It doesn’t matter what the NFL has decided about the Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati bengals game that was suspended and eventually cancelled, some teams would find themselves in an unfair situation.
“I recognize that there is no perfect solution,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. said Thursday.
While we find out what’s going on with the AFC Championship game scenarios being debated, there’s more clarity regarding what’s going on with the pitch itself.
The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t want their way to the No. 1 seed opens like this, with one game canceled due to Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin suffering from a heart emergency on the field, but the reality is that they benefit from the Bills-Bengals being declared a no contest. With a win on Saturday over Las Vegas Raiders, they get the bye. It’s a huge advantage.
The bills were in for the No. 1 seed if they win, but they will have one game less than the Chiefs. Buffalo can still get the No. 1. 1 seed hit if they beat the New England Patriots and the Chiefs lose to the Raiders. The Bengals had a shot at the No. 1. 1 seed but aren’t doing it anymore as they need to win Weeks 17 and 18 and cause the Chiefs to lose the Finals. The Baltimore Ravens were also impacted. They can no longer win the AFC North. The best they can do is finish a half game behind the Bengals. However, as of Thursday, the NFL was discussing a scenario in which a coin toss could determine where a Bengals-Ravens wildcard round-robin game would be played, should the Ravens beat the Bengals in Week 18 (which would give in Baltimore a season sweep over Cincinnati).
It is flawed and unprecedented for seeds and division titles to be decided with teams playing an unbalanced number of matches. However, there was no way to satisfy all the teams. Now all clubs know what is at stake before the final.
Here are the Week 18 games that will have the biggest impact on the playoff picture:
We get a Division Championship game in Week 18. The winner of Saturday night’s game wins the AFC South title. The Jaguars still have an outside shot on the joker if they lose. They would also need losses by the Patriots, Dolphins and Steelers. The Titans can’t get a wildcard spot. The Titans arrive in shock and will begin Joshua Dobbs at quarterback. Dobbs was dropped from the Lions practice squad on Dec. 21. 21 and made his first career start a week later. Saturday night’s win-win matchup will be Dobbs’ second start.
Even if the Chiefs clinch the No. 1 seed with a win on Saturday, the Bills still want the No. 2 seed and will host a potential Division Round game against the Bengals. They clinch the second seed with a win or loss to the Bengals. The Patriots clinch a wildcard spot with a win. They still have an outside shot on a joker if they lose. New England would then need the Dolphins and Steelers to lose, and the Jaguars to win and clinch the AFC South.
The Dolphins are still alive and must win. It will be a battle of backup quarterbacks. The Jets, eliminated, start Joe Flacco as Mike White has been ruled out with a rib injury. The Dolphins are likely starting rookie Skylar Thompson. Tua Tagovailoa will come out, and Teddy Bridgewater is struggling with a finger injury. Miami needs to win and have the Patriots lose to the Bills.
A few weeks ago, you would have thought the team that needed a win in this game would be the Giants. Instead, the Giants are locked in the No. 6 seed and the Eagles still need to win to take the NFC East. The Eagles have lost two in a row but are No. 1. 1 seed and division champions with a win over the Giants. If the Eagles lose, the Dallas Cowboys take on the NFC East with a win over the Washington Commanders.
The 49ers can still get No. 1. 1, 2 or 3 seeds. If the Eagles lose and the 49ers win, San Francisco takes the seed and the bye. If the Eagles win, the 49ers are the No. 2 seed with a Vikings win or loss. The no. 2 seeds will face the seed #2. 7 seed, which will be the Packers, sea hawks or Lions.
All Seahawks fans seem angry this week. They’re convinced the NFL is looking to get the Seahawks by playing them at 4:25 p.m. EST and putting the Packers in prime time. The reasoning is that if the Seahawks win, which they need to do to stay alive for a wildcard spot, that means the Lions are out before their game starts in Green Bay and Detroit wouldn’t be motivated. The NFL is not rigged; it just wanted Aaron Rodgers prime time for good ratings. Still, the Seahawks must win and hope for an upset from the Lions to qualify for the playoffs.
If the Seahawks lose, this game becomes a win-win for Game 1. 7 seeds. If the Seahawks win, the Lions are out. Either way, if the Packers win, they’ll complete their unlikely march to the playoffs and be the No. 1 player in the playoffs. 7 seed in the NFC.
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