What should the NFL do about Week 18? Move it back one week?

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by Scottish Punk

You guys aren't reading my post correctly or I wasn't clear enough.

13-3 is .8125 13-3-1 is .7941 (Bills) 14-3 .8235, 13-4 is .7778 (Chiefs)
12-4 is is .7500 12-4-1 is .7353 (Bengals) 11-6 .6471 for Ravens if they win

With the choice between cancelling the game or giving them a tie, the math doesn't make a difference. Obviously WITH the game played, all teams have the ability to get to 13-4. The only way I see them playing the game is if the rest of the week has a bye this week, this game is replayed, and all the playoffs are pushed back a week. That seems like a logistic nightmare that just impacted all the teams. I think it will just get cancelled or given a tie. Sucks for the seeding, but if your team is good enough, you can win anyway. That to me is a lesser impact that messing with all the week 18 and playoff scheduling and the teams can just put the game behind them.

SP, you're not making sense.

If Buffalo and Cincy are given a tie; it does three things immediately:

1. Moves KC to the #1 seed and Buffalo to the #2 Seed
2. Clinches the division for the Benagls
3. Clinches the Bengals as the #3 seed

None of these things are true today and thus the NFL would be deciding things off the field that are always decided on the field.

[MyckKabongo]

The scenario people keep talking about where the game "doesn't matter" has only about a 10% chance of happening. Maybe slightly higher if you mark down the Billa' chances vs the Patriots due to being distracted. Parlays are hard.

I certainly hope their plan isn't to keep everyone in the dark all week to see if they can shoot the moon. There should be transparency about what will happen in the 90% odds scenario where the outcome of this game would have a big swing on seeding.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

SP, you're not making sense.

If Buffalo and Cincy are given a tie; it does three things immediately:

1. Moves KC to the #1 seed and Buffalo to the #2 Seed
2. Clinches the division for the Benagls
3. Clinches the Bengals as the #3 seed

None of these things are true today and thus the NFL would be deciding things off the field that are always decided on the field.

Yah, I looked at the numbers again. Winning percentage for a tie does impact enough to move teams around. Somebody is going to get the short end no matter what happens.

[Fenway55]

Originally Posted by MyckKabongo

The scenario people keep talking about where the game "doesn't matter" has only about a 10% chance of happening. Maybe slightly higher if you mark down the Billa' chances vs the Patriots due to being distracted. Parlays are hard.

I certainly hope their plan isn't to keep everyone in the dark all week to see if they can shoot the moon. There should be transparency about what will happen in the 90% odds scenario where the outcome of this game would have a big swing on seeding.

I agree with this 100%. All teams should be informed what the grand plan is in advance. They have to know if their own games are meaningful or if they should rest starters.

[glen87]

The NFL announced Tuesday afternoon that after discussion with both teams and the NFLPA, the game will not be resumed this week. The NFL also said it hasn't made any changes to the Week 18 schedule.

[marinocollector]

Cincy was in the lead.
Bills player was hurt.
Teams mutually agreed to end the game.
Seems like a forfeit by the Bills.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by gmarutiak

Speaking of refunded, I'm curious about what happens to people who had tickets to last night's game? If the game isn't played to conclusion, do they get a refund? Would the Bengals have to cover that, or would the NFL handle the costs? As someone already said, I'm glad I'm not the person who has to make these decisions.

Easy. They consign them all to Goldin and his influencers schill the hell out of them

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by marinocollector

Cincy was in the lead.
Bills player was hurt.
Teams mutually agreed to end the game.
Seems like a forfeit by the Bills.

This is what I am thinking is most likely.

[oplum29]

Originally Posted by tennelson55

Rehash this in this thread?

Game won’t be played this week.

The Bills won’t be playing until the playoffs start. You heard it here first.

so the Bills forfeit next weeks game against the Patriots? Patriots make the playoffs and the Jets-Dolphins game is now meaningless to Miami.

in the process, Buffalo gives up the 1 seed, and now Cincy has an argument for claiming the 2 seed and 2 home games in the playoffs.

idk what the NFL is going to do. everybody is in uncharted waters right now.

[Fenway55]

Originally Posted by marinocollector

Cincy was in the lead.
Bills player was hurt.
Teams mutually agreed to end the game.
Seems like a forfeit by the Bills.

This makes no sense. If they mutually agreed to end the game, then how is that a forfeit by one team? It isn't like Cincy was hanging around the field saying "come on guys, let's play."

Both teams left so neither team forfeited.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by Fenway55

This makes no sense. If they mutually agreed to end the game, then how is that a forfeit by one team? It isn't like Cincy was hanging around the field saying "come on guys, let's play."

Both teams left so neither team forfeited.

Because if the league decided that there needs to be a winner and a loser, the only option is that the Bengals win.

-They were up when the game stopped
-They didn't have a player get injured

It sucks, but the only options are replay the game, tie, or Bengals win.

If they are not able to replay the game, the its either a tie or Bengals win.

[Fenway55]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Because if the league decided that there needs to be a winner and a loser, the only option is that the Bengals win.

-They were up when the game stopped
-They didn't have a player get injured

It sucks, but the only options are replay the game, tie, or Bengals win.

