NFL Playoffs - Now What?

self | jimjohn

[jimjohn]

[Note: for those who could care less about the NFL or football in general in this forum, you can skip this thread]

Oh, to be in the board room of the National Football League right now. All thought are on the player Damar Hamlin. Our thoughts and prayers go out, and this Bills fan has been receiving support from around the country from friends and family. But with that said, it’s going to be asked: What to do with the rest of the NFL season?

[Full disclosure: Bills fan for 43 years]

The complications are manifested by the importance of the game itself when it comes to playoff positioning. A Buffalo win meant a win the following week guaranteed home-field advantage. A Cincinnati win would clinch the AFC North Division with the possibility of home field advantage as well. With Monday’s game postponement, not only is all of that in chaos, but it can also effect 11 of the 16 AFC teams now in playoff position.

Question: Assuming at least one team (The Buffalo Bills) may not be up to (or unable to be) playing this weekend against the New England Patriots (God forbid where their heads may be on Sunday), how to determine playoff positions?

It is impossible to avoid slighting a football team, but here is one possible scenario:

1. Declare the Bills-Bengals game a tie. It will not be rescheduled.

The 4 AFC division winners have clinched playoff spots. The only division winner in question is Bengals or Ravens in the AFC north, who play next Sunday. This game should go on as scheduled. We’ll get back to this game in #2.

2. Give the Buffalo Bills a bye this Sunday. Instead of Cleveland going to Pittsburgh, send the New England Patriots (scheduled on the road to Buffalo) to Pittsburgh. Winner makes the playoffs. Loser is out. If there is a tie, the Dolphins make the playoffs with a win. A Dolphins loss means loser of the Bengal-Ravens game gets in as a wild card. We’ll go ahead a give Cleveland a win for the record books, but their season is over.

3. Now, about the division winner seeding: A Chiefs win gives Kansas City top seed, with Buffalo guaranteed a #2 seed, Bengals-Ravens winner get #3 seed. A KC loss gives Bengals top seed with a win over the Ravens, but a KC loss and a Bengal loss gives Buffalo the #1 seed.

In short, by adjusting the last week of the NFL schedule, we give the Buffalo Bills time to regroup without having to send the season into an extra week in mid-January (that's not fair to anyone).

I know some will say it’s even ghoulish to think about it right now, but next Sunday - the final week of the regular season is right around the corner, and they gotta come up with something fast.

Just my $0.02

[mmichaels1970]

I think the game will be played, I said earlier, start the playoffs a week later, it would eliminate the off week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl.

I agree with that being the most likely outcome. I may not necessarily agree with it. But I think that's what is going to happen.

They might flex the game to an "if necessary" status. If seeding is affected, game gets played. If seeding is not affected, game does not get played. Either way, first week of playoffs is pushed back and the week of PR layoff before the superbowl is eliminated.

I don't think it's the simplest solution. But I do think it's the most likely one.

[God luvs America]

LOL- yeh- i see Johnson of UF in the middle of it there- fester

[God luvs America]

That was a concussion. I watched that game live.

Of course the irony is Best is now suing the NFL for his post concussions issues despite the fact he entered the league with concussion issues

[God luvs America]

Comparing a IAA game to a nationally televised NFL game also adds to the credibility of your argument!!! LOL

Keep searching fester

[srmanuel]

Ask yourself, if the same thing happened during the Super Bowl, would the game continue ???

IMO, it absolutely would continue.

Look past all the emotions over this tragic incident, the bottom line with the NFL is MONEY, the billionaires that own the teams are all about MONEY.

That’s why the game will be played, fans have paid for the tickets, the TV networks have paid for for the game which will be huge if its played as the only game after the regular season.

For years the NFL has been adamantly against gambling refused any association with it, even though gambling on NFL games is one of the main attractions of the sport.

Now the NFL has a team in Las Vegas and is associated with DraftKings and Fan Duel, two huge gambling sites, the NFL realizes getting involved with legalized gambling as it becomes more legal around the country has enormous potential and they want a piece of that action.

