NFL announces more than 50,000 tickets sold for neutral site AFC title game

NFL: JAN 08 Buccaneers at Falcons
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The NFL has offered an update on ticket sales for a potential AFC Championship Game in Atlanta next week.

Should the Chiefs and Bills win in the divisional round, they would meet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a chance to advance to the Super Bowl because of changes adopted by the league in the wake of the cancelation of Buffalo’s Week 17 game against the Bengals. Tickets went on sale to season ticket holders in Kansas City and Buffalo on Wednesday and the league says they moved quickly.

The league says more than 50.000 tickets have been sold via a plan that would put Bills fans on their team’s side of the field and Chiefs fans on the other. They also say that the teams are still working to provide access to season ticket holders and that they will update availability, if any exists, to the general public in the future.

Any tickets purchased will be refunded if the Bills and Chiefs do not advance this weekend, but the league has already seen that moving the game to a neutral site won’t hurt ticket sales should the league consider going that route again in the future.

94 responses to “NFL announces more than 50,000 tickets sold for neutral site AFC title game

  1. Crap. They’re going to make CCG their own version of college bowl playoffs, aren’t they? NFCCG at the Rose Bowl, AFCCG at the Orange Bowl, etc…

  2. Bengals fans should be thankful for the NFL giving the Bengals players even more edge in this game. If Josh Allen keeps reverting back to ghost of trash Allen, Bengals will win this going away even with a makeshift O-Line.

  3. So Bills get consideration because of a canceled game they where losing from and where about to go down as much as 14-3. Bengals who where beating the Bills and would have taken over the #2 seed get told to go pound sand. With how the Bills have been playing I don’t see them stopping the Bengals that night unless there was an injury. NFL really messed up with this one.

  4. This whole ordeal after the canceled Buffalo Bengal game is a joke!
    2 outdoor teams playing in a dome and now they are putting the fans behind there team so when they cheer it will effect there team more that the opposing team!
    The National Fixed League continues to make questionable decisions!
    I for one am hoping Buffalo and/ or Kansas City loses just so this all blows up on the NFL.

  5. Ruh-roh… Now the Championship games will be neutral site. Give it a decade and London and Frankfurt will have a divisional game each as the league expands the playoff field to 24 teams 🙁

  6. Still working on providing access to season ticket holders ? Wasnt this the FIRST order of business ?

  7. “BuckyBadger says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:32 am
    So Bills get consideration because of a canceled game they where losing from and where about to go down as much as 14-3. Bengals who where beating the Bills and would have taken over the #2 seed get told to go pound sand. With how the Bills have been playing I don’t see them stopping the Bengals that night unless there was an injury. NFL really messed up with this one.”

    –That’s right, because football games never change in outcome after the first 9 minutes of a game.

  8. These conference championship games will be at neutral fields within the next five years. It’s obvious we’re trending in this direction.

  9. The NFL does not care about season tickets holders. You’re just a number on a macro sheet, and easily replaceable in most markets. They will do what makes more money, generates more publicity, and is given the green light by their sponsors, which aren’t going anywhere. The sooner fans they figure this out, the better off they will be.

  10. I really really hope we get Jags@Bengals instead. I’m tired of hearing about this whole mess.

  11. I agree with Joe Mixon — it’s a slap in the face to already be selling tickets to this game. I’m pulling for Cinci throughout the rest of the playoffs solely because of the way they got shafted by the league due to the unplayed Buffalo game.

  12. NFL will lose fans in they take home conference championship games away.
    A tradition since 1970.

  13. The NFL has had this idea for awhile I bet. They have just been waiting for an opportunity like this to try it out. If it happens they will use this for a future change to where the AFC & NFC Championship games ARE played in a neutral site. It could be difficult to have a good spot every year but they will pump it up like a Super Bowl. This makes it unfair to a #1 seed who makes to the Championship game and loses their home field advantage. It could also mean a lower seed plays 2 HOME playoff games and then could advance to the Championship game against a #1 seed that only played one home playoff game. The #1 does get one less game and a bye which is nice but will be odd having that situation.

