Here are the playoff scenarios after NFL cancels Bengals-Bills game. Coin flip possible.
The NFL announced late Thursday night the Week 17 Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals game will not be resumed and has been cancelled.
This decision has several layers to it which directly impact the Bengals and the postseason.
Heading into the Week 17 game, if the Bengals were to have beaten the Bills and Ravens in the final game of the season, Cincinnati had a chance to be either the AFC’s No. 1 or 2 seed. A win over Buffalo also would have secured the AFC North division title for the Bengals for a second consecutive year.
‘It was big relief off of my chest’:How is Tee Higgins after collision with Damar Hamlin?
'We love each other':Joe Burrow on Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest, preparing for Ravens
Zac Taylor press conference:His perspective on Bills DB Damar Hamlin's collapse and how Bengals move forward
If they had lost to Buffalo and beat the Ravens in Week 18, the Bengals would still win the AFC North and host a playoff game as the No. 3 seed.
By not making the game up between Buffalo, several scenarios are now in play.
How this affects the Bengals in the AFC playoffs
Simply put, for the Bengals to host a game in the first round of the playoffs, they need to beat the Ravens on Sunday.
If they don’t, even though they technically on paper would still be ahead of Baltimore in the standings, it will be out of their control as to what happens if these teams meet again.
Right now, it’s highly likely the Ravens and Bengals could face each other in consecutive weeks – in Week 18 and in the Wild Card round.
The NFL announced if the Bengals lose to the Ravens on Sunday and are scheduled to play one another in the first round of the playoffs, the site for that game would be determined by a coin toss.
If Cincinnati wins the Week 18 game, they’ll host a playoff game. If they don’t, it’s out of their control where they would play.
Scenarios regarding the AFC Championship Game
The following is a release from NFL:
The AFC Championship Game will be played at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and both could have been the number one seed and hosted the game had all AFC clubs played a full 17-game regular season. Those circumstances involve Buffalo or Cincinnati qualifying for the game as a road team and are listed below:
Scenario 1
Buffalo and Kansas City both win or both tie – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.
Scenario 2
Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Baltimore wins or ties – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.
Scenario 3
Buffalo and Kansas City both lose and Cincinnati wins – a Buffalo or Cincinnati vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: NFL cancels Bengals-Bills: AFC playoff scenarios for Cincinnati
