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NFL Considering Adding Eighth Playoff Team Amid Bills-Bengals Fallout?

January 5th, 2023 at 3:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:52pm: No NFL-NFLPA discussions have taken place regarding an eighth playoff team per conference this year, union executive director DeMaurice Smith said (via the Washington Post’s Mark Maske, on Twitter).

2:50pm: The NFL is giving more consideration to a neutral-site AFC title game, and Albert Breer of SI.com notes Indianapolis has surfaced in the discussions (Twitter link). The league has informed relevant teams of the Lucas Oil Stadium concept. The league has not talked with the Colts yet, but CBS4’s Mike Chappell notes (via Twitter) the venue would be available on Jan. 29.

12:47pm: Bills and Bengals players are not behind making up the game, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, and the NFL appears to be discussing off-radar solutions to limit the impact Monday’s postponement would have on the AFC’s playoff bracket.

The league is understandably concerned calling Monday’s game a no-contest would unfairly punish the Bills or Bengals, considering both had a shot at home-field advantage. The prospect of the NFL adding an eighth playoff team for this season is now being discussed, Florio adds. Should the NFL attempt to go forward with this emergency approach, the NFLPA would need to approve it as well.

This would be a rather radical solution, but it would partially prevent the Chiefs — who would be a Las Vegas win away from earning home-field advantage — from both reaping the spoils of both an all-Missouri playoff docket and having an extra week of rest. The frightening Damar Hamlin scene leading to that sounds like something the league is trying to avoid, but the prospect of changing the bracket days ahead of Week 18 is a rather unexpected development.

The Chiefs winning Saturday and improving to 14-3 would give them the No. 1 seed, in the likely event Monday’s game is canceled, based on win percentage. However, an NFL half-measure would be to take the bye away. The Chiefs losing Saturday and the Bills winning Sunday, thus giving Buffalo the top seed, would guard against the AFC East champions having extra rest — effectively, as less than 10 minutes of Monday’s game elapsed — as well. The Bills did not have a bye week, of course, but should the NFL declare Monday’s game a no-contest, they will end their regular season with 16 games played. Ditto the Bengals, who will clinch the AFC North with a no-contest but will see their path toward the No. 1 seed close.

If eight teams are added to the AFC bracket, the NFC playoffs would need to be expanded as well. Major League Baseball changed its playoff bracket amid the COVID-19-truncated 2020 season but did so just before that shortened season began. The NFL has also made late changes to its calendar in recent years, moving the start of the league year back multiple times during CBA talks in 2020 and rescheduling several games during the 2020 and ’21 seasons due to COVID-19 outbreaks. In 1982 — a season altered by a players’ strike that wiped out seven games — the league also agreed to expand its playoff brackets to 16 teams. That is the only time in NFL history 16 teams qualified for the postseason.

An idea floated around proposing the NFC playoffs begin next week, along with a Bills-Bengals makeup event, and the AFC starting a week later — with the conferences synching up ahead of their respective divisional rounds — has not gained traction, Florio adds. However, discussions are continuing regarding the AFC championship game being played at a neutral site. When NFL executive VP Troy Vincent said everything was on the table, it appears he was serious.

Doctors: Damar Hamlin Has Made ‘Substantial Improvement’

January 5th, 2023 at 1:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

More good news is coming out regarding Damar Hamlin‘s recovery. Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center confirmed the Bills safety has made “substantial improvement” after being hospitalized due to cardiac arrest.

Hamlin’s neurological condition and function appear intact, Dr. Timothy Pritts said Thursday (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter). Hamlin has not regained the ability to speak and is using a breathing tube, but he asked his nurse, via pen and paper on a clipboard, who won Monday night’s Bills-Bengals game, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Hamlin remains critically ill, according to the doctors, but he has resumed the use of his hands and feet.

Both doctors and the Bills addressed Hamlin’s neurological functions, and Dr. William Knight said the Pittsburgh-area native has been holding many people’s hands in his room over the past several hours (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). While Hamlin will need to progress to breathing on his own, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds (via Twitter) doctors are now discussing him being sent home.

Doctors are still determining the cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, with commotio cordis — an extremely rare condition that emerges after chest trauma produces waves of electricity that can alter heart rhythm — being one of the possibilities, Garafolo tweets. Hamlin will need to resume breathing on his own to be upgraded to stable condition, the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski tweets.

The doctors have informed Hamlin it is far too soon to know if he will be able to play football again, via ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini (on Twitter), but considering where this situation was as recently as Wednesday, that is a secondary concern. Dr. Knight confirmed Hamlin had a pulse and then lost it while surrounded by medical personnel. The CPR performed at Paycor Stadium resuscitated Hamlin, who suddenly fell backward after making a first-quarter tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

Doctors said Hamlin has been made aware his charity — the Chasing M’s Foundation — has received more than $7MM in donations, Skurski tweets. Numerous NFL players and coaches have made donations. The developments of the past 24 hours have revitalized the Bills, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who adds (via Twitter) the team erupted with applause after Damar’s father, Mario Hamlin, informed the team of his son’s progress. We will continue to provide updates on Hamlin’s condition as news develops.