  14. It’s not an insult lol. This is how things are done. You can buy tickets at Arrowhead as well. Bengals could be selling tickets for their potential Jags matchup if they wanted, but have chosen not to. When it’s a must-travel situation for the Chiefs and the Bills if they both win, people wouldn’t want to wait until the last minute to make these plans since it’s a lot more than just buying a game ticket. I wonder what happens if the game doesn’t happen? Oh yeah, they get refunded. I’m sorry, but the line that keeps getting dropped about it being “disrespectful” frankly isn’t true. I get it, the Hamlin situation created a unique situation that would cause problems no matter what. But it’s not all about the Bengals getting screwed. The Bills had a heck of a lot on the line as well, but they willingly would take whatever the league decided after the matchup. They were in the drivers seat for the #1 seed after all, pending a win. They haven’t uttered one word of a complaint. I’m not trying to defend one team over the other, I’m just a bit disappointed. A short time of unity over a shattering incident has turned into polarizing debate. Let it go, other things were more important. So quick to forget…

  15. It’s like they know who is going to the championship game…. Selling tickets to a supposed “possible” game? Would the league decide on a location and sell tickets to a game that won’t exist? Here’s to Cinci pulling it off so it doesn’t happen! Atlanta did nothing to get what KC or Buffalo earned. Since it was basically a 3 man race, if they think they had to do a neutral site, it should’ve been KC/Cinci/Buff whoever wasn’t playing. At least then the city who almost got there reaps the economic injection. Not the pit known as ATL.

  16. The whining about this has reached epic levels.

    The NFL had an extraordinary, unprecedented situation to deal with. It wasn’t going to be equitable for every team, but every team still has their chance to prove their championship mettle on the field. It doesn’t matter where that field is. They’re still going to play the games.

  17. How many were bought to actual people and how many were bought by bots, ticket agencies, and scalpers?

  18. Feels like they desperately want an evenly matched Bills Chiefs rematch. It’s been pre-ordained since they determined the Bengals would have to do a coin-flip. Bad news for fans is that if this makes more money than home games, it could become the norm to do neutral site CCG.

  19. –That’s right, because football games never change in outcome after the first 9 minutes of a game.
    _____________________________________________________________

    You’re right, sometimes they do change outcomes. And sometimes they don’t. That’s the point. We’re playing a game in Buffalo like the Bills won that game when they didn’t. I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I can very easily tell Joe Mixon his team should have beaten Mitch Trubisky in week 1, but damn it feels like the NFL really wants Allen V. Mahomes again.

  20. This neutral site BS is just a way for the NFL to test the waters on making the CCG’s more like mini-Super Bowls. The League has a rule on the books on how to treat instances where a team might play less than the full 17-game schedule – i.e., just go by winning percentage. However, in the first instance where that actually happened, they ignored the rules. Coincidence…? I think not.

  21. It’s little slights like this that build up in a team that eventually boils over and wrecks everything the nfl is trying to preordain.

  22. Neutral fans should root for at least one of KC or Buffalo to lose to spare future top seeds from having a home game taken away.

    Ridiculous pretext for a moneygrab by The Shield.

  23. Bills fans on one side. Chiefs on the other. That’s intense. What a sight that would be. NFL creating new experiences. I would be pissed off too if I were Cincinnati

  24. mascadcar says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:34 am
    People wonder why some think the NFL is rigged.

    247Rate This

    ——————–

    “Rigged” isn’t the right word. They do push certain elements into a a direction to hope for the result they want, yes.

    Manipulation is a better word.

    Rigged is like Don King’s boxing matches. I will say, they couldn’t wait to take advantage of this opportunity just like when they stalled for an hour discussing whether or not to play the game when Hamlin almost died in front of everyone.

