the fact if they don't tell the rules ahead of time.

The NFL will inescapably look like their rigging the results they want if they do not tell teams before Saturday whether or not the Bengals-Bills game will be played. You do not wait for the results to tell teams the rules. You tell the teams the rules before the weekend games.

With each passing season, It appears more and more like the NFL probably does this week to week. Not scripted results, but rigged in favor of certain players or teams.  Edicts probably come down from the league offices to officials on how they want certain games to be called. Possible?

No matter what is decided, someone is going to get shafted. So the league is in an impossible position.

Having said that, I'm not concerned about going into Arrowhead if we have to. We've proven that the Chiefs don't scare us. My only concern about having to go into Buffalo would be the weather. Otherwise, this team is capable of beating anyone on any field.

(01-05-2023, 02:21 PM)Earendil Wrote: No matter what is decided, someone is going to get shafted. So the league is in an impossible position.

True, but the closest thing to a fair outcome is to have the Bengals and Bills finish the game even if it's after this week (which it will have to be at this point) as that will be the closest to what would've happened had the game not been suspended.

(01-05-2023, 02:27 PM)PhilHos Wrote: True, but the closest thing to a fair outcome is to have the Bengals and Bills finish the game even if it's after this week (which it will have to be at this point) as that will be the closest to what would've happened had the game not been suspended.

Agreed. But at this point, I don't see that as a likely outcome.