NFL 2022 Season

[Moranis]

Glad he seems to be doing better.  Scary stuff. 

As for the game, that was one of the most important games on the season as it potentially affects the playoff seeding of 5 teams in the AFC depending on the outcome of it and the following week.  The only 2 spots in the AFC playoff not directly affected by that game are the 4th and 7th seeds (and even the 7th seed may come down to what Buffalo does in the last week).  Just so much at stake and the game had just started.  Like if this was the 4th quarter and Buffalo was losing, I could see a forfeit being a reasonable outcome, but that was the 1st quarter. 

And while this doesn't matter to the NFL playoffs, that weekend was the fantasy football championship weekend and the Bills and Bengals have a lot of players that are on those fantasy teams and could greatly affect the outcome of what has become a major money industry and has helped draw interest to random games.   

A lot of decisions need to be made and need to be made quickly as to what they are going to do.  Can they play it tomorrow for example (assuming Hamlin is doing well)?  If they can play it tomorrow, do they then just move the Bengals/Ravens and Bills/Patriots to Monday?

[Phantom255x]

I simply can't see how they force the players to play again either today or tomorrow

I wonder if the NFL decides to add the "19th week" to the season, or maybe push back everything a week and maybe get rid of that "bye" between the AFC/NFC Champ. Games and SB? I can't imagine the players playing this upcoming weekend are also in the mood to play soon with what transpired with Hamlin. And he's still in critical condition.

Sending my thoughts to Hamlin and his family and hoping for a full recovery

Even waking up today I could not believe what happened last night and it was still on my mind. Whole situation was so scary

[johnnygreen]

I don't think the league can move the week 17 games for Buffalo/NE and Cincy/Baltimore to the following Monday, as it would create a short week for potentially everyone of those teams going into the first round of the playoffs. There is a reason every game in the final week of the regular season are all played on the same day.

Also, I just forgot the college football National Championship game is scheduled for Monday night and the NFL is not allowed to play that night because of it.

[Moranis]

I don't think the league can move the week 17 games for Buffalo/NE and Cincy/Baltimore to the following Monday, as it would create a short week for potentially everyone of those teams going into the first round of the playoffs. There is a reason every game in the final week of the regular season are all played on the same day.

Also, I just forgot the college football National Championship game is scheduled for Monday night and the NFL is not allowed to play that night because of it.

They don't have to play them at night.  Frankly, I think a 12 pm and 4 pm game would probably be better.  Gives the teams more time to recover for the playoffs anyway (since at least 3, if not all 4 of those teams will be in them).  That of course is only an issue if they actually play the Cincinnati/Buffalo game tomorrow.

They could just play out week 17 and see if the game is needed.  Like if Cincinnati beats Baltimore and New England beats Buffalo, then maybe they just don't play the game.  KC the 1, Cincinnati the 2, and Buffalo the 3.  But if Baltimore beats Cincinnati, what do you do with that division.  Baltimore would have beaten Cincinnati twice, but because they didn't play the Bills, the Ravens can't win the division (the Bengals would have to lose to Buffalo for Baltimore to win the division).  That doesn't seem fair to Baltimore in that scenario.  Or if Buffalo beats New England and Cincinnati beats Baltimore, can you just give them the 1 seed, when a loss to Cincinnati would have given the Bengals the 1 seed (if KC lost, or KC the 1, Cinci the 2, and Buffalo the 3).  That is why that game was so critical.  So much seeding is in the air as a result of it. 

[Roy H.]

I'd say play the game tonight or Wednesday.  Then play games as regularly scheduled on Sunday.  Yes, it's reduced rest, but it's no different than a team playing Sunday night and then again on Thursday night, which happens.

[Phantom255x]

I'd say play the game tonight or Wednesday.  Then play games as regularly scheduled on Sunday.  Yes, it's reduced rest, but it's no different than a team playing Sunday night and then again on Thursday night, which happens.

In that scenario I think some of the games would have to be moved to the late afternoon or even night Sunday (Bills-Pats, Bengals-Ravens) 

[Phantom255x]

Most teams have pretty much cancelled their conferences and pressers today. Makes sense.

I do think the decision will be to either play tomorrow night, or push everything back a week (and work out the logistics for the playoffs down the road). There's no chance they play tonight as Hamlin is still in critical condition and it'd be a short turnaround given what's happened the past 12+ hours.

One more thing I'd like to point out, the league was already in hot water about the concussion issues, primarily with Tua (Dolphins QB). Now there's this. I have to imagine that could also factor into what the NFL decides. I'm sure they'd love to resume ASAP and then play everything as normal Week 18, but I'm not as convinced it'll be that easy.

[bdm860]

They used a defibrillator on him (as they do with cardiac arrest).  So taking a moment to shout out former Celtic Ryan Gomes, who had a charity (can't tell if it's still active) that worked to put defibrillators in schools that couldn't afford them to help prevent kids dying from this.

[Roy H.]

Most teams have pretty much cancelled their conferences and pressers today. Makes sense.

I do think the decision will be to either play tomorrow night, or push everything back a week (and work out the logistics for the playoffs down the road). There's no chance they play tonight as Hamlin is still in critical condition and it'd be a short turnaround given what's happened the past 12+ hours.

One more thing I'd like to point out, the league was already in hot water about the concussion issues, primarily with Tua (Dolphins QB). Now there's this. I have to imagine that could also factor into what the NFL decides. I'm sure they'd love to resume ASAP and then play everything as normal Week 18, but I'm not as convinced it'll be that easy.