    All about the money an expansion into Europe like I’ve said now for many years. The cheating follows the money.

  25. vagabond1979 says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:59 am
    I agree with Joe Mixon — it’s a slap in the face to already be selling tickets to this game. I’m pulling for Cinci throughout the rest of the playoffs solely because of the way they got shafted by the league due to the unplayed Buffalo game.

    ———————————————————

    You may want to actually do some research…Chiefs are selling home game tickets VS Bengals, San Francisco VS TBD opponent.. this is normal…Mixon showing that he needs to be quiet, yet again.

  26. Something’s fishy about this. I signed up for the ticket presale online but then got an email this morning from the NFL saying that all presale tickets had been sold. I guess it’s because they were only selling them to Chiefs and Bills fans. No fans of other teams allowed.

  27. The talking heads like to point to Brown and Davis families voting against the majority of owners on league-wide decisions, but I think history shows them to be right more often than not in the long run.

    When home fans league-wide are left out in the cold for the conference championship games (much like fans without insanely deep pockets are largely kept out of the Super Bowl), many will wonder how? Why?

    The Why is money. The how is the vote the owners just took to change playoff procedures with 1 week to go before the playoffs.

  28. I love how everyone assumes this game was going to be 14-3 and the Bengals were going to win. First of all, the Bills drove down the field just as easy on their first drive and score a TD if not for a Cole Beasley dropped pass around the Bengals 4 or 5 yard line. Second of all, let’s say it does go up 14-3 (and not 10-3, for instance), the Bengals would have had 2 drives to the Bills 1 drive. Who’s to say it doesn’t play out like the Bills vs KC shoot out where Bills get the ball back drive down the field and answer with their own TD? Again, Bengals D did not look any better than Bills D in that game. THIRD OF ALL, why is everyone assuming a 14-3 lead is safe in the NFL in the first place???? Especially against a Bills team that has not lost by more than 3 points all season!!!

  29. joebaronich says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:52 am
    “BuckyBadger says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:32 am
    So Bills get consideration because of a canceled game they where losing from and where about to go down as much as 14-3. Bengals who where beating the Bills and would have taken over the #2 seed get told to go pound sand. With how the Bills have been playing I don’t see them stopping the Bengals that night unless there was an injury. NFL really messed up with this one.”

    –That’s right, because football games never change in outcome after the first 9 minutes of a game.

    ——————–

    The game was stopped so you have to take into account what we saw if you want to be fair. It was the Bills who left town not wanting to play the game.

  30. Watch all the season ticket holders cancel on their teams if that happens. What’s the value of locking in tickets if you are forced to buy 1 or 2 preseason games and your team doesn’t get a home playoff game.

    These domes with plastic grass that are badly lit (looking at you Dallas and Atlanta) are terrible backdrops to these games. Play them outdoors on grass at the city of the team that earns the game. Wow! That was easy.

  31. Predetermined matchups- Neutral fields !! What’s next ? Roger Goodelll Vince McMahon steel cage match !!?? NFL -= WWE 2.0

  32. The Bengals have been a one-half team all season. The idea that a 7-3 lead in the 1st quarter means they would have ended up winning that game is just wrong.

    Could they have won? Sure. But the Bills have won on comebacks quite a few times this season – and I’m not even sure if coming back from a 7-3 deficit so early in a game qualifies as a comeback.

    We’ll see how the Bengals match up w/ the Bills on Sunday – over the course of a FULL game.

  33. billsrthefuture says:
    January 20, 2023 at 10:20 am
    The whining about this has reached epic levels.

    The NFL had an extraordinary, unprecedented situation to deal with. It wasn’t going to be equitable for every team, but every team still has their chance to prove their championship mettle on the field. It doesn’t matter where that field is. They’re still going to play the games.

    ——————————–

    I’m not sure the say of the fans of the team that got the sweetest deal really matters.

