The NFL continues to weigh options when it comes to the postponed game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
A writeup from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio on Wednesday night suggests the league has started to lean toward declaring the game a “no contest” and basing playoff seeding on Week 18 results.
The important blurb:
“Current momentum is pointing toward not resuming the Bills-Bengals game, and declaring it a no contest. Playoff seeding then would be determined based on the outcome of the Week 18 games.”
It might be the “fairest” way to do things in a situation where there are no true winners and not everyone will walk away happy with the chosen path.
In a scenario where the game is a no contest and the Bills and Bengals only end up “playing” 16 games, the Bengals would automatically clinch the AFC North title. The Chiefs would clinch the No. 1 AFC playoff seed with a win over the Raiders on Saturday.
As for the Bills, they’d clinch the No. 2 AFC seed with a win over the Patriots (and if the Chiefs lose they take the top seed). Were the Bills to lose while the Bengals win, the Bengals would actually leapfrog them and take the No. 2 seed (setting up a possible divisional round rematch at Paycor Stadium).
It’s all very complex, but the gist of it is that the top three seeds in the conference would still be somewhat credibly decided in Week 18. And it’s possibly better than trying to resume the postponed game, asking those players to take the field in the exact same spot and scenario again while possibly delaying the playoffs or giving unfair competitive advantages and disadvantages as they try to squeeze in the resumption of that contest.
This is a move the NFL would need to announce before Week 18 games start on Saturday, so expect news soon.
