my guess for the week 18 sch
- Thread starter j-man
- Start date
I know. But there's a better chance that ONE of Pit or Miami will lose than that BOTH of them will. Hence the "sneak in" comment.
True, and true.
Edit: would Buffalo really rest guys though? It would mean back to back weeks of not really playing heading into the playoffs
I really think expanding to 8 teams in both conferences makes a ton of sense and actually really like the idea. Solves a lot of the issues at hand if you declare the the Bills - Bengals game a no contest, which I think is happening either way.
Yeah, I think it makes sense. Athough it's unclear if the 8th playoff team would apply to the NFC.
- The Chiefs gain the #1 seed in all liklihood but don't get the full benefit of the bye. Buffalo gets hosed in this sense but at least it's not as impactful as cedeing homefiled + the bye to a rival. It just means if they meet KC in the playoffs it'll be in Arrowhead unless the league puts some stipulation in that Buffalo has home field or it'll be neutral if those two teams meet.
- If Buffalo rests players on Sunday, the Dolphins, Steelers, Jaguars get appeased by also having the 8th spot available. Pats also benefit too by opening more ways in.
- Ravens get hosed and lose their chance at the AFC South, but lol fuck Harbaugh
- From a networks / money perspective, the extra AFC playoff game essentially makes up what was lost by the Bills/Bengals game without totally fucking up the schedule for the rest of the league.
The gambling piece (futures, props) impacted by not playing Bills/Bengals is unclear but maybe they figured the money lost on that is less than what it'd cost to move the entire playoff structure around.
I only mention the NFC because Florio mentioned going to 8 in the NFC as well, which makes sense because only 1 team in the entire playoffs would have a bye if they didn’t.
As far has homefield, Florio also mentions having neutral site games.
Taking it with a grain of salt given who it came from but it is the best solution I have seen yet if the game between Buffalo and Cincy is declared a no contest
see tweet and story below
View: https://twitter.com/profootballtalk/status/1611061560004280322?s=46&t=aMgf6WMd1Sj6PC7vA5Vz9A
How would an 8-game slate work logistically in terms of timing and broadcast? Who airs the two extra games, and when are they played? The NFL and/or broadcast partners are gonna run away from overlapping games.
I guess you could add 1PM and 4:30P games on MLK Monday, but that still doesn’t address who gets the benefit of the two extra games between/among FOX, NBC, ESPN, and CBS. Maybe ESPN gets one of them to make up for the lost MNF game between CIN/BUF.
I guess you could add 1PM and 4:30P games on MLK Monday, but that still doesn’t address who gets the benefit of the two extra games between/among FOX, NBC, ESPN, and CBS. Maybe ESPN gets one of them to make up for the lost MNF game between CIN/BUF.
They have to let teams know ASAP. There are teams that might currently be out of it and maybe playing youngsters or whatever that are now suddenly alive.
I guess the AFC is still only Dolphins, Steelers, or Pats for 1 or 2 spots. Anyone have NFC scenarios if an 8th team is in?
I guess the AFC is still only Dolphins, Steelers, or Pats for 1 or 2 spots. Anyone have NFC scenarios if an 8th team is in?
I was thinking they would add a timeslot at 1:00pm on Saturday of WC weekend if they only add 1 extra game (via the 8th seed/no bye in the AFC). ESPN would get an extra game that weekend but there might have to be some concessions and trading around of who gets what that weekend since ESPN already has two games that week (IIRC, a Saturday game and the MNF game).
Not sure what they would do if they also added an extra NFC game. It would have to be Monday afternoon and offer it up for bid?
Considering the Bengals are a TD favorite over the Ravens and had about a 60% win expectancy when the game was stopped Monday, the Ravens only had about a 10% chance to win the division. And while this gives the Bengals the division, it really narrows their chance for the 2-seed (which they would've been in the driver's seat with a win Monday) and eliminates any chance of a 1-seed. Even though the 2 doesn't get a bye anymore, I think it's pretty significant this year when the 3 has to play a healthy Chargers team or potentially the Ravens with Lamar and then obviously still has to go on the road to the 2 in the divisional.
This is very NFL. Ok, we had a major injury in a game where someone almost literally died on the field and our schedule is messed up. Any suggestions? LET'S ADD ANOTHER GAME, NO TWO GAMES!!!!!!
Joking aside, I love this outcome if they add an 8th team to both conferences. No AFC team should win the #1 seed given the circumstances. Having everything pushed a week is a scheduling nightmare and gives every non-Bills/Bengals team a bye, which seems like an issue. 8 teams, neutral site conference championship sounds great.
Would it have been logistically impossible to just finish this game Sunday or Monday afternoon and push everything back a week into the SB bye week? Because that definitely seems like the best move in hindsight.
They changed it last year. 2 Saturday (4 and 8), 3 Sunday (1,4,8) and a Monday Night game.
OK. Thank you. That makes sense. Google was showing 3 games on Saturday but do see some other places with Monday. Plenty of spots to add 1 or two games.
Seattle currently gets in as the 7th seed if they win and GB-DET ties or GB loses. So, adding an eighth team would give Seattle a win and in scenario for the 8th seed even if GB wins.
If Seattle lost, then I think a tie between GB and DET gives it to DET, even if Washington wins against Dallas to create a three-way tie at 8-8-1. If Seattle and either DET or GB lose, then Washington gets the 8th seed with a win. I don’t think NO gets a tiebreaker over the loser of DET-GB if Washington loses, so I think they’re dead.
I completely spaced, I forgot there isn’t a 1PM game on that Saturday.