NFL Moving Toward Canceling Bills-Bengals Game?

January 5th, 2023 at 11:26am CST by Sam Robinson

No NFL game has been canceled since the 1987 season, when a players’ strike led to a 15-game campaign, and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes no game has started and not been completed in league history. The league rescheduled its Week 2 games in 2001, after the September 11 attacks led to their postponement, and put Tuesdays and Wednesdays in play for COVID-19-affected contests in 2020 and ’21. Three days after the Bills-Bengals game’s postponement, the league has not announced a plan.

NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent said everything is being considered, while fellow EVP Jeff Miller noted the league did not begin discussions on how to proceed with the game until recently (Twitter links via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo). Miller said, however, a decision should emerge this week, via the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin (on Twitter).

Some among the Bills are skeptical the game will be resumed, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes (video link). Logistical reasons are behind the doubt, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes momentum is building toward the league canceling the game and dealing with the consequences. An announcement along these lines should be expected Thursday, Florio tweets.

As the NFL found its footing in the 1920s and ’30s, league schedules regularly featured teams ending seasons with disparate game counts. Since 1936, however, every team has finished a season playing the same number of games. This week’s situation threatens that streak.

Had the Bills (12-3) won in Cincinnati and then defeated the Patriots, they would have clinched their first No. 1 seed since 1993. Had the Bengals (11-4) won, they would have clinched the AFC North title and had a path to their first home-field advantage perch since 1988. As it stands now, the Chiefs (13-3) — based on win percentage — would be in position to capture the top seed by beating the Raiders on Saturday. While Kansas City grabbing the top seed would come with an asterisk, Florio adds the prospect of playing the AFC championship game on a neutral field is not on the table. Monday’s game being declared a no-contest would also wrap the 10-6 Ravens’ chances of winning the AFC North.

Other options exist here, and an NFL source informed Fowler the league moving the schedule back — via eliminating the bye week ahead of Super Bowl LVII — should be a possibility. The NFL did this during the 2001 season, though Jones adds NFL sources view a no-contest scenario as the cleanest as of Thursday morning. Rescheduling the Super Bowl is also not in play, per Jones.

Moving the Bills-Bengals tilt to next week — creating a de facto Week 19 — would also put the two playoff-bound teams at a bit of a disadvantage, with the rest of the postseason qualifiers being given an unusual bye week. Albert Breer of SI.com offers a scenario in which Goodell determines the Chiefs and Bills’ records through 16 games, thus putting Buffalo — which beat Kansas City in October — back on track to earn the No. 1 seed with a win over New England. Although such a plan would create a strange precedent, this week has effectively moved the league into uncharted territory.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

January 5th, 2023 at 10:47am CST by Sam Robinson

As the NFL determines how it will proceed with the postponed Bills-Bengals game, Week 18 is on as scheduled. The No. 1 overall pick remains in doubt, and seven teams enter the final week either 6-10 or 7-9. Several games will impact how the top 10 shakes out.

Having lost nine straight, the Bears (3-13) are a half-game behind the Texans (2-13-1) for the No. 1 overall pick. Houston last held that draft slot in 2014, while Chicago has not picked first since 1947. The Texans are also playing a Colts team they tied in Week 1; Indianapolis enters Week 18 on a six-game skid. Conversely, the Bears face a Vikings squad that still has a path to the NFC’s No. 2 seed.

Week 17 also brought clarity on the NFC South. Although the Buccaneers have disappointed, their comeback win over the Panthers secured the franchise’s third straight playoff berth. That will mean Tampa Bay’s pick will check in no higher than 18th overall, while the Carolina and New Orleans slots could land in the top 10. The loser of Saturday’s Jaguars-Titans game would also see their draft slot rise several positions. Four of the five traded picks remain in the top 12, with the Seahawks’ spot (via the Broncos) still slotting highest — behind only the Texans and Bears’ positions.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 18:

  1. Houston Texans: 2-13-1
  2. Chicago Bears: 3-13
  3. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-12
  5. Indianapolis Colts: 4-11-1
  6. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  7. Atlanta Falcons: 6-10
  8. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-10
  9. Carolina Panthers: 6-10
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Tennessee Titans: 7-9
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. New York Jets: 7-9
  14. Washington Commanders: 7-8-1
  15. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-8
  16. Green Bay Packers: 8-8
  17. Detroit Lions: 8-8
  18. Seattle Seahawks: 8-8
  19. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-8
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8
  21. New England Patriots: 8-8
  22. New York Giants: 9-6-1
  23. Baltimore Ravens: 10-6
  24. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-6
  25. Cincinnati Bengals: 11-4
  26. Minnesota Vikings: 12-4
  27. Dallas Cowboys: 12-4
  28. Denver Broncos (via 49ers)
  29. Buffalo Bills: 12-3
  30. Kansas City Chiefs: 13-3
  31. Philadelphia Eagles: 13-3