  34. The number of posters that believe the Bills would have lost the game to Cincinnati because the Bills were down in score in the first 7 minutes of the game is astounding.
    According to their logic any team that goes up early will surely win the game. I guess we’ve never seen a team comeback to win a game after trailing.
    Projecting an outcome after 7 minutes of play is laughable.
    Let’s play this game and enjoy the ride no matter the outcome.
    Go Bills!!!

  35. No consideration to the fans of either team. Making the fans travel in order to root on their home team in a Playoff game is ridiculous. But then again, the NFL Owners voted and approved this action. Gee, thanks NFL. Nice to see that the fans are not as important as we think we are.

  36. And if they hadn’t sold the tickets in advance, but left it until the teams were known, then the same people would be moaning about lack of foresight and preparation. And I’ll bet most of those commenting rarely if ever go to a game.

  37. This is MASSIVE bulletin board material for the Bengals… like when the Eagles and the city of Philadelphia released it’s parade route before the Super Bowl in 2003

  38. If this Bills-Chiefs Game even comes to fruition, at least there won’t be any rivalry fights in the stands. Fans of both teams won’t be mixed together. I just think that it would look less sketchy (or fixed) if the NFL had waited to see how the divisional games shake out before selling tickets.

  39. Every team pre sells playoff tickets. Stop whining.

    To those that think the NFL is rigged: why do you watch, but merch, go to games, etc? Either accept that your team is not going to get every beneficial call or stop supporting the NFL.

    I don’t care which one you choose, just stop crying like an infant.

  40. Why do Atlanta games always look as if it’s cloudy, dark and dreary, yet it’s in a dome? Hate what the NFL does to its large markets to try to promote its brand to urban areas. The small markets makeup the most loyal and deserving fans, just look at attendance. Yet they still find ways to give things to cities like LA and ATL. Yuck!

  41. You can buy AFCCG tickets to Cincinnati right now for Bengals v. Jaguars! Do you see any Bills or Chiefs players whining about this to the media? For those complaining its “disrespectful” to sell the neutral site AFCCG tickets early are fishing for flimsy narratives. This happens constantly with all sports.

    It’s especially necessary with travel plans/costs. As soon as they announced Atlanta as the site, I bought a refundable plane ticket. Checking on those prices today, it has more than doubled, and I’m sure it will continue to rise.

  42. “Crap. They’re going to make CCG their own version of college bowl playoffs, aren’t they? NFCCG at the Rose Bowl, AFCCG at the Orange Bowl, etc…”

    Personally I’d love it if the NFL started playing games at the Rose Bowl again.

  43. elisuperbowlmvp says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:54 am
    The NFL does not care about season tickets holders. You’re just a number on a macro sheet, and easily replaceable in most markets.
    ______________

    Not true at all. In reality the teams cater to season ticket holders because they want renewals. Season ticket sales are upfront cash which is very valuable to the bottom line.

  44. All about the money an expansion into Europe like I’ve said now for many years. The cheating follows the money.
    ______________
    Well kid, why do you continue to watch? You’re feeding the machine like everyone else.

  45. This was an unprecedented situation, and I don’t believe the NFL will now make all conference championship games at neutral sites. I do think that Bengals-Bills should have been at a neutral site, too, since the outcome of the regular-season game would have changed seeding if Cincinnati had won. I would not be surprised at all if the Bengals win this week, but if they lose it’ll be more about their injuries on the O-line (most likely) than where the game is played. They proved last year they can win anywhere, and they’ll certainly be motivated by the feeling they’ve been screwed over by the league.

  46. billsrthefuture says:
    January 20, 2023 at 10:20 am
    The whining about this has reached epic levels.

    The NFL had an extraordinary, unprecedented situation to deal with. It wasn’t going to be equitable for every team, but every team still has their chance to prove their championship mettle on the field. It doesn’t matter where that field is. They’re still going to play the games.

