CINCINNATI — Many fans feel the Cincinnati Bengals got the short end of the stick with the new playoff procedures from the NFL.
One of the biggest points of contention among fans is that a coin toss could be what determines if the Bengals get a home game in the first round of the playoffs.
Bengals fan Scott Waterman said he doesn’t think the coin toss is the right solution.
"It's a lot on the line just on a coin toss,” Waterman said.
Fans took their frustrations to social media.
“A coin toss… The most ridiculous thing I have ever heard,” one fan wrote.
Ravens fan Casey Perkins said he believes the coin toss is a fair solution.
“It’s probably the most logical reasoning,” Perkins said. “I mean these are two great teams that worked hard throughout the season.”
Bengals fan Kimberly Griffith agrees.
“I think it’s fair. All in all, because of everything that happened,” Griffith said, referring to Damar Hamlin going into cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game.
Bengals running back Joe Mixon took to Twitter to question the NFL's changes.
He cited the league's policy for canceled games — “If a game is canceled, a team's standing 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 final record. When necessary, playoff tiebreakers shall be calculated according to per game average for all teams.”
Despite the controversy, fans said they’re confident in this team’s ability to win.
“They don’t need home games, they’re a good team … a superb team,“ Waterman said.
Griffith believes their hard work will pay off regardless of location.
“I think it will (pay off) because they’ve done a heck of a job working their butts off,” Griffith said.
Other fans echoed that sentiment and said Bengals thrive in situations when odds are stacked against them and that “They have to play us.”
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