Latest On Bills S Damar Hamlin’s Recovery

January 5th, 2023 at 9:47am CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 5: The Bills released a statement Thursday morning indicating Hamlin has shown “remarkable improvement” over the past day. The team said (via Twitter) Hamlin’s lungs continue to heal, and members of his family informed NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe that the young defender is neurologically intact (video link). While the Bills statement said Hamlin remains “critically ill,” Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports he opened his eyes Wednesday night (Twitter links).

Doctors believe Hamlin is ahead of schedule in his recovery, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Damar’s father, Mario Hamlin, addressed the team Wednesday and informed the players of the progress his son has made, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

JANUARY 4: Damar Hamlin remains under sedation in the intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, but updates continue to emerge. Hamlin’s recovery effort is “moving in a positive direction,” according to his marketing representative (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe, video link). Hamlin remains in critical condition; the Bills recently announced (via Twitter) he has shown signs of improvement.

Hamlin is on a ventilator, and reports indicated he had progressed from needing 100% of the ventilator’s oxygen to requiring around 50% by Tuesday night. Hamlin’s agent also said his client’s oxygen levels have improved, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com adds. Wednesday morning, doctors have seen the “promising readings” they had hoped for by this point, Coley Harvey of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

Medical personnel performed CPR on Hamlin for multiple minutes. Although Hamlin’s uncle indicated resuscitation was twice required following his nephew’s cardiac arrest, the family said Wednesday (via Harvey, on Twitter) the 24-year-old defensive back only needed to be resuscitated once. That instance occurred on the field at Paycor Stadium.

Hamlin’s first-quarter tackle on Tee Higgins, which led to the cardiac arrest and an ambulance transporting the second-year safety to the hospital, initially preceded a short stretch in which it looked like the Bills-Bengals game would resume. The NFL has pushed back on the reported five-minute warmup period initially announced by ESPN, but Albert Breer of SI.com notes (via Twitter) multiple Bengals coaches heard “five minutes” — a usual timeframe following a major injury — regarding a return to play.

The ensuing on-field meeting between Sean McDermott and Zac Taylor led to the players returning to the locker room, Breer adds. Taylor said Wednesday that McDermott told him, “I need to be at the hospital with Damar and I shouldn’t be coaching this game.” The two teams re-emerged from their respective locker rooms in street clothes, shifting their full focuses toward Hamlin.

The NFL has not announced a resumption date for the Week 17 matchup. Bills players traveled back to Buffalo on Tuesday morning. The team remains scheduled to host the Patriots on Sunday. Rather than going through a typical Wednesday practice ahead of a Sunday game, the Bills announced they will hold a walkthrough.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/4/23

January 4th, 2023 at 5:27pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

  • Placed on IR: LB De’Jon Harris

Latest On Damar Hamlin, Bills-Bengals

January 3rd, 2023 at 6:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

6:41pm: Hamlin is on a ventilator, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard’s Matt Parrino, who spoke with Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn. However, it is believed Hamlin’s breathing is improving, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson adds (Twitter links).

Hamlin needed to be resuscitated twice — once on the field and once after he arrived at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center — according to ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey, who also spoke with Glenn (Twitter link). Lung damage is a concern, per Harvey, but Glenn added (via Parrino) his nephew is only using 50% of the ventilator Tuesday. He needed 100% of the ventilator’s oxygen Monday. Hamlin remains sedated, Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com tweets.

Further updates to the situation will be provided as they become available.

9:01am: All attention around the NFL continues to be focused on the well-being of Bills safety Damar Hamlin after he went into cardiac arrest during last night’s game between the Bills and Bengals. The early hours of Tuesday morning provided further clarification on the way the incident was handled.

Hamlin, 24, received care on the field which included CPR after he collapsed immediately following a tackle made on Bengals wideout Tee Higgins. That, as noted by a team announcement, restored his heartbeat before he was ultimately loaded directly into an ambulance and taken to hospital. He has since been intubated and, as of the latest update, remains sedated and in critical condition.

The situation left the NFL, NFLPA, on-field officials and both teams in need of making a determination with respect to how to proceed (if at all) with the game. While the ESPN broadcast mentioned the potential of a five-minute warmup period being given to each squad before resuming the contest, NFL EVP Troy Vincent denied that such a scenario was ever in consideration.

“There was no time period for the players to get warmed up,” Vincent said on a conference call (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo). “It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play. That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. That’s not a place we should ever be in.”