    _____________________________________________________________________________________

    Yes, it was an unprecedented situation. What the NFL should have done, however, is NOT SCREW OVER ONE OF THE TWO TEAMS THAT WAS INVOLVED IN SAID UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION!

  47. jm91rs says:
    January 20, 2023 at 10:27 am
    –That’s right, because football games never change in outcome after the first 9 minutes of a game.
    _____________________________________________________________

    You’re right, sometimes they do change outcomes. And sometimes they don’t. That’s the point. We’re playing a game in Buffalo like the Bills won that game when they didn’t. I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I can very easily tell Joe Mixon his team should have beaten Mitch Trubisky in week 1, but damn it feels like the NFL really wants Allen V. Mahomes again.

    ————-

    No, they’re playing the game in Buffalo because the first game was canceled, and the Bengals went 12-4 compared to the Bills going 13-3. It’s amazing how thick Bengals fans skulls are.

    Before someone starts whining that “they should have stuck with the original rule!” make sure you realize that had they done so, the top 3 seeds would have been the same, and the Bengals would still be going to Orchard Park this weekend.

  48. doctorrumack says:
    January 20, 2023 at 11:06 am
    billsrthefuture says:
    January 20, 2023 at 10:20 am
    The whining about this has reached epic levels.

    The NFL had an extraordinary, unprecedented situation to deal with. It wasn’t going to be equitable for every team, but every team still has their chance to prove their championship mettle on the field. It doesn’t matter where that field is. They’re still going to play the games.

    ——————————–

    I’m not sure the say of the fans of the team that got the sweetest deal really matters.

    ——————-

    Ah yes, the Bills, entering the Bengals game as the 1 seed, in control of their own destiny for a first round bye and home field throughout the playoffs, who lost the opportunity for both of those things, got the sweetest deal.

    Makes total sense.

  49. I don’t believe this for a second. The league office sent this out — enough said.

  50. Should have gone back in and played that game. Its your job. That man had quicker and better medical care than most of us will ever come close to. This is silly, no thanks

  51. Cincy are gonna be very fired up. Doesn’t mean they will win of course, but they won’t be nervous or tentative with all this motivational material.

  52. I’m predicting a record breaking LOL Emojis on every social media platform by AFC fans IF both KC and the Bills don’t advance..

  53. “should the league consider going that route again in the future.” 1,000% chance of this happening. Bank on it.

  54. jm91rs says:
    January 20, 2023 at 10:27 am
    –That’s right, because football games never change in outcome after the first 9 minutes of a game.
    _____________________________________________________________

    You’re right, sometimes they do change outcomes. And sometimes they don’t. That’s the point. We’re playing a game in Buffalo like the Bills won that game when they didn’t. I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I can very easily tell Joe Mixon his team should have beaten Mitch Trubisky in week 1, but damn it feels like the NFL really wants Allen V. Mahomes again.
    —–
    Completely false. They are playing the game in Buffalo because the Bills had a better record AND the Bengals never beat the Bills. Potential Bills-Chiefs is neutral because Buffalo beat KC. Very simple.

  55. Because the point closest to both Kansas City and Buffalo is…Atlanta? Wtf.

    Cleveland is *right there* and outdoor. Glad my team wasn’t part of this fiasco.

  56. Watch for questionable, game-changing calls in favor of the Chiefs and Bills the next two days…The NFL wants this game.

  57. All we need now is for Vince McMahon and the ghost of Mean Gene Okerlund to show up and announce the game, and of course, we’ll need Michael Buffer to kick it all off with his trademark “Let’s Get Ready To Ru-mbaaaaaaaaaaaaaalll!!!” followed by a light show and 2 Unlimited’s “Y’all Ready For This.” It would be glorious. It’s the WWFL!

    Seriously. After the coin flip, we need to hear from Michael Buffer. He’s 78 but I’d bet he has one more good major event kickoff left in him. This has to happen.

    Roger, I’m available to coordinate this if you need me.

