Bills - Bengals Game Canceled, No 8th Seed in Playoffs

 

The NFL has decided that it will not resume the contest between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals that took place on Monday night, and was suspended after Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the field.

Hamlin who has been in the hospital ever since Monday’s game has made “remarkable progress,” opened his eyes and held hands with family members. Reportedly he wrote on paper to doctors asking who won the game?

The score of the game at the time of Hamlin’s collapse was 7-3 Cincinnati. The Bengals (11-4) and Bills (12-3) were vying for the top seed in the AFC with the Kansas City Chiefs (13-3).

Instead the NFL is implementing a scenario where a neutral site would be used for the AFC Title game should either the Bengals or Bills get to the game against Kansas City.

Ian Rapoport posted this great graphic that shows how the AFC Title game will play out. 

In addition, if the Ravens beat the Bengals this weekend, and hold a 2-0 series edge vs. Cincy, the Bengals still win the NFC North based on win percentage. That would mean their wild card match-up would determine home field based on a coin toss.

There was a belief on Thursday that the NFL would create further chaos by adding an eighth seed to each conference, which would have meant the Jets would have had a shot at the playoffs if they were to beat Miami, and Jacksonville beat Tennessee and Pittsburgh lost to Cleveland. But, according to Adam Schefter the NFL never considered an eighth seed.