The NFL Thread

[Tony Towner]

Is it likely to affect the playoff picture if they just called it a tie?

Yes, Bills lose number 1 seed

 

[Tony Towner]

With only 1 team now getting a bye the number 1 seed is even bigger than it used to be, but yes I'd imagine the human element beats that significantly. Also takes number 2 off the Bengals which they'd have got with a win, so the Divisional rematch between the 2 if seeding works out is in Buffalo. Trivial in the wider picture, but massive within the sporting context

 

[Alan]

Who is Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player who collapsed at Monday's game? : NPR

 

[Dire Wolf]

All 32 teams have changed their social media profile pictures to 'Pray For Damar 3'.

 

[Dire Wolf]

News out today is that Hamlin was resuscitated twice on the field and was using a ventilator for 100% of his breathing. That is now down to 50% but he seems to have some lung damage.

I read that Tee Higgins has been at the hospital since and plans to stay there until Hamlin is ok, but that may have since changed.

Very good article in The Guardian about the vacuum of decision making in the NFL hierarchy in the immediate aftermath of the incident. I'll link it below:

When tragedy hit Damar Hamlin, the NFL’s leadership vacuum came into focus | Melissa Jacobs

Roger Goodell waited for an hour after Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse on Monday before suspending the game. It was the shameful act of a commissioner who’s always led from behind

www.theguardian.com

 

[Alan]

I understand the anger but I honestly believe that Buck was simply mistaken and referring to the SOP for injury delays of that length.

I can't overstate how much I think things were handled about as well as they could be. Watching it live, you could tell that everyone was just grasping for anything like normalcy.

 

[Dire Wolf]

I understand the anger but I honestly believe that Buck was simply mistaken and referring to the SOP for injury delays of that length.

I can't overstate how much I think things were handled about as well as they could be. Watching it live, you could tell that everyone was just grasping for anything like normalcy.

I thought that as well, but it wasnt Buck, I thought the players were told by the officials that they had 5 minutes to get ready to play again and it was the coaches of both teams who stepped in. The referees basically reverted to standard practice for injuries before actually realising the traumatic nature of it all. However, I think some of the underlying criticism of Goodell and the NFL hierarchy is absolutely valid.

 

[Alan]

My understanding is that the League Office had mic access to that conversation between the refs and coaches, and that talk of any definitive restart was never on the table.

Granted, the NFL obviously has a vested interest in trying to look good. Hard to know the reality but I find myself giving the benefit of the doubt in this case.

 

[Tony Towner]

The NFL in general is a brutal from top to bottom. Cuts, trades, injury settlements, blackmailing authorities for new stadiums, relocations, historic cavalier approach to player welfare. It's business first and sport very much secondary. Nothing would surprise me.

 

[The Bear]

I see from the Week 18 schedule that the Ravens v Bengals is still showing as TBD. What is the reason for that? Was it supposed to be this Thursday but has been postponed because of what's happened?

 

[Tony Towner]

No, it was either going to be a 1pm or 4.20pm US time depending on their result on Monday. Later if they'd won, earlier if they've lost (or vice versa) They still haven't set the time because it's not felt appropriate to do so.

 

[Tony Towner]

There's a suggestion that the play off weeks all get bumped back a week and there isn't a blank week before the SB with the abandoned game being played next weekend.

 

[Alan]

Some talk as well that they may play it at a neutral site.

 

[Tony Towner]

Bit of a sticking plaster if they do that as with a Bengals win Buffalo would have to go there a couple of weeks later anyway in all likelihood

 

[Alan]

Yeah I'll be very surprised if the neutral site bit happens, but I can understand the Bills not wanting to play in that stadium again so soon.

 

[Dire Wolf]

In the last 9 months the Buffalo Bills have had to deal with:
a mass shooting in the City of Buffalo
their owner, Kim Pegula, having a serious health emergency that is to this day, ongoing
one of their star players, Dawson Knox's brother unexpectedly dying
Their star DB, Micah Hyde, having a season and at one point potentially career-ending neck injury
a 7' snowstorm stranding many of them in their homes
losing Von Miller to injury for the season
a "Generational Blizzard", that left nearly 30 people dead and stopped the team from spending Christmas with their families
and now watching one of their brothers, 24 yr old Damar Hamlin, suffering a cardiac arrest on the field in front of them....
I can't imagine any team going through this much in one year.

 

[Dire Wolf]

 

[The Bear]

No, it was either going to be a 1pm or 4.20pm US time depending on their result on Monday. Later if they'd won, earlier if they've lost (or vice versa) They still haven't set the time because it's not felt appropriate to do so.

1pm Sunday now for the Bengals game

 

[Alan]

If Hamlin has any brain function after 9 minutes of CPR it will be something of a miracle.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It literally says he is neurologically intact. Just got to see how he heals.