02.06.11
Super Bowl Prediction & NFL “Bad Weather” Games
My prediction for the Super Bowl today: Packers 24, Steelers 20. Go Pack Go. 🙂
With all the snow, ice, and cold weather affecting travelers going to the Super Bowl, I thought I’d see what I could find on NFL games (not just Super Bowls) that were played in extreme weather conditions.
First, a few stats about the Super Bowl (not including today), based on meteorologist Brian Neudorff’s weather blog:
- 17 of 44 bowls played indoors
- 16 of 44 bowls had a trace or more of rain nearby
- 2 bowls had snow on game day (1982, 2006)
- 1 bowl played during an ice storm (2000)
- Warmest high temperature: 82 °F (1973, 2003)
- Coldest high temperature for dome game: 16 °F (1982)
- Coldest high temperature for non-dome game: 49 °F (1985)
- Wettest Super Bowl: 0.92 inches (2007)
- Outside games with high wind gusts (1980, 1984, 1989, 2007)
And here is the NFL’s list of the “Top 10 weather games in NFL history” (the page has videos clips as well):
- Ice Bowl: Vince Lombardi’s Packers over Tom Landry’s Cowboys at Green Bay, in the 1967 NFL Championship Game (preceding Super Bowl II)…the temperature got to -15 °F and the wind chill to -48 °F (-36 °F under the 2001 scale), in the coldest NFL game (though not in terms of wind chill…see the Freezer Bowl)
- Tuck Rule Game: (Sometimes known as the “Snow Bowl” by Patriots’ fans) Patriots over the Raiders in the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff Game…a controversial call came near the end of a game played during a heavy snow storm in Foxborough
- Fog Bowl: Bears over the Eagles during a surreal, heavy fog in Chicago, in the 1988 NFC Divisional Playoff Game
- Freezer Bowl: Bengals over the Chargers in Cincinnati, in the 1981 AFC Championship Game…the wind chill was -59 °F (- 37 °F under the 2001 scale) and the temperature was -9 °F…this was the first time the Bengals got to go to the Super Bowl
- 1975 AFC Championship Game: Steelers over the Raiders in Pittsburgh, with 20 mph winds, snow flurries, and a temperature of 16 °F
- 1948 NFL Championship Game: Eagles over the Chicago Cardinals in Philadelphia, with near blizzard conditions…the game’s only points came from Steve Van Buren’s touchdown in the 4th quarter, to give the Eagles their first title
- Snow Plow Game: Patriots over the Dolphins in a 1982 AFC East game in Foxborough…during a heavy snow storm, late in the 4th quarter, a small snow plow was used to clear a line from which a 33-yard field goal would be kicked…the snow plow unexpectedly veered left, clearing a good spot for the John Smith’s kick, which provided the only score in the game
- Sneakers Game: Giants over the Bears in New York, in the 1934 NFL Championship Game…freezing rain the night before made it difficult for players to run around on the field; one of the Giants’ players suggested changing to sneakers…in the 3rd quarter, with the Bears leading, the Giants switched their cleats for sneakers, and then went on to win the game
- 1979 Buccaneers vs. Chiefs Monsoon: Buccaneers over the Chiefs, 3-0, in Tampa Bay’s final home game of the 1979 season (and their first winning season)…torrential rain waterlogged the field, in one of the wettest NFL games
- Red Right 88: Raiders over the Browns in the 1980 AFC Divisional Playoff Game in Cleveland…the temperature was 4 °F, the wind chill was -36 °F, and the field was muddy…the game’s finish left a painful, if not memorable impression on Browns’ fans