Best move for whom? It changes the schedule for every city, every hotel, all of the people working those games, attending those games, etc on what, 2-4 days notice? It gives everyone a bye except the Bills/Bengals. It removes NFL from MLK weekend when they'd get a meaningful viewing boost. You're changing schedules for millions of people. Or... we just add an extra game next week for teams that are already planning on potentially being in the playoffs. I love it.
It's the best move for competitive fairness, but I acknowledge what you list may have made it impossible. There still would be games on MLK Weekend - it just would've been the last week of the regular season instead of the first round of the playoffs.
Probably not impossible but I bet it is easier and cheaper to add 1 or 2 games to WC weekend if they expand the playoff field than it is to move 29 games (Bills/Bengals, 16 week 18 games, 12 playoff games).
If the Pats win either by forfeit (because the Bills don't want to play) or by playing a skeleton Bills team and it's now an 8 team playoff; no one gets the shaft that wouldn't have otherwise.
Dolphins win, they're in. Pitt. is out win or lose; which would have been the case even if the Patriots lost. What would suck is if the Pats were given a win and that knocked the other two out.
Dolphins win, they're in. Pitt. is out win or lose; which would have been the case even if the Patriots lost. What would suck is if the Pats were given a win and that knocked the other two out.
I hate the 8 teams idea. Eagles fans should riot. You've had the bye almost locked up and were expecting an extra week to rest your QB and your best offensive lineman and now you have to play an extra game against a surging Lions team?
OK someone has to be the loser here (Unless the Bills and Bengals just did a 7 on 7 like I suggested) but that's a huge punishment.
OK someone has to be the loser here (Unless the Bills and Bengals just did a 7 on 7 like I suggested) but that's a huge punishment.
I don't know enough about the tiebreakers, but if the Eagles, 49ers and Vikings all finish 13-4, who gets the top seed?
I think 49ers but I am assuming the Eagles would dispatch the Giants this weekend who are fading fast. Regardless I don't know why we would punish whoever wins the NFC by taking away their bye, or give 2 extra teams a playoff entry, for a game that had nothing to do with them. Just call it a tie and you're only harming the two teams involved in the actual game.
I believe SF has the tiebreaker over Philly but Philly has it over MN. More importantly, Dallas wins the division if they win and Philly loses. Eagles then become 5th seed.
Still, I could see the NFL only adding an 8th team in AFC so as to still reward the top seed in the NFC.
I could see the argument that it is possible the NFC winner only has to play 3 games and the AFC winner will definitely have to play 4, but that's a risk every single year.
Is it possible for 7 NFC teams and 8 AFC teams?
I don’t understand why you would disturb the NFC.
/#teamcshea
I don’t understand why you would disturb the NFC.
/#teamcshea
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Nobody is being ‘punished’ in any of these scenarios. The league is in a tough position in that SOMEONE will be harmed because of a horrible event, so they’re tasked with finding the least bad option. Buffalo losing a bye because a game didn’t finish due to a player almost dying on the field would suck, too.
The tone of preemptive outrage in your posts on this is way out of proportion.
That is why I think it makes more sense to only do the 8th seed in the AFC and leave the NFC as is since there is zero impact to that side of the bracket.
The extra playoff game in the AFC essentially replaces the suspended Bills/Bengals game. KC/Buffalo/Cincy/Balt get screwed to varying degrees, but it seems like the best they can do.
The fading fast Giants who have won two of their last three, and lost the other to a last second 60 yard field goal? I mean, the Eagles should win, but the Giants have rebounded from their rough stretch
I’m now in the camp of coin toss decides Monday’s game, and play this weekend as scheduled. Not perfect, but least disruptive, IMO.
They should toss the coin 10 times and the Bills need to win 8 to win
If 7-3 Bills, golden toss for the 11th toss
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I wish it was that much. The Bengals were about 57-60% depending on which model you use - they had way more to gain than lose by playing the game to begin with, so it's a real bummer from that perspective it couldn't finish. Obviously I understand though, and it's impossible to please everyone (although of course the Chiefs benefit the most because why wouldn't they?).
The AP has already reported that the suspended game won’t be made up, according to 98.5.
There is probably a lot of negotiations going on regarding the seeding. I would think they’ll have something decided by tomorrow night.
Yeah, I'm not sure about about "fading fast," but the Giants may well rest people - they are locked into the 6th seed so there's nothing to play for.
Ok, so put 10 balls in the barrel, 3 with Bills logo and 7 with the Bengals logo. Draw one ball to declare the winner of the suspended game.
Seems like from the leaks the preference of the league office is for any solution to advantage CIN and BUF at the expense of the others rather than the other way around.
Looking like the game for Buffalo will be irrelevant if Chiefs win Saturday…
Likely scenario is Buffalo or Cincy in AFC CG against a higher seed would be played on a neutral field.
Edit - Nm, Buffalo needs to win for that to apply:
View: https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1611183767829336071?s=46&t=ZABXZMsh5v8NYeYeHyTtOQ
Likely scenario is Buffalo or Cincy in AFC CG against a higher seed would be played on a neutral field.
Edit - Nm, Buffalo needs to win for that to apply:
View: https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1611183767829336071?s=46&t=ZABXZMsh5v8NYeYeHyTtOQ
I feel like if they end up doing a neutral site this year, and it becomes a success, neutral sites may be used going forward.. (like the runner on 2B in MLB)
Neutral sites for champ game seems like a terrible idea, what teams would actually be in favor of that?
A potential Buffalo v Cincy in Cleveland CG would be a hoot but yeah if it’s far from both fanbases it can be a disaster