  58. buffalotears says:
    January 20, 2023 at 12:08 pm
    jm91rs says:
    January 20, 2023 at 10:27 am
    –That’s right, because football games never change in outcome after the first 9 minutes of a game.
    _____________________________________________________________

    You’re right, sometimes they do change outcomes. And sometimes they don’t. That’s the point. We’re playing a game in Buffalo like the Bills won that game when they didn’t. I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I can very easily tell Joe Mixon his team should have beaten Mitch Trubisky in week 1, but damn it feels like the NFL really wants Allen V. Mahomes again.
    —–
    Completely false. They are playing the game in Buffalo because the Bills had a better record AND the Bengals never beat the Bills. Potential Bills-Chiefs is neutral because Buffalo beat KC. Very simple

    ——————-

    You cant argue records when they weren’t allowed to complete. The seed was not locked yet, the Bills were supposed to earn it, then they did not have to, it was simply awarded.

    The solution sadly is going to be for the next team in the Bengals position to stick to their guns and insist they want to proceed unless the other team forfeits. They had that option and did not take it. Nice guys finished ladt on that one which I think was a bad precedent to allow.

    Im neither Bills nor Bengals, my team is playing golf as was pretty much expected so just a watcher.

  59. Teams should learn from this by placing opposing teams at the highest level of the stadium and home team fans near the field so they can make more noise.

  60. stipez says:
    January 20, 2023 at 12:10 pm
    Because the point closest to both Kansas City and Buffalo is…Atlanta? Wtf.

    Cleveland is *right there* and outdoor. Glad my team wasn’t part of this fiasco

    ————————-

    I actually wondered about the selection process. Getting an extra game in the stadium is a cash windfall to whoever got it. So I was wondering the politics that would be behind who got the bonus. One thing I know about the NFL is that favors seldom or ever come free, there is an exchange involving something either past or future.

  61. I like the fact that the Jags and Bengals are already being counted out before the games are even played. I would love to see them both ticked off enough to pull the upset, and make this whole thing a moot point. “Any given Sunday” (or Saturday).

  62. The NFL has no reason to be rigged. Like most North American leagues, the NFL uses a meritless system of franchise alignment that lets teams stay in the league for decades without so much as a championship appearance. A relegation system that throws teams to a second division makes much more sense for a league that wants the elite teams and elite players to continue to win championships. The NFL and a lot of other leagues give teams the opportunity to come back from seasons where they finish dead last and win championships. Otherwise, only a handful of teams would continuously contend for the Super Bowl year after year. Rigging games in the current system makes no sense and has zero credibility if teams like the Dallas Cowboys were once allowed to finish dead last and win three rings in four years, then never get back to an NFC championship until possibly this year. Look at English division one soccer, the Premier League, for a system that falls victim to teams rigging the playing field to favour them over teams that may do everything right but have zero chance to contend because they are in small markets without billionaire owners. Buffalo, Atlanta, and Carolina have appeared in multiple Super Bowls with elite players without winning once, and they have also had disaster seasons that would easily have relegated them in the English system. Cleveland and Detroit, two key markets, would be perennial second division teams in a rigged system, but they keep playing in divisions with elite teams. The only thing rigged about the NFL is how these poorly-run teams keep playing with the big boys because they do the only thing that matters to the NFL: they make money, they sell tickets and merchandise, and they pay their players with the same currency as the elite teams. Competitively, it makes no sense to rig this kind of league. If they did, there would be fewer teams making huge money, there would be no huge TV contracts, fewer teams in markets like the Jets would come back year after year believing success is just a draft pick or two away.

