Playoff Solutions Assuming they don’t replay the Bengals game.

[Process]

From a competitive standpoint the best thing for the bills would be to just forfeit the last two games. Go in as the 3 seed, who cares. 

[boyst]

11 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

I didn't like how Groot was rushing from the 2 point stance every play. Looked too slow.

Yeah, they're not pushing anything back

Agreed. And I didn't like how wide open we left the middle of the DL and then backed up our LBs. Too much space in the open middle. 

[Locomark]

Just now, DCofNC said:

I hate to say it, but I think the obvious choice is going to be a forfeit by the Bills and move on.  It sucks, it is a bad blow to the Super Bowl aspirations, but I really can’t see a way it works out any “better” for the team or league.  At this point you are looking at multiple games on short rest of they try to squeeze it in, unless they actually delay the entire season a week.  

The other choice is to make the game a tie. 

[PetermansRedemption]

Just now, boyst said:

Just played with ESPN machine. 

 

If they simply waive the game results and do nothing and both bills and Bengals win next week it won't matter

 

 

KC can rest their starters next week and still be #1 seed w 3 weeks off

I just can’t see how the NFL could justify this. Unprecedented, of course it is, but the solution can’t be to punish the two teams who played the game and hand KC an even easier path. I cannot see the NFL execs thinking this is a good way to go. If I’m the Bills and they want to do this then I absolutely tell them I’m forfeiting the Patriots game then and they can explain to everyone why the Pitt and Dolphins games no longer matter. 

[BillsFanSD]

7 minutes ago, Big Blitz said:

I said this last night I’ll say it again.  If the updates on Damar are still critical, there will not be any games this weekend.  

I think there's like a 99.9% probability that this week's games go off as scheduled.  They probably aren't even under discussion.  Why would they be?  Lots and lots of NFL games have been played in the wake of one tragedy or another.  This year's week 18 will join that list, unfortunately.  

[boyst]

1 minute ago, DCofNC said:

I hate to say it, but I think the obvious choice is going to be a forfeit by the Bills and move on.  It sucks, it is a bad blow to the Super Bowl aspirations, but I really can’t see a way it works out any “better” for the team or league.  At this point you are looking at multiple games on short rest of they try to squeeze it in, unless they actually delay the entire season a week.  

 

Just now, GolfandBills said:

Well that’s unfortunate for them.  Hotels and flights can be changed.  

If that's the case KC gets to rest this weekend too

[beebe]

i realize times change, but the chiefs played a game roughly 24 hrs after jovan belcher killed his girlfriend/child and then blew his own brains out in the arrowhead stadium parking lot in front of the GM and coach. not sure if the nfl forced the chiefs to play or not, but that was ridiculous. that chiefs team was 1-10 up against the 3-8 panthers. there was zero reason to play. and yet, they did. 

[chongli]

I didn't read the whole thread, but:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[clayboy54]

I believe that the NFLPA will have a big part of the decision-making in all of this. Additionally, so will the league, Union and team attorneys. With so much money now tied-up in betting, Las Vegas will also have a say. What? Are they all going to give money back? I don't think so.

 

The outcome will be surely challenged in court, unless all parties are in agreement.

[bobobonators]

3 minutes ago, boyst said:

Just played with ESPN machine. 

 

If they simply waive the game results and do nothing and both bills and Bengals win next week it won't matter

 

 

KC can rest their starters next week and still be #1 seed w 3 weeks off

The Chiefs have their own issues to worry about - mainly that they’ve played horribly the last few weeks and aren’t a lock to win @the Raiders who looked pretty damn good without Carr. 

[CincyBillsFan]

I posted this last night but feel even stronger this morning that it's a workable solution:

 

*  There is no way you can play last nights game so you call it a non-contest.  The Bengals & Bills will only play 16 games. The idea that sometime in the next week you would place the ball at the exact spot in the same stadium that Damar Hamlin went down and then resume play is not right.

 

*  Use win percent to determine seeding.

 

*  Assuming KC wins and both the Bills & Bengals win Sunday then they would be seeded #2 & #3 respectfully. And even if the Bills lose or don't play (forfeit) and the Bengals lose the two teams will still be the 2& 3 seed.

