Bengals Bills Game Won't Take Place: Which Scenarios Determine Home Field Advantage?
Doctors at UC Medical Center in Cincinnati revealed Thursday afternoon that Bills safety Damar Hamlin's condition is now improving. He is moving his hands and feet, appears to be neurologically intact and was even able to communicate in writing, asking if the Bills had won the game. Hamlin is still unable to speak as he remains in critical condition with a breathing tube down his throat.
The NFL has opted not to reschedule the Bills-Bengals game.
Because the Bills defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 24-20 in week six, Buffalo would have earned the No. 1 seed, home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and the bye had they defeated the Bengals followed by win against the New England Patriots 18.
The Chiefs defeat of the Las Vegas Raiders Saturday evening means they have the best record in the AFC at 14-3. The AFC Championship Game will now be played at yet-to-be-determined neutral site, with one notable exception. Playoff seeding would be determined by win percentage.
Here's are the various scenarios for the AFC Championship involving the three teams:
Chiefs (14-3) vs. Bills (13-3): at neutral site
Chiefs (13-4) vs. Bills (12-4): at neutral site
Bills (13-3) vs. Chiefs (13-4): at Buffalo
Chiefs (13-4) vs. Bengals (12-4): at neutral site
Bills vs. Bengals: at Buffalo
Cincinnati's potential Wild Card playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens (10-6) is the one potential exception to the neutral site.
If the Ravens sweep the Bengals they'd be a half-game back due to the uneven schedule. A third matchup could occur between the division winning Bengals and the Ravens, a wild-card team. The NFL's solution is to have home field advantage settled with a coin toss.
The Monday Night Football game between the Bills and Bengals was postponed in the first quarter after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest while on the field following a tackle.
Some sportsbooks, like BetOnline, were quick to advise bets on the game would be graded as "no action". Other books, BetMGM among them, required a longer review process.
Grading on various props and quarters bets resulted in some confusion across the board.
The Bills are next scheduled to host the New England Patriots on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). The Bengals are scheduled to host the Baltimore Ravens.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
