MNF Week 17: Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals

[ramssuperbowl99]

4 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

Obeying commands & ability to write are definite strong signs.  
 

We’re now in the stage where functional recovery is highly likely - IF attention & short-term memory are preserved.   It’s trite to use the Memento / 50 first dates - but it’s apt in this case.    The areas of the brain most vulnerable to damage from cardiac arrest affect short-term memory and attention/focus.   This is a significant hurdle - because his long term memory before the arrest works in a different area - it isn’t affected.  So recognizing family, asking if they won - long-term memory.    His ability to remember what he was told, and new people / new information (that hasn’t been encoded into long-term memory) - that will be the final major step in determining function.   But again we’ve removed several levels of impairment, so the hope is that STM and attention / focus are largely preserved.   Those tests will likely have to wait until he’s extubated - and why the MD’s cautioned he’s still got a ways to go.    But given he was sedated / proned just over 24 hrs ago - this is the best possible news while he remains intubated.   Hope becomes greater for sure - the next step though has to wait until he’s extubated.   Understanding the limits though - so far so good.

 

TL:DR version - not quite out of the woods but there’s real light at the end of the tunnel.   

Are we at the point where even if there is some damage to short term memory that there's likely enough other intact tissue that brain plasticity would allow for more recovery with therapy and time?

Trying to get a feel for the bottom 10% of outcomes.

[BobbyPhil1781]

NFLN had a Q&A w/ the doctors who have been watching over this situation from the get-go and while some of the questions the "reporters" asked were utter trash, those that did ask good questions did get generally positive answers. The one thing I took away from it is that the doctor's body language and attitudes were generally positive. I'd like to think that if the situation were looking grim, we probably wouldn't see that from them but what do I know.....

[iknowcool]

1 minute ago, Bearerofnews said:

Best scenario I heard which is logically feasible.

 

Eliminate bye before SB

Play Week 18 as is

Week 19= 3 NFC WC Games + Bills Bengals (rest of AFC off)

Week 20= 3 AFC WC Games (all NFC off)

Week 21= Divisional

Week 22= Conference Games

Week 23= SB

The problem with this is the loser of Bills/Bengals will be the only team in the entire playoff field to not receive a bye, and that is assuming the Bills win in Week 18 and Chiefs lose, otherwise both Bills and Bengals could be out of luck.

Why would either team want to risk such a disadvantage for a game that doesn't guarantee a positive outcome for either (or both) teams?

[Bearerofnews]

3 minutes ago, iknowcool said:

The problem with this is the loser of Bills/Bengals will be the only team in the entire playoff field to not receive a bye, and that is assuming the Bills win in Week 18 and Chiefs lose, otherwise both Bills and Bengals could be out of luck.

Why would either team want to risk such a disadvantage for a game that doesn't guarantee a positive outcome for either (or both) teams?

Didn't they kind of both essentially get a bye, week 17. Not to sound insensitive. But now that Hamlin thankfully has shown signs of improvement, I can say this with looking less of a prick. They played what 9 mins of week 17? 

Edited January 5, 2023 by Bearerofnews

[iknowcool]

Just now, Bearerofnews said:

Didn't they kind of both essentially get a bye week 7. Not to sound insensitive. But now that Hamlin thankfully has shown signs of improvement, I can say this with looking less of a prick. They played what 9 mins of week 17? 

They still had to practice the whole week and they still traveled and showed up to the game.  

[Broncofan]

19 minutes ago, ramssuperbowl99 said:

Are we at the point where even if there is some damage to short term memory that there's likely enough other intact tissue that brain plasticity would allow for more recovery with therapy and time?

Trying to get a feel for the bottom 10% of outcomes.

That’s tougher to call.  The fact he’s so young is very hopeful for rehab if there is a deficit.  But no guarantees yet.    If he can remember new info / ppl (esp say the nurses who look after him 1-2 hrs later after meeting them) - that would be ideal.  And do it reproducibly (enough times it’s not random - which is tough to do while intubated).   But even if he can’t - sedation can also affect this.    So the uncertainty works both ways here (even if there are deficits he can have confounding agents this early esp while still intubated).  
 

This is the hard part I was referring to - there’s way more hope today.   And the worst outcomes now are far narrower in range.  But really more time will tell.   Waiting is the play but it’s hard to excruciating.  

