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:

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