Potential decision made for Championship Game location

[Captain Caveman]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:44 PM, Billz4ever said:

 

But we didn't cancel the game, the league did.  For us to have lost the #1 seed, we should've been made to forfeit. At least then it was the Bills' decision.

 

 

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I think we had a lot more input into the decision to cancel the game than has necessarily been reported.  

[Big Turk]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:40 PM, Captain Caveman said:

KC also lost the possibility of hosting the AFC Championship game, which they would have done if we had lost to Cinci (Certainly) and which should have happened according to the rules that were in place.  Buffalo, KC and Cinci can all feel like they lost something with the solution that was implemented, which to me indicates it's about as fair as it could have been.

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KC only lost the possibility of hosting versus the Bills.  If it's any other team, they are hosting it(if they make it).

[Billz4ever]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:47 PM, Captain Caveman said:

 

The Bills also made the decision to not play the deciding game.  Of course I'm not advocating they should have done anything differently.

 

But I do think the solution they implemented is as about as fair as it could have been.

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Where was it noted the Bills never wanted to make it up at a later date? It obviously was not going to happen that night.  I thought it was soley the league's decision that it was never going to be resumed.

 

Of course had you asked the Bills that night or even the next day, they probably would've said they don't want to play a game for the rest of the season.

 

It just felt like to me the Bills were being penalized for circumstances that were beyond anyone's control.

Edited January 9, 2023 by Billz4ever

[Captain Caveman]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:49 PM, Big Turk said:

 

KC only lost the possibility of hosting versus the Bills.  If it's any other team, they are hosting it(if they make it).

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Which would also have happened regardless of the outcome of the Bills / Cinci game with the way the rest of the season played out.

[Big Turk]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:51 PM, Captain Caveman said:

 

Which would also have happened regardless of the outcome of the Bills / Cinci game with the way the rest of the season played out.

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Uhh...no.  The Bills controlled their own destiny for the 1 seed. If they would have won in Cincy, they would have been the 1 seed due to head to head victory over KC.

[Captain Caveman]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:54 PM, Big Turk said:

 

Uhh...no.  The Bills controlled their own destiny for the 1 seed. If they would have won in Cincy, they would have been the 1 seed due to head to head victory over KC.

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You said vs any other team, yeah, obviously the outcome would have been different had the Bills played and won that game.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:40 PM, Billz4ever said:

Nope, especially when they lost to the Bills.  All they had to do was beat a non-playoff team with a new QB and get rewarded with a bye.  Ridiculous.

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ESPECIALLY since they instituted a coin flip for the Ravens/Bengals if needed.

 

Where was OUR coin flip for the bye? We beat them head to head at KC!!!

Edited January 9, 2023 by EasternOHBillsFan

[Greg S]

If it is BUF vs KC in the AFCCG then I hope, they select MetLife.  A 20-minute drive for me and I would definitely be there.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:58 PM, Greg S said:

If it is BUF vs KC in the AFCCG then I hope, they select MetLife.  A 20-minute drive for me and I would definitely be there.

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I'm 30 minutes from Acridsure in Pittsburgh, so I am most certainly biased, hence my joke!

Edited January 9, 2023 by EasternOHBillsFan

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

I think the main rationale for cancelling the game was two-fold:

1. The only way to play it would have been to eliminate the week off between championships and Super Bowl.  This would create a week 19 and make Buffalo/Cincy the only game being played giving every other team a week off - basically putting Bills & Bengals at a competitive disadvantage.  It also would affect all playoff teams and they wanted to reduce the scope of disruption
2. The outcome of the game had no impact on who was gonna make the playoffs, only on how the top 3 seeds would end up.

Did it end up benefitting KC more than anyone else?  Yeah.

 

Rumor heard at the game - neutral site game could be played in Ann Arbor.  Biggest stadium in the country.

Edited January 9, 2023 by JÂy RÛßeÒ

[Greg S]

  On 1/9/2023 at 8:00 PM, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

I'm 30 minutes from Acridsure in Pittsburgh, so I am most certainly biased, hence my joke!