I can't imagine what a logistical nightmare rescheduling the Super Bowl would be.  A lot of people have had hotels and plane tickets booked for months.

[Donoghus]

Most teams have pretty much cancelled their conferences and pressers today. Makes sense.

I do think the decision will be to either play tomorrow night, or push everything back a week (and work out the logistics for the playoffs down the road). There's no chance they play tonight as Hamlin is still in critical condition and it'd be a short turnaround given what's happened the past 12+ hours.

One more thing I'd like to point out, the league was already in hot water about the concussion issues, primarily with Tua (Dolphins QB). Now there's this. I have to imagine that could also factor into what the NFL decides. I'm sure they'd love to resume ASAP and then play everything as normal Week 18, but I'm not as convinced it'll be that easy.

I can't imagine what a logistical nightmare rescheduling the Super Bowl would be.  A lot of people have had hotels and plane tickets booked for months.

Yeah, that's not going to happen.

[Moranis]

Most teams have pretty much cancelled their conferences and pressers today. Makes sense.

I do think the decision will be to either play tomorrow night, or push everything back a week (and work out the logistics for the playoffs down the road). There's no chance they play tonight as Hamlin is still in critical condition and it'd be a short turnaround given what's happened the past 12+ hours.

One more thing I'd like to point out, the league was already in hot water about the concussion issues, primarily with Tua (Dolphins QB). Now there's this. I have to imagine that could also factor into what the NFL decides. I'm sure they'd love to resume ASAP and then play everything as normal Week 18, but I'm not as convinced it'll be that easy.

I can't imagine what a logistical nightmare rescheduling the Super Bowl would be.  A lot of people have had hotels and plane tickets booked for months.

They'd just cancel the week before and only have 1 week off.

[mqtcelticsfan]

I still think the safest and thus best option is to just seed the Bengals and Bills off of 16 games. Every player on the field last night went though some serious trauma, which could affect their sleep schedules and mental/emotional health, which leads to a greater chance of injury. This would then be coupled with an extra game having to be worked in, which could itself lead to a greater chance of injury. Just let the [dang] players take some time to process what happened, come back for week 18 and deal with the consequences. Anybody upset that the playoff seeding is wrong because a guy almost (and still might) died on the field should reevaluate the way they view the world.

[Roy H.]

Most teams have pretty much cancelled their conferences and pressers today. Makes sense.

I do think the decision will be to either play tomorrow night, or push everything back a week (and work out the logistics for the playoffs down the road). There's no chance they play tonight as Hamlin is still in critical condition and it'd be a short turnaround given what's happened the past 12+ hours.

One more thing I'd like to point out, the league was already in hot water about the concussion issues, primarily with Tua (Dolphins QB). Now there's this. I have to imagine that could also factor into what the NFL decides. I'm sure they'd love to resume ASAP and then play everything as normal Week 18, but I'm not as convinced it'll be that easy.

I can't imagine what a logistical nightmare rescheduling the Super Bowl would be.  A lot of people have had hotels and plane tickets booked for months.

They'd just cancel the week before and only have 1 week off.

That's true, and had slipped my mind.  I know there's been a flip-flop in the past about having a bye the week before the Super Bowl.  Did the quality of the game suffer with no bye week?  I assume not.

[johnnygreen]

Most teams have pretty much cancelled their conferences and pressers today. Makes sense.

I do think the decision will be to either play tomorrow night, or push everything back a week (and work out the logistics for the playoffs down the road). There's no chance they play tonight as Hamlin is still in critical condition and it'd be a short turnaround given what's happened the past 12+ hours.

One more thing I'd like to point out, the league was already in hot water about the concussion issues, primarily with Tua (Dolphins QB). Now there's this. I have to imagine that could also factor into what the NFL decides. I'm sure they'd love to resume ASAP and then play everything as normal Week 18, but I'm not as convinced it'll be that easy.

I can't imagine what a logistical nightmare rescheduling the Super Bowl would be.  A lot of people have had hotels and plane tickets booked for months.

They'd just cancel the week before and only have 1 week off.

That's true, and had slipped my mind.  I know there's been a flip-flop in the past about having a bye the week before the Super Bowl.  Did the quality of the game suffer with no bye week?  I assume not.

The NFL had a lot to reschedule because of 9/11. The Patriots won their first Super Bowl without having that bye week that year.

[Donoghus]

Most teams have pretty much cancelled their conferences and pressers today. Makes sense.

I do think the decision will be to either play tomorrow night, or push everything back a week (and work out the logistics for the playoffs down the road). There's no chance they play tonight as Hamlin is still in critical condition and it'd be a short turnaround given what's happened the past 12+ hours.

One more thing I'd like to point out, the league was already in hot water about the concussion issues, primarily with Tua (Dolphins QB). Now there's this. I have to imagine that could also factor into what the NFL decides. I'm sure they'd love to resume ASAP and then play everything as normal Week 18, but I'm not as convinced it'll be that easy.

I can't imagine what a logistical nightmare rescheduling the Super Bowl would be.  A lot of people have had hotels and plane tickets booked for months.

They'd just cancel the week before and only have 1 week off.

That's true, and had slipped my mind.  I know there's been a flip-flop in the past about having a bye the week before the Super Bowl.  Did the quality of the game suffer with no bye week?  I assume not.

Without digging deep, I think the last Super Bowl with no bye week was Super Bowl XXXVI (Pats-Rams).   9/11 had pushed everything back. That ended up being one of the more entertaining Super Bowls of all time.