Edited January 5, 2023 by Broncofan

[Bearerofnews]

1 minute ago, iknowcool said:

They still had to practice the whole week and they still traveled and showed up to the game.  

True. I just think its the best option where every game gets played, no games get missed, don't have to push back the SB and everyone earns what they get.

[BobbyPhil1781]

8 minutes ago, BobbyPhil1781 said:

NFLN had a Q&A w/ the doctors who have been watching over this situation from the get-go and while some of the questions the "reporters" asked were utter trash, those that did ask good questions did get generally positive answers. The one thing I took away from it is that the doctor's body language and attitudes were generally positive. I'd like to think that if the situation were looking grim, we probably wouldn't see that from them but what do I know.....

In case anyone wants to watch it:

 

[paul-mac]

1 minute ago, Bearerofnews said:

Didn't they kind of both essentially get a bye, week 17. Not to sound insensitive. But now that Hamlin thankfully has shown signs of improvement, I can say this with looking less of a prick. They played what 9 mins of week 17? 

A bye isn’t just about the games though. It’s about not having to practice all week and game plan and fly to and from away games etc. We really can’t call what these teams have just had a “bye”

 

Another issue with that proposal is that if the entire NFC has a bye between the WC and divisional round. That would take away the advantage of the 1 seed for whoever gets it. Although if you play the NFC divisional on the same weekend as the AFC wildcard THEN give the NFC a week off, that would work. 

[THE DUKE]

3 minutes ago, Bearerofnews said:

True. I just think its the best option where every game gets played, no games get missed, don't have to push back the SB and everyone earns what they get.

Changing the entire structure of the playoffs seems much worse than one game being declared a no contest.

[ramssuperbowl99]

8 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

That’s tougher to call.  The fact he’s so young is very hopeful for rehab if there is a deficit.  But no guarantees yet.    If he can remember new info / ppl (esp say the nurses who look after him 1-2 hrs later after meeting them) - that would be ideal.   But even if he can’t - sedation can also affect this.    So the uncertainty works both ways here (even if there are deficits he can have confounding agents this early esp while still intubated).  
 

This is the hard part I was referring to - there’s way more hope today.   And the worst outcomes now are far narrower in range.  But really more time will tell.   Waiting is the play but it’s hard to excruciating.  

Oh of course, he's on all of the opiates so remembering anything is a bonus at this point.

Appreciate the background, and yeah more patience is needed. Okay, so on that note, off to go hit refresh about a trillion times.

[The BILLievers]

Ready for run thru a brick wall after this Hamlin news and him asking who won right after he woke up 😆

A lot of people are saying the Bills might not be ready to play this weekend.. i think it's the opposite now and they are going to go out there and ball out. I can't even imagine the scene at Highmark Stadium this Sunday vs the Pats. Gives me chill thinking about. 

[BillSabre]

7 minutes ago, THE DUKE said:

Changing the entire structure of the playoffs seems much worse than one game being declared a no contest.

It’s crazy to me that they’d rather restructure everything instead of just pushing the playoffs back one week so the game can be played next weekend. It gets everything right and the two 1 seeds end up with a 2 week bye while everybody else gets 1 (excluding Bills and Bengals)

[BillSabre]

25 minutes ago, iknowcool said:

The problem with this is the loser of Bills/Bengals will be the only team in the entire playoff field to not receive a bye, and that is assuming the Bills win in Week 18 and Chiefs lose, otherwise both Bills and Bengals could be out of luck.

Why would either team want to risk such a disadvantage for a game that doesn't guarantee a positive outcome for either (or both) teams?

I do t want to nitpick here but I just want to clarify that IF the Bills were to beat the Bengals and win week 18, they wouldn’t need the Chiefs to lose week 18 to secure the 1 seed. 

[minutemancl]

9 minutes ago, The BILLievers said:

Ready for run thru a brick wall after this Hamlin news and him asking who won right after he woke up 😆

A lot of people are saying the Bills might not be ready to play this weekend.. i think it's the opposite now and they are going to go out there and ball out. I can't even imagine the scene at Highmark Stadium this Sunday vs the Pats. Gives me chill thinking about. 

This could be a Saints return to the Superdome in 2006 type game. The emotions are going to be so, so high.