While unimportant compared to the health of Damar Hamlin, rumblings of what the NFL might do about the postponement of the Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals have started to emerge.
Appearing on WGRZ Daybreak, Vic Carucci (h/t Melissa Holmes) reported that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will ultimately make the call on if the postponed game gets played and how it will unfold.
One option is to play the game within two days, while another bigger-picture option is to add a 19th week to the season and push everything back so that both teams can get in all of their games before the playoffs start:
There is another option according to @viccarucci – the league can add a 19th week so the Bills/Bengals can get in all their games. @wgrz https://t.co/1X1hCHVN8c
— Melissa Holmes (@2MelissaHolmes) January 3, 2023
At this point, it’s hard to imagine the teams link back up in two days. While it’s a short flight back, the Bills already flew home late Monday night/Tuesday morning, never mind how callous it might be to ask players to take the same field again so soon.
Were this a matchup between teams out of the playoff hunt the NFL might just wave it off. But a tie or no contest would have seeding implications and impact other teams, too, so there’s a chance the NFL wants the game to happen no matter what. That might mean a 19th week.
On a conference call late Monday night, league officials declined to even begin talking about the topic of rescheduling:
Full quote from NFL's Jeff Miller addressing the status of this game: "There’s nothing in consideration right now. Our concern is for the player and his well-being. At the appropriate time, I’m sure that we’ll have a conversation around the next steps regarding the game."
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) January 3, 2023
And at this point, it’s hard to imagine anyone — including other teams impacted — would complain if the NFL waved the game off entirely.
