Snow game! Here's the weather forecast for Patriots vs. Jets in Foxboro
FOXBORO - It's been awhile since we've had a good snow game at Gillette Stadium! Perhaps your memory takes you back to the Tuck Rule game, or maybe it's 1982's Snow Plow game ... we've had some good ones!
Let's break down the forecast and how the New England Patriots do in these conditions.
What's the forecast for Patriots vs. Jets on Sunday?
As if the Jets/Pats matchup needed any more drama, Sunday's weather is going to be a mess, plain and simple.
6-10" of snow will have fallen in Foxboro by the time kickoff rolls around at 1 p.m. At that point, the snow will be winding down a bit, but temperatures will also be falling with a stiff northerly wind. By 3 p.m., air temperatures will be in the middle 20s and wind chills in the middle teens. Bitterly cold!
The Patriots are hot when it's cold
Despite the perception of cold weather being a drawback, New England's success in lower temperatures proves the team's resilience against the elements. Since 1970, the Patriots boast a 62-32 record in games with a kickoff temperature of 34 degrees or lower, and an impressive 16-3 record in postseason cold-weather matches. When snow is anticipated, the Patriots become nearly invincible.
Of course, it's a different era and different team than when some of these victories were tallied, but Patriots always find a way, like the big December 2021 away victory over Buffalo when Mac Jones threw the ball exactly three times and still managed a 14-10 win.
In the entirety of the franchise's history, New England has never lost a snow game in Foxboro, maintaining a flawless 12-0 record and outscoring opponents by a significant margin of 284-91.
Most memorable Patriots snow games
2001 AFC Divisional Round vs Oakland "Tuck Rule Game"
With less than 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Patriots losing to Raiders 13-10, and in a driving snow, Tom Brady dropped back to pass, was hit by Charles Woodson, and the ball squirted around in the snow before being recovered by the Raiders. What looked to be a fumble was ruled an incomplete pass, as Brady's arm was moving forward. The call kept the ball with the Patriots, who set growing legend Adam Vinatieri up with a snowy 45-yard field goal to tie it. Vinatieri would later kick the game winner to advance to the AFC championship game.
You could argue that this game changed the NFL for years to come.
1982 Regular Season Game vs Miami "Snow Plow Game"
The legend of this cold December game starts the night before – Dec. 11, 1982. Heavy rain soaked the Astroturf surface at Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro. With temperatures crashing below the freezing mark, all that cold rain froze, making the turf field a true frozen tundra.
Come gametime versus the Dolphins, heavy snow was falling, clearly impacting the game. In fact, an emergency ground rule was put into play where the officials could call timeout and allow the ground crew to use a snowplow to clear the yard markers. Despite their best efforts, the snow was just too heavy and ground crews couldn't keep up.
The teams remained scoreless well into the fourth quarter. With about 4:45 left in the game, Patriots coach Ron Meyer motioned to a snowplow operator to clear a spot on the field for kicker John Smith. The plow driver did just that, and Smith made the kick.
The Patriots went on to win 3-0.
In the subsequent days, Don Shula argued that the plow operator had given the Patriots an unfair advantage and wanted the game overturned, but NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle denied that request.
2003/2004 AFC Championship Games vs Indianapolis
It was a battle of titans, Brady vs Manning. For two straight years, the high-flying Colts came into New England and were hampered by a Patriots strong defense (and a little help from Mother Nature and some falling snowflakes).
Each game featured chilly, snowy mid-January weather. This was something the Colts were acclimated to, playing their home games at the time in the RCA Dome.
In 2003, the Patriots defense stepped up big time. Manning completed as many passes to Patriots' Ty Law as he did to one the league's top receivers, Marvin Harrison. The Patriots would go on to win 24-14.
In 2004, the Pats D held Manning to ZERO passing TDs in a 20-3 win, sending New England to their 3rd Super Bowl in 4 years.
Let's see if the 2023 Patriots can keep the Snowy Game win streak alive.