Ian Rapoport Lays Out NFL’s Options For Bills-Bengals Game After Postponement

The health and recovery of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin continue to be at the top of mind for those around the NFL community, and rightfully so, the uncertainty regarding the now-postponed Week 17 game between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals has presented some questions.

Hamlin suffered from cardiac arrest and needed to have his heartbeat restored on the field Monday night before being transported by ambulance to a nearby ICU in Cincinnati. He continues to be sedated and in critical condition, though there was an optimistic update Wednesday morning after a family member shared his breathing was getting better Tuesday night.

Looking ahead to a return to play for the rest of the league, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport provided a bit more insight into how the NFL might go about a potential resumption of Bills-Bengals, a massive game in the AFC playoff picture with the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage both at stake.

” … So let’s kind of go through the options that the NFL has now for a decision that should come at some point fairly soon,” Rapoport said on “NFL Now” after sharing his sentiments on Hamlin.

“What they can do is basically nothing, which is declare the game a no contest or declare it a tie,” Rapoport continued. “There is commissioner’s discretion there. And then the standings would be as they are, affected by a tie or a no contest, whichever they decide. Based on winning percentage that would determine who gets the byes, who wins divisions, all the other factors.

“They could also slide the playoffs back a week, create a Week 19,” Rapoport added. “This is something that was discussed during the COVID situations from a couple years ago, if they had to. It never came to it, but if they had to. Have a standalone, one-game weekend and play Bills-Bengals in Week 19, move the playoffs back a week, eliminate the essential bye week between the Super Bowl and title games and move on from there.

“Those are basically the options going forward some wiggle room in between there, but the NFL at some point will decided how to proceed.”

The NFL on Tuesday announced Bengals-Bills would not be resumed this week. At the time the league also announced there were no changes to the Week 18 schedule.

Should that remain the case, the New England Patriots will travel to the Bills on Sunday for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff while the AFC North-leading Bengals host the Baltimore Ravens at the same time.