NFL: Bengals will play Week 18 game vs. Ravens at 1 p.m. ET, six days after Damar Hamlin emergency
The Cincinnati Bengals are slated to play as scheduled in Week 18. The Bengals will take on the Baltimore Ravens at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, the NFL announced Wednesday.
The game will take place six days after the Bengals' game against the Buffalo Bills was suspended after Bills' safety Damar Hamlin experienced cardiac arrest on the field. Hamlin received CPR on the field and was transported to a local hospital in Cincinnati. He was taken to the ICU and showed "signs of improvement" Tuesday and overnight Wednesday, the Bills announced.
The NFL has yet to announce whether that game will be resumed. On Tuesday, the league said the Bills and Bengals would not resume the game before Week 18. It also said there were no changes to the Week 18 schedule.
Prior to Week 17, it was expected the Bengals-Bills matchup would have implications on the AFC North. Following the suspension of the Bengals' game in Week 17, it's unclear how — if at all — the Week 18 game will affect the division race. The Bengals enter the week 11-4, and sit in first place in the AFC North. The Ravens are 10-6 heading into Week 18.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor addressed reporters Wednesday for the first time since the game against the Bills. Taylor sent prayers to Hamlin and his family and spoke highly of Bills coach Sean McDermott and the way he handled things after Hamlin's on-field emergency.
Taylor said the team is focused on preparing for the Ravens in Week 18, per Clifton Brown of BaltimoreRavens.com.
"That's what we're tasked to do," Taylor said. "Our time in the building, and the appropriate times, is focused on getting ready for Baltimore. You can do two things at once. You can prepare for a football game on Sunday and you can still support Damar, those who knew him and are dealing with some emotional stuff at this time."
The two teams met back in Week 5. The Ravens won that contest 19-17.