 

*  The Bills and Bengals would have 1st round home playoff games. 

 

*  Should they both win they will play each other.  This game would be played at a neutral site with each fan base getting half the tickets.

 

The other issue would be for Bills & Bengals players who have performance incentives losing a game. The teams could simply prorate and adjust the numbers to reflect losing one game.

 

IMO the sooner the NFL can bring clarity to what it will do moving forward the better for all involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BillsFanSD]

Just now, CincyBillsFan said:

IMO the sooner the NFL can bring clarity to what it will do moving forward the better for all involved.

This is an underrated point.  The league needs to make a decision promptly.  Like today.

[boyst]

2 minutes ago, bobobonators said:

The Chiefs have their own issues to worry about - mainly that they’ve played horribly the last few weeks and aren’t a lock to win @the Raiders who looked pretty damn good without Carr. 

The chiefs can lose and still be #1 seed. 

[DCofNC]

5 minutes ago, boyst said:

Just played with ESPN machine. 

 

If they simply waive the game results and do nothing and both bills and Bengals win next week it won't matter

 

 

KC can rest their starters next week and still be #1 seed w 3 weeks off

This is exactly why they can’t just pretend the game never happened, it becomes a 17 vs 16 game schedule.  They either have to play the game or the Bills have to forfeit.   Otherwise it screws too many things up.  I think it’s going to end up in a forfeit and that’s all they can do.  The Bills will be locked to the 3 seed, assuming KC beats the Raiders, they can forfeit the NE game if they want, at very least the starters aren’t playing.

[bobobonators]

Just now, boyst said:

The chiefs can lose and still be #1 seed. 

Even if our game is never replayed and we beat the Pats?

[dma0034]

2 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

I posted this last night but feel even stronger this morning that it's a workable solution:

 

*  There is no way you can play last nights game so you call it a non-contest.  The Bengals & Bills will only play 16 games. The idea that sometime in the next week you would place the ball at the exact spot in the same stadium that Damar Hamlin went down and then resume play is not right.

 

*  Use win percent to determine seeding.

 

*  Assuming KC wins and both the Bills & Bengals win Sunday then they would be seeded #2 & #3 respectfully. And even if the Bills lose or don't play (forfeit) and the Bengals lose the two teams will still be the 2& 3 seed.

 

*  The Bills and Bengals would have 1st round home playoff games. 

 

*  Should they both win they will play each other.  This game would be played at a neutral site with each fan base getting half the tickets.

 

The other issue would be for Bills & Bengals players who have performance incentives losing a game. The teams could simply prorate and adjust the numbers to reflect losing one game.

 

IMO the sooner the NFL can bring clarity to what it will do moving forward the better for all involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely cannot happen. It is a competitive advantage for the Chiefs. The game will 100% be scheduled to play. Too many implications with Fantasy Football/ Gambling/ Seedings/ Tickets for it not to be played (not to mention the agreement)

[Greg S]

Just now, DCofNC said:

This is exactly why they can’t just pretend the game never happened, it becomes a 17 vs 16 game schedule.  They either have to play the game or the Bills have to forfeit.   Otherwise it screws too many things up.  I think it’s going to end up in a forfeit and that’s all they can do.  The Bills will be locked to the 3 seed, assuming KC beats the Raiders, they can forfeit the NE game if they want, at very least the starters aren’t playing.

 

The Steelers and Dolphins will scream bloody murder especially if it's a forfeit.

[DCofNC]

1 minute ago, bobobonators said:

Even if our game is never replayed and we beat the Pats?

Yeah, run the math.

[Alphadawg7]

IMHO, I think the best option is to postpone all games this next weekend until the following weekend and only play the Bills vs Bengals game this weekend.  Then the following week, all week 18 games would be played as normal.  
 

And the playoffs start one week later.  

[DCofNC]

Just now, Greg S said:

 

The Steelers and Dolphins will scream bloody murder especially if it's a forfeit.

Too bad for them, they don’t get to control what happens in a game, played or not.