‘Snow globe’: Wild weather wreaks havoc on bizarre NFL game

American footballers are used to playing in the cold but the wild winter weather was particulary nasty for a prime time NFL game.

Wild weather wreaked havoc on the NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots on Tuesday (AEDT), which was played in freezing temperatures and fierce winds.

As was predicted, Buffalo’s home ground Highmark Stadium was in the thick of blizzard-like weather before the game.

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Snow and wind made for tricky conditions as players made their final preparations before the game.

Kickers practising regulation field goals from 30 yards out saw their attempts sail way wide of the posts as the ferocious wind took control of the ball and turned it at right angles.

The wind was so strong one of the orange flags on the goalpost was ripped off, while the field was covered with a dusting of snow two hours before kick-off.

Members of ESPN’s pre-game TV broadcast crew were nearly blown off their chairs along the sideline, while their sky camera was also removed.

It stopped snowing by the time the game started but the Bills and Patriots still had to contend with playing in -5C temperature (with wind chill) and wind gusts of up to 70 km/h.

There were amusing scenes when the opening kick off got caught in the wind and sailed way over the end zone and deep into the crowd.

The wind is blowing so hard in Buffalo the opening kickoff just landed in the 10th row behind the end zone. This is going to be a positively bizarre game.

— Rich 🎅hrnberger (@ohrnberger) December 7, 2021

A punt from New England’s Jake Bailey went sideways into the wind and flew out of bounds, travelling only 15 yards.

The Patriots adapted to the wild weather better as they shored up the top spot in the AFC standings with a 14-10 over the Bills.

Damien Harris scored on a 64-yard run in blustery conditions in which New England quarterback Mac Jones attempted just three passes.

Defensive back Miles Bryant sealed the victory by batting down Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s pass at the goal line with Buffalo facing fourth-and-14 at New England’s 18 with 1:55 remaining.

The Patriots leaned heavily on their ground game out-gaining the Bills 229 to 99 in yards rushing, with the cold, windy snowy night negating Allen’s strong-armed passing attack.

The Patriots ran the ball 46 times compared to just three pass attempts. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)

New England (9-4) won its seventh consecutive game, improved to 6-0 on the road this season and now has a two-win edge over the Bills (7-5) in the AFC East standings.

Harris finished with a season-best 111 yards rushing and opened the scoring on New England’s ninth play from scrimmage. Facing third-and-5, Harris burst though a gaping hole up the middle and was untouched on his way to the end zone.

With the Patriots facing huge winds gusts, coach Bill Belichick succeeded on a 2-point conversion, with Brandon Bolden scoring just inside the left pylon.

The Patriots never trailed with Nick Folk hitting two field goals — both with the wind at his back — from 34 and 41 yards.

With NY Post.

Originally published as ‘Snow globe’: Wild weather wreaks havoc on bizarre NFL game