Monday Night Football: Last MNF game of 2022 Season, Bills @ Bengals, Jan. 2, 8:30 PM ET

[ducky]

Ultimately they still get all their games though but it does change one week of programming

Correct.

But a change like that is going to come at a big price I bet. Probably all written right into the TV deals. And it wouldn't be a token amount if I had to guess. We could be talking of approaching 9 figures.

 

[Duffman]

Correct.

But a change like that is going to come at a big price I bet. Probably all written right into the TV deals. And it wouldn't be a token amount if I had to guess. We could be talking of approaching 9 figures.

All it would take is for some bad PR to the networks about caring more about greed than being accommodating after someone almost died. Some spin from someone inside the NFL camp about how they wanted to be fair and push the games back but the networks didn’t want to lose their revenue.

 

[eaglesnut]

already reading rants about the covid vaccine being the underlying cause.

I hope for a straight answer and put this shit to bed.

Just a little untested medicine. It is impossible it could be that.

 

[ducky]

All it would take is for some bad PR to the networks about caring more about greed than being accommodating after someone almost died. Some spin from someone inside the NFL camp about how they wanted to be fair and push the games back but the networks didn’t want to lose their revenue.

You aren't going to guilt a corporation like the TV networks into waiving a $50M fine that was written into a contract for unforeseeable situations like this.

 

[TheRangerDude]

Correct.

But a change like that is going to come at a big price I bet. Probably all written right into the TV deals. And it wouldn't be a token amount if I had to guess. We could be talking of approaching 9 figures.

Yeah it cost a ton of money it isn't happening but if could somehow probowl week content could be moved to next week (forget the probowl but what other stations were planning on running that week), it probably could be done.

Ultimately they'll probably just nix the game somehow. I'm super curious what the interpretation of that will mean for fantasy though, I commish a league where there championship game had a team with Chase, Higgins, and the Cinny kicker left to play and projected to win by 22 points but was not there yet. Gonna be a mess.

 

[Clayton]

Idk man, that's just catnip for the people who think the refs/NFL favor Mahomes and the Chiefs now. It would be a bad look for the NFL, even if you're correct.

Thats just nonsense. The league would absolutely love a KC/Miami first round game imo

 

[FlyerFinFan]

Correct.

But a change like that is going to come at a big price I bet. Probably all written right into the TV deals. And it wouldn't be a token amount if I had to guess. We could be talking of approaching 9 figures.

Either way you're losing something money should be the least of their worries. Playoffs haven't been sorted out yet anyway and will eventually be played just push the Cinci/Buf game back another week get them all in and done. Imagine how much money they would make on that one game alone.

 

[ducky]

Yeah it cost a ton of money it isn't happening but if could somehow probowl week content could be moved to next week (forget the probowl but what other stations were planning on running that week), it probably could be done.

Ultimately they'll probably just nix the game somehow. I'm super curious what the interpretation of that will mean for fantasy though, I commish a league where there championship game had a team with Chase, Higgins, and the Cinny kicker left to play and projected to win by 22 points but was not there yet. Gonna be a mess.

Yeah sadly the fantasy football people are all going to be disappointed by them not playing this game tomorrow. That was the only good solution that whole issue.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

Thats just nonsense. The league would absolutely love a KC/Miami first round game imo

I'd take that game too!

 

[TheRangerDude]

Yeah sadly the fantasy football people are all going to be disappointed by them not playing this game tomorrow. That was the only good solution that whole issue.

I'm thinking of seeing if 1st and 2nd place would just be willing to split their pots.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Unfortunately the only real option is to just drop the game. Having the Bengals and Bills play a single week 19 game while all other playoff teams rest and recover doesn't really do them any favors. It also condenses the super bowl weeks into 1 which is a big deal for the league. It sucks, but calling it a no-contest now lets everyone move on. The Chiefs will be a 1 seed - And it should be noted that the Bengals won their last year and the Bills did this year, so it's not a sure-thing for them to march to the SB. The Bengals will get somewhat screwed as the 3 seed, but really have a lot of it to blame on themselves for the unimpressive start. The Ravens get screwed out of competing for the AFC-N crown, but I think they have bigger issues right now than worrying about home or away games and division titles.

Every fan of sports justice and decency is a great big Raiders fan this weekend.

 

[Robotech]

Unfortunately the only real option is to just drop the game. Having the Bengals and Bills play a single week 19 game while all other playoff teams rest and recover doesn't really do them any favors. It also condenses the super bowl weeks into 1 which is a big deal for the league. It sucks, but calling it a no-contest now lets everyone move on. The Chiefs will be a 1 seed - And it should be noted that the Bengals won their last year and the Bills did this year, so it's not a sure-thing for them to march to the SB. The Bengals will get somewhat screwed as the 3 seed, but really have a lot of it to blame on themselves for the unimpressive start. The Ravens get screwed out of competing for the AFC-N crown, but I think they have bigger issues right now than worrying about home or away games and division titles.

