Frigid Temperatures Could Make Mark on Ravens vs. Bills Game

The Baltimore Ravens are likely in for yet another cold game when they face the Buffalo Bills.

Dec 1, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Snow clearing equipment clears the field of snow prior to a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Not only will the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills face each other in Sunday's highly-anticipated AFC Divisional Round showdown, but they'll face the natural elements as well.

Surprise, a game taking place on a January night in upstate New York is going to be cold.

The Weather Channel's forecast calls for a low of just 7 degrees on Sunday night in Orchard Park. Accuweather's forecast says it will feel even colder than that, and both outlets call for a good chance of snow around kickoff time. Needless to say, both teams willl need to be ready for the frigid conditions on Sunday night.

In theory, the frigid conditions should benefit the Ravens. They have the better running game, which comes in handy when passing becomes more difficult due to the elements, and no defender is going to want to hit the 6-2, 247-pound Derrick Henry in the freezing cold. They also won their Wild Card Round game against the Pittsburgh Steelers convincingly, and temperatures for that game were at or near the freezing point. Not nearly as cold as it will be on Sunday, but still good experience.

However, the Ravens are up against one of the most notoriously weather-tested teams in the league. The Bills have played several games in the cold and snow this season alone. Most recently, they destroyed the San Francisco 49ers 35-10 on Dec. 1 in a game that featured heavy snow before and during it. They know what it's like to play in these conditions, probably more than any other team in the league.

There's also the fact that Bills fans will be loud and rowdy for this game, snow or not. While the crowd noise was a big advantage for the Ravens last week, they'll have to quiet that noise this time around.

"A few touchdowns would quiet them down," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters Monday. "Yes, that would be ideal. That would be ideal.

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