Damar Hamlin's near-fatal injury is no doubt still weighing heavily on the Bengals and, indeed, every NFL team. Even so, Cincinnati has to prepare for a Week 18 matchup that could have major playoff implications.
Although the range of implications is narrower atter the NFL canceled the Bills-Bengals Week 17 game, there are still significant stakes attached to Cincinnati's AFC North showdown with Baltimore on Sunday; specfically, the Bengals would earn the No. 2 seed in the conference with a win and a Bills loss to the Patriots.
MORE: Updated NFL playoff picture for Week 18
The cancellation helped the league avoid late-season logistical nightmares. As for the Bengals, playing 16 games instead of 17 did guarantee them the AFC North title, but it also meant that they no longer had a shot at the No. 1 seed.
The Sporting News looks at the remaining seeding possibilites for the Bengals ahead of their Week 18 game.
How the Bengals can clinch the No. 2 seed in AFC
The Bengals would clinch the No. 2 seed if they defeat the Ravens and the Bills lose to the Patriots. Cincinnati was third in the seven-team AFC playoff picture heading into Week 18:
| Team | W-L |
| Chiefs | 14-3 |
| Bills | 12-3 |
| Bengals | 11-4 |
| Jaguars | 9-8 |
| Chargers | 10-6 |
| Ravens | 10-6 |
| Patriots | 8-8 |
How the Bengals can clinch the No. 3 seed in AFC
The Bengals can finish no lower than No. 3 in the conference as the AFC South champion Jaguars cannot catch them. If the Bills beat the Patriots, then Buffalo will claim the No. 2 seed.
MORE: Watch NFL games live with fuboTV (free trial)
The Bengals can no longer clinch the No. 1 seed, nor can they fall to the fifth seed, with the Bills vs. Bengals game not being resumed.
How the Bengals could clinch the AFC North and still play a road game
The Bengals could find themselves playing on the road as a division winner on Wild Card Weekend.
MORE: Zac Taylor takes issue with NFL's solution to AFC North home-field advantage
If the Ravens defeat the Bengals, the league will use a coin flip to determine home-field advantage in a playoff game between the teams. If the Bengals lose that coin flip, then Ravens would host the game.
Potential Bengals playoff opponents
Here's a breakdown of how the Bengals could end up playing each of these teams in the wild-card round, based on Week 18 results:
- vs. Patriots: Bengals defeat Ravens, Patriots defeat Bills
- vs. Chargers: Bengals defeat Ravens, Chargers defeat Broncos, Bills defeat Patriots
- vs. Ravens: Bengals defeat Ravens OR Ravens defeat Bengals and Bengals win coin flip for home field
- at Ravens: Ravens defeat Bengals, Chargers defeat Broncos AND Bengals lose coin flip for home field