Indeed, the contest was temporarily suspended, and later postponed in the wake of Hamlin’s uncertain condition. After a number of players and staff members from both teams visited the hospital where he is receiving treatment, it was initially reported that some Bills players would remain in Cincinnati instead of returning home. Further clarification from Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News confirms, however, that the team has traveled in full back to Buffalo (Twitter link).

As they and the rest of the NFL await further updates on Hamlin’s status, the matter of potentially resuming the game has been brought up. On the aforementioned conference call, NFL EVP of communications Jeff Miller said (via the Ringer’s Lindsay Jones, on Twitter) that that is “not a consideration right now.” While such a stance is certainly understandable in the aftermath of last night’s frightening events, the Buffalo-Cincinnati contest carries significant playoff implications for both teams. The situation is further complicated by the relation of its outcome to other AFC games set to be played this Sunday as the regular season is scheduled to come to a close.

Bills-Bengals Game Remains Without Resumption Date

January 3rd, 2023 at 1:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills announced Tuesday afternoon Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Hamlin going into cardiac arrest during the first quarter of Monday night’s game has brought other NFL matters to a halt.

The NFL addressed the on-field procedures and decision to postpone the Bills-Bengals game early Tuesday morning, but as of this afternoon, its schedule is unchanged. Roger Goodell said Monday’s game will not be resumed this week. Week 18 remains slated to begin Saturday. While this invites logistical questions, Hamlin’s status continues to be the league’s focus.

“The NFL continues to be in regular contact with the medical team caring for Damar Hamlin, and also the Bills and Bengals organizations and the NFL Players Association. After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the clubs today that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week,” the NFL said in a statement.

“The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date. The league has not made any changes to the Week 18 regular season schedule.”

Bills players traveled back to Buffalo on Tuesday morning. The team is next scheduled to play against the Patriots on Sunday. The Bengals are set to host the Ravens in Week 18. Monday’s game being ruled a no-contest would obviously produce a historic ripple effect. The Bengals would win the AFC North title by default, while the Bills would go from controlling their own destiny for the AFC’s No. 1 seed to seeing the Chiefs have that control.

Postponing the playoffs in order to complete one game would be a drastic step for the league, though there is precedent for altering the schedule. Following a lengthy players’ strike, the 1982 season featured a 16-team playoff bracket that did not begin until Jan. 8, 1983. The September 11 attacks prompted the NFL to postpone Week 2 games in 2001, leading to a pushed-back playoff schedule. The COVID-19 pandemic also required forced flexibility from the league, which rescheduled several games during the 2020 and ’21 seasons.

Bills-Bengals Game Postponed Following Damar Hamlin Hospitalization

January 3rd, 2023 at 1:38am CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 3, 1:38am: The Bills announced Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field. The on-field treatment restored Hamlin’s heartbeat, according to the team (on Twitter), but he remains in critical condition.

JANUARY 2, 9:37pm: Hamlin’s vitals have normalized, according to his marketing representative (on Twitter). Doctors will put him to sleep to place a breathing tube down his throat. Tests are ongoing.

9:01pm: This game will not resume tonight, according to ESPN. No resumption date has been announced. Goodell announced the postponement. Hamlin is in critical condition, according to the NFL (Twitter link).

“The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin. We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well being,” the union said in a statement.

8:21pm: An ambulance transported Bills safety Damar Hamlin off the field in the first quarter of Monday night’s game. Teams had been given five minutes to warm up to begin play again, but after a discussion, both squads have left the field.

Twenty-five minutes after the Hamlin injury, the game has been suspended. Medical personnel administered CPR to Hamlin, a 24-year-old in his second NFL season. Both teams gathered together around Hamlin and the ambulance as he was stretchered into the vehicle. After Sean McDermott and Zac Taylor spoke briefly, the teams headed to their respective locker rooms.

The terrifying scene began after Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. As Hamlin rose to his feet, he fell backward onto the turf, leading to the game’s stoppage. In addition to the application of CPR, medical staffers gave him oxygen. Hamlin is being transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Hamlin moved into Buffalo’s starting lineup earlier this season, becoming the team’s primary replacement for Micah Hyde, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in September. The Bills drafted Hamlin 212th overall out of Pittsburgh last year. He spent the first season of his pro career as a backup to Hyde and Jordan Poyer but has made 14 starts this year.

Bills officials, including McDermott and GM Brandon Beane, met with referees minutes ago, according to ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg (on Twitter). If tonight’s game ends up being postponed, the NFL will make the decision. Roger Goodell will speak to the teams at some point, but that is obviously the secondary issue here after what just transpired.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/23

January 2nd, 2023 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills 

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed from practice squad: CB Allan George
  • Promoted: QB Jake Browning

Tennessee Titans

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