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 Same. My selection is also biased. Never happen though as it would end being a Bills home game from a crowd standpoint. KC would have a right to complain.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

  On 1/9/2023 at 8:06 PM, Greg S said:

 Same. My selection is also biased. Never happen though as it would end being a Bills home game from a crowd standpoint. KC would have a right to complain.

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No doubt... Indy would have been the perfect equidistant place but of course that fell through. I'm ready to buy a ticket if they play in Pittsburgh or Cleveland.

[Boatdrinks]

Hoping to hear some new information on this soon. They’re not going to wait until the divisional round to name the location ; at least I don’t think they would. From a Buffalo perspective I’d prefer Charlotte or MIA/ ATL. Easy flight from BUF and weather won’t or shouldn’t impact the game. 

[StHustle]

I look at the Cincy game as our bye week. No point in crying over spilled milk at this point. Maybe a first round bye would have hurt us. I believe everything happens for a reason. I believe the SB victory is our destiny!

[BIGFOOTspaceman]

  On 1/9/2023 at 8:16 PM, StHustle said:

I look at the Cincy game as our bye week. No point in crying over spilled milk at this point. Maybe a first round bye would have hurt us. I believe everything happens for a reason. I believe the SB victory is our destiny!

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You make a good point.  I don't recall the Bills cranking on all cylinders after a bye the last few years.  Just my recollection though, I could be wrong. 

[Boatdrinks]

  On 1/9/2023 at 7:50 PM, Billz4ever said:

Where was it noted the Bills never wanted to make it up at a later date? It obviously was not going to happen that night.  I thought it was soley the league's decision that it was never going to be resumed.

 

Of course had you asked the Bills that night or even the next day, they probably would've said they don't want to play a game for the rest of the season.

 

It just felt like to me the Bills were being penalized for circumstances that were beyond anyone's control.

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The NFL likely consulted with the Bills about making up the game. They determined to move on with the playoffs as a scheduled. We won’t know , but we do know they were prepared to forfeit. They won’t get a bye , but at that point they hadn’t earned it. They did okay one less game than KC at the end of the season , so it’s not completely different than getting a bye a week before the Chiefs. A neutral site championship is an enormous accommodation to the Bills circumstances and seems a fair compromise to me. 

[HomeskillitMoorman]

Haha pretty misleading thread title. Doesn't seem like any potential decision has been made. 

 

It's kind of annoying that there hasn't been. I'm trying to make potential plans in case that game happens and obviously there's no way to without a location. 

Edited January 9, 2023 by HomeskillitMoorman

[Billz4ever]

  On 1/9/2023 at 8:24 PM, Boatdrinks said:

The NFL likely consulted with the Bills about making up the game. They determined to move on with the playoffs as a scheduled. We won’t know , but we do know they were prepared to forfeit. They won’t get a bye , but at that point they hadn’t earned it. They did okay one less game than KC at the end of the season , so it’s not completely different than getting a bye a week before the Chiefs. A neutral site championship is an enormous accommodation to the Bills circumstances and seems a fair compromise to me. 

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Neutral site is way overrated IMO.  Especially if we're talking about playing KC, who's averaging an entire touchdown more on the road than at home.

 

Having to play 1 less game on the road to the SB is huge.

[mannc]

  On 1/9/2023 at 8:29 PM, Billz4ever said:

Neutral site is way overrated IMO.  Especially if we're talking about playing KC, who's averaging an entire touchdown more on the road than at home.

 

Having to play 1 less game on the road to the SB is huge.

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The Bills and Bengals played 7/8ths of a game less, so... 

[Boatdrinks]

  On 1/9/2023 at 8:29 PM, Billz4ever said:

Neutral site is way overrated IMO.  Especially if we're talking about playing KC, who's averaging an entire touchdown more on the road than at home.

 

Having to play 1 less game on the road to the SB is huge.

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Disagree, regardless of their numbers- too affected by the vagaries of the home/ away schedule. I don’t think you can underestimate the difference between a neutral site AFCC vs a trip to Arrowhead for the Bills. Don’t forget the Bills played 1 less game than the Chiefs.