FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It won’t quite be the Snow Bowl, but flakes are expected for Sunday’s playoff matchup between the Patriots and Texans.
Boston 25 Meteorologist Geoff Bansen has been tracking it.
“It’s trending in the direction for some light snow right around the start of the game, possibly picking up a little bit as the game goes along,” Bansen forecasted on Friday.
He added, “I don’t think it’ll be white-out conditions, but folks heading to the game should plan ahead.”
That could be bad news for the Texans, a team that is already playing on a short week and on the road. They play inside a dome when they’re at home in Houston.
Texans quarterback CJ Stroud doesn’t regularly play in cold weather, let alone in snow. The cold temps didn’t appear to faze him and the Texans in their Wild Card round win over the Steelers. The temperature at kickoff in Pittsburgh on Monday night was 30 degrees, with a feel-like temperature of 26 degrees, and wind gusts up to 15 miles per hour.
When Stroud was under center at Ohio State in 2021, rival Michigan beat them in a snow game. He played well, though, throwing for 394 yards and tossing two touchdowns.
Last season, the Texans traveled to Kansas City for a playoff game against the Chiefs that featured weather below freezing. Houston lost in a close one, 23-14. Stroud played well, completing 68% of his passes for 245 yards.
As for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye? The jury is out. Maye grew up and played college ball in North Carolina. He’s been playing in New England for the past two years, though. Just last weekend, the temperature at kickoff for the Wild Card win against the Chargers was 36 degrees, with a feel-like temperature of 24 degrees.
Snow and messy weather conditions have historically been an advantage for the Patriots. Tom Brady put together an impressive 61-9 record in games below 40 degrees during his 20 years with the Patriots.
He excelled in the snow. He wore a neoprene “scuba suit” or wetsuit top under his uniform during cold-weather games to insulate his core, block wind, and stay warm without restricting movement, a tactic he started for a frigid 2004 playoff game.
“I know exactly what to wear. I know how many layers to wear every degree,” Brady told a reporter in January of 2015. “I’m a (bleeping) machine, man, I’m a (bleeping) machine!”
There are several notable snow games in Patriots history.
In December 1982, the Patriots and Dolphins were locked at zero apiece for almost the entire game amid heavy snow. Late in the game, a snowplow operator was called onto the field to clear a spot on the field so New England kicker John Smith could kick the game-winning field goal to give the Patriots a 3–0 win. The operator was a convict on work release, who jokingly remarked, “What are they gonna do, throw me in jail?”
Who could forget the “Snow Bowl” in January 2002? Or, perhaps more commonly known as the “Tuck Rule” game. It’s the game that sparked the Patriots’ dynasty in the early 2000s. The Patriots beat the Raiders during a blizzard in the Divisional round.
Tom Brady appeared to fumble late in the game, when suddenly the officials ruled that his arm was going forward, and it was instead ruled an incomplete pass. New England kicker Adam Vinatieri sent the game into overtime with a field goal through the snow and then won it with a kick in overtime.
In October 2009, most of Massachusetts was blanketed by unexpected snow. It favored the Patriots, who blew the doors off the visiting Tennessee Titans, 59-0. Brady put on a clinic, throwing for 380 yards with six touchdown passes. The Patriots’ offense amassed a staggering 619 total yards. Wes Welker caught 10 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Randy Moss reeled in eight passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns in the rout.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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