  63. Football says:
    January 20, 2023 at 12:48 pm
    buffalotears says:
    January 20, 2023 at 12:08 pm
    jm91rs says:
    January 20, 2023 at 10:27 am
    –That’s right, because football games never change in outcome after the first 9 minutes of a game.
    _____________________________________________________________

    You’re right, sometimes they do change outcomes. And sometimes they don’t. That’s the point. We’re playing a game in Buffalo like the Bills won that game when they didn’t. I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I can very easily tell Joe Mixon his team should have beaten Mitch Trubisky in week 1, but damn it feels like the NFL really wants Allen V. Mahomes again.
    —–
    Completely false. They are playing the game in Buffalo because the Bills had a better record AND the Bengals never beat the Bills. Potential Bills-Chiefs is neutral because Buffalo beat KC. Very simple

    ——————-

    You cant argue records when they weren’t allowed to complete. The seed was not locked yet, the Bills were supposed to earn it, then they did not have to, it was simply awarded.

    The solution sadly is going to be for the next team in the Bengals position to stick to their guns and insist they want to proceed unless the other team forfeits. They had that option and did not take it. Nice guys finished ladt on that one which I think was a bad precedent to allow.

    Im neither Bills nor Bengals, my team is playing golf as was pretty much expected so just a watcher.
    ————-
    You actually can argue records when the teams played the same number of games, and neither beat each other. At that point, the records are the only thing to argue. And to say they were awarded a seed? Should the Bengals just have been awarded the 2 seed? Should the Chiefs should have been awarded a first round bye? No team was awarded anything in this situation, which makes arguing their records/win% as the only logical thing to set seeding. The neutral site AFCCG was adjusted because the Bills beat the Chiefs; the Bengals did not beat the Bills which is why this game is not at a neutral site.

  64. League desperately wants Bills/KC. They’ve made that clear. Bills fans taking the “get over it” and stop “whining” stance is easy to do when they got benefits from the rule change, and can play this weekend at home. Cincy at least can beat KC in KC. Bills clearly can’t and won’t have to. Nothing to be proud of if you ask me Bills fans. No one wants a Championship handed to their team.

  65. I know none of this matters now but the Bengals have a right to be hacked off about how the NFL treated them. Because they were skewered by the owners. It’s a hodge podge of winning %, potential coin flips and netural sites that were disadvantaged to the Bengals for every possibility.

    None more blatant than “awarding” them the AFC North title but not home field playoff game before the WK 18 game. Winning % counts for the bad part (tougher future schedule for 1st place AFC North) but not the good part (home game) – we’ll just flip a coin for that one if the Ravens win. Why not flip the coin for the AFC North then? Why partition the tougher schedule to the Bengals but the home game to the Ravens? It didn’t come to that but if you’re Cincy it’s like WTF?

    Then later rounds: Buffalo has 1 more win than Bengals so Buffalo gets home field Rd 2. KC has 1 more win than Buffalo but neutral field if they meet. How does that make any sense if looking from the Bengals perspective? Or the Chiefs I guess…..

    Whatevs – I’m pretty sure the teams are over it but there was a lot of rightful angst when it all came down.

  66. Kaz – do you have internet access? The Bills DID beat KC in KC this year? Or are you talking last year? Which is of course last year. The only benefit the Bilsl got is having a possible AFC Championship in Atlanta vs at KC. The Bills/Bengals each played 16 games and Bills had a better record. Those are the actual rules.

    Very simple the Bills and Bengals never finished their game, taking the KC implications out of it, how else should we proceed here? The Bills had a better record period.

    By cancelling the game the Bills lost control of their own destiny to a 1 seed and Cinci lost it’s path to a possible 2.

    And as far as handing them a Championship? Playing the Bengals anywhere isn’t handed anything – given the scenario are you saying Bills/Bengals should be at a neutral site? or do you just like whining?

  67. You know what solves all this? Bills beating Bengals by like 20 and the Jags pulling off a crazy upset. Not saying this will happen, but can we all stop crying if the Bills beat the Bengals by what number? 10-15-20? Literally the only team that kinda has a right to be upset is KC. KC has the best record and will play neutral site – yes they lost to the Bills and the Bengals but the Bengals lost to PIT and the Bills lost to the Jets of all things.

