PFT's Florio: Cincinnati Bengals believe they got 'raw deal' from NFL
ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio reported late Saturday night what others had said throughout the day and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor indicated: that the Cincinnati Bengals were frustrated - "livid," per ESPN's Adam Schefter - by the National Football League's decision to change previously established rules regarding playoff seeding.
But Florio's report also said Bengals players were informed by a member of the officiating crew after Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest that Monday's game against the Bills would resume in 10 minutes. Florio added that "multiple Bengals players were confused" when the Bills left Cincinnati because they "fully realized the stakes of the game" and "wanted to get it played."
More from Florio:
For the Bengals, it's a touchy subject. They understand that a serious health condition occurred. But they also believe that they have been given a raw deal by the league, both by canceling a game they wanted to play and by changing the rules regarding playoff seeding. The Bengals could have secured the No. 1 or No. 2 by beating the Bills. Now, their best-case scenario is No. 2, if they beat the Ravens and if the Bills lose to the Patriots.
Regardless, the truth is that the Bengals initially were told play would indeed resume by the officials responsible for the game. The truth also seems to be that, if the Bengals had known the game wouldn't be finished at all and that the rules would later change to make it harder for them to realize a favorable playoff seed, they wouldn’t have been quite as accommodating of the Bills.
Kay Adams said on FanDuel's "Up & Adams" show Friday that "it's fair to take issue with the NFL's decision to change the rules during the season."
Bengals center Ted Karras shouted "let's settle it the real way and (bleeping) win" as his teammates were interviewed Friday in Cincinnati's locker room.
LOVE SPORTS? [ Subscribe now for unlimited access to Cincinnati.com ]
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: PFT's Florio: Cincinnati Bengals believe they got 'raw deal' from NFL
