NFL playoffs: Chiefs were the best in the league's alternate plan

On Friday afternoon, NFL fans received official word that at least 24 owners had approved the decision of the commissioner and the competition committee regarding the 2022 qualifiers — the number of votes required to formalize their projects. Professional Football Discussion reported that the vote was not unanimous, with only 25 “yes” votes (this does not necessarily mean seven “no” votes, as owners can abstain from voting).

You can consult all the details of the resolution in this postand take a look at this table as a reminder:

The events

On Monday night, the league faced a dire situation. As the world watches the consensus “game of the year” between the Buffalo Tickets and Cincinnati Bengals, Damar Hamlin’s bill security collapsed, requiring immediate medical attention. Hamlin received two ESPN Commercial breaks are worth the CPR before he leaves in the ambulance. The Bills weren’t sure if their teammate would survive.

Respective head coaches Sean McDermott and Zac Taylor pulled their teams off the field. The NFL has said the game will not resume. Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid has since said publicly that the league made the right decision to stop the game.

Fortunately, in the days that followed, Hamlin made miraculous progress. Friday he was taken off a breathing tube, allowing him to speak to his Bills teammates remotely from the Cincinnati hospital.. Looks like Hamlin is going to live.

Regardless of what you think of what you are about to read here, everyone won this week.

decision

For several reasons — which I presume were the end of the game in the season and the high playoff seeds involved, among others — the NFL chose not to make it up. We always say it, but it bears repeating: the NFL is still a business. The league decided not to interrupt the most lucrative part of its business (the playoffs) by rescheduling.

With an odd number of games played (16) for the Bills and Bengals – who are now the No. 1s in the AFC. 2 and no. 3 seeds, respectively, there were alternative solutions launched there. One was optional for a week off or home field advantage. Some even thought the league might suddenly add an eighth seed, although others said it was never really considered.

The league chose to change the old rule.

That old rule they changed

Let’s first discuss the old rule, which in effect stated that if not disputed, the league would determine all rankings solely based on winning percentage. Why the league has moved away from this is something that has The Bengals are very upset, who can now see a coin toss that will determine whether or not they hold a playoff game.

Sticking to the old rule would have meant Chiefs could land the bye and undisputed advantage of the field with a victory on Saturday over the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, however, if the Chiefs beat the Raiders (and the Bills beat the Patriots) in Week 18, a Chiefs-Bills AFC title game will be played at a neutral site. But if the Chiefs won on Saturday and the Bills lost on Sunday, the Bills would still come to Arrowhead for the AFC Championship.

Why doesn’t the NFL stick to winning percentage? “I would say it’s not necessarily (the rules) weren’t followed… We don’t capture everything in every rule and every policy manual. Sometimes when you face situations you have to try to make adjustments.” In relation to COVID changes.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 6, 2023

Maybe we’ll find out when the commissioner is next available why the decision was to go in a new direction, but I can imagine it might have something to do with the teams feeling comfortable not to gamble in future near-death situations. For me, I think it could be an extension of the much-needed new era of player safety, which I think (and you can have yours) is a very, very good thing.

What this means for chefs

Understanding the Bills-Bengals match would not alter the lineup of the highly anticipated NFL playoffs and Knowing that the NFL wanted to try to make it as fair as possible given these dire circumstances, I find the Chiefs have come off as bandits in this situation.

I will give it to you. Yes, I agree, it looked like the Bengals (up 7-3 with the ball when Hamlin was injured) could have continued Monday night football. But we will never know what could have happened in this game, which was still in the first quarter. If the Bills had come back to win, the Chiefs would have no control over their own destiny.

Now they do – and with a win over the Jarrett Stidham Raiders 6-10, the Chiefs clinch the bye week. Let’s say that another way:

Patrick Mahomes beating Stidham is now a playoff victory.

If that happens, the Chiefs skip the Wild Card weekend. Then the alone The possible way Kansas City could lose its right to host a fifth straight AFC title game would be if the Bills won three games in a row – against the Patriots in Week 18, Wild Card weekend, then their divisional round match (Roger Goodell would choose the location of a neutral site in this case).

I think those complaining about these alternate emergency plans on Friday are assuming a lot. After last year’s Chiefs-Bills playoff thriller, those without interest across the country all want to see it. But Friday, there were a lot of people supposing it will happen.

I can’t help wondering how the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots feel all those AFC title scenarios absolutely including a pair of teams from a roster that includes the Bengals, Bills and Chiefs.

My expectation is this: it’s really motivating.

The bottom line

Monday morning, the Chiefs were not in control of their destiny. On Friday afternoon – due to circumstances no one wanted and after a key game was not played for a good reason – they do. And with a win on Saturday, the Chiefs can only lose the “arrowhead advantage” if Three The Bills game results go a certain way. They will also likely avoid having to play both Bills and Bengals in the playoffs.

You are entitled to your own opinion on the Chiefs’ potential route, and I respect that.

Mine, however, is that the Chiefs have done very well.