The NFL has reportedly made a decision on the Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game that was postponed Monday night.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that the NFL is expected to declare Bills-Bengals a “no contest.” The league is now working through possible scenarios to determine playoff seeding.
Florio says one possibility the league is exploring is adding an eighth playoff team to each conference. That would eliminate the advantage of the No. 1 seed earning a bye.
The Bills, Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs all would have had chances at the No. 1 seed in the AFC if Bills-Bengals were played. That is why the NFL is trying to figure out a way to level the playing field. One possible solution would be to play the AFC Championship Game on a neutral site if it involves one of the aforementioned teams.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday floated another scenario that the NFL is considering.
Whatever the NFL decides, an announcement has to be made before Week 18 begins on Saturday. The postseason picture could be significantly altered, especially if an eighth team is added to each conference.