Bills/ Bengals [cancelled - process in OP]

[cmh6476]

In case anyone needs it spelled out, we would play at a neutral site if the AFCCG ends up being Chiefs vs. Bills. All other scenarios abide by the usual rules (so any other game the Chiefs play will be at home).

Old posts:

Spoiler!

The NFL will consider a neutral site for the AFC Championship Game. Full details: pic.twitter.com/oi3fItUWIj

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 6, 2023

Breaking News: Of course the game is secondary to #DamarHamlin’s health, but #Bills insider @viccarucci just reported on @wgrz Daybreak that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will make the call on rescheduling the Bills/Bengals game and it would have to be played within 2 days.

— Melissa Holmes (@2MelissaHolmes) January 3, 2023

There is another option according to @viccarucci - the league can add a 19th week so the Bills/Bengals can get in all their games. @wgrz https://t.co/1X1hCHVN8c

— Melissa Holmes (@2MelissaHolmes) January 3, 2023

I assume we'll hear something soon

After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the clubs today that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week.

The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 3, 2023

[Urc Burry]

Giving it a no contest really ****s Cincy. They were on their way of jumping Buffalo in seeding and getting the 2 seed.

I really don’t care that much. I hate both of these teams. But while they’d still lose the top seed, i just don’t think they should be rewarded by staying ahead of Cincy given how the game was going

[kcpasco]

If it’s a no contest, I’d expect a boat load of flags on Saturday. I can both be sympathetic towards a player and worry about ramifications of the rest of the season.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

I guess being an important character that unlocks being able to advance in your game is supposed to be some sort of insult?

It’s the alpha v beta language rehashed for nerds that grew up online

[dirk digler]

Interesting info here. Apparently Goodell can't force a forfeit and possible Chiefs and Bills get a bye week this week and play the following week.

https://www.footballzebras.com/2023/...uspended-game/

As uncomfortable as it is, there are next steps and there are many questions on how the league proceeds. The league’s policy manuals and governing documents give NFL commissioner Roger Goodell the ultimate authority to determine what happens to the suspended game.

Despite all of the contingencies that were documented in advance, Goodell is in uncharted territory. According to Quirky Research, no NFL game has been suspended and resumed at a later date. (Preseason games have been terminated early or canceled outright, and regular season games through the years have been rescheduled prior to kickoff.)

The league’s Gameday Operations Manual states the following:

Games should be suspended, cancelled, postponed, or terminated … when circumstances exist such that commencement or continuation of play would pose a threat to the safety of participants or spectators or would unduly affect the ability of a community to deal with the effects of a local catastrophe or similarly disruptive event.

In determining whether a game should be rescheduled or relocated, public safety, community relations, and competitive integrity should be key determining factors. …

Authority to cancel, postpone, or terminate games is vested solely in the Commissioner. … If possible, the Commissioner’s-office representative should consult with authorized representatives of the two participating clubs before any decision involving cancellation, postponement, or termination is made by the Commissioner.

Rule 17 in the NFL rulebook contains much of the same general information on resuming a suspended game.

The policies do outline a few things the commissioner cannot do. He cannot unilaterally declare a forfeit, and he essentially lacks any authority to do so except in a very limited circumstance of a team refusing to take the field. This game in particular cannot be terminated early, because games may only be terminated if “it is reasonable to project that its resumption (a) would not change its ultimate result or (b) would not adversely affect any other inter-team competitive issue.” The playoff seedings are definitely affected by the outcome of this game. Similarly, the commissioner cannot outright cancel the game — nullify everything from the game and have it uncontested — except as a last resort, which wouldn’t apply here. Some have also suggested that the game be declared a tie. There is no provision for the commissioner to do so, and the half-win in the standings also presents the “inter-team competitive issue” that the league would avoid.

Essentially all of the guidance forges a clear path to completing the game as soon as possible. The Bills buses departed Cincinnati early Tuesday morning local time, so a Tuesday night game would have been the least disruptive, but it is out of the question. The policy manuals state that “for regular-season postponements, the Commissioner will make every effort to set the game for no later than two days after its originally scheduled date and at the same site.” This provision was adhered to as close as possible during the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to coronavirus outbreaks, but there were several concessions that had to be made. Not a single game was lost in either season.

In the end, the game was suspended because the shock and the intense humanity of the situation was overwhelming. That was the right call to make for Monday night. But, despite Hamlin’s path to recovery, the reality is that the game has to be played no matter what. The Bengals fans are aware of this, as their team took the field two days after receiver Chris Henry died in 2009.

One possible remedy is to push the playoffs out one week and removing the week off prior to the Super Bowl so that the Bills and Chiefs would play a “Week 19” game. While that seems easy, it creates potential network conflicts by moving the playoff games that air in primetime slots. The extra week was a possibility during the 2020 season, but the league did several schedule moves to avoid doing that.