    I love that the excuses are pre-made, the Bills HANDED something. Hilarious. Crushed by injuries all year, have played mediocre AT BEST and teams still can’t beat us, so here we are trotting out all the excuse before we even play. Enjoy watching the game why dont ya, it should be a good one or are we on ref watch since thats also a built in excuse

  68. bradygirl12 says:
    January 20, 2023 at 1:50 pm
    I like the fact that the Jags and Bengals are already being counted out before the games are even played. I would love to see them both ticked off enough to pull the upset, and make this whole thing a moot point. “Any given Sunday” (or Saturday).

    ———————————-

    Normally yes. But we are talking about a Sunday (or Saturday) where there is a specific outcome the NFL would like to see for their own interests. And forgive us skeptics but a lot of us think there will be some spin being put on those games. I think Cincy and Jax need to win big enough there is not an option for an officialing call to affect the game. Arguably thats always your job (IE Belichick’s stance) but I think this week those two teams need to be extra aware of that.

  69. I am not sure why everyone is whining and hoping the Chiefs lose. The Chiefs have the best record in the AFC, yet they would have to go on the road should they win. They could lose a home game because the Bills and Cincy chose not to finish their game. If anything, the Chiefs should be complaining. I am glad they decided to sell tickets early. The early selling of tickets happens in all sports without knowing who will play.

  70. “ You actually can argue records when the teams played the same number of games, and neither beat each other. At that point, the records are the only thing to argue. And to say they were awarded a seed? Should the Bengals just have been awarded the 2 seed? Should the Chiefs should have been awarded a first round bye? No team was awarded anything in this situation, which makes arguing their records/win% as the only logical thing to set seeding. The neutral site AFCCG was adjusted because the Bills beat the Chiefs; the Bengals did not beat the Bills which is why this game is not at a neutral site.”

    ——————

    All of that is moot fir the reason I gave. You are trying to justify it with incomple records when the bottom line is the Bills did not have it locked up going into that game. Therefore the Bills still had to earn it by beating the Bengals, and the Bengals were owed the chance to earn it by beating the Bills. Instead the Bills were awarded that thing they had not earned AND the Bengals were denied that thing they were owed. Both of those things happened.

    What would you have said if the Bengals coach had said “you do whatever you have to, we are going to stand here ready and willing to play football”?

  71. I hope the NFL chokes on this. Not because I hope the Chiefs or Bills lose, but for the blatant disrespect of the other teams involved. A total no-class move, but then again, why am I surprised.

  72. mascadcar says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:34 am

    People wonder why some think the NFL is rigged.
    ___________________

    Who thinks that? People who believe dinosaurs didn’t exist? So, I suppose the NFL wanted Hamlin to get hurt so they could stage this match up? Ridiculous. Face it, life isn’t fair. And I see refs making calls both ways in games, so how is it fixed. People look for conspiracies in everything. My lord.

  73. te2al says:
    January 20, 2023 at 6:03 pm
    mascadcar says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:34 am

    People wonder why some think the NFL is rigged.
    ___________________

    Who thinks that? People who believe dinosaurs didn’t exist? So, I suppose the NFL wanted Hamlin to get hurt so they could stage this match up? Ridiculous. Face it, life isn’t fair. And I see refs making calls both ways in games, so how is it fixed. People look for conspiracies in everything. My lord.

    ———————————

    The Death Star was flat. Change my mind.

  74. If today’s NFL is pushing something, you know it is all about cash. A player’s injury and the resulting game cancellation gave the NFL an excuse to change things for this and for the future years. Disgusting. Next thing you know they’ll move this game to out of the country.

  75. All of the regular Super Bowl cities are jumping for joy at another high-profile, high-demand game only they get to compete for. Apparently there were too many potential AFC championship games in Kansas City, Buffalo, Cincinnati, etc. lately.

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