Plan for Bills-Bengals trending controversial Chiefs advantage
The plan for resolving the unfinished game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals could be highly controversial.
On Monday night, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went down suffering a cardiac arrest, the message from the football world was that the game no longer mattered.
Days later, with Hamlin still in the ICU — but reportedly getting slowly better — in Cincinnati after receiving CPR on the field, that statement rings true, and the proof is in what appears to be growing as the most likely option for resolving the unfinished game between the Bengals and Bills.
It was reported by Pro Football Talk on Wednesday night that that option is simply not resuming the game:
That would be incredibly controversial, considering it gives an uneven slate in terms of games played to at least one team. The Chiefs, undoubtedly, benefit the most and can essentially guarantee the No. 1 seed with a win.
How would AFC playoff standings look if Bills-Bengals isn’t played and Chiefs win?
If the Chiefs win in Week 18, their winning percentage will be .8235.
Here is how the Bills and Bengals would pan out, in the following format: PCT with a win in Week 18 | PCT with a loss in Week 18
- Bills: .8125 | 0.75
- Bengals: 0.75 | .6875
So, the Chiefs can secure the No. 1 seed in this hypothetical with a win over the Raiders on Sunday.
How would AFC playoff standings look if Bills-Bengals isn’t played and Chiefs lose?
While it gives the Chiefs the option to win their way into No. 1, it makes things complicated if they lose. The Chiefs, if they lose in Week 18 would have a winning PCT of .7647.
Again, here are the Bills and Bengals possible winning percentages in this hypothetical.
- Bills: .8125 | 0.75
- Bengals: 0.75 | .6875
So, the Bills could get the No. 1 seed in this scenario (they need to win and a Chiefs loss), but the Bengals can’t. That said, the Bengals would clinch the AFC North by default (the Ravens best possible winning PCT is .6471), which was the biggest thing at stake with them playing the game.
Needless to say, this scenario would put the ball in the Chiefs’ court and reads as-if it’s an advantage for Kansas City. They control their destiny.
While, under normal circumstances that might be cause for uproar for Bills fans, not playing the game feels like the best possible option and the right choice. Priorities have clearly shifted toward Hamlin’s health in Buffalo and beyond.
Joe Burrow has said the Bengals want to support the Bills in what they would like to do.
