NFL Could Cancel Cincinnati Bengals vs Buffalo Bills

The NFL may be considering an unprecedented solution in the wake of an unprecedented tragedy. According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, the NFL is heading towards outright cancelling Monday's postponed Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game.

Signs are pointing to a cancellation of Bills-Bengals by the NFL, with AFC playoff seeding based on winning percentages. https://t.co/1FX5naAlGz
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 5, 2023

The Bills and Bengals were set to face off on Monday Night Football in Week 17 with monumental seeding implications in the AFC on the line. The game was suspended indefinitely following Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffering a cardiac arrest in the first quarter.

Entering the contest, the Bills stood at the top of the AFC standings due to a tie-breaking win over the Kansas City Chiefs. If they end the season only having played 16 games, the Chiefs could steal home-field advantage and a bye by finishing with a better win percentage. The Bills could finish no better than 13-3, while the Chiefs could end the year 14-3 with a win on Saturday over the Las Vegas Raiders.

A cancellation could arguably serve the Bengals. A loss would have rendered Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens a winner-take-all showdown for the AFC North crown, but a no-contest would guarantee the Bengals the division thanks to similar winning percentage chicanery.