“Follow the rules”, Cincinnati Bengals HC Zac Taylor lashes out at the NFL for changing the playoff scenario which harms their chances of winning the wild card game
The Cincinnati Bengals might not have the home advantage in the Wild Card game if they lose to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday
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Cincinnati Bengals (Image via Cincinnati Enquirer)
The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t happy with the NFL’s updated playoff scenarios following the cancelation of the Week 17 Bills-Bengals game. The league had to take into consideration different events and map out how the AFC seeding will rank.
The Bills, the Chiefs, and the Bengals are in the crosshairs after the game was canceled as all teams will not have played the same number of regular season games a first since 1935.
Cincinnati had the most to lose after the updated rules for the AFC playoff scene. The Bengals have automatically become the AFC North champions regardless of their outcome with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. However, if they lose, they might not get the chance to host the wild-card game which has angered the organization.
The new playoff rules might result in Cincinnati Bengals losing home advantage in the Wild Card game
The league hosted a special meeting where the team owners vote on a proposal that provided a solution to the problems that were raised due to the scrapping of the Bills-Bengals game. As of now, if a game was canceled, playoff seeding was determined by winning percentage. However, after the vote, there is a slight change in NFL’s rule book.
The NFL’s new rule for canceled games: “If a game is canceled, a team’s standing in its division or in its conference (e.g., qualification as a Wild Card in the playoffs or position in playoff seeding) shall be determined on the basis of its final record. When necessary, playoff tiebreakers shall be calculated according to per game average for all teams.”
This has placed the Cincinnati Bengals in an awkward position. If the Bengals win their Sunday matchup against the Ravens, then nothing changes and they will host the Wild Card game at Paycor Stadium. However, if Cincinnati loses to the Ravens, they will face them once again in the Wild Card game and the game site of this matchup will be decided by a coin toss. This means that despite being a divisional champion, the Bengals won’t have the home advantage like every other division winner.
“As far as I’m concerned, we just want the rules to be followed,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “When a game is canceled, you just turn to winning percentage to clarify everything so we don’t have to make up rules. There’s several instances this season when a club is fined or people in our building are fined and we’re being told, ‘Follow the rules. It’s black and white. It’s in the rulebook.’ So now when we point out the rules and you’re told, we’re going to change that, I don’t want to hear about fair and equitable when that’s the case.”
Zac Taylor was still happy that the owners fought hard for the team and asked other clubs to support them. He added that it’s important for the players to know that the front office is fighting for them and believes in them. While the new rules are certainly not fair to the Bengals, they will have nothing to worry about if they simply win against the Ravens on Sunday.
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