When the playoffs are scheduled, the league will not place a team in a game with less than 6 days’ rest. When introducing the Monday night wild card game in 2021, that meant that a team could not play that game and then be scheduled for a Saturday divisional playoff game. There could be some quick changes to the Ravens-Bengals and Patriots-Bills games to move them up to Friday, resuming the suspended game on Tuesday, and scheduling one or two wild card games (as needed, depending if the Bills clinch the #1 seed) on Monday.

While there are very few options to schedule a resumption of the game, not scheduling a resumption of the game seems to be very unlikely. However, if the game is not resumed, standings for the playoff seeds would be calculated on win percentage as usual. Any statistics that would affect a player’s contracted performance bonus or position in the statistical rankings would be prorated to 16 games.

[TwistedChief]

Originally Posted by Urc Burry

Give it a no contest really ****s Cincy. They were on their way of jumping Buffalo in seeding and getting the 2 seed.

I really don’t care that much. I hate both of these teams. But while they’d still lose the top seed, i just don’t think they should be rewarded by staying ahead of Cincy given how the game was going

Or it helps them. If Cincy lost to Buffalo and then the following week to the Ravens, Cincy wouldn't even win the AFC North.

It hurts the Ravens though. If it's a no-contest game/tie (same outcome really), the Ravens have no road to win the division even if they beat Cincy next week.

Short of finishing the game, there are going to be winners and losers through this whole thing.

I'd call it a no-contest. Eliminate the bye. Add an 8th playoff team. And have the AFCCG played at a neutral site.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

No. American Football isn't fun right now.

do you and zach hang out alot at discos and watch soccer?

[TLO]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

Or it helps them. If Cincy lost to Buffalo and then the following week to the Ravens, Cincy wouldn't even win the AFC North.

It hurts the Ravens though. If it's a no-contest game/tie (same outcome really), the Ravens have no road to win the division even if they beat Cincy next week.

Short of finishing the game, there are going to be winners and losers through this whole thing.

I'd call it a no-contest. Eliminate the bye. Add an 8th playoff team. And have the AFCCG played at a neutral site. Arrowhead.

Just one small correction

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

No. American Football isn't fun right now.

For you, because the Broncos are a ****ing clown show.

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by LOCOChief

He was on the field not breathing and with no heartbeat. There a medical term for that I just don’t remember it.

Wow. I can't believe they stopped the game. That's amazing. The last time this happened they played they game until the end, but the game was already in the 4th quarter.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by Urc Burry

Giving it a no contest really ****s Cincy. They were on their way of jumping Buffalo in seeding and getting the 2 seed.

I really don’t care that much. I hate both of these teams. But while they’d still lose the top seed, i just don’t think they should be rewarded by staying ahead of Cincy given how the game was going

It would technically give them the division, but would take away any chance of getting the 1 seed and could possibly drop them to the 3 seed. In this scenario, the chances are both of these teams would just meet again in the divisional round, but the game likely would be played in Buffalo.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

No. American Football isn't fun right now.

Were you saying that about Fake Football/soccer when the soccer player from Denmark had a heart attack during Euro 2020 and they continued the game 48 minutes later?

No suspended game.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

Wow. I can't believe they stopped the game. That's amazing. The last time this happened they played they game until the end, but the game was already in the 4th quarter.

It was the players that stopped the game.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

Or it helps them. If Cincy lost to Buffalo and then the following week to the Ravens, Cincy wouldn't even win the AFC North.

It hurts the Ravens though. If it's a no-contest game/tie (same outcome really), the Ravens have no road to win the division even if they beat Cincy next week.

Short of finishing the game, there are going to be winners and losers through this whole thing.

I'd call it a no-contest. Eliminate the bye. Add an 8th playoff team. And have the AFCCG played at a neutral site.

The Bills shouldn't have the power to dictate massive changes that affect the entire league and put others at a disadvantage. Especially when the most likely outcome would have been a 2 seed for them and HFA for KC. If it were strictly up to the league, the game would have either been completed last night or soon after. They need to complete the game or forfeit.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by BDj23

Nah, not even that. I just think it's ridiculous that you're not supposed to ask questions over something youre financially invested in.

Yesh, I think it's similar when people say "why are Chiefs fans talking about the playoffs... we shouldn't look past the Raiders!!!1111"

Much like how Chiefs players shouldn't be looking past games, obviously the NFL shouldn't be asking Bills players this morning, sssooo, about playing the game....

As fans though, we can both empathize and talk about sports at the same time... doesn't mean we're just callous fans who don't give a shit about players (I'm sure some are, of course).

[Spott]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

The Bills shouldn't have the power to dictate massive changes that affect the entire league and put others at a disadvantage. Especially when the most likely outcome would have been a 2 seed for them and HFA for KC. If it were strictly up to the league, the game would have either been completed last night or soon after. They need to complete the game or forfeit.

Unless they lose a game in overtime, then it’s fair to change the rules.