You're right. It just is what it is, and the right decision is to call it a no contest. Any resulting unfairness is a small issue in the big scheme of things. There is no perfect solution to the playoff seeding issue, but it's obvious that the Hamlin tragedy is bigger than the game. Roger Goodell needs to realize this and do the right thing.

 

[jayfan]

Ultimately they still get all their games though but it does change one week of programming

My solution mitigates that issue.

Play all nfc wk 18 games plus Buffy/Cincy this Sunday,

Play all afc wk 18 games next Sunday.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

The game has much more meaning for the Bengals if the Chiefs lose to the Raiders. If we're looking at this strictly from a game standpoint, if the Raiders beat KC then maybe think about rescheduling the game. The game matters a lot more to the Chiefs than anyone if they beat the Raiders so rescheduling the game for KC might not make sense.

That said....it is just a game. At the end of the day if a team gets stuck playing instead of getting a bye then go out and play the unfair way.

You don't think the Bengals have interest in a #2 seed, and possibly hosting 2 playoff games instead of 1 and having to potentially go to Buffalo instead of playing in Cincinnati with a home crowd in round 2? Granted, both Cincinnati and Buffalo have to reach round two which is no given, but if they do, is that a scenario Cincinnati should just say, oh well, who cares on?

 

[cincygrad]

You're right. It just is what it is, and the right decision is to call it a no contest. Any resulting unfairness is a small issue in the big scheme of things. There is no perfect solution to the playoff seeding issue, but it's obvious that the Hamlin tragedy is bigger than the game. Roger Goodell needs to realize this and do the right thing.

It also doesn't prolong the impact of this event. It sounds insensitive to say it, but the NFL has an image to protect. Prolonging the season for the sake of a game that was impacted by an event that can dramatically impact the financial interests of the NFL is not going to be in the best interests of the league. The sooner they can put this behind them and move on, the better it will be for the image of the league. Again, not trying to be insensitive, just trying to think what the decision makers in the league are contemplating.

 

[Upinthe North]

it is so much more complicated... i see three scenarios

1. this game gets cancelled and they both get ties
2. The game is played either tonight or tommorrow
3. the game is pushed back until after week 18, and the bengals just forfeit...

I noticed in all these suggestions of what yhe league could hypothetically do with rematch, that many suggest the Bengals should just forfeit the match.

Why? Bengals were winning the game when it was suspended.

....unless the suggestion is that Buffalo should just get a sympathy win

Curious on thoughts on this??

 

[Robotech]

It also doesn't prolong the impact of this event. It sounds insensitive to say it, but the NFL has an image to protect. Prolonging the season for the sake of a game that was impacted by an event that can dramatically impact the financial interests of the NFL is not going to be in the best interests of the league. The sooner they can put this behind them and move on, the better it will be for the image of the league. Again, not trying to be insensitive, just trying to think what the decision makers in the league are contemplating.

That's true. I was going to say the words "move on," but I decided not to because Hamlin is still in critical condition. However, you're right that it's in the NFL's best interests to make a decision now so that league business can move forward as usual. Rescheduling games and/or postponing a decision gives people constant reminders about what happened last night.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I noticed in all these suggestions of what yhe league could hypothetically do with rematch, that many suggest the Bengals should just forfeit the match.

Why? Bengals were winning the game when it was suspended.

....unless the suggestion is that Buffalo should just get a sympathy win

Curious on thoughts on this??

not many suggested it... it was only me... and i am not suggesting it...

i just think it would happen if:

1. The game is played After week 18
2. KC beats the raiders
3. Bengals beat ravens

 

[Clayton]

You don't think the Bengals have interest in a #2 seed, and possibly hosting 2 playoff games instead of 1 and having to potentially go to Buffalo instead of playing in Cincinnati with a home crowd in round 2? Granted, both Cincinnati and Buffalo have to reach round two which is no given, but if they do, is that a scenario Cincinnati should just say, oh well, who cares on?

An interest, sure. The bye week is the big prize if you're talking about winning the SB. 2 and 3 seeds playing each other while the 1 seed probably gets an easier game. The 1 seed is huge relative to the 2 and 3 imo but obviously everything matters

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I'll tell you what. Make this a no contest.

Bengals will take their 3 seed, and Baltimore take their 6 seed.

Bengals will then forfeit the week 18 game, because who the F cares if the Bengals play in week 18 if the game is already determined?

Baltimore gets the win, but Cincinnati still wins the division because of lack of that extra loss, so percentage points rule.

Fuck week 18, tell the league to go get fucking bent, same with TV stations, and just wait until week 1 of the playoffs to actually play the Ravens again. If we are going to just cancel games, just fucking cancel whatever games you want. Bengals just take a forfeit, win their division which they are already locked into t heir seeding, same with Baltimore. Make the fucking league stew about it. What are they going to do if we forfeit, kick us out of the playoffs? Both teams?

Why play them twice with nothing on the line and possibly get players hurt, even if they are backups. Fuck it. Just cancel the Bengals Ravens game in week 18 for me and call it a fucking day.