As the 2022-2023 NFL regular season comes to a conclusion this Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid are currently the top dogs in the AFC. They will earn the number-one seed with a victory on Saturday over the Las Vegas Raiders.
If they lose and the Buffalo Bills win on Sunday, then the Bills will earn the number-one seed in the NFL.
The Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) had a slim chance of potentially earning the number one seed in the AFC. But after last week's game got canceled in the wake of Damar Hamlin's injury, they won't have a chance to earn the number-one seed.
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In the midst of the madness, the NFL announced that the Bills (12-3) and Bengals (11-4) won't make up/resume their game from Monday Night.
This gives the Chiefs a clear and easy path to claim the number one seed in the conference.
Head coach Andy Reid spoke with the media and was asked if he knew that seeding could be altered due to the league canceling the Bengals-Bills game. He was also asked if he was focused on the number one seed. Reid answered that the focus of the team should be clear:
“No. I don’t know what’s going on there, but I know we need to take care of our business. That’s all I can help control, right? I don’t know about anything else.”
Andy Reid added:
“The thing we talked about the most is the game plan, the process, going through that (and) staying in tune with that at this time. That’s what we can control. I’ve never been concerned with all that other stuff. It’s about what you can control right now and then, it’s taking care of business. Do your best that you can do.”
Cincinnati Bengals won't have a shot at number one seed in playoffs and could play at neutral venue
Since their Monday Night's game vs. the Buffalo Bills was canceled, the Cincinnati Bengals will not have a chance at the number one seed in the AFC.
In addition, if the Bengals were to lose to the Baltimore Ravens this week, and if the two met in the wildcard round, a coin flip would determine the home team.
The Bengals were leading the Bills 7-3 in the first quarter of a home game before it was canceled.
It has to be said that the Bengals got the bad end of the stick due to the unfortunate incident involving Damar Hamlin in their Monday night matchup. However, they have to move on on focus on what's possible.
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