If they are not able to replay the game, the its either a tie or Bengals win.

The League is not going to declare a winner of a game that was 7-3 and didn't even play 10 minutes. They may simply not play the game, leaving each team with 16 games, but there is no way they give Cincy a win after 9 minutes of action..

The public outrage over punishing Buffalo over the fact that one of their players almost died would be immense.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by Fenway55

The League is not going to declare a winner of a game that was 7-3 and didn't even play 10 minutes. They may simply not play the game, leaving each team with 16 games, but there is no way they give Cincy a win after 9 minutes of action..

The public outrage over punishing Buffalo over the fact that one of their players almost died would be immense.

Let alone the terrible precedent it sets.

Next time the Texans are up early on the Chiefs, they may poison one of their own players water bottle just to secure the W.

It will be the greatest, and most tragic 17-0 season in Houston history.

[blockedbyjames]

Yep mark it down. Bills ain’t forfeiting and the Bengals were winning at the time, so they ain’t forfeiting either. Games a draw. No one throws a fit when OT games end in a tie, and a draw will be the quietest outcome of them all.

[JRX]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Let alone the terrible precedent it sets.

Next time the Texans are up early on the Chiefs, they may poison one of their own players water bottle just to secure the W.

It will be the greatest, and most tragic 17-0 season in Houston history.

Congratulations, you take the prize for dumbest post of all time.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Let alone the terrible precedent it sets.

Next time the Texans are up early on the Chiefs, they may poison one of their own players water bottle just to secure the W.

It will be the greatest, and most tragic 17-0 season in Houston history.

Totally gonna happen

[hche]

Play week 18, move the BUF and CIN games to Sat (if possible). If the BUF/CIN game need to be played to determine playoff seeding and/or division champ, play it on Wed/Thurs. Then play the BUF and/or CIN playoff games on Monday after. Seems like this will cause the least disruption to the other teams and schedule. Yes, both BUF and CIN are going to get short rest but nothing is perfect.

[mnvikingstwins]

Originally Posted by JRX

Congratulations, you take the prize for dumbest post of all time.

Agreed. No way Houston can win 16 other games in a season

[JRX]

Originally Posted by mnvikingstwins

Agreed. No way Houston can win 16 other games in a season

Well done lol

[49erRCCollector]

I assume the NFL knows what it wants to do but given the outrage over Bayless' tweet last night they are treading VERY softly.

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by hche

Play week 18, move the BUF and CIN games to Sat (if possible). If the BUF/CIN game need to be played to determine playoff seeding and/or division champ, play it on Wed/Thurs. Then play the BUF and/or CIN playoff games on Monday after. Seems like this will cause the least disruption to the other teams and schedule. Yes, both BUF and CIN are going to get short rest but nothing is perfect.

Both BUF and CIN would rather forfeit the game than play in the playoffs off a shortened week.

Easiest resolution is a tie. There's no time otherwise to fit the game in.

Otherwise, they can push back the entire playoffs 1 week to fit this game in. But that will give every other team more rest and they'll have to just get rid of the bye week prior to the Super Bowl.

Because they are definitely not rescheduling the SB.

[49erRCCollector]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

Both BUF and CIN would rather forfeit the game than play in the playoffs off a shortened week.

Easiest resolution is a tie. There's no time otherwise to fit the game in.

Otherwise, they can push back the entire playoffs 1 week to fit this game in. But that will give every other team more rest and they'll have to just get rid of the bye week prior to the Super Bowl.

Because they are definitely not rescheduling the SB.

Even the playoff games moving have massive financial implications. Massive.

Its one thing to move a reg season Bills game to Detroit for a snowstorm or whatever. Moving the playoffs would be chaos.

[Bowman1951]

I'm starting to think even Buffalo's game against the Patriots this Sunday is in jeopardy.

They are already a lock for the playoffs, why not just forfeit last night's game as well as this one coming up? They can then get everyone "right" as much as they can.....and focus on the upcoming playoff game, and screw the seed?

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by Bowman1951

I'm starting to think even Buffalo's game against the Patriots this Sunday is in jeopardy.

They are already a lock for the playoffs, why not just forfeit last night's game as well as this one coming up? They can then get everyone "right" as much as they can.....and focus on the upcoming playoff game, and screw the seed?

Not only does it make the road markedly harder for them (LAC / @CIN / @KC) but it also screws Miami and Pittsburgh out of a chance to make the playoffs.

Also not ideal.

[glen87]

Originally Posted by Bowman1951

I'm starting to think even Buffalo's game against the Patriots this Sunday is in jeopardy.

They are already a lock for the playoffs, why not just forfeit last night's game as well as this one coming up? They can then get everyone "right" as much as they can.....and focus on the upcoming playoff game, and screw the seed?

FOXBORO — As football fans across the country continue to offer their support and best wishes to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, the NFL has provided clarity on the status of the Week 18 schedule — including the Bills game with the New England Patriots scheduled for Sunday.

The NFL announced Tuesday that while the Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game would not resume "this week", the remainder of next weekend's will proceed as planned. The Patriots will face the Bills Sunday at 1 p.m. in Highmark Stadium.