[FamiliarFace]

Yeah, it was a concussion. It was really weird how his arms went up like that.

I don’t understand that sort of thing about suing them when it was all known ahead of time.

[srmanuel]

I’ve showed two games with players suffering cardiac arrest and the games continued after the players were hauled off on a stretcher.

Keep denying the obvious, like I said, I’m right, you’re wrong and it’s pointless to continue over something will never change minds.

[for-q-clinton]

Stingley was paralyzed in the game. We have military members and cops get killed working all the time. We don’t stop we continue.

So not sure what your point is.

[mmichaels1970]

Ask yourself, if the same thing happened during the Super Bowl, would the game continue ???

It would. If the game wasn't continued that very day, it would be pushed back. And, being the last game of the season, there would be very little disruption to the overall NFL schedule if it were done so. Heck, the NFL might relish the opportunity to milk another week or two of pub.

Now, actual game cancellations aren't unprecedented and, IIRC, were pretty frequent during COVID. And the NFL policy at that time, was that the team with the COVID outbreak would be forced to forfeit.

There was certainly gambling at that time. There was certainly fantasy at that time. But they did it and they survived it. As big as Bengals v Bills might be, it is still a regular season game.

Similar policy should be applied here. Except the team that was winning should be awarded the win. Buffalo should forfeit.

[God luvs America]

You’re right about what?? College games, one a IAA game and the other which they didn’t treat the guy being carted off with CPR, etc, comparing to last night???

Like i said earlier- keep embarrassing yourself

[God luvs America]

LOL- you’re actually going to compare police or military killed to what went down last night????

You really are a glutton for punishment- aren’t you?

[srmanuel]

Here’s a couple of articles you might find interesting.

No game in NFL history has ever been suspended and resumed at a later date.

https://www.footballzebras.com/2023/01/how-does-the-nfl-handle-a-suspended-game/

No team in NFL history has ever had to forfeit a game.

https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/2019/12/08/chiefs-try-to-avoid-first-forfeit-in-nfl-history-after-equipment-is-diverted-to-new-jersey/

During Covid, all scheduled games were played only 3 were moved to different dates.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nfl-games-covid-19-outbreaks/

Last nights game could be cancelled, but a forfeit is very unlikely to happen, the most logical move is play the game by either starting over or picking up where last night left off

[srmanuel]

Actually, in the College Video I posted; they show the guy getting CPR on the sideline.

Keep embarrassing yourself in this pointless argument.

[mmichaels1970]

You’re right. No Covid forfeits but only the threat of such. In those cases I think the games were able to be rescheduled without extending the season beyond 18 weeks. The NFL was adamant that they wouldn’t extend a week.

I do not see them playing this week (and then resuming their normal schedule on a short week). I perhaps see them pushing the post season back a week and eliminating the press week prior to the superbowl. I think that’s likely what they’ll do.

I personally think they should just call it a forfeit and move on. They likely won’t.

[srmanuel]

During a strike year I think 1983, the NFL eliminated the off week before the Super Bowl.

[God luvs America]

LOL- yeh- a DIAA game- which you had no clue about. Quite comparable to what took place last night!!!

But you keep going girlfriend!!

[srmanuel]

2 Football players suffered cardiac arrest during a game, both received CPR on the field, both were carried off the field on a stretcher, one game continued, one did not.

The main difference was the game continuing or not.

If you don’t see that either you are just arguing or are ignorant.

Either Way I’m right, you’re wrong, to a pointless argument.

[God luvs America]

LOL- could you get anymore ignorant?? Yes you can- comparing a IAA football game on a Saturday night with an audience of about 20,000 versus a nationally televised NFL game with a audience of about 12 million.

Keep listening to those voices in your head telling you you’re “right”.

[for-q-clinton]

BTW: I’ve read various counts, but only one said he died on the field.

[God luvs America]

who died on what field?